Semua Bab MY FATHER'S BEST FRIEND IS MY LOVE: Bab 91 - Bab 100

The night wore on, and I was still there, in Heitor's office, stuck in a draining loop of accumulated paperwork. The accountant had already left when the sky had turned completely dark. Debts, overdue severance payments, bills sprouting from every corner — everything was a mess. At that point, I started to wonder if Heitor had ever truly known what he was doing. Maybe he never had.When hunger finally caught up with me, I was told the hospital cafeteria had already closed. I thought about ordering something for delivery, but Saturday was dying, and Sunday threatened to be born with the same bitter taste of exhaustion.The door creaked open. I looked up from my phone, expecting more problems.But there she was.Maria Vitória.Standing there, looking at me.Her loose hair cascaded over her chest, her arms crossed at her waist. She wore an earthy-toned dress I had seen before, but there was something new about it — maybe the way she was looking at me. Her smile was subtle, tucked into th

I kept knocking on the car window while Maria Vitória, cornered, cried non-stop. I wasn’t going to give up on her. I couldn’t let her drive off like that, speeding with no direction. As for Heitor, I couldn’t care less at that moment. Let him see what he had done. My guilt—I was already carrying that. I knew I had crossed every line—but it was never, never about revenge.Clara, my aunt Dulce, my cousin Regina... they were women, adults. They knew what they were doing. As libertine as Heitor might have been, I couldn't imagine him forcing himself on any of them. There was no more space for resentment, nor for comparisons.Her car was still there, engine running, her teary eyes trying to focus on the road—even though she couldn’t see a thing. When she shifted into reverse, trying to back up, I panicked. I looked around, as if searching for a way to stop the looming tragedy. On impulse, I picked up a rock from the ground and hurled it at the side window.“Ah!” she screamed, startled.I t

Maria Vitória didn’t return to my apartment.It was getting dark when Heitor's car left the building. I waited for her, but I didn’t want to suffocate her. That outcome was between two people: father and daughter.On Monday, it was strange not following my routine. After the gym, I stayed home, bored. No reading flowed. No thoughts made sense. And she... didn’t show up either.On Tuesday, nothing changed.On Wednesday, Heitor called me several times. I ignored all of them. Later, I saw Maria Vitória arriving with her mother. She still seemed shaken. When she lifted her eyes toward my window, I hesitated: was she avoiding me or did she want to talk?Had she decided to distance herself from me?It seemed like it.I started evaluating job offers I had been receiving... but none of them made sense. None had her in them.It was night when the doorbell rang.I looked through the peephole. Seeing her there, I opened the door in a hurry. My heart raced as if I were a nervous kid, about to be

It had been a wonderful night. We didn’t make love like we did the other times—this time there was no rush, no urgency—because we knew it wasn’t the last time anymore. We intertwined our bodies in a slow, delicious act with no set end.I fell asleep with Maria Vitória in my arms as she talked about the harsh cuts her new advisor had made to her thesis. I told her she should publish the research after her defense—with my review.Seeing her eyes shine in the darkness of the room gave me a certainty: we were starting over. I didn’t know how long it would last, but I wanted it to be good while it did.She left early. She had an internship. And even though it was hard to let her leave the bed, she was... admirably responsible as she reached the door.The morning light crept shyly through the curtains. The sun hadn’t warmed enough to take the chill from my chest. I sat on the edge of the bed, shirtless, phone in hand.Mavi’s message still glowed on the screen:“He called me. Said he’s going

As much as I was worried about Maria Vitória, even knowing she was represented by highly competent lawyers, there was a deeper unease gnawing at me.Maria Clara was still out there.There were checkpoints on the roads. Increased surveillance at the bus station.All access points were being monitored.But nothing. No trace of her.When I was informed that Maria Vitória had claimed self-defense, the case flipped completely.The eyes of Justice shifted.So did public attention.She was no longer seen as a reckless criminal—but as someone who had survived.From that moment on, I stopped worrying about her, at least from a legal standpoint.Caroline had prepared her masterfully. Even more so with the investigation now open against Marcelo for the brutal attack on Laura.He was officially a fugitive. A dangerous man.And Maria Vitória… a victim.But my own torment had not ended.When we reviewed the building’s security footage, I felt my blood run cold.Maria Clara was clearly seen entering