Karen I woke up to knocks on the door of the room, which soon swung open with Otávio's entrance. He burst into the room with a bright smile, jumping onto the bed to hug me affectionately."Good morning, mommy!" His cheerful voice echoed through the room as his arms wrapped around me.I returned the hug, feeling warmed by my son's affection."Good morning, my love," I replied, squeezing him gently.Otávio informed me that my mother was calling for breakfast. I agreed, saying I would get ready and soon join them. He barely heard the response, already hurrying towards the door, but I stopped him with a request."Slow down, Otávio!" I asked, making him turn back to me, sm

KarenEveryone was ready and eagerly awaiting Othon's arrival, but Otávio seemed especially restless, asking constantly if his father would still take a long time to get there. Each time this happened, I patiently replied, informing him of the minutes remaining, as Othon had agreed to pick us up at home at 8 p.m.Otávio accepted my answer with a nod and went back to jumping and playing, enjoying the ample space that had opened up in Karen's living room. The decoration company had removed all the furniture from the room, creating an open and inviting environment for the approaching celebration.Othon had invited not only me and Otávio but also my parents for dinner that night. While he believed I was unaware that it was his birthday, I was already planning how to make that day special for him. I didn't intend to let that date go unnoticed.I was determined to make that day a memorable moment for my son's father. Since early on, I had been organizing everything down to the smallest deta

KarenI was still floating on cloud nine from Othon's marriage proposal. Although I had been expecting that moment, since he had made his intentions clear, the way he did it deeply enchanted me. It was at that moment that we noticed Valquíria's entrance, and my heart skipped a beat at seeing her step across the threshold of my house.All this happiness was abruptly interrupted by Valquíria's untimely entrance.I was perplexed by the intrusion, a mixture of indignation and surprise coursing through my veins. As much as I had already noticed Valquíria's obsession with Othon, I never imagined she would dare to invade my home just when we were celebrating his birthday.What did she think she was doing there? How dared she enter my house without permission? I took a deep breath, trying to control my nerves, as I watched her standing in the doorway, a strange gleam in her eyes."What are you doing here, Valquíria?"Othon was the first to break the tense silence that followed Valquíria's abr

Colin My last night in Curitiba was a blur of mixed emotions. After Othon's visit, I went down to the hotel bar in search of distraction. Alcohol seemed to be the only way to dull the guilt I was feeling, so I drank until I lost track of time and space. I vaguely remember encountering a lonely woman at the bar, and together we drowned ourselves in more drinks.Waking up the next morning, the hangover was the least of my problems. I was lying next to her, with fragments of memories from the previous night dancing in my hazy mind. Mornings are always hard, but that one was even stranger. I didn't even remember my companion's name. To my relief, her first action upon opening her eyes was to realize the big mistake we had made and jump out of bed. A

Othon I could barely believe my own eyes as I witnessed the shocking scene of Valquíria firing a shot. Chaos ensued, but Valquíria stared back at me with cold eyes and a satisfied smile on her face. I was too bewildered to form a coherent sentence as I knelt beside Colin, trying to contain the damage and administer first aid."Someone call an ambulance!" I shouted, struggling to make my voice heard over the reigning chaos in the room. "Dad, Noah, restrain her! And also call the police."I didn't need to specify what I was talking about. They understood perfectly that it was Valquíria, who remained still, as if contemplating her dark deed with a macabre satisfaction.Acting with the serenity my profession granted me, I knelt beside Colin