KarenAs I pulled the car out of the garage on that Monday morning, I immediately noticed Valquíria and Logan's parents loading luggage into the family car's trunk. It didn't take much for me to deduce that they were preparing to leave for São Paulo. Relief washed over me; after all, we had said proper goodbyes the night before, so I just waved goodbye and headed to work.During the morning, while working, I thought about the Sunday outing we had with the Arraes family the day before. They had come to my house and chatted with Otávio and my parents. Valquíria's absence seemed to bring an unexpected tranquility to the conversation. I could sense a lighter atmosphere, free from the tensions that seemed to accompany Othon's sister.Reflecting on the wonderful day we had, I concluded that the real problem lay in Valquíria's presence. Barbara was kind enough to apologize for her daughter's behavior and her judgments. That gesture touched me deeply because sincerity shone through in every w
OthonI'm sitting on my couch, desperately trying to focus on the words of the book in front of me, but my thoughts keep wandering to the neighboring house. It's as if a magnetic force is pulling me in that direction, even though I try to resist.I decided to call Karen. I need to hear her voice, even if it's just for a few minutes. After all, how is it possible that two neighbors, who also work in the same place, have spent the whole day without seeing each other? This idea deeply bothers me.When Karen answers the phone, her voice sounds strangely cold and distant. A tightness forms in my chest instantly. Something is wrong, I'm sure of it. I can't simply ignore this gut feeling.When I ask if something is wrong, there's a pause on the other end of the line, which seems to stretch for an eternity. My heart starts beating faster as I wait for a response. Finally, Karen answers, but her voice sounds hesitant as if she's carefully choosing her words."Everything's fine, Othon. Don't wo
KarenEntering Othon's room, a feeling of invasion mixed with shyness takes over me. I feel embarrassed for being the one who suggested this moment and question if it was the right choice to be there at that moment.In an attempt to find something to distract myself from Othon's attentive gaze, I observe every detail of the decoration, a palette of colors in shades of terracotta and gray that blend interestingly.The imposing bed in the center of the room seems to dominate the space, quite inviting. I can't help but notice the impeccable organization of everything as if each object were carefully positioned in its place. It's the first comment that comes to mind, an attempt to break the uncomfortable silence that hangs over us."Your room is incredibly neat," I comment, feeling somewhat out of place in that masculine environment.Othon's eyes are fixed on me, and I can see desire clearly expressed in them, which leaves me speechless. However, Othon doesn't leave me without a response,
OthonAs Karen rested in my arms, a long-forgotten sense of fulfillment flooded my being. I wished for this moment to linger into the night and beyond, but between us, nothing seemed simple. Still, it wouldn't hurt to try..."Stay with me?" I asked."I can't, Othon," her response was laden with sadness. "I don't feel comfortable staying out overnight... coming home in the morning..."I fell silent for a moment, pondering her words. The last time we were together, Karen returned home in the early hours of the morning, fearing to find her parents awake. It still didn't make sense to me, considering we are adults and parents to Otávio."I'm reflecting on what's missing for us to finally be together, Karen," I confessed, making my discontent with the situation clear.Karen lifted her head, looking me in the eyes with a wry smile."I never heard you propose a relationship between us, Othon," her straightforward words cut through the air, revealing a truth I was reluctant to admit. After a
KarenI didn't exactly understand where Othon was going with mentioning Mrs. Fisher's interest in him and adding "at that moment." It's not like I believed he was trying to say that her interest would have been welcome before, right?Despite the strong bond between Othon and me, the truth is I didn't know him. So, to avoid creating expectations regarding something that could be doomed to failure, I decided to question him.“Are you suggesting that if we weren't getting along right now, you would consider Mrs. Fisher's advances?" I asked, trying to stay calm, but insecurity was starting to creep in.Othon widened his eyes at my suggestion, his face making it clear that I had just said something utterly absurd.“Of course not, Karen! That's simply unthinkable to me. How could you even entertain such nonsense?His words reassured me somewhat, and I felt a momentary relief. However, I realized that my question had hit a sensitive spot with Othon. He seemed genuinely offended by the sugges
ColinAs Valquíria packed her suitcase for the trip to Curitiba, I tried to convince her to change her mind."Do you really think it's a good idea to go to Curitiba now?" I asked, trying to show my concern. "Othon will find it strange you're back in Curitiba so soon...""Colin, I've made up my mind. There's no point in trying to dissuade me," Valquíria said firmly.Valquíria's determination to go to Curitiba was evident, and nothing I said seemed to cause any doubt in her mind. However, I did not doubt that a trip with the sole purpose of disrupting the relationship between Karen and Othon would only bring confusion and more problems.I couldn't think of anything else to say because everything I said in an attemp
OthonDays went by without me finding an opportunity to talk to Mrs. Fisher about the situation involving my relationship with Karen and our child. I understood how busy she must be, but as hours turned into days, my restlessness only grew. I didn't want to keep my relationship with Karen a secret. After all, we had a child together, and it was simply inconceivable to me that we would continue to meet clandestinely, especially when it wasn't our choice.Karen asked us to wait until I had the opportunity to openly discuss our situation with Mrs. Fisher before making our relationship public. Her logic was clear and reasonable, and I agreed with her. However, I underestimated the difficulty of finding a break in the busy schedule of the hospital owner. Each passing day increased my anxiety and the need to resolve the situation once and for all.
