Nobela ni Lunna Delaunay

Chapter 6Dolores picked up the glass again. She took a long sip, then another, too quickly. The drink eased her internal fear a little.The rain worsened. With every flash of lightning, she shrank a little more, breathing through her mouth so her chest wouldn’t hurt. She sighed with her eyes closed, sadness weighing on her. It felt endless.Zacky watched everything. He was worried.“You’re going to get dizzy,” he said quietly, eyeing the way she emptied the glass.“I’m… just trying to relax,” she murmured, without looking at him.Another bolt of lightning lit up the entire room, so bright the lantern seemed useless for a moment. The thunder ripped the air right after.Dolores held her breath and closed her eyes, gripping the arm of the chair even tighter.He reached out and touched her hand.It was a light touch. When she didn’t pull away, he let his fingers slide until they covered her whole hand.Warmth. Immediate warmth. It traveled up her arm, a sudden shock that made every hair

Chapter 5Dolores stayed quiet, observing. Zacky took the chair beside her.Maurício appeared first, a friendly smile spreading across his face the moment he saw her.“Good evening, Mrs. Dolores.”She returned the smile.“Good evening.”Right behind him came three other workers. Each one, upon seeing her seated at the Carter family dining table, did the exact same thing: straightened their posture, removed their hats, and greeted her.“Welcome,” Pedro said.“It’s a pleasure to have you with us, ma’am,” Tião added.Billy didn’t even try to hide his admiration.“Wow… I mean… good evening, ma’am,” he corrected himself, turning red.Dolores let out a soft laugh, finding the whole thing adorable.Zacky, on the other hand, only grunted.“Maurício, tell Pedro to let us know when dinner’s ready. They keep talking and it delays everything.”“I already told him, boss,” Maurício replied, sitting at the corner of the table. “It’s just that someone new here has everyone excited.”Zacky lifted a br

Chapter 4Zacky walked ahead while Dolores tried to keep up, barefoot and holding her broken shoes. He opened the door to one of the rooms in the main house and stepped aside, allowing her to enter.The air inside was cool, naturally refreshed by the wind coming through the open windows. No artificial air conditioning. The room was spacious, bright, and inviting. A soft rug covered part of the floor and, at the center, there was a bed so large it could easily fit three people.She stopped at the doorway, stunned.The view from the window faced the mountains, painted pink by the late afternoon sun. It was breathtaking.Zacky crossed his arms as he watched her reaction.“You can stay here while your little fancy boy comes to pick you up,” he said, his deep voice always carrying a hint of provocation.Dolores twisted her mouth.“He has a name.”“I don’t care.” Zacky pointed to the corner of the room. “There’s an attached bathroom. Bathtub, shower, towels. Use whatever you need.”She walk

Chapter 3Maurício said goodbye with a tap on his hat and left, leaving Dolores alone in the kitchen.She let out a sigh, grabbed the aluminum mug again, and filled it at the faucet. The fresh water flowed freely, unlike anything she was used to drinking.“At least the water is good,” she muttered, taking another sip.Suddenly, she heard a low sound behind her. Light steps. It didn’t sound like a person. Dolores froze. She turned slowly, and her eyes widened.There, standing in the doorway, was a tall creature with golden fur and black spots, pointed ears, and an alert gaze.Dolores’s heart almost stopped.“M-my God… a leopard!” she exclaimed, stepping back and spilling water on the floor.Nyra tilted her head, curious, as if amused by the visitor’s fear. She walked up to Dolores and sniffed the hem of her pants. Dolores held her breath, completely still.“Zacky…” she whispered, her voice coming out thinner than she intended.A low chuckle came from the door.“Oh, you’ve already met N

Chapter 2"I believe you know the answer. My assistant, André...""Oh, the fancy boy," he interrupted with a mocking smile. "He was here all pompous and full of quirks."She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. Now she understood perfectly why André had said Zacky was rude.Zacky stood up, went to the sink, and grabbed an aluminum mug. He turned on the faucet until it filled.Dolores watched him curiously and arched an eyebrow."Don’t you drink filtered water?"He turned to her, leaning his hip against the sink, and let out a short laugh."This water is filtered, girl. Comes straight from the spring, pure as gold."She blinked, unsure whether to believe him or not, and watched him drink the water with satisfaction, as if it were the best in the world.Then he held the mug out to her."Want to try it?"For a moment, she hesitated. His steady, confident gaze left her unsettled. She ended up taking the mug, her fingers brushing his just enough to send a shiver down her spine.Dolores br

Chapter 1Dolores was sitting on the hood of her car, legs crossed, staring at the blue sky under the scorching sun. The hot wind lifted dust along the road and swayed her hair. She had been waiting for hours—three, to be exact—and was beginning to think she had been forgotten in the middle of nowhere.“Damn it. They’re never going to find me…” she muttered, discouraged, wiping the sweat off her forehead.The sun felt even hotter when a loud, distant sound cut through the vast vegetation. A deep, powerful engine noise, steady and approaching, made her heart beat faster.Dolores straightened instantly. Her phone vibrated—miraculously, considering the terrible reception in the area.“Hello?” she answered, breathless.“Miss Dolores!” It was André, her assistant, sounding relieved. “Have they found you yet? I managed to track your phone and asked for help at the Carter ranch.”She looked toward the road and saw a pickup truck approaching, raising a cloud of dust behind it.“Yes, someone’s