The next morning, Lukas woke slowly.
For a few seconds, he simply stared at the unfamiliar ceiling above him while his mind adjusted to where he was. Then the memories of the previous day returned all at once.
Manchester.
The contract signing.
The media day.
The number seventeen shirt.
Manchester City.
He turned slightly toward the other side of the bed and noticed immediately that Joanna was already gone. Lukas pushed himself upright and stretched slowly, rolling his shoulders and flexing his fingers while his muscles complained faintly from the previous day's training.
The soreness was still there.
But it was different now.
Manageable.
The first days of the physicality-focused LTC sessions had nearly destroyed him. At the beginning, he had needed eight full hours of recovery lying almost motionless inside the LTC before he could move properly again afterward.
Now it had gone down to five.
Still absurd by normal standards, but it was progress.
