KarenAs I pulled the car out of the garage on that Monday morning, I immediately noticed Valquíria and Logan's parents loading luggage into the family car's trunk. It didn't take much for me to deduce that they were preparing to leave for São Paulo. Relief washed over me; after all, we had said proper goodbyes the night before, so I just waved goodbye and headed to work.During the morning, while working, I thought about the Sunday outing we had with the Arraes family the day before. They had come to my house and chatted with Otávio and my parents. Valquíria's absence seemed to bring an unexpected tranquility to the conversation. I could sense a lighter atmosphere, free from the tensions that seemed to accompany Othon's sister.Reflecting on the wonderful day we had, I concluded that the real problem lay in Valquíria's presence. Barbara was kind enough to apologize for her daughter's behavior and her judgments. That gesture touched me deeply because sincerity shone through in every w

KarenEntering Othon's room, a feeling of invasion mixed with shyness takes over me. I feel embarrassed for being the one who suggested this moment and question if it was the right choice to be there at that moment.In an attempt to find something to distract myself from Othon's attentive gaze, I observe every detail of the decoration, a palette of colors in shades of terracotta and gray that blend interestingly.The imposing bed in the center of the room seems to dominate the space, quite inviting. I can't help but notice the impeccable organization of everything as if each object were carefully positioned in its place. It's the first comment that comes to mind, an attempt to break the uncomfortable silence that hangs over us."Your room is incredibly neat," I comment, feeling somewhat out of place in that masculine environment.Othon's eyes are fixed on me, and I can see desire clearly expressed in them, which leaves me speechless. However, Othon doesn't leave me without a response,

KarenI didn't exactly understand where Othon was going with mentioning Mrs. Fisher's interest in him and adding "at that moment." It's not like I believed he was trying to say that her interest would have been welcome before, right?Despite the strong bond between Othon and me, the truth is I didn't know him. So, to avoid creating expectations regarding something that could be doomed to failure, I decided to question him.“Are you suggesting that if we weren't getting along right now, you would consider Mrs. Fisher's advances?" I asked, trying to stay calm, but insecurity was starting to creep in.Othon widened his eyes at my suggestion, his face making it clear that I had just said something utterly absurd.“Of course not, Karen! That's simply unthinkable to me. How could you even entertain such nonsense?His words reassured me somewhat, and I felt a momentary relief. However, I realized that my question had hit a sensitive spot with Othon. He seemed genuinely offended by the sugges

Othon Days went by without me finding an opportunity to talk to Mrs. Fisher about the situation involving my relationship with Karen and our child. I understood how busy she must be, but as hours turned into days, my restlessness only grew. I didn't want to keep my relationship with Karen a secret. After all, we had a child together, and it was simply inconceivable to me that we would continue to meet clandestinely, especially when it wasn't our choice.Karen asked us to wait until I had the opportunity to openly discuss our situation with Mrs. Fisher before making our relationship public. Her logic was clear and reasonable, and I agreed with her. However, I underestimated the difficulty of finding a break in the busy schedule of the hospital owner. Each passing day increased my anxiety and the need to resolve the situation once and for all.

OthonWhen I arrived home, it was already past seven in the evening. I would have liked to prolong the outing a bit more, but Otávio was already complaining of tiredness, so we decided to head back home earlier. Besides, I couldn't help but think about Valquíria, alone in my house. She came to Curitiba especially to tell me the story involving Colin, and I should have been more attentive to my sister.After dropping off Karen and Otávio at home, the memory of the strange conversation I had with Valquíria came back to worry me. Valquíria's behavior had left me uncomfortable and at a loss for words. She couldn't seem to understand her insistence that I sever ties with Colin definitively, without even hearing his side of the story about the condom issue.I couldn't help but defend my friend, of course. I tried to argue with Valquíria about the importance of a friendship as long-standing as ours with Colin and the need to understand the full context before jumping to conclusions. However,