Lola was the youngest child of a Cuban family born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When their father abandoned them when their mother was pregnant, Rey took over raising his younger siblings Arturo, and Lola after she was born. Rey likes to say he spent his life cleaning up Arturo’s messes who got into a lot of trouble.

Just prior to appearing in Genoa City, Lola worked for a guy in the desert who sold cars. Lola worked on cars and kept his books for months but was never paid. When she complained, he fired her. Lola talked him into a deal to accept a truck if she could drive it off the lot by sundown. She cannibalized all of his cars for parts and did just that. Lola, who was a great cook, turned that truck into a food truck named “La Vida Lola” featuring Cuban Authentic Street Food.

Lola arrived in Genoa City where her brother Rey was a police detective and brother Arturo a contractor. She moved in with Arturo, and set up her truck in the Jabot Cosmetics company parking lot. Jabot employees raved about her food, and others came from elsewhere after the news spread. Kyle Abbott, grandson of the Jabot founder, ordered food one day but asked for variations. Lola resented his trying to augment her cooking. Intrigued by her spunk, Kyle flirted with her, but she accused him of being a spoiled rich kid who always got his way. He asked Lola for a date. She agreed only if he would try her food as it was. He did, and agreed that she was right.

Kyle and Lola began dating, but Lola was continually getting upset with how much Kyle’s former girlfriend, Summer Newman, was still in his life. Summer finally took a job with Newman Enterprises in Dubai, making one last play for Kyle before she left. Kyle rejected Summer’s advances, telling her he was in love with Lola. For Christmas, Kyle gave Lola a $5,000 purse, and she gave him a discount store watch. When Lola found out how expensive it was, she broke it off, saying how Kyle just didn’t get her at all. Kyle tried to win her back, and convinced her to make her dreams come true by agreeing to Abby and Devon’s offer to be the head chef at their new restaurant venture. Lola made it clear that she was saving herself for marriage. Kyle said he could live with that, and they reunited. Lola, with Kyle’s support, cooked a 4-course meal as an audition and convinced Devon and Abby to hire her.

Kyle invited Lola to the Abbott cabin for Valentine’s day, but she turned it down. Summer, back from Dubai and inserting herself into his life again daily, showed up there instead. Meanwhile Jack had a heart to heart with Lola and sent her to the cabin. Summer convinced Kyle to take her on the sleighride in Lola’s place, and they were kissing as Lola walked in. Summer wouldn’t back down, making it look like Kyle was lying about their intentions. Lola ended things for good and left. Summer tried to convince Kyle that they were meant to be, but he left. Kyle found Lola, tried to explain, but she refused to listen. Realizing she had forgotten her coat at the cabin, Lola borrowed Abby’s coat and left.

Rey’s fiery wife Mia had a drunken argument with Arturo’s girlfriend Abby Newman over Arturo, who had to pull them apart. Later Mia thought she had found Abby at Abbott Manor, but it was Lola in Abby’s hooded coat there to talk with Kyle. Mia smashed Lola’s phone and knocked her down from behind, causing Lola to hit her head, and fall into the pool in freezing weather. Kyle found Lola, pulled her out, and called 911. Later in ICU, Lola’s brother Arturo knowing they had broken up, made Kyle leave. Lola’s brother Rey vowed to make the attacker pay. Mia was there clinging to Rey, shocked to find out that she had attacked Lola instead of Abby. Lola was in a coma. They also discovered that her liver was failing, and she needed a donor. Rey, Arturo, and Kyle were tested but not a match. Lola’s mother Celeste had had hepatitis so could not. After Kyle talked Mariah into doing a segment on GC Buzz with him requesting a donor for Lola, Arturo let Kyle see Lola. It was Kyle who brought Lola out of her coma. Dr. Nate delivered the news that they had found a donor who wished to remain anonymous. Lola was confused that Kyle was not there to see her before her surgery. Both Lola and the donor came through fine. A few days later, Kyle tearfully told Lola the truth, that Summer had been her donor, how the only way he knew would convince Summer to donate was to marry her. Kyle told Lola he loved her and was willing to make the sacrifice to save her. Lola said she thought Kyle still loved Summer, that she was grateful, and sent him to his bride. Both sobbed after they parted. The next day Lola thanked Summer but said she hoped to never see her again. Lola went home with Rey, who had kicked Mia out for sleeping with his brother Arturo again. Abby and Devon each visited Lola, needing to know how soon she would be on her feet so they could open their restaurant. Lola feebly told them it would not be long. After a few weeks with Summer, Kyle told her he could not stay in their relationship because he loved Lola, and Summer agreed to a divorce.

Abby and Devon’s new restaurant venture finally held its grand opening on April 23, 2019. Ana Hamilton and Jett Slade performed. Arturo kept hanging around, and Abby kept asking him to leave. It was a good thing he didn’t as he saved the opening several times when the ordering software was not working, food was not delivered, the fire alarm kept going off, and the power went out. In the end it was deemed a success, Lola’s food was highly praised, and critics who arrived later loved it. The only damper on the evening was when Neil Winters failed to arrive, Devon went home and found Neil had died in his sleep from a stroke.

