Novels by Erica Cristine souza cunha

Emma.I looked around to see if any faces were familiar. Then I looked at Gregory, who had a bloodied forehead. Who would want to kill him, and why? We were in Spain; no one knew us or had any reason to hate us.Maybe I was too innocent, or perhaps I couldn’t think clearly in the face of adrenaline and the fear of something worse happening to Gregory. When the ambulance arrived, the police came along. I didn’t speak their language and couldn’t understand what they were saying.“Ma’am, what he’s trying to ask is whether you noted the license plate or recognized the driver.” One officer spoke my language, but I didn’t know exactly how to respond.“I didn’t see anything. I didn’t even see when the vehicle approached. You should talk to my husband.”My hands were trembling, and I felt like I wouldn’t be able to stand for much longer. I looked at Gregory, covered in blood, lyi

Before the accident.Emma.I entered Gregory’s dark room, and he dressed without any ceremony in front of me, calm and calculating, knowing exactly what that action would cause in me. This time, I didn’t turn my face away—I looked at every detail of his body, every curve, every muscle moving as he put on his clothes.Once dressed, he approached me again, and there was a distinct glow in his eyes, something I had never seen a trace of before.“We need to talk,” he said while buttoning up his white shirt, and I kept thinking that maybe those words should have been mine.“Talk about what?” I asked when his eyes locked onto mine.I could barely breathe when Gregory got too close, only a few centimeters away, and I felt that his mouth would touch mine at any moment. Deep down, I wished it would happen.“Are you asking for my help just out of fear?” he whispered, and it was as if my legs

Edward.“Mr. Edward, that beautiful woman would like to meet you,” the heiress of one of the wealthiest families in the city, was smiling at me. She was just as pretentious as she seemed. Eager and desperate to make a connection with me. I smiled, but suddenly, my mind betrayed me, and the beautiful woman’s face transformed into something else.I shook my head, thinking I was going crazy. Why, after all, was I seeing Emma in that woman’s face?I looked at my wineglass and considered that it might be time to stop drinking so much. I shoved my hands into my pockets and looked around. The charity gala was in full swing. Filled with champagne glasses, beautiful women, live music, men in their expensive suits, and thousands of dollars circulating around the tables. This place was full of hypocrites. No one really gave a damn about the cause—except, of course, my grandmother Helena.Before going to the event, my lawyer had made som

What did Gregory mean by that? I spent most of the trip thinking about it until I finally fell asleep. There was no answer to his audacity; Gregory was truly determined to make my days more difficult.At least, I wanted to believe that. I wanted to create a bad image of him inside me so that it would be easier to forget him.I felt a hand caressing me. Not only that, but I thought I was dreaming, but when I slowly opened my eyes, I saw Gregory, standing with his face just inches from mine, smiling. The way he seemed happy by my side sent a shiver down my spine.I pulled away immediately when I realized the plane had already landed. How many hours had I been asleep? I would rather not ask Gregory that the less we talked, the better it would be for me.“We need to go,” he said, standing up and extending his hand for me to lean on him.I refused his help, getting up on my own and walking past him without giving him any attention. Gregory s

Emma.Bringing Masson back into my life felt like an unforgivable mistake. I cried in secret in the bathroom because I was tired of fighting this feeling inside my heart. I kept wondering why Gregory did this to me—one moment, he seemed to love me, and the next, he seemed to want to slowly kill me with his betrayals.Not only that, but I wiped my face, and when I left the room, I saw Samantha closing my suitcase and gripping its handle, ready to leave.“How long have you been there?” She looked at my face and knew at that moment that I had been crying, but she said nothing.“I just came to get your suitcase for the trip,” she smiled. “Mr. Gregory is waiting for you in the living room so you can leave.”I had even forgotten that I would be traveling with Gregory, and now it seemed too late to back out of this trip. I thought about how torturous it would be to spend a few days by his side without remembering his mistakes. The feeling I had was that death would come before Gregory and I

Gregory.A trip for me and Emma.I didn’t understand why I was excited, but I started packing my clothes to leave. I could hear Emma’s voice coming from the living room—she sounded happy, and her laughter filled my ears.When my phone rang, I didn’t feel like answering. I just wanted to keep listening to her voice, but the name on the screen made me stop everything and pick up the call.“What do you want?”“I’m at your doorstep waiting for you,” Mason’s voice was threatening. “And if you don’t come out, I’ll break into your house. I’m sure that Emma won’t like to see me.”I dropped the phone on the bed and rushed down the stairs, slipping out the door. It had been days since I last saw Mason—I had even thought he had forgotten his threats—but there he was again, making my life a little more difficult. There was no security around; I had dismissed all the staff, so I had to deal with Mason alone this time.My urgency in leaving the house caught Emma’s attention—not just hers, but also

