The hallway felt colder than usual
Rumors were winds
And lately they were howling
Cristiano walked through Carrington with his headphones on
But even music couldn't drown the whispers
"Madrid is calling"
"They want him next summer"
"They're ready to break records"
He heard it from the staff
The cafeteria workers
Even from some teammates
But nobody said it to his face
Everyone wanted to know if he would leave
But Cristiano didn't know the answer either
Not yet
Madrid was tempting
The white jersey
The history
The prestige
But Manchester was the crucible that forged him
One afternoon
After training
Sir Alex called him into the office
The old man looked tired
But sharp as ever
"I know what they're offering" he said
Cristiano nodded
Didn't speak
"You've got the world chasing you now
But remember where you became a man"
Cristiano looked at the framed photo on the wall
The team that won the league last season
His smile was barely visible in the back row
"I owe a lot to you boss
To this club"
Sir Alex leaned forward
"But don't let loyalty become a prison
If you need to fly
Do it with your chest out
Not with guilt in your heart"
That shook him
Because it wasn't a plea to stay
It was permission to evolve
Later that night
Cristiano sat alone in his apartment
Looking out the window
Rain again
Always rain in Manchester
He thought about everything
The fans
The dream
The legacy
Then he opened his notebook
And scribbled a new line
"I don't fear leaving
I fear not becoming all I'm meant to be"
He closed the book
And for the first time
Madrid didn't feel like betrayal
It felt like destiny waiting to be claimed