Chapter 22

Emily - YEARS AGO

I was stupidly happy. In a few weeks, I’d be moving to the neighboring town to start college. Even though it meant spending less time with Bete, Bianca, and Marcos, I was thrilled about the idea of being more independent and starting the next chapter of my life.

Marcos would make weekend trips to see me until he could move there permanently. It was Bianca’s last year, so he still needed to stay close and keep an eye on her, since their drunk father was useless. The following year, she’d likely get a scholarship to any college she wanted—she was a true genius—and then he’d be free to move in with me.

The more time we spent planning our future, the more real it felt.

“We should go to that concert in the next town,” Bete burst into my room, her phone in hand, typing frantically. “Done. I’ve convinced Carlos. Now you just need to convince Marcos.”

She and Carlos hadn’t been apart since graduation. In fact, they’d been hooking up for a while, always sneaking off to hidden corners while acting aloof in front of others.

“And you think it’s that easy to drag him along?” I muttered, finishing painting my toenails.

“Hard? No way. If he was eating out of your hand before you turned into a vixen, imagine now that you two are screwing like bunnies,” she spat out, laughing.

She knew Marcos and I were insatiable, like we were trying to make up for the separation coming in a few weeks.

Just yesterday, we came back from the cabin late, even though he knew he had to work early today.

“I learned from the biggest vixen in São Fernando,” I teased, grabbing my phone to text him.

“No way. Mrs. Matilde from the flower shop is way worse than me. She was causing a scandal in this town long before we were born, and even now, look at her, hooking up with the entire senior crowd in the back of her store,” she went on, sharing the latest town gossip. “They saw him at the diner. Hurry over there and drag him along. Carlos and I are going early to get tickets,” she said decisively, rushing out the door as wildly as she’d come in.

I knew exactly why they were going early, but who was I to talk?

I texted Marcos that I was coming to see him and got ready quickly. I’d make the most of every second I could spend with him.

“Good afternoon, Rosa,” I greeted the owner of our favorite diner. “Have you seen Marcos?”

“Hey, sweetheart. He’s out back with Bruno,” she said from behind the counter, focused on her bookkeeping.

Bruno was her son and our friend. Despite his falling out with Marcos earlier in the year, they’d stayed friends.

“So, you finally got her into bed?” I heard Bruno murmur, taking a drag from his nasty cigarette.

“Didn’t I say I would? Just took some patience and sweet words to get everything I wanted,” Marcos replied, kicking a pebble on the ground.

They were both facing away from me and didn’t hear me approach, continuing their increasingly bizarre conversation.

“Man, you’re a legend,” Bruno said, putting out his cigarette on the ground before continuing. “And you’re really gonna move in with her?”

“Of course not. I need privacy and free time to handle all of them at once, you know. But I’ve got a year to enjoy everything that sweet little body has to offer,” he finished, laughing in a way that made my stomach churn.

I was going to kill the bastard! Before I could stop myself, tears were streaming down my face.

“She knows about the others? I doubt she’d be okay with it. She’s too much of a spoiled princess to like it. I even question if she enjoys sex as much as you say,” Bruno added.

“That girl’s a hurricane,” Marcos muttered, clenching his fists. “But enough about that. She could show up any minute, and I don’t want her hearing this and crying.” I stepped out from my hiding spot. “You know how these girls get, making a scene when they find out they were just a fling.”

“Too late, you piece of shit! I heard everything!” I screamed, storming toward them.

“Emy!”

“Don’t call me that, you bastard! So you never told the truth? It was all a lie to you? A game to get me into bed?”

“And if I say it was?”

“Don’t be so upset, kitten,” Bruno mocked, making me even angrier.

“I thought you loved me!”

My tears wouldn’t stop, and he took a deep breath, turning his head before giving me a cold stare.

“Well, since you heard everything, it’s time to end this. Yes, it was all a sham. I wanted to get you into bed, and I did. You shouldn’t be so mad—you loved every second we spent together. You would’ve given it up sooner if I hadn’t insisted we wait.”

That was the last straw. I slapped his face, my rage exploding. I ran from there, unable to see through the tears that kept falling.

Why? Why had he deceived me all this time?

God, how stupid I was! So stupid for believing him, his sweet words, his care, when it was all just a joke, a game with an expiration date.

Bastard! I made plans for him, changed my plans, my college, because of that jerk!

How could I have been so stupid, so stupid!

I ran home, replaying everything, processing every moment we shared, drowning in his words.

I wouldn’t stay in São Fernando another day. I wouldn’t explain to anyone, or they’d tell him and see how pathetic I was, I thought, echoing his words.

“I’m leaving São Fernando. I’ll explain everything when I get there,” I muttered into the phone to my brother, giving no further details. If I did, he’d come from São Paulo to tear Marcos apart. As much as I wanted that, I wouldn’t give that creep the satisfaction.

“For God’s sake, just sit down for a minute and tell me what’s going on?” my mom begged, trying to get something out of me.

“It’s over, Mom. That’s it. I can’t stand this small, lost town anymore, where everyone seems crazy.”

“What happened with Marcos? What did he do to you?” She knew how to hit the mark.

“To hell with him! Him and everyone in this place!”

I was leaving and never coming back. I was done looking at people who pretended to be my friends while knowing Marcos was just playing with me. If that’s what he wanted, he’d get it! My biggest regret was falling for his talk and those pretty green eyes and giving myself to that asshole! Son of a bitch.

I felt sorry for Bianca, who had to deal with that jerk as a brother. I didn’t say goodbye to her or Bete. My best friends wouldn’t know I was fleeing town in the middle of the night.

I packed my bags, crying with rage for falling in love with Marcos Almeida! I don’t even know where my head was when I started getting involved with him.

“Are you ready, sweetheart?” my mom asked, watching me from the doorway. I knew she didn’t approve at all, her worried expression said it all. My dad even less, but they let me decide.

“I am!” I growled, so she wouldn’t notice I was crying again.

I dragged my suitcase downstairs without letting her help. I had to be strong now, and I knew if I looked into her eyes, I’d give up and stay.

“You know you can come back anytime, right?” she said as I loaded my things into the taxi. I didn’t let Dad drive me either—he’d definitely try to convince me to stay.

I just gave them a hug and got in the car. In their eyes, I saw they believed I’d be back in a matter of weeks, but that wasn’t happening. I’d never return to São Fernando again!