Nicolau got discharged a few weeks later. When Antony saw Giovana holding their son for the first time, he felt so many things that he couldn’t decipher the feeling that pulsed the strongest in his heart.As Giovana approached with a genuine smile on her face, she asked him if he wanted to hold their son for the first time. Nicolau was so small that Antony was afraid of hurting him. He looked at the baby, who was sleeping peacefully in his mother’s arms, and with an affectionate look, he replied yes.Holding his son for the first time made Antony understand the true meaning of love. Ricardo himself, took without him noticing, a photo who imagined that photograph hanging on their wall.On the other side of the room, Tania was packing things for Giovana’s departure, her eyes filled with tears.“I think I haven’t forgotten anything,” she quickly scanned the room, looking for anything that might have been left behind, but there was nothing.Tania soon realized it was time to tell Giovana

Antony got into the car next to Xavier and was driven to the company. When he found the memories of that place almost paralyzed him. He barely remembered the last time he had been there. He had aspired to own that empire even when Nicolau was alive. His eyes would sparkle at the thought of owning it all. Now, standing in front of everything he had achieved, none of it made sense anymore. In the end, the greatest wealth he had received was marrying Giovana.He entered the elevator alone. Xavier had left with the mission of buying the shares and returning them to Antony. And to think it was because of those shares that he married Giovana for the second time. Now his life revolved around her. A smile tugged at his lips as Antony came to this realization. At that moment, he found himself completely in love with his wife, despite his promise never to fall in love with another woman besides Roberta.When he stepped out of the elevator, the first face he saw was Valeria’s. The woman looked a

Antony had a fixed idea in his head and thought about it every time he looked at Giovana. He had spent that night by her side, holding her hand while she slept. She was eager to see Nicolau, but the doctors recommended that she wait for the anesthesia to wear off before getting up. The next day, when Antony woke up, she was sitting up, which startled him and made him rush to help her.“What are you doing?” He looked at her, scared that she might do something reckless.“I want to see our son,” she said, already putting on her sandals, indicating that no one would stop her.Antony threw his head back, closing his eyes tightly and sighing in disagreement, but when he looked at her and saw a deep sadness for not having met their son yet, he relented.“All right,” he said, taking her hands and helping her to walk, “let’s go meet Nicolau, and on the way, we’ll talk about something very important.”“What do you want to talk about?” She looked at him, furrowing her brow with concern.“I need

Antony stopped to think about what Andreas was saying. Things in his life were starting to calm down, and he needed to recognize that Andreas had made a considerable effort to help him. On the other hand, Andreas fell silent, embarrassed, as if he had made significant mistakes and was convinced that Antony would never forgive him. Only after a long period of silence, in an attempt to clear up the misunderstanding, did Andreas apologize.“I should have told you that I didn’t find Giovana when I arrived at the farm,” Andreas’ regretful tone was more than enough for Antony to understand that the boy was not at all happy with what had happened. “I promised you that I would take care of Giovana, and I didn’t want to fail again.”Antony laughed with disdain, as if he had heard a very tasteless joke.“Yes, you should have told me,” he replied calmly, looking away at the nursery in front of him, “but you need to stop always trying to please me. Why is my approval so important to you?”Andreas

Antony stared at Xavier with an apprehensive look. The lawyer was terrified until the call was ended. When he finally hung up the phone, he looked at Antony with a lump in his throat.“What happened?” Antony sweated, anxious to hear good news from Giovana.It was all he could think of. It was about Giovana’s safety, as if nothing else mattered. Before Xavier could think of opening his lips to tell him what was happening, his cell phone rang again. He looked confused at the phone number, realizing it was Andreas.He answered the call, hearing the boy asking to speak to Antony on the other end of the line.Xavier left, leaving Antony apprehensive behind. It took him a long time to make that decision. Would it be more appropriate to inform Antony about his freedom first than to let Andreas take up his time?He came back with the phone in his hands and handed it to Antony. He saw the man’s face slowly transform, and minutes later, he felt drawn to the most important news of his existence.

Irma slowly opened her eyes and heard voices coming from afar, as if in a dream. The trees seemed to be in constant motion, making her head spin faster. The same man she had seen in front of the farm was the one who came to her aid. Although dizzy and disoriented, Irma tried to get up and escape. Her efforts were in vain, as she was weak and injured. The man held her and called the police.When the police cars arrived, she mocked the officers. She laughed uncontrollably.“Do you not know that I am Giovana’s mother?” Her disoriented look frightened some. “I came to visit her. Don’t I have that right?”“She ran away when I called her,” the man accused. “She ran through the woods and fell, hitting her head. Forgive me, but Mr. Andreas asked me to watch over the farm and forbid this woman from approaching.”The police seemed confused by the situation. One of them approached Irma, touching her arm, which greatly irritated her.“You need to come with us.”The order did not sit well with her

