The final whistle blew, confirming CF Igualada's hard-fought 1-0 victory over CF Martorell Juvenil. Daniel's goal had made the difference, but instead of celebrating with the team, his mind was elsewhere.
He kept his eyes locked on the man in the black coat standing motionless in the stands. The figure didn't react to the cheering fans, the shaking stands, or even the players leaving the field. He just stood there, watching.Daniel took a step forward, his heart pounding.Then, as if sensing his attention, the man turned and disappeared into the crowd.Daniel felt a hand clap his back. "Bro, you killed it today!" Marcos grinned, throwing an arm over his shoulder. "That goal? Absolute madness.""Yeah…" Daniel forced a smile, but his focus remained on the spot where the man had stood.Back in the locker room, Coach Morales clapped his hands to gather the team's attention."Good win today, but we still have a lot to improve before the tournament. Keep your heads in the game." His gaze settled on Daniel. "Carter, excellent strike. That's what I expect from you."Daniel nodded, still gripping the crumpled black envelope in his pocket."¡Daniel! ¡Tienes que celebrar más!" "You have to celebrate more!" Álvaro laughed, shaking him by the shoulders.Sofia, leaning against the lockers, smirked. "He's probably thinking about his next highlight reel moment."Daniel chuckled, playing along, but deep inside, he couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over.Later that night, as Daniel walked home through Igualada's quiet streets, his phone buzzed.Unknown Number: "We are always watching."His blood turned cold.His fingers hovered over the keyboard, debating whether to reply. Before he could, his phone screen glitched, flickering with static for a moment before shutting off completely.Daniel's breath quickened.Who were these people? And why now, after all this time?He glanced around the dimly lit street, feeling more exposed than ever.Then he heard it—footsteps.Not his own.Someone was following him.