KarenI was starting to get impatient with Othon's delay. We had agreed to go to the movies, and more than twenty minutes had passed since the agreed time. Otávio was also restless and kept asking questions, which I wasn't handling well. Depending on a third person to do activities with my son wasn't easy for me."Mom, why isn't dad here yet? We're not going to miss the movie, right?" Otávio said, with a slightly irritated tone.I tried to calm him down, but inside, I was also becoming increasingly worried. Othon never is late like this, especially when it comes to spending time with Otávio.“Could you go to dad's house and see what's going on?" Otávio suggested for the tenth time.Otávio's insistence on me going to Othon's house was also becoming increasingly irritating. I hesitated, preferring to wait a little longer, but faced with my son's impatience, I eventually gave in.“Alright, Otávio. I'll go to your father's house and call him," I said, trying to keep calm.Otávio agreed an
ColinThe moment of meeting with Letícia came quicker than I expected. As I sat in the car, staring at Letícia's front door, a knot formed in my stomach. I had spent the last few days trying to sort things out with my family, but nothing compared to the nervousness that now consumed me. Taking a deep breath, and trying to gather my courage, I finally got out of the car.I walked up to Letícia's door, and before ringing the doorbell, I hesitated for a second. Would she believe me after everything? Could I prove to her that I was here to stay? Without further delay, I rang the doorbell and waited.The door opened, revealing Letícia with a look of apprehension mixed with determination. Even in her simplicity, she looked radiant, and for a moment, I was at a loss for words.
LetíciaThe week passed without any news from Colin. At first, I believed in his intention to truly take responsibility. I even discussed with my mother the possibility of not allowing Colin to be part of our lives. She, with her wisdom and calmness, made me see that it wouldn't be fair to deny our child the right to know his father, as long as he was willing to be a positive presence."Daughter, we all make mistakes. If Colin truly wants to be present, you should give him that chance," my mom pointed out.But as the days passed in silence, I began to think that everything he had said was nothing but lies and deceit. Cynically, I thought he must be just like his twin brother, a liar. However, this realization didn't stop the sadness from settling in. I attributed these feelings to pregnancy horm
ColinI returned to São Paulo with a heavy heart. The memory of the pain in Letícia's eyes haunted me. She accused me of things I would never do. The shock of discovering Patrick's involvement gave everything a new perspective. How could he? Despite our disagreements, I never imagined he would stoop so low. I need to sort this out. Clarify everything and somehow try to correct the wrong that has been done to Letícia.But the desire to do things right this time, coupled with the fear of causing more damage to our relationship, left me confused and unsure of what to do next. Patrick's revelation once again meddling in my life was like a punch to the gut. He crossed all boundaries this time, meddling in something as serious and intimate as Letícia's decision about her pregnancy.Letícia... her name echoed in my mind, bringing back memories of that one unforgettable night we spent together. A night that changed everything. I knew I shouldn't let myself be affected so much by someone I bar
Continuation - Four months agoLetíciaYears passed, and I tried to move on. My mother was my rock through it all. She worked hard so that I could study and become a doctor. She did everything to make up for my father's absence, but that absence was a wound that was hard to heal.However, fate has its twists and turns. One day, without warning, someone rang the doorbell of our house, and when I opened the door, there he was, Osvaldo, the man I hadn't seen in years.My father, the stranger who had abandoned me. He looked older, and tired, but he still had that smile I remembered from childhood."Letícia, I...," he began, but couldn't finish the sentence.The shock left me paralyzed for a few seconds. I wanted to scream, cry, and ask why, but I just stood there, looking at him. Finally, I managed to say something."What are you doing here?" My voice came out colder than I intended, but I couldn't hide the pain and anger.He sighed, seeming to search for the right words."I heard you gra
