Second Chances (3 page)

 “I thought of doing the interview
myself and attending the celebration alone, but this morning the mayor’s
assistant called to confirm that ‘all is well’ and Sabrina and I will be able
to participate in both events. The mayor must have heard about our separation. I
need to make a clean break from this woman. But how, without jeopardizing the Avenida
Paulista project?”

Paulo rubbed the back of his neck. “I
don’t see how that’s possible. She was an integral part of SDG, including that
project. Clearly, the mayor wants to see the two of you.” He gestured with the
document to drive his point home. “He sees this project as his legacy after he
leaves office. He needs it to go smoothly.”

“I know.”

“Letting Sabrina go could be a costly
mistake. The last thing you want to do is create an impression of disorder in
the ranks of your company. After the fiasco with the Germans, I can understand
why the mayor is worried.”

Renaldo paced behind the desk, running
his hand over his short black hair. “So can I, but we’re getting a divorce. His
fears about the project could adversely affect my personal life.”

Avenida Paulista was one of the most
important thoroughfares in Sao Paulo. Many commercial enterprises were
headquartered there. A German company had started the mixed-use development, Estação
Central, on Avenida Paulista several years ago, but after a
headline-grabbing scandal, their CEO and CFO had resigned. With such a major
upheaval, the company lost its direction as well as its investors and went
bankrupt, leaving behind abandoned buildings and undeveloped green space. It
was a stain on the mayor’s record—one he wanted to blot out in his second term.

SDG had won the bid to finish the
project. It was quite a coup, considering the fierce competition and the last
minute changes he and Sabrina had made to the proposal mere hours before a
courier had delivered it to the mayor’s office. Part of the reason they’d won
the bid was because of the financial health of his company, which reassured the
mayor he wouldn’t have another fiasco on his hands.

The other part was because of Sabrina.

Much as Renaldo hated to admit it, hated
to be beholden to the lying, cheating witch, her expertise and knowledge had
helped nail the bid.

Paulo watched him with a thoughtful look
on his face. “You must admit, the company has seen significant strides since
you brought her on board.”

Renaldo begrudgingly admitted to himself
that Sabrina had become an important part of the firm. She was a whiz with
numbers, and her area of expertise was mergers and acquisitions. Her ability to
analyze figures had proved invaluable. Her shrewd financial mind had aided him
in ferreting out areas in his business where he could save costs, and she’d
also implemented budget cuts and financial business practices that streamlined
operations and created a more profitable bottom-line. With her managing the
financial aspects of the business, he’d been free to travel, network, and
pursue opportunities.

Then
Folha
, the daily newspaper
with the largest circulation in Sao Paulo, had dubbed them
The Dynamic Duo
in its pages. Reporters had clamored to interview them and wanted to know
everything about the woman their native son had brought back from the United
States. The edited version of her rise from poverty in the slums of Chicago to
a significant player in one of the most successful firms in Brazil became an
inspirational piece in business circles.

“We’re getting a divorce,” Renaldo
reminded Paulo. Of that there was no doubt. “What do you suggest I do about
this problem?”

“You have to find a way to convince the
mayor you’re not separated. At least for now.”

Renaldo had managed to keep this out of
the press so far, but he didn’t know how much longer that would last. “How do
you propose I do that? She no longer works here, and soon everyone will know
we’re getting a divorce.”

“And word will get back to the mayor,
confirming any rumors he’s already heard,” Paulo said.

“Your point is…?”

Paulo hesitated and then plodded on. “All
your hard work could unravel. You still have almost a full month left in the
probation period Mayor Salazar implemented to avoid another problem like he had
with the Germans. You could potentially lose this project if he thinks your
company is unstable.” He leaned forward. “I think you should bring her back on
board and act as if nothing happened until you get past the probation period.”

Renaldo froze, every cell in his body
rejecting the suggestion. That was the
last
thing he needed—to see her
every day and be reminded of what she’d done. And those photos. Those goddamn
photos. He couldn’t get them out of his head. Saw them when he slept. When he
ate. When he showered.

“No. There’s no way I’m letting that
woman back into the building.” Or his life.

“What’s the alternative? Are you willing
to risk losing your biggest development project to date and the fallout that would
follow?”

Renaldo resumed pacing. “I can’t bring
her back here. There must be another way.”

“If you think of it, let me know.”

Renaldo was used to Paulo’s sharp
tongue, but today he found it scraped his nerves. Especially because he was
right.

There was too much at stake. Not just on
the business front, but there were so many people depending on him. After his
father’s death, they’d lost everything because his mother had been ill equipped
to run a company and hadn’t had the necessary expertise in investing in real
estate, an industry his father had worked in all his life.

Since winning the contract, Renaldo had
mapped out which family members would come on board and participate in the
project. A small crew of workers had already started preliminary work at the
site. If the mayor took back the contract, not only would the fallout from the
bad press significantly hurt SDG’s reputation, Renaldo stood to lose a large
amount of money. He didn’t want her here, but without her the mayor could become
uneasy.

“This is a nightmare,” he mumbled,
turning to look out over the vastness of Sao Paulo. Here was the hub of the
country’s commerce, and he was in the thick of it with this deal. He couldn’t
risk having it fall apart because he’d been foolish enough to offer a woman his
love and trust—both of which she’d been unworthy to receive.

The images of Sabrina and the other man
flashed across his mind’s eye, stiffening his body with the pain he’d felt and
the bitter taste of betrayal. A full six weeks had passed since he’d thrown her
out of their penthouse, yet he hadn’t found a way to heal the gaping hole in
his chest that had followed after she ripped his heart out. He hated to have to
give in.

