LOGINFriday arrived. That morning, Eloise woke before her alarm. The sun had not yet decided whether to rise or remain hidden behind the clouds, leaving her bedroom immersed in a soft half-light. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she rubbed her hands over her face, trying to erase the remnants of her exhaustion—both physical and emotional. She prepared coffee in silence, her thoughts already drifting toward the office, the day’s schedule… and the dinner. That was all it was. A work event. A professional obligation. She repeated those words in her mind like an anchor, trying to stop her thoughts from wandering somewhere they didn’t belong—to the way Augusto silently watched her or how his presence seemed to fill every room he entered. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee had just begun to fill the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Eloise frowned and checked the time. It wasn’t even seven in the morning. Who could possibly be at the door this early? Drying her hands on a kitchen towel,
The sound of the door closing behind her brought Eloise a strange sense of relief, as though she could finally breathe without the weight of Augusto’s sharp gaze following her every move. The day had been long—far more intense than she had been prepared for. She dropped her handbag onto a kitchen chair and began putting away the groceries she had bought on her way home. Everything was simple. Practical. Routine was how she kept her feet firmly on the ground, how she stopped herself from being dragged into the dangerous games played by men like Augusto Monteiro. “Dad?” she called as she passed through the living room. He was sitting in his armchair, staring into the distance like a man carrying far too many thoughts. “Hi, sweetheart,” he replied, attempting a smile. But there was something different in his eyes. A trace of doubt. Of concern. Eloise didn’t want to pressure him. She simply continued into the kitchen, tied up her hair, and lifted the lid from a pot with an aut
When dessert had been served and the final contracts discussed, Augusto rose from his chair, signaling the end of the meeting. “The bill has already been taken care of,” one of the investors said with a smile. “It was a pleasure, Monteiro.” “The pleasure was ours,” Augusto replied, shaking their hands firmly. Eloise remained beside him, cordial and discreet, until Augusto gave her a subtle nod indicating that it was time to leave. They walked side by side through the restaurant’s elegant lobby, their footsteps muffled by the luxurious carpet. The maître d’ opened the glass door for them, and the warm afternoon breeze swept over them. But before they could descend the entrance steps, fate decided to test her patience. A voice came from behind them—low and surprised. “Eloise?” The arrogant, pretentious voice, heavy with irony, sliced through the air. She froze for a second, her polite smile collapsing on the inside. My ungrateful cousin and my cowardly fiancé, she thought, bu
The following morning, the sound of Eloise’s heels echoed confidently across the marble lobby, as though every step were a piece of armor protecting her from the chaos inside.She wore an elegant black midi dress beneath a tailored blazer—sophisticated without being provocative. Small gold earrings and a delicate watch around her wrist completed the image of a confident, unshakable woman.Her blowout was immaculate, not a single strand of hair out of place—the result of almost mechanical patience in front of the mirror that morning. Nude lipstick complemented the soft, smoky shadow around her eyes, carefully concealing the dark circles left behind by a sleepless night.Her makeup was her shield.Her posture was her disguise.The previous evening, when she arrived home and found her father lying weakly on the sofa, she had felt the ground collapse beneath her feet.He smiled, as he always did, but even his smile looked tired.She tried to smile back, but something weighed heavily insid
The Game Has BegunThe end of the workday came as a quiet relief.One by one, the office lights began to go dark. Augusto walked past Eloise without saying a single word.His suit was impeccable. His steps were firm.But his eyes…For a moment, Eloise held his gaze.There was something hidden within it.It wasn’t merely exhaustion.It wasn’t anger or impatience.It was pain.A restrained, suffocating pain, almost too subtle to notice.And for one brief second, she felt it too.Unable to understand why, Eloise remained still, that strange sensation lodged deep inside her chest.Tension followed him like a shadow.Inside the elevator, only the metallic hum of the machinery broke the silence. Augusto descended to the private garage, where his driver was already waiting beside the sleek black luxury car.Without a word, he climbed into the vehicle. With his face turned toward the window, he was driven back to his apartment.As soon as he entered the penthouse, he removed his jacket, loose
The soft spring breeze still lingered when Eloise returned from lunch. The subtle coral shade on her lips complemented the beige suit that emphasized her understated elegance.It was exactly three o’clock when she entered the company break room. She prepared a tray with a cup of coffee—black, without sugar, exactly the way he liked it—and headed toward Augusto’s office.She knocked before entering.“May I come in?” she asked.“Come in,” he replied without looking away from his laptop.She entered quietly, placed the tray on the side table, and observed him for a moment. Tension weighed on his shoulders, and his jaw was clenched as though the world inside that office felt heavier than the one outside.“Coffee. I thought you might need it,” she said with a faint smile.He nodded without showing any emotion.“Thank you, Miss Nogueira.”She discreetly left the office and returned to her desk. She began organizing his schedule for the following week, checked the pending reports, and replie







