جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

Of all the sins I learned to hide, gluttony was the most harmless. A simple, almost innocent indulgence that allowed me to escape even if only for a brief moment the suffocating reality I lived in. On an unbearable Rio Sunday, my refuge was a generous cup of strawberry ice cream. Cold, sweet, and almost innocent. Almost.Sitting on the living room couch, the fan blowing directly on my face, I watched the poolside activity through the half-open window. My mother in an orange bikini, surrounded by tanned guests, hollow laughter, wet bodies, and sparkling wine glasses. It was the typical scene of her parties, the kind of gatherings that always made me feel like an intruder in her world. A life I never managed to belong to.The laughter sounded empty, like a way to fill the uncomfortable silence that always existed between us. The ice cream slowly melted as I got lost in thought, trying, for just a few minutet, to forget what bothered me. The feeling of being physically present yet so dist

My days were becoming increasingly full.I still thought about everything — the morning at the hospital, the afternoon lecture, the evening seminar.I got home late at night, but it was the silence that hit me first. A silence that wasn’t peace — it was a warning. A premonition, a subtle sign that something was about to happen. A dense kind of emptiness, spreading through the hallway like fog before a storm. I climbed the stairs slowly, feeling the weight of the day piling on my shoulders. The briefcase slipping from my hand, my blazer already wrinkled from the constant on and off, or perhaps just from being there, waiting.It was past eleven. I had said I wouldn’t come home right after the lecture, that I might stop by the hospital. Maria Clara didn’t need to wait up, but the event ended early, and the rain changed my plans that night. Our days had been busy, hectic. What was once a promise of a peaceful life, of rest, was slowly fading into endless work.Upstairs was dark, except for

The fifth semester finally came to an end, with a major lecture. Dr. Xavier was recognized in the medical field for his skills in complex surgeries, but he stood out for his self-control, something I needed to master. The sixth semester was approaching, and I needed to know more about it.Even though I was far from home, staying at Aunt Helena’s house, I couldn’t stop thinking about my mother. Neither Aunt Helena nor I understood her reasons. As painful as it was, I kept trying.My cell phone vibrated somewhere in the house. I went to look for it, foolishly hoping it was my mother. But when I saw “Isis” on the screen, I sighed and brought the phone to my ear while I washed my hands.“Ugh, friend, I'm so tired of Thiago.”She didn't wait for me to say hello. I've never had many friends, and maybe that's why I tolerated the repetitive complaints.“Then break up with him,” I said, without holding back. “Of course not! I've had enough of him. I want to get away for a while. How about we g

"I should be the one asking. This is bangalo number four. It’s reserved for me."I sat on the bed, and the light finally turned on.Standing before me was a man with graying hair, though not old. His expression was tired, but not worn. His deep black eyes fixed on me with a furrowed brow. There was something unsettling about his presence—a contained strength, almost dangerous. Tall and imposing, I knew him, and I admired him.He exuded a rare elegance, the kind you don’t learn—you’re born with it. Every movement was silently measured, yet filled with a natural sensuality, as if the very air around him knew it had to make way. He was beautiful, but in a way that hurt—not because of perfection, but because of the impact. There was charm and mystery in his gestures, desire in his silences, and a cruel beauty seemingly made to be forbidden.I had raced against time that Wednesday to attend his lecture—two packed buses, running through the halls—just to get a good seat. Everyone wanted to

EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM ATTRACTED ME.It didn’t take long. After just a short conversation with Alexandre, I realized he was better than any lecture. Intelligent, wise, experienced... His calm gestures, the pauses between his words, the gentle and polite manner—everything about him captivated me.Never, not once in my life, had I felt so protected, so seen.I fell asleep in his bed. Even with the lingering glances between us, he never crossed a line. Still, he stirred something in me that no one else ever had. I’d had flings here and there, little sparks, but nothing that made my body feel like it was on fire from a single look. Alexandre’s eyes didn’t linger on my body—they dove into mine, as if reading every unspoken word. And then, they lingered on my lips, tracking every movement.I thought he’d kiss me that afternoon. Then later, by the fire.Isis even teased me about it, said we were looking at each other too much, hinted that I’d already slept with him. I rolled my eyes when she s