Arturo let it slip and Lola guessed that Mia had been the one who attacked her, thinking it was Abby. Lola confronted Mia, Abby overheard and joined in. Abby was about to call the police, but Lola talked her out of it for Mia’s unborn baby’s sake. But later Paul questioned Mia and she told him what had happened that night, then cried out in pain. Mia was taken to the hospital, but was fine later. Rey accused her of faking it for Paul. Neither Abby or Lola would file charges against Mia. The pregnancy was far enough along that a blood test was taken for paternity which revealed Arturo was the father. Ray and Arturo hugged, and Arturo and Mia left together for Miami. Ray filed for divorce, saying they deserved each other.

The sweet relationship between Kyle and Lola blossomed until they decided to move in together. Lola refused to move to the opulence and ever-present family at Abbott Manor. Luckily this coincided with Rey moving in with Sharon, so Kyle and Lola took over his apartment above Crimson Lights. Kyle kept trying to please her by attempting to make the apartment theirs, but failed at do-it-yourself projects, which they managed to complete together. Kyle shocked Lola by asking her to marry him. She thought it was too soon, but later changed her mind and accepted, and Kyle got the blessing of Rey.

Mariah, in her new position as head of Power Communications, came up with an idea for Lola to make a cooking video. Lola was very subconscious until Kyle stood behind Mariah and put Lola at ease. Devon was impressed how well it was received and asked for more.

Mariah, Tessa, and Abby threw Lola a bridal lingerie shower at Society. Feeling left out, Summer crashed the party, but Lola let her stay. Lola’s mother Celeste was a surprise guest who the girls flew in from Miami. Lola pointed out that Celeste always made comments intended to bring her down, and asked her to stop. The next day a get-together was thrown to meet the Abbott family. Celeste flirted with Jack and insisted on a tour of Abbott Manor. Celeste announced that she was staying in town until after the wedding, and she attempted to take over the planning from Kyle. Rey took Lola aside and let her know that Celeste was seeing their father again and lending him money. Rey told Lola the truth, that Adrian had not abandoned them, Celest had kicked him out after he cheated on her. Theo, Kyle’s former New York City cohort who was jealous of Kyle’s new life, worried Celeste about Kyle’s character. He informed her how Kyle had coerced Summer to donate part of her liver to save Lola’s life. Celeste confronted Lola and Rey that she had not even been told when Lola was in a coma. Celeste left upset for Miami, and said she would not be back for the wedding. Rather than let Theo throw Kyle a wild bachelor party, Mariah arranged a co-ed Miami-themed party for the couple on the roof of the Athletic Club.

Kyle promised Lola the wedding of her dreams, and planned it all himself. Lola chose Abby to be her maid of honor, and Kyle chose Jack as best man. Wedding guests arrived at the romantically decorated venue, and Lola was in awe. Her wedding gown was beautiful and she and Kyle glowed. Lola’s mother Celeste showed up, and Lola invited her to walk her down aisle with Rey. Celeste spotted Lola’s father Adrian watching from behind the hanging silk. She cornered him, but could not get him to leave. Later Lola was not happy to see Adrian, who tried to apologize to her. She said she wouldn’t let her ruin her big day, and told him he could stay or leave, she didn’t care. A few days later, Celeste convinced the brothers to reconcile, and they hugged goodbye with Rey asking for photos the minute Arturo and Mia’s baby was born. Arturo sent the photos to Rey and Lola with news that they had named their baby boy Mateo.

Kyle and Lola honeymooned in Samoa and returned to new living room furniture courtesy of Kyle. Lola countered with a couch-party watching the Brewers series games she had DVR'd for them.

Months later, Adrian showed up, in trouble, with a black eye claiming there was a husband looking for him. Kyle gave him money to go away. Lola found out and was upset, but Kyle told her it was a onetime thing.

Overconfident and unemployed, Theo set up “office” at the bar at Society, and befriended Lola. He could be overheard making plays at being an agent on his phone and schmoozing with anyone he could. Kyle did not approve of the new friendship of Lola and Theo. Jack and Traci discovered that Dina and Stuart Brooks had produced a baby just out of high school who turned out to be Theo’s father Eric Vanderway. After getting a DNA test confirmation, Jack welcomed his nephew Theo into the Abbott family. But Traci and Kyle were not thrilled at all that they were cousins. Kyle hinted at dark secrets in Theo’s past.

Out of the blue, Kyle told Lola that he wanted a divorce, after realizing that he had never gotten over loving Summer. Rey called Kyle a selfish manipulative entitled dirtbag. Kyle and Summer became inseparable, at work and away. Lola began confiding her heartbreak in Theo. During a winter storm, Lola and Theo were stuck at Society with no power. They cuddled up together to keep warm, and ended up in a passionate kiss. Meanwhile Summer and Kyle were returning home, the car slid on ice, and landed out of commission. They walked to Society and joined Lola and Theo riding out the storm. After a few trips to Miami to see her mother, Lola decided to open her own restaurant there, although still living in Genoa City and being head chef at Society.

Lola and Theo began getting involved, even spending one night together, but when Theo stood her up, Lola called it off, accusing him of thinking so little of her to not even send a text. Elena broke up with Nate and moved in with Lola. Lola spent some time in Miami and returned saying she had dropped the idea of her dream restaurant in Miami, citing too many obstacles. Four months later Abby was speaking to Pamela, the new cook at Society who mentioned how they had been serving Lola’s recipes ever since she had returned to Miami, and that she felt it was time to create her own.

In April 2022, the family was crushed to receive word from Sharon that Rey had a heart attack, causing a car accident, and had died. Celeste insisted that Rey's body be sent to Miami and he be buried there. Sharon had a family memorial in Genoa City then attended the funeral for Rey in Miami(which was not seen onscreen).