Fated to be a Mafian Queen

The First Encounter

Very early the next morning, Catalina arrived at the club to await Mia and Santos, the manager of the club. Her heart raced as she sat in the dimly lit waiting room of the nightclub, feeling a mix of anxiety and regret. The fight that broke out the night before had left her questioning whether she had ruined her chances for revenge.

Who was the man that Santos could not dare to decline his request? This question had kept her awake all night. Now she was about to go to the meeting that would decide her fate. It had been arranged, now she needed to prepare herself for it.

She had hoped to fly under the radar for some time so she could familiarize herself with the activities of the nightclub, but fate had intervened just as it did the night her parents’ were killed but this time to accelerate her plans. She was thrilled but could not help being worried about what the meeting was about.

As she sat in the waiting room preparing for her encounter with Manuel, her mind kept racing. She had a million questions running through it. The uncertainty that lay ahead seemed to bother her a lot so she began pacing up and down the office in a bid to control the rush of thoughts and questions flowing through her mind.

Did he recognize her? Did she reveal her true identity in the heat of the moment without knowing it? She shook her head in disagreement. She had carefully constructed her new identity with the help of Paulo and the years of training she received from Javier. Was this an opportunity and if it was, could she use it to her advantage?

This was probably the first step to gaining insight into the cartel, but the uncertainty of the meeting made her feel so unsure of anything. She was frustrated and kept looking at the time and hoping that Mia would arrive soon, at least she would have someone to chat with while she waited for Santos to arrive.

How would she carry out her revenge if her identity has been revealed? Her heart began to race so fast.

“Piedra? How long have you been here? Did you get any sleep dear?” Mia asked surprised to see Catalina there so early in the morning. Catalina just nodded her head and hugged her. As they both exited the waiting room and out of the building to meet Santos who was waiting in his car, she fidgeted nervously.

As they entered the building which stood tall and graceful on the busy street. Catalina had seen nothing like it, the reception was quite classy that she wondered what the office of Manuel would look like.

“We are here to see Mr. Manuel,” Santos told the lady at the reception. The lady got on the phone and informed the person on the other end about their arrival. She got off the phone and smiled at them.

“Come with me please,” the lady said. They followed her to the elevator which took them to the 16th floor of the building. As they stepped out of the elevator, they were greeted by a large waiting room which had an ambience of utmost elegance, Catalina could not help but look around the place.

“This is the most beautiful place I have seen,” she said as she took her seat on the comfortable sofa. Mia smiled and Catalina could tell that she had been in that room before, but what for? Something was not right, this was all too easy or was she overthinking this? Of course, if Mia had worked here a while, then she must have been here. She laid the thought to rest.

The seconds turned into minutes and minutes into hours as they anxiously waited for Manuel to receive them for the meeting. The wait brought a sense of trepidation as it was awfully quiet. If all goes well, she would seize this chance, use her wits and infiltrate the treacherous waters of the organization.

She gets out of her chair. “What are you doing Piedra? Mia asked in a whisper. Santos placed his face in his hands in frustration. She was so unpredictable. A man appears in front of her heavily armed and asked her where she was off to. She pointed at the water dispenser and gestured that she needed a drink. He walked with her to get it and escorted her back to her seat.

In the few seconds she had gotten out of her seat to get some water, she noticed the presence of heavily armed security guards which made her realize that the man they had come to see was one of great importance and very influential in the cartel. For some reason, her fear turned into determination, she could not let her plan falter.

While she was engrossed in her thoughts, the door of the waiting room swung open and a man gestured for them to come. As they arrive at the front of the office, he knocked and let them inside. The office was grande, with richly polished hardwood floors that glistened under the soft, warm lighting. The walls were adorned with luxurious wallpaper and intricately detailed wood paneling, creating an atmosphere of timeless beauty.

