THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

After wiring the money to the interior designer, Zachary felt like he'd unloaded a heavy load off his shoulders. He eagerly shook hands with her before saying his goodbyes and sending her out of the villa. He then returned to the villa's sitting room and settled in one of the comfy and lavish sofas before contemplating his next course of action.

Coach Allegri had allowed all the team players a day off after their victory against AS Roma the previous night. So, he had an entire day ahead of him without team training. He figured he could use all that free time to purchase a few more necessities before moving house.

Thankfully, the interior designer had done most of the required furnishing. Electronics like fridges, microwaves, cookers, washing machines, television sets, and other essentials like crockery, and beddings, among others, were already in the house. So, Zachary only needed to purchase a few minor stuff, like toiletries and towels, and then he would be set and ready to enjoy his new life in his brand-new home.

Additionally, Zachary thought of how he had discarded most of his training gear, clothes, and shoes before he left Trondheim to join Juventus. Thus, he reasoned that he needed to urgently buy new items if he wished to live comfortably in Turin. And being a day off for the squad, he could also utilize it to complete that very task he'd been putting off for quite some time.

"So, I guess I have to spend a good number of hours shopping today."

While considering the long hours of shopping he had to endure, Zachary also quickly thought of Camilla. She was so good at selecting great items from shops, and she would be of great help if she had some time. She would be the best person to offer great advice and help Zachary purchase quality items.

"I wonder how she's doing," Zachary wondered, fishing for his phone from his pocket. "I better call her and tell her about how I finalized the mansion purchase procedures. Maybe, she will agree to come over and help me out while I settle in the new place."

Zachary immediately dialed Camilla's number. However, the international call didn't connect. Only the electronic voice rang into Zachary's ears, mentioning that: "the number you're trying to reach isn't available at the moment."

Zachary, of course, didn't give up after one try but quickly dialed her number through WhatsApp. And voilà, the call indicated that it had connected the next moment. He waited for a few seconds, and Camilla's voice sounded from the other end of the line.

"Hello, Zach!" She said. "How's your morning?"

"My morning is fine. What about yours?"

"My morning is also going well."

"Are you okay? Have you recovered?"

"I think so," she said, sounding a little strange. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm doing okay."

"Okay," Zachary said.

"By the way," she said before Zachary could continue, "I'm glad you called. I also wanted to talk to you about something."

"Okay. Shoot! I'm all ears."

"My mom was worried about me. You know, with all that happened."

"Yes..." Zachary was a bit lost with where the conversation was going.

"So, she came over to visit me — and off base, without making plans, we up and decided to go on the trip. As I speak, we are now in Prague, visiting my childhood neighborhood. After departing from here, we might tour a few other places before returning to Norway."

"Oh, okay," Zachary said. "A trip should be good for you. You need time to unwind, especially considering what you've been through."

"Exactly."

"But what about work?"

"I filed for a leave of absence. My bosses were understanding, and they readily agreed. So, I'll be away from work and Norway for quite some time. That also means we won't be able to talk quite often over the next few weeks."

"Okay, so that also explains why I couldn't reach your number."

"Yes."

"How long are you planning to spend traveling with your mom?"

"Not sure yet," she replied a bit hesitantly. "But my leave of absence only lasts two months. So, my travels won't last longer than that."

"Okay," Zachary said, letting out a breath. "I have also just completed the purchase of a mansion and was planning to invite you for a visit. But it seems that's no longer possible."

"So, you're finally moving out of the hotel room," Camilla said with a chuckle. "Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"But unfortunately, I can't visit your new mansion any time soon. That'll have to wait until after my trip."

"That's okay. Just focus on enjoying your travels. I'll also be busy with the club over the next two months. But, of course, I'll still miss you."

"Is that so?" Camilla chuckled. "I'll also miss you. Anyways, I'm still on the road. Let's end our conversation for now. Love you."

"Love you too," Zachary responded. "Remember to tap on me when you're available to talk. Okay?"

"Okay, goodbye," Camilla agreed and ended the call.

Zachary glanced at the phone for a few seconds before shoving it back into his pocket. His gut feeling was telling him that there was something off about Camilla's abrupt decision to travel with her mom. But after a few seconds of contemplation, he decided to push the negative feeling to the back of his mind. Then, without further ado, he stood up from the sofa and exited the house through the side exit.

