Chapter 70 :

After a few minutes, Advay's team arrived, filing into his office with their laptops and notepads, ready for whatever was coming. Ananya, still seated on the sofa, watched as they greeted him respectfully, taking their seats across from his desk.

Advay leaned forward, calm yet commanding, as he began discussing the specifics of ongoing projects, financial reports, and future expansions. His team took notes, asked questions, and provided updates, but it was clear that they were used to his precision and efficiency.

Then, as the meeting neared its end, he shifted the conversation.

"Now, about the acquisition," he said, his tone steady but firm. "I want all possible details—valuation, ownership breakdown, legal hurdles, everything."

His team nodded, instantly understanding the weight of what he was asking.

"Timeline?" one of them asked.

"One month," Advay replied without hesitation.

A brief pause. No one questioned him—they just took down notes, already processing the scale of the task.

After final instructions, he dismissed the team, watching as they left, already making calls before they even stepped out of the room.

Once the door clicked shut, he turned toward Ananya, walking over and sitting down next to her on the sofa.

She raised an eyebrow. "So, just like that, huh?"

He leaned back, exhaling slightly. "It'll be done in a month."

She stared at him for a second, then shook her head with a smirk. "You are insane, you know that?"

He just shrugged, his signature smirk playing on his lips. "You say that like it's new information."

Advay leaned back against the sofa, stretching his arms slightly. "You know, I didn't become a Liverpool fan yesterday."

Ananya smirked. "Oh really? I had no idea, Mr. 'Should I Buy Liverpool FC?'"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I've been following them since I was a kid. Long before the trophies, the Champions League wins—back when they were still fighting to make a comeback."

She raised an eyebrow. "So, this isn't just a rich guy impulse decision?"

He looked at her, amused. "No. This is personal."

For the first time, she saw it—it wasn't just about owning a club. It was about something deeper, something that actually meant something to him.

She sighed, shaking her head with a small smile. "You are actually serious about this."

Advay smirked. "I told you—I've already decided."

After pulling up in front of Ananya's house, Advay shifted the car into park. She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to him. "Thanks for the ride. And for the trip, I guess."

Advay just nodded. "Anytime."

She reached for the door handle but hesitated for a moment, glancing back at him. "And good luck with your… little purchase."

He smirked. "It's not little."

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Of course not."

Just as she was about to step out, Advay leaned in, catching her by surprise. Before she could react, his lips were on hers—soft, unhurried, but firm.

Ananya froze for a second, then melted into the kiss, her fingers instinctively gripping the edge of her seat. The moment stretched between them, silent but charged.

When he finally pulled back, she was slightly breathless, blinking at him.

He leaned back against his seat, his expression unreadable. "Goodnight."

Ananya stared at him for a second longer, then huffed, her face slightly flushed. "You can't just—ugh, whatever."

She quickly stepped out of the car and closed the door behind her, disappearing into her house without looking back.

Advay smirked to himself, shifted gears, and drove off into the night, his mind already moving to what came next.

On January 5, 2020, just weeks before India's tour of New Zealand, Advay arrived at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to begin his preparation. The air was crisp, and the energy among the players was high—a new year, a new challenge.

After a brief warm-up session, he changed into his training kit and headed straight for the nets, where bowlers were already steaming in, preparing for the swinging conditions they would face in New Zealand.

Shubman Gill, who was also part of the squad, walked past him, grinning. "Ready for some green-top nightmares?"

Advay smirked, adjusting his gloves. "Bring it on."

The bowlers were instructed to simulate New Zealand's conditions, focusing on swing and bounce. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami were the first to bowl to him.

The first delivery from Bhuvneshwar was full, hooping in late. Advay watched it closely, adjusting his stance at the last moment, and played a crisp straight drive, the ball racing past the bowler.

Rahul Dravid, overseeing the session, nodded approvingly. "Good adjustment, but keep the head still."

