Ronaldo's Daughter | Jude Bellingham

02

As the game wound down, Harry Kane approached Catalina, his tone shifting to something more serious. "There's someone else I think you should meet," he said, leaning down slightly to catch her attention. "I know you've met a lot of footballers, but this one's a bit different."

Catalina looked up, curiosity piqued. Before she could ask who he meant, her gaze was drawn to a figure emerging from the weight room—Jude Bellingham. He had a towel slung casually over his shoulder, his walk confident yet unhurried, as if he had all the time in the world. The moment their eyes met, the noise around her seemed to fade, leaving just the two of them in a bubble of stillness.

Catalina felt her heart skip a beat, caught off guard by the sudden intensity of the moment. There was something magnetic about him, something that made it impossible to look away. His eyes were warm, almost as if they held a secret only she could uncover. Harry, sensing the shift in the air, stepped back with a knowing smile, giving them space.

Jude's eyes never left hers as he approached, a warm smile playing on his lips. The world seemed to narrow to just the two of them, the distance between them shrinking with each step he took. As he came closer, Catalina could feel the heat radiating from his body, and she noticed the slight rise and fall of his chest with each breath, matching the rhythm of her own.

"Hi," he greeted, his voice calm yet filled with a curiosity that mirrored her own, "You must be Catalina."

"I am," she replied, her voice softer than she intended. Their eyes locked, the connection deepening with every passing second, "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Jude's smile widened slightly, and there was a glint in his eyes that hinted at something more, "Sorry for being late—I wasn't paying attention to the time. If  I knew you already came, I'd have been here sooner."

Catalina shook her head lightly, her pulse quickening, "Don't worry about it. You didn't miss much."

Harry gave Jude a quick squeeze on the shoulder before stepping away. "I'll leave you two to talk," he said, his tone carrying a hint of something more as he walked off.

Jude glanced around, as if assessing the room, but his focus returned to Catalina almost instantly, his attention solely on her. "It's pretty loud in here. Do you want to take a walk? The weather's nice, and the sun's starting to set."

Catalina hesitated, her eyes scanning the room as she tried to steady her racing thoughts, "Umm..." she began, searching for someone in particular.

Jude, noticing her hesitation, leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a more intimate tone. The proximity sent a shiver down her spine, his presence both calming and electrifying, "No pressure. We can stay here if you'd prefer."

Before she could second-guess herself, she locked eyes with Sergio, her father's security guard and raised her hand to signal him over. After a brief exchange in Portuguese, they reached an agreement. "Yeah, let's do it. Sergio will trail behind us if that's okay with you."

"Not at all," Jude replied, his gaze lingering on hers a moment longer before he set his towel on a nearby couch, "Let's go."

As they started to walk, the space between them felt charged with unspoken tension. Their arms brushed occasionally, the contact sending jolts of electricity through her, heightening her awareness of his presence. Catalina felt a strange mix of nervousness and excitement, her senses heightened by Jude's presence.

"I'm sorry if it's a bit weird," she said, breaking the silence. "My dad's pretty protective."

Jude nodded, his eyes softening with understanding. "I get it. I'd probably be the same in his position." He paused before asking, "How come you came to Qatar so early?"