Regina approaches the couple, furious. How could her daughter have been there on the street kissing a complete stranger? She looks at the young man and, to her surprise, recognizes Bruno. Regina narrows her eyes, glancing at Helena, and then mutters between her teeth: "Come in now, Helena." Helena looks at Bruno one last time, picks up the bag from the ground, and enters the guesthouse, being observed by Regina, who remains outside. Then Helena's mother turns to the young man and says: "Bruno, isn't it?" "Yes, that's my name," Bruno responds, offering a smile to Regina, who remains serious. "Listen well to what I'm going to tell you: forget that Helena exists. She's engaged..." "I don't think she is, actually... From what she told me, she was practically left at the altar," Bruno argues. "She's going through a difficult time, and your presence could interfere with her recovery. So stay away, young man. My daughter is not for you," Regina concludes, turning toward the guesthouse.
Bruno arrives at the store early, anxious. He couldn't sleep at night thinking about the kiss he gave to Helena. He tried to remember the last time he had felt this way kissing someone. The only thing he was sure of was that he needed to touch Helena's lips again. "Good morning." "Good morning," Bruno replies, turning around and finding Marcelo standing at the store's entrance, which makes him raise an eyebrow. He desired Helena's lips, but for some reason, now he was face to face with her brother. "How can I help you?" "Bruno, right?" Marcelo asks, approaching and taking off his sunglasses. "I came here to let you know that Helena won't be doing the tours with you anymore. I'm here to cancel any connection between my sister and your company." "Is there any reason for this decision?" Bruno asks, already knowing the answer. From Helena's mother's expression the night before, he knew he might not see Helena again. "Personal reasons," Marcelo informs, evasive. "Okay, but I can't put
Minutes before...Regina walked through the inn's hall with her luggage when she noticed Helena at the reception, which brought a satisfied smile to her face. Finally, they were going back to São Paulo, and Regina could try to convince her daughter to resume her relationship with Leandro. Of course, Helena's mother would still have to talk to the boy's mother, but she saw that as a mere detail amid her plan to finally secure a comfortable life. Augusto would undoubtedly be thrilled to know that she and her daughter were very well settled in Ibirapuera. Regina could already imagine herself moving her body on the vast lawns of Ibirapuera Park. She was so cheerful in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Helena's approach, who didn't seem very happy."What's wrong now, Helena?" Regina questioned."Nothing...""Did you check out? I can't wait to breathe the air of São Paulo again.""You mean to breathe the polluted air of São Paulo," Helena corrected, adjusting her long, flowery dress.
Helena and Bruno cycled through the picturesque streets of Paraty, their bikes gliding smoothly beneath them as they explored the charming town. The sun-kissed their faces, and the warm breeze caressed their skin, creating an idyllic atmosphere. As they rode side by side, their hands occasionally touched, sending electric shivers down their spines. With a smile on his face, Bruno led Helena to the precious Nossa Senhora do Rosário Church. He explained the rich history of the church, its importance to the community, and the beautiful architecture that adorned it inside and out. Helena listened attentively, her eyes shining with genuine interest as she absorbed every word he said. When they reached the entrance of the church, Bruno stopped the bikes, and they gracefully dismounted. Bruno's heart skipped a beat as he saw Helena enter the imposing entrance of the church. Every movement she made was graceful, and the play of light through the colorful windows made her look almost ethereal
Helena fully embraced the outings with Bruno, who convinced her to do not only bike rides but also a schooner tour of beaches with crystal-clear waters, white and pink sands, large waves, rocks, and the lush forest descending from the hills. He insisted on taking photos of Helena enjoying the sun touching her skin, or laughing when she caught him taking pictures of her. Helena also visited some islands and went snorkeling and diving. In addition, with Bruno's guidance, she explored some waterfalls that made her sigh, like the Cachoeira do Saco Bravo, a small waterfall with a delightful natural pool nestled in the rocky coastline of Ponta da Juatinga, from where you could see the sea so close that it felt like an infinite pool.However, none of the tours compared to visiting Bruno's parents, who always insisted on having them for lunch and afternoon coffee, even though Loreta always repeated the same kind words to Helena. The blonde loved being close to them while waiting for Bruno to
The Cachaça Festival is crowded, indicating it's one of the most celebrated events in the city. Dozens of stalls have been set up around the main church for tasting cachaças produced in the region. On the makeshift stage, there are various shows, and when Helena arrives, she sees the presentation of traditional ciranda groups from Paraty in their typical costumes. She claps excitedly during the performance, while Bruno admires her from a wooden table at the festival with a silly grin."Man, take a napkin," Jonathan says, handing Bruno a paper one. "You're drooling.""Very funny," Bruno replies, slapping his friend's hand."Seriously, in a little while, Helena will leave Paraty with you drooling over her and weighing ten kilos more," Gabriel joins in the teasing."What surprises me is that in these five days of you wanting her like this, you haven't taken her to bed," Lucas chimes in."What's the problem?" Bruno questions, annoyed with Lucas's remark."None, but that's not the Bruno I
Bruno and Helena turned towards the owner of the voice, who was with Jonathan. The girl couldn't be older than twenty, very slim, and wearing a long-sleeved dress that didn't suit the heat of that night. Jonathan hurriedly pulled out a chair for her, almost in desperation. She stared at Bruno and Helena as if expecting something to be said."Helena, this is Raquel," Bruno introduced, pointing to the girl. "Jonathan's girlfriend.""Fiancée," the girl corrected, looking at Bruno seriously. Then she turned to Helena. "And you're the famous Helena.""Hey, let's go get some drinks," Jonathan proposed to Bruno, who got up and went with him.The guys left, and silence fell between the women. Helena wanted to talk more with Raquel, but the girl buried her face in her phone, leaving little space for conversation. When she finally looked up, Helena managed to say something."I'm really glad to hear that Jonathan talked about me to you," Helena said, extending her hand with a smile, but Raquel d
"And that's how a guy broke up with me because of the color of my hair," Helena concluded the story she was telling to her coworker, Lúcia, as they walked along the busy Avenida Paulista towards the office."No way! You left town after getting dumped just before your wedding, and you went to Parati, and..." Lúcia began to say before taking a generous sip of coffee."I got dumped again," Helena interrupted, raising her coffee cup towards her friend. "Cheers to me.""Seriously, the drinks later are on me," Lúcia said."Thanks, I'll need it. Especially because I still have to face my mother, who has been warning me all along, and I didn't listen.""In the end, moms are always right," Lúcia concluded."Well, at least I got to see wonderful places and a decent distillery," Helena commented. "I even brought back a bottle of cachaça as a souvenir for you.""Thanks, friend," Lúcia said, entering the building with Helena."The worst part is that when Leandro broke up with me, it didn't hurt as