Florentino woke up on time, just as he always did.
It was a habit he had developed over many years and had never changed.
After getting dressed, brushing his teeth, and washing his face, he went downstairs to find that the servants had already prepared his breakfast and placed it on the dining room table. Beside the breakfast lay the newspapers that had just arrived that morning.
Florentino had always had a habit of reading the newspapers.
When his wife was still alive, he would use breakfast time to talk with her about everyday matters and their children. But three years ago, his wife passed away, so he changed his routine and moved his newspaper reading to breakfast.
"After my wife left, all I had left in my life was Real Madrid!"
Those were the words the Real Madrid president had spoken himself, moving countless Real Madrid fans.
In fact, he had always lived by those words. Through his painstaking management, Real Madrid had become the most successful club in European Football over the past few years. Whether commercially or competitively, Real Madrid stood head and shoulders above the rest. Under Florentino's leadership, Real Madrid had achieved unprecedented success in world football, and its president had consequently joined the ranks of the greats.
This summer, the renovation of Bernabéu Stadium would be completed. A brand-new era for Real Madrid would appear before the world. Florentino was filled with confidence and anticipation, firmly believing that Real Madrid would continue its previous success over the next few years.
He was already rubbing his hands in eager anticipation.
But the moment he saw the newspaper's front page, the knife and fork in his hands clattered to the floor. The female servant standing opposite him turned pale with fright, thinking something terrible had happened.