CHAPTER 2 — "THE SECRET MAN IN THE LAST ROW"
The cameras followed the movement.
High above the arena...
in the very last row...
an elderly man slowly stood to his feet.
He wore a worn-out baseball cap pulled low over his face.
No one recognized him.
But Ryan did.
The boy's confident smile disappeared.
His hands began to shake.
His mother screamed from ringside.
"No, Ryan!"
"Please don't!"
The crowd looked from the boy...
to the mysterious old man...
then back again.
No one understood what was happening.
The Iron Titan quietly stepped between Ryan and the ropes.
"Who is he?"
Ryan swallowed hard.
"My grandfather."
The audience looked confused.
The wrestler frowned.
"I thought you said he disappeared."
Ryan nodded.
"He did."
"When I got sick..."
"He blamed my mom."
"He said she couldn't afford my treatments."
"So..."
"He left us."
The arena became completely silent.
Ryan's mother collapsed into a chair, crying uncontrollably.
The old man slowly walked down the stairs.
Every step echoed through the arena.
Thousands of people watched him in total silence.
When he finally reached the ring...
Ryan spoke again.
"I didn't come here to fight him."
The boy pointed at the Iron Titan.
"I came because I knew Grandpa never misses one of your matches."
The old man's face turned pale.
Ryan pulled another folded paper from his pocket.
Not a weapon.
Not a challenge.
A letter.
Its edges were worn from being opened countless times.
"My doctors said..."
"I probably wouldn't live long enough to finish elementary school."
"But I did."
"They said I would never walk again."
"But I did."
"They said I wouldn't survive the last surgery."
"But I did."
His voice trembled.
"So tonight..."
"I wanted Grandpa to finally see..."
"...that the grandson he abandoned..."
"...never gave up."
The entire arena fell into stunned silence.
Even the commentators were speechless.
Then...
the Iron Titan slowly removed one of his black wrestling gloves.
He climbed down onto one knee...
placing himself at eye level with the boy.
No cameras had ever captured the undefeated champion kneeling before anyone.
He extended his enormous hand.
"You've already won tonight."
Thunderous applause exploded throughout the arena.
People stood.
Many wiped away tears.
But at that exact moment...
the giant noticed something hidden beneath Ryan's sleeve.
A fresh bandage.
Still stained with blood.
His expression instantly changed.
"When was your last surgery?"
Ryan quietly answered...
"This morning."
The smile vanished from the giant's face.
The doctor sitting in the front row suddenly jumped to his feet.
"What?!"
Ryan's mother screamed.
And before anyone could reach him...
May you like
the brave little boy suddenly collapsed in the middle of the ring.
The entire arena froze...
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