The departure of Ben Carter left a hole in the heart of Apex FC, both emotionally and defensively.
He was their rock, their quiet leader, the elegant foundation upon which Leon was building his tactical fortress.
But the departure also left something else: a bank account that was suddenly, shockingly, and almost comically large.
Leon sat in his small, cluttered office, staring at the club's financial statement.
The number stared back, a string of zeroes so long it looked like a typo.
"So," Brenda, the eternally flustered club secretary, said, peering over his shoulder, her eyes wide.
"Does this mean we can finally afford a coffee machine that doesn't sound like it's about to achieve liftoff?"
Leon just laughed, a sound of pure, bewildered disbelief. "Brenda," he said, a slow, brilliant, and slightly terrifying grin spreading across his face. "I think we can afford to buy the entire coffee company."