"Boss!"

On seeing Zachary emerge from the house, Angelo Mattiello, who had been waiting by his white Citroën, smiled. He stepped forward and asked, "Have you finished organizing everything here?"

"Yes," Zachary replied, smiling back. "The interior designer completed everything. So, all that is left is to buy some clothes, toiletries, and shoes. Then, I'll be set and ready to shift into the new house."

Angelo took a glance at the house and nodded. "What about the security system? Did you have one installed?"

"There's one already installed," Zachary replied. "As you can see, there's a CCTV camera at the gate and all the entrances. That should be enough to scare off the thieves."

"But to be on the safe side, you should still have the system updated," Angelo advised. "You can hire a security company to upgrade the entire system, and then you can be sure you're safe whenever you're in your house."

"Do you know how long this takes to upgrade the security system?"

"I'm not sure," Angelo answered, shaking his head. "You need to call a security company, and they will give you all the details."

"Okay, I'll do that later," Zachary said. "I hope the security system upgrade doesn't affect my schedule. I really wish to move into the house tomorrow."

Angelo smiled. "You must remain patient as security is a must, especially for homes of prominent professional footballers in Italy. Spending just a few more days in a five-star hotel won't kill you."

Zachary chuckled after hearing that. "Indeed, you're right. I'll wait for the security company's verdict before deciding when to move into the house. That aside, I also need to hire a maid to work as the housekeeper, a security guard to man the gate, and another male laborer to manage the gardens and clean the pool regularly."

"That's easy," Angelo said. "You can search on the internet for people that fit your criteria. I'll also keep a lookout for any trained house helpers over the next few days. If I find some, I'll inform you."

"Thanks," Zachary said with a smile. "Since we have finished everything here, let's head out and do some shopping."

"Okay," Angelo agreed. "We can go to malls like Parco Dora Centro Commerciale and Area 12 Shopping Center. You'll find everything you need there."

"Great. Let's go."

With that said, Zachary immediately boarded Angelo's Citroën, and off they went, heading back towards the center of Turin. Roughly forty minutes later, they arrived at Parco Dora Centro Commerciale and thus officially started their day's shopping trip.

While wearing a hood, a cap, and dark shades to keep his identity a secret, Zachary moved from shop to shop, buying clothes and other essentials. Although he didn't manage to conceal his identity the entire time, he still utilized his shopping time well and bought various sets of designer clothes, shoes, training gear, and other stuff for the house. And by evening, he had already filled Angelo's car with shopping bags.

He ended his shopping spree feeling accomplished and had Angelo drop him at his hotel. The hotel staff helped him carry his shopping bags to his room as he enjoyed an early dinner. Then, after completing his meal, he exercised for a few minutes in the gym before returning to his hotel room for the night.

-----

Over the next few days, Zachary returned his focus to training. He spent most of the time at the Vinovo, attending team sessions under the strict supervision of his coaches.

As for the plan to move into the new villa, Zachary had postponed it to Friday, which was the day when the security company had promised to finish installing the security system. He was patient since he didn't wish for any disturbances after he'd shifted into his brand-new house.

Aside from training, Zachary didn't forget his language classes. Every evening, he would head to the language school and spend hours cramming and trying to pronounce Italian words. He was really focused on his language studies as he wanted to learn the language as soon as possible.

Due to the busy schedule, the days passed quickly for Zachary as he trained and studied Italian. He didn't even have time to meet Emily, his agent, who had been asking him for a meeting. He was so fixed, and before he knew it, it was Thursday, the eve of the day he would shift into his new house.

Fortunately for Zachary, there were no scheduled Italian Serie A matches for that weekend. There was also no team training starting Thursday, as most Juventus players had already departed to play the Euro Championships and international friendlies. So, Zachary, being a player without international duties, eagerly welcomed the time off and decided to utilize it to settle into his new home.

After waking up early on Friday morning, he quickly arranged his belongings before checking out of the hotel. He then had Angelo hire a small van that transported his stuff to his villa. As for him, he traveled in Angelo's Citroën and also arrived at his new home by 9:00 AM.

Standing before his house again, he could hardly contain his happiness. A soft smile outlined his face as he really felt blessed to be a highly-paid professional footballer playing for Juventus. He was glad that he no longer had to fit himself in a small hotel room but would instead start enjoying life while staying in his 14-room villa.