“Fine. I’ll bring her back.” And somehow
he’d learn to stomach having her around.

“Would you like me to speak to her for
you?” Paulo rose to his feet. He was a good friend to make the offer since Renaldo
now only communicated with her through his attorney.

“No.”
He
would handle Sabrina.

“Do you think she’ll go along with it?”

Sabrina pursued money in a way he’d
never seen in another woman. She always wanted to move forward, work late, find
the next opportunity.

He insisted on a healthy balance between
work and leisure, but Sabrina didn’t know what a healthy balance was. There
were times he had to practically drag her from the office. If there was one
thing he was certain of, it was that he could convince her, but the price had
to be right.

“Yes,” he replied. “I’ll make her an
offer she can’t refuse.”

Paulo looked skeptical. “What if she does,
though? She may see this as an opportunity to get a lot of money out of you.
She could easily argue for half of the net value of this deal.”

“Half?” Renaldo balked at the idea. He
turned to stare out of the window again, at the hive of activity below him. There
was no way she’d get half of anything. “I’ll make her see reason.”

Only Paulo and his closest family knew
about the separation. Renaldo looked down at the wedding band on his finger.
He’d removed it temporarily right after he’d discovered Sabrina’s infidelity,
but then he’d put it back on, preferring to keep it in place until the divorce
was final so he wouldn’t have to answer questions.

He thought again about what Paulo had
said.
Half
.

Had it been worth it? If she tried to
get more than he offered, he’d fight her tooth and nail.

But in the back of his mind, all he
could think was, if she’d been in a better position to fight him and win…it
would have been worth more than half of this deal. It would have been worth
half of everything he owned for the short period of happiness they’d shared as
husband and wife.

__________

“You’re still in love with him.” Jewel stood in
front of Sabrina with her arms crossed and watched as she picked up her maroon
dress. “It’s not a good idea to go see him.”

Sabrina slipped the dress over her head. Of
course she was still in love with Renaldo. He hadn’t been the one to break
their vows. “I have to, Jewel.” She turned her back so her cousin could zip her
up.

“Why do you
have
to?”

“Because he asked, and I have to see what he
wants.”

“He tossed you out of your home and for weeks
he refused to speak to you personally. And why are you still wearing your
rings?” 

Sabrina remained silent. She had no intention
of answering Jewel, and she had no intention of taking off her rings. They gave
her a sense of comfort; besides, she was still married up until the divorce
papers were signed.

“Fine, I’ll drop it,” Jewel grumbled. “But what
could he possibly want now?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” Sabrina
applied lipstick in the mirror.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt anymore. You
don’t deserve it. You’ve always been too hard on yourself. You made a mistake,
which means you’re human like the rest of us.”

 “That’s a pretty terrible mistake, Jewel.”
Sabrina went over to the closet to get her shoes. It was difficult to talk about
her infidelity. She still didn’t understand what had happened that night. She’d
done some bad things in her life that she was ashamed of, but she’d never
thought of herself as a cheater. And how could she have cheated on the one man
she’d ever loved—loved with all her heart and soul? It didn’t make sense. “I
cheated, and I have to accept the consequences of my actions.”

After a couple of weeks on
the sleeper sofa in Jewel’s one-bedroom apartment, Sabrina had found a place of
her own to sublet. Her attorney had advised her not to move back to the States
until the divorce was final, which shouldn’t be much longer.

In the meantime, she’d
managed to find a part-time consulting position with a U.S. company setting up
shop in Sao Paulo. The rest of the time she kept herself busy researching
companies and sending off her resume. She hoped to have a job lined up by the
time she returned to Chicago, although she’d consider options elsewhere.

She thought about the snarky “Thank You”
card she’d sent to her old bosses at Global Investments, Inc. to express her
appreciation at how poorly they’d treated her.
Even with good grades and graduating from a top business
school, she hadn’t received any respect from the firm’s higher-ups. It had been
a blessing in disguise.
If
it hadn’t been for their lack of trust and sexist attitudes toward her, she might
never have taken the steps to marry Renaldo and invest her career in a future
with him. She’d been living the good life for over a year, but times had
changed.
She’d
take a job just about anywhere at this point.

“I shouldn’t have let you drink that night,”
Jewel said.

“There was nothing different about that night than
any other night,” Sabrina said. “You and I always hung out together when he was
out of town.”

“I just feel so terrible.” Jewel sagged against
the dresser.

Sabrina laid a comforting hand on her cousin’s
shoulder and looked into eyes that were the same light brown tint as hers. “Do
not
feel guilty. I know that if you’d seen me leaving with him you would have
stopped me.”

Jewel nodded, her eyes downcast. “Whatever
Renaldo wants, I hope it works out for the best for you.”  

“Me, too.”

Sabrina felt a nervous twinge in her stomach at
the thought of seeing Renaldo again after so long, but she knew before she met
him, she’d have to bolster her nerves. He was a hard negotiator, and she needed
to be strong when she met him. 

“How’s the job going?” she asked Jewel.

Sabrina paid the rent at Jewel’s apartment.
Renaldo had offered to place her in one of his complexes, but Sabrina had
insisted she wanted to cover the costs. In exchange for paying the rent and
utilities, they had an agreement that Jewel would keep a part-time job to cover
her other expenses. Jewel worked as a waitress at a restaurant within walking
distance. The pay wasn’t great, but it was the first time Sabrina had ever
known her cousin to have a job. She was proud that Jewel was handling the
responsibility so well and for being clean and sober for over a year now.