Axel
Lying on the poolside lounger, I felt the sun warming my skin, but my mind was far away, lost in thoughts that had been tormenting me since the night before. I couldn’t stop thinking about Aaron’s expression. It was obvious that my older brother wasn’t happy, even though everyone around him seemed to believe otherwise.
Grandpa was simply ecstatic about the idea of a great-grandchild on the way. For the patriarch, this meant the continuation of the lineage and, perhaps, his final mission as the head of the Baumann family. Anton? He was too smitten with Pietra to notice anything wrong with Aaron, blind to everything happening around him. And Anneliese? She was relieved, satisfied that the "dirty work" of providing an heir to the family no longer fell on her shoulders.
I, however, was wa
PietraI had no idea what to expect when I knocked on Anton’s office door. My heart was pounding with a mix of anxiety, guilt, and... hope. The secretary let me in without hesitation, and when I saw Anton look up at me that way—as if he still loved me, despite everything-my impulse to run was drowned by a calm certainty: I needed to be there.When I told him why I’d come, I noticed—for just a split second—that his face faltered. It wasn’t a smile. It wasn’t a surprise. It was… a contained disappointment. As if he’d rather I’d never found out.And it was in that exact moment that everything made sense to me.He hadn’t done it to impress me. It wasn’t for show. Not a dramatic gesture to grab my attention. He did it because
AntonI rang the doorbell once, twice, three times, until I started wondering if something was wrong. I knew Pietra should’ve been home from the diner by now. The door finally opened, revealing Andressa with an awkward smile. "Sorry for the delay," she said, stepping aside. "I thought Pietra was still in the living room. That’s where I saw her last before heading to my room, but apparently she left and didn’t say anything."I tried not to let my frustration show. But I felt it. Every time I came over, no matter how simple the reason—bringing Isaque, dropping off food, or just stopping by to say “hi”—just seeing her was enough to brighten my day. And once
PietraWork at the diner had been more exhausting than I’d expected, and all I wanted when I got home was a hot shower and a few minutes of silence."Finally!" Andressa’s excited voice made me jump.She was sitting on the couch, grinning so wide it took up half her face, but she quickly sprang up, her eyes sparkling. What caught my attention, though, was her outfit.Black dress pants. A white button-up blouse. The same one she’d worn to her last job interview before her surgery. My stomach twisted slightly."You went out?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral, but she caught the edge in it.Andressa rushed over and hugged me tightly."I’m so happy, Pietra! So, so happy!"My mind immediately raced through possibilities, good and bad."Did you go to a job interview?" I asked, my voice firmer than I’d intended. "Why didn’t you tell me?"She took my hands, as if trying to soothe the tension building inside me."Please don’t be mad. I just wanted to surprise you."She adjusted herself e
PietraThe lunch rush finally eased. The tables were emptier now, the chatter had quieted, and I could hear my thoughts. Which, sometimes, wasn’t a good thing.I took a deep breath, discreetly rubbing my lower back as I rearranged the napkins on the counter. Dona Maria had told me I could sit during breaks, but I refused—because if I stopped, the back pain and nausea would make me give up before my shift ended.I was behind the counter, wiping down the last trays, when the diner’s door opened, the overhead bell jingling. I looked up with the same automatic indifference of someone who’d already seen a hundred customers that day… but froze when I recognized him.Anton.He walked in slowly, hands in his pockets, his gaze scanning the place until it landed on me. And when it did, he smiled. Not that cocky smirk he used to wear when he wanted to get under my skin. This was different. A soft smile. Calm. Almost… shy.My heart raced. I set the tray down and walked toward him, still unsure wh
KimberlyThe kiss was different. It didn’t have the raw urgency of the night before, nor the weight of the tension built up over the past few days. It was firm, deep… but calm. A kiss that said we’re here. Just the two of us. "So… is this it?" I asked against his lips, still a little breathless. Axel gave a crooked smile, like he was trying to hold back his happiness and failing miserably. "This is it. We’ll figure it out."
AxelKimberly was sleeping beside me, partially covered by the crumpled sheet, her face peaceful, as if the storm from the night before had finally passed. I spent a while just watching her. There was a calm in her now that I hadn’t seen in days. No trace of tension, no furrow between her brows. And as much as I tried to convince myself that this was all crazy, that the two of us were together at the wrong time for the wrong reasons... my heart told me otherwise. I wanted her. Completely. And it wasn’t just desire. It was that uncomfortable, yet somehow liberating, feeling that she had already become a part of me, without asking permission. I moved slowly, and her eyes opened, sleepy but alert. Kimberly shifted slightly, covering her che