บททั้งหมดของ Rejected by the Cowboy: บทที่ 81 - บทที่ 90

Chapter 82A few days later, Juliana left the registry office beside her mother. They had just set the wedding date. She placed a hand on her belly, amazed at how quickly her life had changed.“Daughter, shall we stop by the bakery?” Andréia suggested. “There are some sweets I haven’t eaten in years.”Juliana nodded, smiling.“Let’s go.”Brígida was behind the counter and broke into a wide smile when she recognized them.“Well, if it isn’t you two!” she said cheerfully. “It’s been a while since you last came by.”They chatted for a few minutes. Juliana ordered only a juice, as the nausea still came and went.On the other side of the bakery, at the table farthest away, a man watched in silence. The cup of coffee cooled between his fingers as his eyes assessed the two women.The older one, he thought, must be the mother. Elegant, beautiful despite her age. The younger one… she stood out. Not only because of her beauty, but because of the obvious resemblance between them.Henrique smiled

Chapter 84Isaura slammed the front door shut. She was alone. She did not feel safe with her nephew back in town.Her heart was still racing after the encounter with him. His gaze was cold, calculating—it was not the look of a man who had changed. He was the same cruel boy from years ago, now hidden behind an adult body.“I should have spoken up sooner…” she murmured, running a trembling hand over her chest.She went to the old table in the living room, pulled out a chair, and sat down slowly. She opened the drawer, took out a yellowed sheet of paper and a blue pen. Her hands were shaking. She took a deep breath and began to write.Each word felt as if it were being forcibly pulled from her mind. She wrote names. Dates. Everything she knew. What Henrique had done back then and how he had been protected—sent away, swept aside as if sin could disappear with distance.“Not now… now it’s too late to be afraid,” she whispered.When she finished, she reread everything twice. She folded the

Chapter 86He settled at a table and began to savor the pastry slowly, carefully observing the surroundings. The bakery owner was not there—that annoying old man who always hit on the employees. Only Brígida, the griddle cook, and another attendant remained.Perfect. Maybe his plan would work; he could talk a bit more with Brígida and, who knows, find out details about the newlyweds.While chewing, thinking about how lucky he was, he saw Brígida step out through the back door, holding a cigarette. Henrique smiled softly.“Your bad luck is being addicted…”He stood up, pretending to head to the restroom, but halfway there he discreetly changed course and exited through the same back door. He stopped a few meters away, watching her draw on the freshly lit cigarette.Finally, the moment had arrived. With his charm and manipulation, Brígida would let her guard down. And then… once he got what he wanted, she would be just another among the many women Henrique had used throughout his life.

Chapter 88After their moment of intimacy, Henrique picked Brígida up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. She felt her heart race, as if she were floating on clouds. She had never imagined that a man so confident and attractive could be interested in her.As they settled into the bedroom, Brígida sighed softly, thinking that she wanted to enjoy every single moment of that night, imagining fanciful scenarios in which a prince charming arrived to rescue her from any danger. A shy smile escaped her lips, and Henrique, curious, noticed her dreamy expression."What are you thinking about?" he asked, leaning in to observe her more closely.She blushed, looked away, and replied with a playful smile, "Nothing… just enjoying the moment."He chuckled softly, looking at her lying there with a happy smile on her face. For a moment, a flicker of doubt arose: was it fair to use her like this? He sighed. He had never been sentimental, but for the first time in his thirty-five years, he felt

Chapter 90 Zacky and Thomas returned together to the farmhouse. As soon as they saw them in the distance, Andréia, Juliana, and Dolores ran toward them, relief written all over their faces. Juliana hugged Thomas tightly, her trembling hands gripping his shirt as if she needed to be sure he was really there, alive. “Thank God…” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “I felt it… I knew something was wrong.” Dolores wrapped Zacky in a tight embrace, overwhelmed with emotion. “You’re back…” she said, holding her husband’s face. “I was so afraid.” Shortly afterward, a police car entered the property, kicking up dust. Two officers got out and approached cautiously. “Where is Henrique?” one of them asked bluntly. Zacky stepped forward, his body still tense from what had happened. “I was the one who shot him,” he declared firmly. “He threatened my son. If you want to arrest me, I’m right here.” Silence. One of the officers exchanged a quick look with his partner before respond