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Maya walked silently beside her parents, her heart still pounding from the tension of her recent conversation with Andreza. The encounter with the mysterious woman had left her in a whirlwind of emotions, and now she faced another argument, this time with her own father, Tiago. Her steps were slow and heavy, as if the forest surrounding her home was swallowing the tense atmosphere and turning it into a thick fog of despair.

Twilight tinged the sky with shades of orange and pink as the small family made their way back home. The air was charged with electricity, and the silence was broken only by the whisper of leaves under their feet.

Tiago, Maya's father, was furious. His expression was a mixture of concern and anger, his eyes fixed on his daughter. He demanded to know what object Andreza was referring to, the one Maya would have to give up. Andreza's words echoed in his mind, and the uncertainty of what was to come filled him with anguish. He would not accept any threat to his family