Chapter 2 Chapter Two.

♣︎Catalina pov♣︎

"Welcome to New York! Are you liking it already?" Sofia grins, her energy high as we step out of the terminal.

The air here is different, metallic, very cold, and smelling of fuel and ambition.

I pull my luggage behind me, my boots clicking against the polished floor.

"Nah. I’ll pick my quiet farm life over this noise any day." I say.

Sofia rolls her eyes playfully. "Whatever. Our ride is here."

A car pulls to a stop at the curb. A guy steps out from the driver’s side, and I have to admit, he’s easy on the eyes. He has messy, wavy hair and a lean build that moves with a certain city confidence.

"Hey, Matt. Thank you for picking us up.." Sofia calls out.

"Just know you owe me one.." he replies, rounding the car to help us.

But the moment his hazel eyes land on me, he stops dead. He freezes, his mouth slightly agape as his gaze sweeps over my face, my brown skin, and the curves I tried to hide under my travel jacket.

I frown, feeling a flush of heat. Is there something on my face? I look at Sofia, only to see her face-palming.

"Stop looking at her or I’ll pluck your eyes out!" she snaps, shoving our bags into the trunk.

Matthew snaps out of his trance, clearing his throat awkwardly.

"H... hi. I’m Matthew."

"Ignore him, Cat. Just get in the car.." Sofia mutters. I give the weird guy a small polite smile and slide into the backseat.

~♤~

Twenty minutes later, we’re standing in an apartment. I look around, my frown deepening. It’s small, minimalist to the point of feeling cramped.

The walls feel like they’re closing in compared to the open horizon of the cornfields.

Matthew brings in my luggage only and sets it by the door, his eyes still lingering on me whenever Sofia isn't looking.

"Don't worry.." Sofia says, noticing my expression. "This is just a temporary home for you. But things have to change."

"What do you mean?" I ask, my heart skipping a beat.

"I mean, I have to make sure there are zero ties between us. For this to work, you can't be my best friend from Spain. You have to be someone else." She turns to Matthew, who hands her a thick manila folder.

My stomach drops. The mission is officially starting.

"We made all the preparations before you arrived. Here." Sofia pass me the thick manila folder. "We made a fake ID for you and ensured your background is clean. To the world, you don’t exist until two years ago."

I open the file, my fingers grazing the cool plastic of a new driver’s license. I frown at the face staring back at me. It’s me, but the name underneath is a stranger's.

Then, one line of text catches my eye, and my heart drops into my stomach.

"Wait... a maid? I have to work as a maid? Sofia, I thought I was just going to... I don't know, sit in a van with a headset!"

"The best way to get to him is to be in his house, Cat. In his space.." she says, like she’s already detached from the fact that she’s asking her best friend to scrub floors.

"We spent weeks setting this up."

I stare at her. She has to be joking. This is the plan?

"He’s looking for a few new cleaning staff members.." she continues, ignoring my shock. "I decided to take the opportunity. It’s the only way into the Thorne Villa."

The weight of it is starting to crush me. The air in this tiny apartment feels thinner by the second.

"How long is this for again?"

"One month max. Just get anything..a document, a file, a recording..and leave. That’s it."

I feel a heat on the side of my face. I turn, and there’s Matt again, staring at me with those wide, hazel eyes like I’m a ghost he’s trying to catch.

What is with this guy?

"Okay..." I whisper, more to myself than to her.

"Great." Sofia grabs my hands, her grip surprisingly tight. She stares deep into my blue eyes, her expression turning deadly serious.

"This is important, Cat. You must not get caught. And you must get something. Do you understand?"

I nod. I don't have a choice. Not with five million dollars on the line.

"Okay. I’ll call you soon. You have two days to rest before the big operation." She gives me one last, quick hug before heading for the door. Matt is still standing there like a statue.

"Are you not leaving?" I ask, my voice sounding more tired than I intended.

"S... sorry." He gulps, his face flushing a deep red as he practically trips over his own feet to get out. He closes the door behind him with a soft thud.

"American boys are so weird." I mutter, throwing myself onto the small sofa.

Just then, my phone vibrates in my jean pocket. I pull it out, and the name on the screen makes my breath hitch.

JAVIER.

I take a deep breath and answer the call..

"Hey." I say.

"You're there?" His voice is rough, lacking any of the warmth I used to find comfort in. It sounds like disappointment.

"You left the farm a mess, Catalina. Your father is already struggling with the irrigation, and you’re off in the city playing career woman.'"

I close my eyes, leaning my head back against the cushion. I didn't tell him the real truth as to why I'm here.

"I told you, Javier. I will be back soon. Also, It's a one-month contract. The money will fix everything."

"Money won't fix a dead crop.." he snaps. "You belong here. Don't get fancy ideas, Cat. Do the job and get your ass back to Spain. I don't like you being where I can't see you."

I look at the fake ID on the table, the name of a woman who doesn't exist.

"I have to go, Javier. I'll call you later."

I hang up before he can respond. I pull the folder back toward me, my fingers tracing the letters on the plastic ID card.

LINA MENDEZ.

That’s who I am now. Not Catalina. Just Lina. A girl from nowhere, looking for work in a city that swallows people whole.

I turn the page to the target. Sofia wasn’t kidding when she said he was a private man.

Name: Silas Thorne.

Age: 29.

Title: Founder and CEO of Thorne’s Empire.

A multibillionaire bachelor. A man who controls more wealth than my entire hometown has seen in a century. My stomach twists as I read the few details Sofia managed to scrape together. He’s a typhoon, a force of nature that levels anything in its path.

Curiosity gets the better of me. I pull out my phone and type his name into Google, expecting a flood of paparazzi shots, charity galas or something they go to.

Search: Silas Thorne.

Nothing.

I refresh the page. The screen stays white, save for a few dry business articles about stock mergers and corporate acquisitions. No photos. No social media. No nothing..

Is this how private his life is? In a world where everyone is desperate to be seen, Silas Thorne has paid to be invisible.

No wonder there’s a five-million-dollar bounty on his head.

"Let’s just get this over with.." I whisper to the empty room.

I close the file, the sound of the folder snapping shut. I stand up, grab the handle of my luggage, and head down the narrow hallway to find the bedroom.

if I can pull this off, maybe I can live my dream