Page 53 of Entangled With You

My mom chuckles. “Then you really have to tell him. I can’t imagine what he’ll do if you leave without warning.”

I quickly dismiss her worry. “No way I’m going to leave without telling him. I just wish he would come with me. But it’s a big ask after only a couple of months of dating.”

My mom takes another bite of food instead of replying, and I know I’m right. I think Mati will stay if I get traded to Spain.

Chapter 25

Cattleya Cardona

The final match is in two days. If I weren’t so fucking nervous about the threats we kept getting all week long, I would be doing my happy dance.

Sunday

Unknown

Instead of training, you should tell your loved ones to go on vacation. We know where they all live; it’d be a shame if they got caught in the crossfire.

Monday

Unknown

I hope you took your day off to say goodbye to your family. Such a pity they came all the way from Colombia to die.

On Tuesday after training, we met with Coach and the management team. We showed them the texts we got, and they weren’t surprised.

“We’ve been getting similar emails too, but we dismissed them, thinking the people behind them would give up once they saw you kept winning,” the general manager said, and I couldn’t believe it.

“So you kept us in the dark all this time? What if something had happened to us and we were clueless about the motives?” Noelia says, her voice tight.

“Well, nothing has really happened. For all we know, this could be a prank.” My jaw hits the floor.

“What on Earth are you talking about? If this was a prank, I think whoever is sending the texts and emails would have gotten bored long ago. We need to call the police. Immediately,” I say, tired of hearing his bullshit excuses.

“I agree with Cata, we need to inform the authorities,” Coach says, shocking the hell out of me. Once Coach backed me up, it was hard for the manager to keep this under wraps. He called the police, and the officers arrived promptly. After speaking with every single person in the club, the officers assigned a detective to the case. The department decided to keep it quiet until they had more clues about who could be behind the threats.

Once at home, I finally told my parents about the threats. My dad got so furious that I kept it a secret, he gave me chills. Matías isn’t any happier either.

“I could have hired a security detail already. All this time, you’ve been riding the team bus not knowing what could have happened. Cattleya, you know we need to be careful. There’s too much on the line for us to lose. You’re my baby girl. I couldn’t fathom this world without you.” My mom breaks into tears while Dad hugs her. He looks at me to join them in the hug.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything, Dad. We just got the first text after the last game. It was only today after training that the team general manager told us they’ve been getting emails for weeks.”

We all take a seat in my living room, and Mati joins us quietly, bringing mates and coffee to the table. I know he’s bottling up his feelings, which isn’t healthy. I’m hoping he’ll open up to me once my parents leave.

“This is unacceptable, Cattleya. If I were you, I’d resign immediately from that team. I’d pay whatever breach of contract fee, and go find a place that truly values the lives of their employees,” Dad says as he reaches for a cup of coffee and adds more sugar than he’s supposed to. I feel bad I’m making him this upset.

“Samuel, please be reasonable. La niña has to tread very carefully here. If she quits, no other team might hire her. She might be a Cardona, but at the end of the day, in the profession she chose, she’s just another good player. And you know better than anyone else in this room that nobody wants to hire someone who doesn’t follow the rules.”

My dad releases a big breath, I’m sure he’s feeling helpless right now. He’s not used to not getting his way. Mati holds my hand, and I feel his warmth spreading through my body. When I look down, I notice his leg is bouncing up and down in rapid succession. He’s more nervous and anxious about this than he’s leading on.

“I know right now it feels like we’re drowning, but I think we should hire a security detail to be with you, Sofi, and Franco, 24/7. The text said they would hurt the people I love most. Plus, I hired a PI who came recommended by the Bianchi family, and he got some intel on Romina and how she manipulates women’s soccer to her advantage and her associates. If anything goes wrong, we can share this with the police and give them a nudge to work on the investigation.” I let my words sink in. Everyone in this room, as well as my sister and her husband, are the most important people in my life. This intel Oscar gathered for me gives us somewhat of a life insurance policy, so to speak.

“What? You hired a PI and didn’t tell me? Cattleya, hija. This is darker and deeper than you led on. We must be extra vigilant. I’m not taking any risks with this family’s safety,” Dad spits. I feel so guilty; I handled this situation wrong, but when have I ever dealt with death threats before in my life?

“What about you?” Mati hurries to ask.

“The police are keeping guard at the training facilities, and they’re patrolling around the players' houses.” I share what we were told today, but their faces tell me that none of the people in this room think that’s enough. Even though I hate to admit it, I feel the exact same way. “Look, I’m rarely alone. If I’m not training, I’m with Mati. There will always be a bodyguard nearby to protect me. I’ll be fine. I need you all to be safe.” Tears threaten to spill down my cheeks, but I take a few deep breaths to calm down.

“I think no matter what we say here, there’s not much we can do right now. We’re going to let you rest, but expect to see people guarding this building and driving Matías to work first thing in the morning,” Dad states as he stands from the couch, making his way to the kitchen to wash the coffee mug. I love that even though he’s a billionaire, he’s not afraid to clean up after himself. Hugging my parents goodbye, I close the door behind me and collapse on my man’s lap.

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