The next ball from Shami was short, rising sharply toward his chest. Without hesitation, Advay rode the bounce, rolling his wrists, and pulled it behind square for four.

"Easy pitch today," he muttered under his breath, making Bhuvneshwar chuckle.

As the session continued, Advay focused on getting used to playing the swinging ball, leaving anything unnecessary, and working on quick foot movement. The challenge in New Zealand wouldn't just be pace—it would be Patience. Adaptability. Shot selection.

The intensity of training increased, with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also batting in different nets, preparing for the same challenge ahead.

By the end of the session, sweat dripped from Advay's forehead, but his focus remained unshaken. He knew this tour would be one of his biggest tests yet, and he was ready for it.

The Indian team gathered at the airport, waiting to board their flight to New Zealand for their first tour of 2020. Dressed in team travel jackets and joggers, players stood in small groups, chatting, laughing, and stretching as they prepared for the long journey ahead.

Rohit Sharma leaned back against a pillar, yawning. "Man, these long flights are the worst. I swear, I age five years on every New Zealand tour."

KL Rahul smirked. "That's why you should just sleep through it."

Nearby, Advay was scrolling through his phone, checking match schedules when Chahal nudged him. "Bro, serious question—who's going to suffer more? Us in swinging conditions or New Zealand in Indian heat later this year?"

Advay chuckled. "If we bat well, they suffer first."

Virat Kohli, standing near the boarding gate, checked his watch and clapped his hands together. "Alright, boys! This is going to be a tough series. Let's make it count."

The players grabbed their bags and headed toward the gate, ready to board their flight. The New Zealand tour was about to begin.

As the team settled into their seats on the long-haul flight to New Zealand, the atmosphere was relaxed yet buzzing with anticipation. Some players were already putting on their headphones, while others were flipping through movies or chatting in small groups.

Seated together, Advay, KL Rahul, and Chahal were casually talking when Shubman Gill, one of the youngest members of the squad, walked past looking a little tense.

Chahal smirked and called out, "Oye, Gill! Why are you walking like you're carrying the whole team's responsibility already?"

Gill sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Bhai, first Test tour of New Zealand… I've heard the ball swings like crazy there. I just hope I don't nick off first ball."

Advay, who had already played overseas, leaned back in his seat. "Relax. It's not that bad. Just survive the first hour, and you'll be fine."

KL Rahul, sipping his drink, grinned. "That's funny, because Advay didn't just survive his first tour, he destroyed West Indies. No pressure though, Gill."

Gill groaned. "Bro, you guys are supposed to calm me down, not increase my stress!"

Nearby, Rishabh Pant and Mayank Agarwal were discussing the conditions in New Zealand.

Pant, munching on snacks, nudged Mayank. "Bro, have you seen how green those pitches are? They look like outfields!"

Mayank laughed. "That's why we let you bat aggressively. You don't have to survive long!"

Virat, overhearing, smirked. "If the openers survive, we're fine. If they don't, then we let Advay do the damage control."

Chahal laughed. "Yeah, this guy only knows two modes—'calm' and 'destroy.'"

Gill leaned back in his seat, glancing at Advay. "Of course, I know about him."

Chahal raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What, IPL stats?"

Gill shook his head with a grin. "No, because he was our captain when we won the 2018 U-19 World Cup in New Zealand."

KL Rahul's eyes widened slightly. "Wait, you guys won the U-19 World Cup here?"

Gill nodded. "Yeah, same country, different challenge now. But back then, we destroyed teams. And this guy—" he pointed at Advay, "led from the front. Scored runs, took wickets, calm under pressure. We all knew he'd be playing for India soon."

Chahal whistled. "Bhai, you never told us you were a World Cup-winning captain!"

Advay shrugged. "Never came up."

Gill chuckled. "I remember in the final, he told us one thing—'Play like we belong here.' And we did."

KL Rahul smirked, looking at Advay. "And now? You belong here too."

Advay just smirked slightly, looking out the window as the plane soared through the night sky.