FinalPOV: LukeToday is the thirty-seventh day since Aurora was shot and nearly perished. Every day I come here and spend most of the time with her, telling her about how things in her life have changed, even if she is not awake, they are happening. I read books; I convert. The most important fact was when Rebeca was arrested, still in the hospital. She finally got the punishment she deserved. He spent the rest of his life in severe pain, even though he was free. We know Brazilian laws well.It was already late at night. I should have gone to Luke’s house to rest, but for some reason I couldn’t explain, I decided to sleep there, in the hospital with her. Sitting in the armchair, I read a book and ended up falling asleep. That’s when I heard a cry of “Mom” and when I opened my eyes, Aurora was sitting wide-eyed, panting. My eyes widened too, in surprise, but most of all, happiness. Aurora is back. I got up in a hurry and sat next to her. I don’t remember what I said or if I said anythi

Luke— They set Aurora’s house on fire. – I was leaning against a hospital counter, waiting for the receptionist to come back with information about empty ICU beds, when Naldo dropped that bombshell on me.— That’s not possible! – I exclaimed, completely dumbfounded. But I knew it was possible.— I spoke with Claudio, – he continued. – He was desperate on the phone, saying that Rebeca entered the house and set fire to it, until she left with severe burns.— Does that woman have no limits? - really the nightmare that Aurora lived, it seemed to never end – and how is Claudio doing? I asked him to go home.— He said he’s fine - Naldo, he was completely ecstatic, but he forgot to give me more information – I need to go back. Claudio needs my help.I agreed with Naldo and let him go towards Aurora’s house, if there was still a house, without knowing the rest of the story. For a moment, I wished she would die, for all the harm she was causing me and Aurora. The thought of her in a hospital

POV: third person written by the authorClaudioClaudio watched Luke carrying Aurora in his arms, under a heavy rain, still unable to believe that it was actually happening. The tears mixed with the raindrops, and no one could tell if her face was soaked by the weather or the pain.The distant voice, at least he had this impression, that Rebeca was running away, generated a great doubt in him: catch the woman who tried to murder his daughter, or stay at Aurora’s side, begging God not to take her only one. Daughter. It was at that time that the maternal feeling, which had been hidden for a long time, surfaced within him. The police had an obligation to capture Rebeca, so he would stay there, holding Aurora’s hand until the last moment.They took her, unconscious, in the police car. Speeding through the empty city streets, Luke watched his heartbeat every ten seconds. By a miracle, Aurora made it to the hospital alive. They took her straight to the operating room, and Claudio almost col

POV: third person written by the authorNataliaIt’s been more than six hours since Luke had left for Brasília, putting the responsibility of foreseeing the beta gonsales on Natalia’s shoulders. She knew how almost impossible that mission would be, in a company where male command predominated. Gonzalo never considered handing over the management of his company to a woman, much less one so inexperienced.Natalia thought about it a lot, so much so that she even lost her appetite. The problem was that outside; it was already dark and if she wanted to save the family company, she would have less than twelve hours to decide.She got up from the sofa once more, because anxiety was on the point of driving her crazy, when she saw that man enter the mansion. Watched the slow steps walk towards her. Hector Fagundes, her grandfather, Gonzalo’s father, hadn’t been to that house to visit her for many years. When he looked at her, the man gave her a smile and his eyes filled with tears. Despite the

Luke— We should separate, – Naldo suggested, but I didn’t like the idea. – that way they would cover a larger area.— I don’t agree. – Claudio expanded the same thought I had on that subject.— Any suggestion where Rebeca would take Aurora? – I looked at Claudio, and for the first time, he was being clear in the accusation against Rebeca.— I have no idea – he confessed, and a sadness expanded even more on his features – it’s strange to say that, but I lived so long with this woman and I don’t know her favorite places.I looked at Naldo, as if we were talking through signs. We understood, just looking at each other, that silence was the best answer.—I shouldn’t have put that woman in our house,– he whispered, lamenting.What I had also noticed was that he no longer pronounced Rebeca’s name, as if he couldn’t, or it was too difficult for him.— Guilt won’t help you find Aurora, – I said, looking at him. – You need to concentrate now.During that entire afternoon, we walked around the

Aurora.The smell of wet grass, mixed with the wind that hit my exfoliated skin, gave me a feeling of peace and despair. As I slowly opened my eyes, I felt a throbbing pain in my head. I looked up at the sky, which felt really weird. I was tied up in the open air. The shades of gray and black blended together perfectly, and I had this perception because lightning streaked across the sky, indicating an approaching storm.I observed the surrounding environment. Even though it was already getting dark, I realized that I was surrounded by woods. I had no idea where I was. Until I heard footsteps towards me and saw those hideous shoes. She loved to wear so much.Rebeca crouched down to look into my eyes. Sitting on the cold floor, hair disheveled in my face and clothes completely dirty, I looked up at her, panting.— Hi, Aurora, – she said, with an ironic smile on her lips. – Do you know why you’re here?I did not answer.— I heard that you have a relationship with the son of a man who die