LetíciaI spent a long time awake that night, tossing and turning in bed, thinking about the past and my ghosts. Hearing about the crazy story involving not only Colin and his twin brother but also Othon's sister made me reflect not only on what was haunting him that night we met at the bar but also on what led me there.All of that stirred up a still-open wound in me. It was hard to simply forgive Colin and involve him in my child's pregnancy after so much hurt. Finding out that he didn't cause it didn't seem to change much within me.I've always dreamed of having a child to give all the love in the world to. I love children; that's why I chose to be a pediatrician. But I wasn't prepared to have a child by a stranger, whom I only remembered the name of. He introduced himself as Colin Salles as soon as we toasted and
LetíciaThe meeting with Colin was very different from what I expected. When I decided to look for him, I imagined he might use all sorts of excuses to justify his rude behavior when I told him about the pregnancy. But it never crossed my mind that he would use the excuse that his twin brother had impersonated him.As I walked back home, trying to process everything he had told me, I found myself torn between believing or not believing this story. I didn't doubt that he had a twin brother; after all, that wasn't so extraordinary. What left me incredulous was that this brother could be so despicable as to impersonate Colin and mistreat the woman who was pregnant with his brother's child. But, as Colin himself had said, it wouldn't be difficult to find out if he was telling the truth about something so serious.When I
ColinThe first thing that caught my attention when Letícia entered the café was her protruding belly. It was subtle but a few months into pregnancy. She looked radiant and beautiful, but the coldness with which she treated me quickly refocused my attention on what truly mattered at that moment.As we sat down, I still felt somewhat incredulous that Letícia had agreed to meet me. Even more shocking was that she had reached out to me, and set up the meeting. Now we could talk more calmly and clarify things between us."Thank you for coming, Letícia," I began, trying to find a friendly tone.She only nodded in agreement, her eyes not meeting mine directly. I noticed her gaze shifting to the table next to us, where the waiter had just left some doughnuts
LetíciaI woke up that Saturday with a sense of excitement I hadn't felt in a while. The idea of starting to buy things for my baby was thrilling, even though I still didn't know their gender. As I had my breakfast, my mind was filled with thoughts of baby clothes, toys, and everything else I could buy. I had the day free and wanted to make the most of it.I mentioned to my mom about my desire to start shopping, but also about Karen being on her honeymoon and not wanting to go alone. My mom then suggested that I invite Camila."You and Camila have been getting along so well, Letícia. Why don't you invite her to go with you? I'm sure she'd love to."She was right. Camila had been a great friend, always there and willing to help. I grabbed my phone and called her.
ColinBack in São Paulo, I can't stop thinking about Letícia and all the confusion this story has become. Her image is always present, disturbing me with every moment of silence. While I try to focus on the new project for an important client, I feel restless and uninspired. Normally, my work as an architect flows easily; I have a well-established company in the market and have always been recognized for my creativity and efficiency. However, days have passed since Othon's wedding and I still haven't been able to regain my rhythm.If I were honest with myself, I couldn't attribute my lack of concentration to the time I spent in a coma in the hospital. I was already physically and mentally recovered before the weekend wedding. No, this restlessness had a name: Letícia.My phone vibrates on the table, interrupting my thoughts. Othon's name appears on the screen, and I answer with a sigh."Colin, my friend, how are you? I heard you already knew Letícia," he says, and I can almost hear th