The Rise of Millwal

The reactions of Premier League coaches to Aldrich's dual role as England's national team manager varied, but supporters were in the majority.

Ferguson, when interviewed, gave an ambiguous response, leaving Fleet Street confused.

"The FA has made a decision that is both absurd and wise."

The "wise" part was likely referring to Aldrich's recognized coaching ability, which set him apart from other English coaches, making his appointment the logical choice.

The "absurd" part was the fact that the England manager was taking on a part-time role.

Fleet Street interpreted Ferguson's words as a clear sign that the Scottish veteran couldn't offer a more definitive stance on the matter.

It was a dilemma!

If Aldrich's focus was split between the national team and Millwall, it could actually be good news for Manchester United, and Ferguson would probably support it.

But there was a problem. United had a lot of England internationals, many of whom were key players.

This raised a concern for Ferguson. What if Aldrich overworked Beckham, Scholes, Neville, and others like they were mere workhorses, exhausting them during FIFA international breaks?

This malicious speculation could not be voiced out loud; it would make him sound petty.

After the FIFA break, Millwall experienced three consecutive draws in the Premier League's fifth round, failing to beat Tottenham in the London derby.

After the game, Aldrich drove away from Lion King Stadium, heading to a dinner appointment.

Melanie had brought their two sons to London and told him the dinner invite had come from none other than Victoria Beckham.

On the way to the restaurant, Aldrich's mind wandered.

The game had ended in a disappointing draw. It was obvious the players had shown signs of fatigue after returning from international duty. Their form wasn't terrible, but as Aldrich stood on the sidelines, something felt missing.

The match trajectory had been predictable—Millwall played a standard game and regrettably earned a draw.

The league standings weren't much of a concern. Their main rivals, Manchester United, had three wins, one draw, and one loss after five matches, just one point ahead of Millwall. At this point, rankings didn't matter. Aldrich was more focused on the qualities his team had shown.

He arrived at the restaurant on time, walked to the table, and saw his two sons sitting with Beckham's eldest son. The three boys seemed to be getting along quite well. Aldrich bent down and kissed his son on the head, then looked up and nodded towards Melanie and Victoria in greeting.

Both of the Spice Girls were looking exceptionally stylish, as always in public.

Aldrich sat down at the table, casually ordered dinner, and then chatted with the two women about trivial matters. The atmosphere at the table was pleasant.

As dinner drew to a close, Victoria, holding her wine glass, smiled gently and said, "Aldrich, as the national team's head coach now, you've already become a legend in world football. The national team's situation seems dire, but I'm sure you'll turn things around. Everyone has faith in you. It's a pity, though, that Adams, the national team captain, has announced his retirement. He missed the right moment."

Aldrich wiped his mouth with a napkin, then raised his own glass, smiling at Victoria. "I'm just giving it a try. Who knows, in a few months, I might become the national enemy, haha. But let's not talk about these things. Just like I'm sure I won't give you advice on singing or dancing, haha."

Victoria kept her expression steady, raising her glass in a quiet gesture toward Aldrich.

But deep inside, a wave of disappointment washed over her.

The England national team had a new manager, but still lacked a new captain.

With Adams gone and Shearer, once Keegan's right-hand man, now shunned, the locker room was in chaos. Victoria couldn't resist testing Aldrich. The best-case scenario was to have Beckham, her husband, take the captain's armband. Even if Beckham had sent her here today to plant the idea, that wasn't surprising—ambition in players was natural. As the saying goes, "A soldier who doesn't want to be a general isn't worth his salt."

Mentioning Adams was her subtle way of making her point.

Aldrich immediately understood what Victoria meant. From a neutral standpoint, it was difficult to fault her for doing anything to help Beckham.

However, when it came to his own responsibilities, Aldrich could only offer an apology.

Putting aside whether Beckham played the role of a leader on the field, given Aldrich's own background, it would be impossible for him to justify not appointing Southgate as captain.

On the field, there's no place for complete impartiality. You favor your own, you trust your own—this is the basic principle. While it could be criticized as nepotism or using power for personal gain, if you don't act this way and things go wrong, you risk being abandoned by everyone, and the consequences could be far worse.

Victoria was only trying. If it didn't work out, then it didn't—what else could she do?

The world didn't revolve around the two of them, and truth be told, she thought Aldrich being appointed as the national team coach was a pretty good situation. It would certainly be beneficial for Beckham.

Even though she wasn't in football or an obsessive fan, she knew how much Aldrich had been idolized in the football world, almost like a legend.

If Beckham played under him, he'd definitely be in a better position than being under that Scottish old man who she absolutely despised, the one who had been trying to steal her husband. If not for Beckham's loyalty to Manchester United, she'd have wished years ago for him to transfer to Millwall and collect some championship trophies.

After dinner, Victoria left with her son.

That left Aldrich and Melanie, along with their two sons.

Earl, tired, snuggled in Aldrich's arms, eyes closed as he fell asleep.

Aldrich wasn't in a hurry to leave; he wanted to spend more time with his sons.

