The Ruthless Captain's Secretly Pampered Star

“Aries Mathis stared at the glowing projector screen, his blood running completely cold. For two years, he thought his mentor and former captain, Elias Beck, had simply left for a massive signing bonus in Europe. But the financial report in front of him revealed a much sicker truth. Elias had secretly sold Aries' contract to the highest bidder, packaging his own prodigy up like a commodity to line his pockets before abandoning him. Now, Elias was back in North America, building a new esports empire from scratch. The betrayal crushed Aries, turning his devastation into a blinding, toxic rage. He spiraled into a self-destructive frenzy, publicly executing Elias's new players in official matches, terrorizing them until their hands physically shook. He hated Elias with every fiber of his being, yet the gaping hole in his chest screamed with agonizing confusion. Why did the man who once saved him from the streets throw him away like a stray dog? Driven to the edge, Aries cornered Elias at a VIP club, lining up ten shot glasses on a table. "One is pure, high-proof whiskey. The rest are iced tea." Aries sneered, knowing Elias had a severe stomach ulcer that could put him in the hospital. "Pick the whiskey, and I sign with your new team for free." Elias looked at Aries' broken eyes, reached out, and swallowed the liquid in one gulp. There was no burn. All ten glasses were sweet iced tea. As Aries fled the club in a blind panic, Elias smiled, pulling out his phone to text his lawyer. "Liquidate my personal portfolio. I am bringing him home."”