They stood at the table with the man on the other side of it engrossed in a phone conversation. As they stood there, Catalina could not help but notice his striking handsomeness and his strong features which were accentuated by his neatly trimmed beards, his presence was captivating, it demanded attention.

As he finished his call, he gestured for Mia and Santos to take a seat, leaving Catalina on her feet. She did not mind as it gave her the opportunity to look around the beautiful office, the walls were adorned with expensive artwork and shelves lined with prominent accolades. The office exuded power and the man behind the desk commanded authority.

As she looked around, one of the security guards brought a chair for her to seat. She thanked him and took her seat beside Mia. The man was incredibly attractive while his presence was severely intimidating. He fixed his gaze on her, his eyes piercing with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine.

He questioned what had transpired the previous night, demanding an explanation for allowing the incident to occur, knowing full well of the club's strict no-touching rule, all the while keeping his gaze on Catalina. Santos stumbled through his response, offering apologies and promising to rectify the situation.

After about 30 minutes of discussion on why the incident happened, he advised Santos to keep his girls safe and promised to deal with the man who breached the rule of the club. He turned to Catalina again and asked where she learned to fight like that, she simply told him her father had trained her so that no man would ever take advantage of her.

To her surprise, he dismissed Santos and Mia and his intimidating presence made it clear that she was to remain seated. As the door closed, she got out of her seat wondering what fate awaited her. The man gestured for the security guards to step outside. Catalina felt a mixture of fear and excitement while she hoped that he was not planning to take advantage of her.

The man stood up, his tall frame towered over Catalina, making her take a step back because she felt small in his presence. His smell captivated her, and she closed her eyes for what seemed like half a second to inhale his exotic and alluring scent which made her senses dance with intrigue. His beautifully trimmed beards seemed to add an air of sophistication to his looks, he had charmed her without trying.

“I am Manuel,” he spoke softly, his voice was so smooth that it sent shivers down her spine. She had never experienced anything like this. As he whispered his name, Catalina could not help but notice the warmth of his breath caressing her face, making her even more attracted to this charming man.

The proximity caught her off guard, making her stumble on her own words as her breath seemed to be trapped in her throat.

“I am Ca– Piedra, I am Piedra,” she managed to utter, her voice barely audible.

Manuel’s dark gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, his eyes searching hers as if in a bid to unravel the secrets hidden within them. Her heart raced so fast she felt if he did not step back any time soon, it would jump out of her chest.

Her mind was buzzing with questions born from the curiosity of the moment. What did he want from her? Was this encounter a stroke of luck or the beginning of a dangerous game?

While these thoughts were running through her mind, Manuel’s hand gently touched her arm in a bid to stop her from leaving. She wondered if he could hear the frantic pounding of her heart against her chest.

He leaned in closer and at this point, she was breathing so fast as she was enveloped in his intoxicating presence. She wanted him. She wanted this unknown man who had such a powerful effect on her.

“Who are you, Piedra?” he whispered, his deep voice filled with undeniable magnetism. “I feel like there is more to you, but I still feel like you have so much to offer. Can I trust you, Piedra?” He whispered in her ear.

Those words gave her a jolt back to reality, making her take a step back. “You can definitely trust me, Mr. Manuel,” she said with more confidence despite the pounding in her chest.

“Just Manuel, Piedra. Just Manuel,” he told her as he walked back to his seat. “You can go back to the club.

The timing seemed too perfect, yet she knew that being on Manuel's radar was a double-edged sword, but she was ready to face the consequences that lay ahead, as she embarked on a journey that would test her limits, both mentally and emotionally.

As she stepped out of the office, she breathe a breath of relief, but her determination to seek revenge had become entangled with this unexpected attraction to this man she was unable to resist.

A car was waiting outside to take her back to the club. As they drove there, she could not help but wonder what kind of dangerous and thrilling journey awaited her under the watch of the super attractive man and most importantly, how would she manage to carry out her revenge on A. J. Aguilar with this man standing in between them.