Chapter 1: The Origin
In the midst of the frenzied crowd at Son Moix Stadium, Jose Alemany clapped his hands, watching as Coach Cooper was lifted and thrown into the air by the players.
At just twenty-five years old, Jose was still quite young. Many of Mallorca's players were older than him. He had gone to the United States at eighteen to study, but after two years, he dropped out and returned to Mallorca. His father was shocked when he came back because in those two years, Jose had made an enormous fortune—close to two hundred million dollars in cash!
Jose had always avoided discussing how he earned the money, but the only thing Alemany knew for sure was that it had been earned honestly on the New York Stock Exchange. Earning two hundred million dollars in two years was a miracle, and although five years later, few people remembered this young Spaniard who had increased his wealth so dramatically, many still wondered why he suddenly gave up his career in New York to return home. Time, however, was the best remedy for forgetting, and after three years of nearly secluded study in a professional coaching course, Jose Alemany, once a prominent name on the New York Stock Exchange, was gradually forgotten. He then entered the Mallorca Club, becoming a coach for the youth team. Halfway through the season, he joined the first team as an assistant coach to Coach Cooper, and that was where he stood today.
Perhaps only Jose himself knew why he chose to withdraw at his peak. This was a secret that only he knew.
While applauding, Jose's mind drifted back to the conversation he had with club president Asensio two days prior.
"Young man, you've done well in your position as assistant coach this past year... Coach Cooper has been praising you to me," Asensio said.
In response to Asensio's words, Jose simply smiled slightly without answering.
Asensio wasn't bothered by this. He stood up and walked around his office: "You and Juan grew up together, and I've been friends with your father for years... Two years ago, when he asked me to have you join Mallorca as a coach, I thought it was just a young man's whim. But after these two years, your performance has been outstanding. You've impressed all the youth team coaches, and once you entered the first team, Coach Cooper couldn't stop praising you... Honestly, Jose, seeing you now, I'm happy."
"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. President," Jose replied politely, nodding. "But this is the career I chose, so naturally, I do it well."
"Exactly," Asensio nodded, then steered the conversation into more serious territory. "Jose, I called you here to tell you something."
"What is it?" Jose asked, although he already had an inkling.