A second chance?

CHAPTER ONE

"Good morning Mum," Sophia greeted her mother as she came downstairs for breakfast.

"Mmmm." Mrs morales grunted without even glancing up from the book she was reading.

At that moment, Sophia suddenly lost her appetite, went back upstairs, picked up her bag, and headed to work.

"Bye Mom, see you later." she chimed as she walked out, closing the door behind her.

She didn't expect an answer. She never gets one, but she still says goodbye every day on her way to work. She was her mom, after all, even though she wasn't treated like her daughter. Sophia has never been treated with love or regard since the incident with her father seven years ago when her mom and twin sister blamed her for it and resented her ever since. Her dad, Mr Morales was a mason and the breadwinner of the family........ Ever since then, she has been forced to work to provide for the family. Every penny she earns goes to her mother and is used for the household but it is barely enough and her mom and sister refused to work. She has managed to hide some money away all these years and save for the rainy day without her mother's knowledge. She has always dreamed of becoming an event planner and having her own event-planning company but she has been too busy taking care of her family to pursue her dreams. She hopes one day she'll be able to but for now, she has to get to work. She can't even afford a cab to work so she has to walk a long distance to and from work so she leaves early.

All she wants is for her mom and sister to love her and treat her like family, she is tired of being treated like an outcast and a stranger in her home. She offers a silent prayer just as she gets to her workplace.

"Hi Sophia," a voice called just as she was about to settle in her chair in her small office.

She turned around and saw it was Justin, her boss's assistant.

"Good morning Justin," she responded cheerfully.

Despite her challenges at home, Sophia always wears a cheerful and bright countenance at work and always smiles at everyone. Her workplace is one place where she feels loved a little, thank God! She couldn't imagine going from a toxic home to a toxic workplace.

"What time is the meeting with the Logan investors?" Justin asked coming closer to her desk.

"I need to inform the boss,"

"It's by 11 am" she replied looking at the schedule in front of her.

"Okay thank you, see you around,"

Sophia sighed and collapsed in her chair, thinking of her recent predicament. She came into Blackwood Investments firm about a year ago as a secretary and everything was going so well. She gave her all to her job, and her boss Ethan Blackwood was immediately drawn to her intelligence and determination and became fond of her. She was pleased and worked harder and everything was going well until she started having feelings for her boss. Who wouldn't? Ethan Blackwood was such a handsome young man and you can't help but be drawn to his generous spirit and charming and confident personality. But she can't hope in a thousand years that he would be attracted to her.

He was 29 years old and a billionaire. His parents died about 8 years ago and left the company to him and his sister who was married and lived in another city with her husband and children. How could such a man like Ethan Blackwood be attracted to her? She could not even hope for it. She has to let go of these feelings, she must or she'll just get herself hurt.

She never thought of herself as beautiful. She was always looking plain and she never did makeup or anything like that. And her mom never failed to remind her that she was an ugly witch and that her twin Samantha was better looking than her. Her mom always made her wear dowdy clothes telling her not to waste beautiful clothes on her ugly self and she wears them to please her and lets Samantha wear the beautiful things. She and her sister weren't identical. Samantha had beautiful shiny blond hair, while hers was chestnut brown the same with her eyes, but Samantha had beautiful blue eyes. Samantha was taller and slim while she was a bit curvy. She was so insecure about her body, but her friend Greta always tells her she is beautiful but she doesn't t believe her. Her mom and sister destroyed her confidence. So what could someone like Ethan Blackwood possibly want with her? "Ohhhhh," she groaned. Why was her life getting complicated?

"Miss Morales " she heard a voice, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She looked up startled to see her boss standing right in front of her, looking dashingly handsome in a black suit and white shirt with a smile that caused her lower stomach to tighten.

"G..good morning Mr Blackwood," she stuttered.

"Is everything okay?" He asked looking concerned.

"Yes sir everything's fine," she answered avoiding his gaze.

"Alright then," he smiled

"See you," he added walking towards his office.

He looks so breathtaking she thinks and her hands go to her cheeks. "ohh I'm in trouble," she muttered under her breath