Everyone Deserves A Second Chance, Catalina.

CATALINA

“You set me up!” I yelled, watching my stepmother lean on the sofa, smug and unbothered. Josephina snuck into my room exactly ten minutes after I argued with my father, and I was stupid to let her in.

Because it seemed she wasn't here to explain shit to me.

“Why didn't you tell me Rosalia was pregnant?” I asked, trying to keep my anger from my voice. “You know I would have never agreed to sleep with Ricardo if I knew about her baby.”

“That's why I didn't fucking tell you. We both know my daughter deserves better than that worthless man.” My stepmother replied unrepentantly.

For a woman in her mid-fifties, Josephina was nothing but the true definition of a MILF. With her caramel honey eyes and waist-length honey hair, she had done everything she could to stay young, even if it meant more frequent appointments with her ’plastic surgeon.’

I resisted the urge to strangle her and placed my hands on my hips instead. “I have fulfilled my part of the deal, so now it's your turn. Tell me where my son is.”

Josephina straightened her back and uncrossed her legs. “Are you sure you want to know where he is?”

“Yes, I do.”

She stood up and walked to the windows. Apprehension filled my heart when I noticed she was playing with her wedding ring, deep in thought.

After some long minutes of silence, she finally turned to me.

“The truth is that I have no idea where he is right now,” she admitted. “Back then, I left him in an orphanage, but a few months later, I found he was adopted.”

The news hit me like a freight train, knocking the air out of my lungs. My legs gave out from shock, causing me to collapse on the floor as I struggled to process the news I had just received.

Josephina stared down at me with a haughty expression. “Oh, come on,” she scoffed. “You were a naive teenager who got pregnant by the first man who claimed he loved you, and I helped you get rid of the baby before your father found out. You should be grateful to me—”

“You told me you were going to keep the baby safe!” I yelled, my voice raw with heartbreak. Pain and anger flowed through me like hot lava, filling me with the overpowering urge to throw the woman before me over my balcony.

“Well, I have finally told you the truth, so it's time for you to leave,” she replied. “Your father will be here any minute, so let's not make things messy for the family, Catalina.”

Hot tears flowed down my cheeks as I stared hatefully at my stepmother. All my life, I had been used, discarded, and betrayed without mercy. And I was done. Done being the fool. Done loving the wrong people.

Something inside me hardened.

“We’ll see about that,” I whispered.

Soon, I found myself rushing down the stairs with Josephina chasing me. Once my eyes landed on my father at the foot of the stairs, I called his name to get his attention.

My father instantly closed the distance between us and grabbed my hands. “Mi dulce hija, tu padre lo siente mucho,” he said. “I should never have hit you tonight because I'm sure this misunderstanding was all Ricardo's fault. I never knew you already had a man who was capable of taking care of you.”

I was two seconds away from asking my father what he meant until I saw the man behind him.

Dios mios, he was perfect.

This person was tall and strikingly handsome. His fitted black suit accentuated the sharpness of his physique, the crisp white shirt beneath unbuttoned just enough to hint at the strength underneath. A watch gleamed against his wrist, expensive but understated, a quiet display of wealth that said he had nothing to prove.

And his eyes...hijole, those eyes with gold flecks were so mesmerizing that I felt my knees weaken once again. He looked at me like he knew my secrets and wanted me to know his in return.

Stunned, I watched him close the distance between us. He wrapped his hand around my waist and leaned in to kiss my cheeks.

“Hello, babe,” he murmured, his voice warm and rich like the whiskey he drank a few minutes ago. “Are you still mad at me? I've been texting you for so long, but you didn't reply.”

I stared at him blankly, wondering what the fuck he was talking about.

Fortunately, my father gave us a knowing smile before he handed me my coat he got from the coat hanger. My stepsister glared at me hatefully as she walked away.

“Fucking whore,” she spat.

Shame rose to my chest when I saw my father's awkward expression. I tried my hardest not to look at the man in front of me, but my instincts already told me he knew about my nickname.

The whore of the Rodriguez family.

“Well, I'll leave you to talk alone,” my father said. “You and Theodore should resolve your misunderstandings as soon as possible so we can have dinner sometime.”

Oh, great. His name was Theodore.

After my father left us, Theodore led me out of the house. We talked to his car, which was parked outside the compound. Once we reached there, I finally snapped out of my daze and stopped in my tracks.

“Now, will you care to explain what the hell is happening here?” I asked, keeping my voice low. “Who the hell are you? Why are you here?”

Theodore handed me his business card. My eyes widened in surprise when I saw his full name on the card.

“Your friend, Mateo, told me about you,” he explained. “He said you will be able to help me with my problem.”

My heart froze like ice when I heard him mention Mateo. Apart from my little deal with my stepmother, I had only helped a high school friend deal with his crackhead ex-wife, who was fighting for child custody.

So when he said those words, I knew exactly what he was asking for.

“I need you to act as my girlfriend for a family dinner,” he said. “It's one night, and I promise you will be heavily rewarded.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I'll pretend this never happened, Mr. Knight. So please leave.”

Theodore fell silent and walked back to his car. My relief didn't last for long when I noticed his car was following me.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

“Just give in, Catalina,” Theodore urged. “I need you to help me win back Madelyn.”

There was no way in hell I was going to. After having the worst night of my life, the last thing I planned to do was accept his ridiculous proposal. I mean, who coaches a grown man on how to win back his woman?

Madelyn. What a horrible name.

“I’ll help you find your son,” he added. I froze, his car stopping alongside me. “You need my help as much as I need yours. Don’t be stubborn.”

Frustration burned through me. “Why would you want me? Didn’t you see what happened with my family? I’m the villain here!”

Theodore stepped out of the car, closing the distance between us. When his fingers brushed mine, I sucked in a sharp breath.

He grinned. “Well, in my story, everyone gets a second chance.” His thumb traced my knuckles, eyes playful but intent.

“Even the villain.”