Melanie stared at Aldrich for a long time before suddenly saying, "You should bring them to London to live."

"Hm? What?"

Aldrich replied absently, then suddenly looked up at her in disbelief.

Seeing his reaction, Melanie propped her chin up and repeated, "I said, Bert and Earl, our two boys. You should bring them to London to stay with you and take care of them."

Aldrich was silent for a long time, his emotions in turmoil. He asked in return, "Why would you suddenly make this decision?"

Melanie looked up at the ceiling and softly said, "I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm really busy, and I don't have much time to go back to Liverpool. The Spice Girls have made a commitment to not disband even though we're going solo, and I have to start fresh on my own. Time really is a luxury. Maybe I just don't want to be vilified by the media as the evil woman who left her sons in Liverpool, making you, the England national team manager, spend precious time every week traveling back and forth between Liverpool and London. Who knows, if the England team doesn't perform well, will I become one of the villains?"

Aldrich was moved. After all, he and Melanie hadn't turned into enemies; they were just pragmatic. The reason they separated was due to real-life circumstances.

"Thank you. If... I mean, if there's anything I can help you with, just let me know. You know I won't hesitate to lend a hand if it's within my power."

Melanie thought for a moment and then shook her head. She was a singer and had little to do with the Hall family's business operations. At most, her commercial performances could open up more opportunities, but she didn't want to seem like she was "mooching off" others.

"Tell me about you. How's everything going lately?"

Although Aldrich couldn't say he had custody of his sons, at least he could have them with him, which made him incredibly happy.

When he started talking about his recent life, he couldn't hide his pride.

"Life's still the same. Work's good. Yvonne is working as a website planner at Brady's company. Her work is relatively light, and she's not the kind of girl who'll surprise you, but being with her feels reassuring. Our life's pretty calm—morning jogs and evening walks together. I like this kind of routine. I plan to propose to her by the end of the year."

Aldrich's expression softened. He knew what he wanted. For him, life didn't need dramatic romantic entanglements. Love, in the end, wasn't so important to him; it was the day-to-day care and attention that mattered most. This was the most real and practical kind of relationship.

Melanie stared at him, her face unflinching, and said in a low voice, "Aldrich, tell me, you're not thinking of proposing to her, are you?"

Aldrich was taken aback, then questioned, "Why can't I?"

"Because if you do, and she agrees, then Bert and Earl will be sent back to Liverpool. If they have to live with you, then Mrs. Hall can only be me. Right now, she is only your girlfriend, your cohabiting girlfriend. That's it. Nothing more."

"Why? I don't understand what you mean! Are you interfering with my life? Melanie, you're crossing the line!"

Melanie shifted her gaze elsewhere before turning back to meet Aldrich's eyes. Her look was filled with a determination Aldrich couldn't quite understand.

"Because, I love you."

Aldrich snorted and shook his head. "You couldn't even say 'good morning' to me face to face, and now you're boldly claiming you love me? Haha, this is a joke."

Melanie's expression didn't change. Instead, she smiled confidently and said, "Aldrich, what you want, I can't give you right now, but in five years, in ten years, I'll definitely be able to give it to you, to satisfy you. So, you can't marry anyone."

"Ridiculous, five years? Ten years? Do you think we can go back to how we were?"

"I don't know, but I will create that opportunity. And one thing will never change: I am Bert and Earl's mother, and you are their father. If you want to sever that connection, then go ahead and get married."

"Are you threatening me?"

"I like the look on your face right now, there's a wild, masculine side to you. What's this? Want to throw hands with me? I've been hitting the gym for the role, and I haven't stopped boxing. I'm ready to go to the ring right now, and I guarantee I'll knock you down!" Melanie provoked him with a smirk.

Aldrich glanced at her challenging expression, closed his eyes, and gave a self-deprecating smile.

"Are we talking about a boxing match, or... after the fight, should we head to the bed?"

"Who can say? Aldridge, you made your stand more than a year ago. You don't have to compromise or give in for me - it's your right, and you can choose to do so. But never underestimate a woman's determination. Maybe I'm testing you by leaving you with two children. You don't understand, but every time I look at Bert and Earl, I see your face. Now, it's my turn to take control. If I can forget you, if you no longer hold any special place in my heart, then you can marry whoever you like. But if I can't forget you, I will fight for what has always been mine - my man and my family!"

Aldrich rubbed his forehead, feeling a strange sense that he had somehow fallen into a "war" with Melanie.

"You've complicated things."

"You complicated things! If things stay as they are, you can see the two little ones every day. What more do you want? You want to be with them and then marry Yvonne? Come on, Aldrich, can't you think about me just a little? Can I really watch my sons live in a household like that?"

Aldrich looked at Melanie. She was right, after all.

Melanie grabbed her handbag, stood up, walked over to Bert, bent down, and kissed his cheek. Then she leaned over and kissed Earl's head, still resting in Aldrich's arms, smiling as she said, "Mom's leaving. Be good. Love you, both of you, including you."

Aldrich turned his head away, clearly uncomfortable.

One moment of joy, one of sorrow—damn reality, it never seems to end happily for everyone.