After a long flight, the team finally landed in Auckland, New Zealand. The air was cool and crisp, a refreshing change from India. As they stepped out of the airport, the players stretched, shaking off the fatigue from the journey.

They quickly boarded the team bus, which would take them to their hotel. The ride was mostly quiet—some players were watching dramas on their phones, others were chatting in small groups, while a few, like Advay, just looked out of the window, taking in the unfamiliar streets of Auckland.

After a short drive, they arrived at their luxurious five-star hotel, The Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour. The players checked in and headed to their rooms, freshening up after the exhausting journey.

A few hours later, as the sun began to set, the team gathered in the hotel's private dining area for a team dinner.

The atmosphere was lively, everyone relaxed and chatting, happy to finally be settled in. The table was filled with grilled seafood, steaks, pasta, salads, and a variety of local New Zealand dishes.

KL Rahul took a bite and nodded. "Alright, I can get used to this food."

Pant, stuffing his mouth with food, mumbled, "Bro, food is food. Everything's good."

Across the table, Chahal looked at Gill and smirked. "So, debut tour, huh? Feeling nervous yet?"

Gill, still cutting into his steak, sighed. "Bhai, I was fine until you reminded me."

Virat, overhearing, smirked. "Don't worry, you have the U-19 World Cup captain sitting next to you. He'll guide you."

Advay, sipping his water, glanced at Gill and smirked. "Just don't expect me to carry you this time."

The table burst into laughter, and Gill groaned. "You guys are never letting this go, are you?"

Rohit chuckled, shaking his head. "Nope. Welcome to the senior team, kid."

As the team continued their dinner, the conversation flowed between cricket, food, and random travel stories.

Chahal, leaning forward with a smirk, suddenly turned to Advay. "Bhai, forget cricket for a second. How was your UK trip?"

Virat, sitting across the table, raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, we saw some interesting photos. Looked like you had a pretty good time."

The table immediately got quieter, with a few players now paying attention. KL Rahul smirked, sipping his drink. "Oh, this should be good."

Advay, still calm, set his fork down and looked at them. "It was nice."

Chahal rolled his eyes. "'Nice'? That's all? Bro, you went to London, watched a football match, traveled all over the UK, and all you say is nice?!"

Pant grinned. "At least tell us something interesting."

Advay smirked slightly. "I went to Anfield. The atmosphere was insane."

Virat nodded. "Yeah, I've heard football crowds in England are something else."

Rahul, still teasing, chuckled. "And? What else? Come on, man, we know there's more."

Advay just shrugged, his usual calm expression unchanged. "Traveled around, saw a few places. It was a good break."

Chahal groaned. "Bhai, you make everything sound like a press conference answer!"

As the laughter died down, Advay took a sip of water and casually added, "The best part? I met the entire Liverpool squad."

The table went silent for a second, then erupted.

"Wait, WHAT?!" Chahal almost choked on his food.

Pant's eyes widened. "Bro, the entire squad?!"

Virat, an avid football fan himself, leaned forward. "You actually met them?"

Advay nodded, still calm. "Yeah, after the match. The club staff invited me to the locker room."

KL Rahul shook his head. "And you were just going to let that slide without telling us?"

Rohit chuckled. "Bhai, this guy met some of the biggest football stars in the world, and he says it like he just met his neighbors."

Pant, still in disbelief, asked, "Salah, Van Dijk, Alisson—everyone?"

Advay nodded again. "Yeah, they even recognized me."

Gill, still processing, blinked. "Wait… what do you mean recognized? Like, they knew who you were?"

Advay smirked slightly. "Yeah. Van Dijk told me I was underestimating myself."

The table exploded again, players shaking their heads in disbelief.

Virat whistled. "Damn, bro. That's insane."

Chahal groaned. "I swear, you live a different life."

Advay just shrugged, his usual composed expression unchanged.

The conversation shifted to football, with players now discussing matches, clubs, and favorite players, while the dinner continued in full swing.