Driving home, Richard's mind was spinning again.

Head Coach of the United States National Swimming Team?

That wasn't just a big deal.

It was the highest position anyone could ever get in his field.

And somehow, they were offering it to him.

He didn't know how to process it.

He needed someone to talk to. Someone who understood him.

Someone who wasn't going to judge him.

Right then, his phone rang.

Dayo.

Richard picked up immediately.

"Dayo? What's up? Have you left the training center?"

"Yeah," Dayo replied. "I packed up already. But Coach… I felt something was off. I didn't want to ask earlier, but I could feel it."

Richard let out a long breath.

"Everything is fine, Dayo… but I actually need help."

"Coach," Dayo said calmly, "talk to me. You know you can."

Richard hesitated for a second—then said it.

"I was offered the position of Head Coach of the national swimming team."

Silence.

Then Dayo shouted, "WHAT?! Coach, for real?!"

Richard smiled weakly.

"Yeah. For real. They want me to lead the entire program."

Dayo was excited, shocked, and proud.

"Coach, that's huge! That's unbelievable! They finally recognized you!"

Richard leaned back into his seat.

"I don't know if I can handle it, Dayo… it's a lot. Everything is happening so fast."

"Coach," Dayo said softly, "whatever you decide, I'm behind you. Just tell me what you need."

Richard closed his eyes for a moment, feeling a little lighter.

"Thanks, Dayo."

But he didn't say the full truth.

The real problem was simple—and dangerous.

Richard didn't mind accepting the position, but something about it felt like a trap.

Most of the top athletes and coaches were either suspended or retired. The entire program was in chaos.

The national team wasn't just looking for a leader.

They were looking for a hero…

or a scapegoat.

Someone who would either fix everything,

or take the fall for the failure.

Richard weighed the pros and cons over and over.

Many coaches would jump at the offer immediately.

But what happened five years ago had taught him caution.

He almost caused an accident twice already, so he pushed the thoughts aside until he reached home.

---

When he entered the compound, he smelled a strong aroma coming from the kitchen. It made him pause.

Then he noticed a man's shoes at the doorstep.

He frowned slightly, walked inside, and headed toward the kitchen.

The scene he saw made him freeze.

His wife was cooking beside another man.

Richard almost shouted, "Who—" when he heard a familiar voice.

"Oh Coach, you're back. I wondered why you took so long," Dayo said, still facing the pot.

Christina turned immediately.

"How did you even know he was home?" she asked Dayo.

Dayo just smiled.

Christina walked over and pecked Richard on the cheek.

"Welcome, honey. Dayo came earlier. He said he needed to see you, so I asked him to help me in the kitchen. After all, the last time we visited his place, you didn't stop complimenting his stir-fried chicken and pasta."

Richard laughed, shaking off the wild thoughts he had earlier.

"Hehe, it's fine. I missed your food anyway."

Dayo finally turned around, wearing a bright yellow apron.

"You should've just asked, Coach. We train together almost four times a week."

Richard was about to respond when a small voice interrupted.

"Mom, what are you coo—… OMG, it's JD!"

His daughter, Serah, screamed. She looked at Dayo, gasped, then looked at herself and dashed back upstairs.

Richard glared at Dayo.

"I can't let my daughter start chasing you. You've already won my wife over in the kitchen. Not my daughter too," he scolded silently with his eyes.

Dayo burst into laughter, and Christina joined him, leaving Richard standing there helpless.

Dinner didn't take long because all three of them cooked together. When they moved to the dining table, Christina shouted:

"Serah! Come down, dinner is ready!"

"Coming!" Serah yelled back.

When she walked into the dining area, the three adults almost choked.

She had changed into a very pretty blue gown, sprayed perfume, and fixed her hair.

Richard tried to step on Dayo's foot in frustration, but Dayo quickly moved away and grinned.

Serah sat beside Dayo—practically glued to him—and kept asking endless questions about his career, rumors online, and especially the mysterious girl the media kept talking about.

It wasn't until they finished the meal and Richard specifically ordered her to clear the plates that she finally stopped.

Christina watched everything with amusement.

She was laughing internally at how protective Richard was being.

After dinner, Serah still wanted to stay, but Richard practically dragged Dayo outside and sent her to her room.

Richard sat down and sighed.

"Coming to my house to steal my family is a threat, you know that right?"

Dayo laughed. "It's not my fault your family enjoys my company."

"Whatever," Richard muttered. "So what's the real reason you came here?"

"You," Dayo answered simply.

"Me? How?"

"I knew you'd still be thinking about that offer. The pros, the cons, the risks. I came to help you decide if you should take the job."

"Oh, I haven't decided ye—"

Dayo cut him off.

"I'll be honest. I would advise you take it. The benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Yes, they might be looking for a hero or a scapegoat, and yes, time is short… which I'm sure is the main reason you're hesitating, right?"

Richard stared at him, surprised.

He had just mentioned the offer minutes ago, and Dayo already understood the exact problem.

"Yes," Richard admitted.

"What if I told you I could help?" Dayo asked, pulling out a familiar book.

It was the same notebook Dayo always carried during competitions—the one he was constantly writing in.

"That depends on the help," Richard replied cautiously.

Dayo handed the book to him.

"Read it. After that, decide if the job is worth taking. You can do your own research too."

Richard accepted the book slowly.

With that, Dayo waved goodbye to the family and headed toward his Uber.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.