Chapter 87: A Gathering Among Old Friends

Chapter 87: A Gathering Among Old Friends

The match against Novara ended around five in the afternoon. Afterwards, not all Udinese players rushed back to Udine because the winter break was starting, so the team disbanded on the spot. Many players headed to Milan to catch flights around the world.

Bruno also didn't return to Udine. Instead of flying back to Portugal immediately, he stayed in Novara to catch up with a few former teammates. During his time in Novara, Bruno had good relationships with his teammates, but he was particularly close to a few, including Argentine striker Gonzalez, captain Rubino, and midfielder Buzigoli.

Among them, Rubino had retired but didn't leave Novara; instead, he joined the coaching staff as an assistant in the youth team.

After the match, they decided to have dinner together. Since it was still early, they planned to find a place to sit and chat afterward. For Italians, most people don't go to bed until around eleven or midnight, so seven in the evening was indeed quite early.

Bruno didn't want to go to noisy places like bars or nightclubs. Now a well-known football star in Italy, it wouldn't look good to be seen in such venues. Besides, he personally disliked those kinds of places.

This preference puzzled his friends, who usually chose lively spots for outings and were unsure about quieter locales. Bruno then remembered a place and suggested it.

With no better alternatives, they all drove there together.

The place Bruno suggested was naturally the café owned by Vanessa Hessler, located in the suburbs of Milan and not far from Novara. It was well-suited for such a gathering.

When Bruno and his friends arrived and saw that the café's owner was a glamorous young woman, they couldn't help but smile knowingly. They hadn't heard about Bruno being involved with any woman and joked that he might be hiding a gem here.

Despite their ribbing, Bruno knew they weren't serious. He explained his connection to Vanessa, but their first impressions lingered.

Vanessa was surprised to see Bruno at her café again. She thought that after his transfer to Udinese, he might not return. Yet, here he was with his former teammates.

Vanessa didn't show any special treatment towards Bruno, as their acquaintance was casual, at best described as regular customers.

After settling Bruno and his friends, Vanessa went back to attending other guests. It was around eight in the evening, the café's busiest time. The café was doing well, contrary to Bruno's previous impressions, likely because his prior visits were during working hours.

The group enjoyed their time, chatting in the booth until past eleven before Bruno helped his slightly tipsy friends into their car and sent them off.

When he was about to leave, Vanessa stopped him and brought out a bottle of champagne to celebrate his winning the European Golden Boy award. Bruno agreed to stay for a toast.

After a few glasses of champagne, Vanessa's cheeks were flushed, and she appeared quite affected by the alcohol, prompting Bruno to offer her a ride home, concerned about her being alone at this hour.

Vanessa accepted, and after locking up the café, they set off on foot to her place, which she claimed was just a ten-minute walk away.

However, a few minutes into their walk, Vanessa felt sick. The cold winter air exacerbated her discomfort, and she vomited by the roadside.

Bruno stayed by her side, helping her until she felt slightly better, and then insisted on walking her to her door, despite her embarrassment and protests.

Reaching her villa, Vanessa thanked Bruno for his help. He asked if she was sure she'd be okay alone, especially given her condition. She reassured him, but barely made it inside before collapsing onto the sofa.

Bruno, seeing her struggle, made sure she was safe before hesitantly leaving, closing the door behind him. Vanessa, left alone, reflected on the unexpected kindness and wondered if Bruno would have treated her the same if he knew her past struggles.

(End of Chapter)

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