Michelle knew something was very, very wrong when, one Sunday afternoon, Maxmilian called full of cuddles and beautiful promises in his voice, saying how much he wanted to spend the night with her.Maxmilian had already made it crystal clear that he would rather eat burning coals than share any environment with her. That didn't sound good.Doing everything to avoid his suspicion being noticed, the redhead replied in an elegant and sly tone that she would be waiting for him at his homeAs soon as she hung up, she dialed Maxwell, who answered promptly."Yes?""What's this 'yes' business? When did you lose your manners?"She hears an exaggerated sigh on the other end of the line."Yes, ma'am? What do you want?""How is our little pregnant lady?""Whole and healthy. Why?""Allow me to rephrase the question, okay? How is Marianinha doing in captivity? Is she giving you much trouble?""She was resistant at first, but I think she has now learned that she has no power here.""Very well. Keep
Maxmilian had never felt so enraged in his life.Yes, he had a long history of violence and alcoholism. He fought more than once with archrivals and even former employees. As time went on, it became harder and harder to want to straighten up, to lessen the anger and control himself better.But that was what he would do.The first reason was that, at least this time, brute force would not do any good, it would only make things worse. Although he wanted to hit Michelle like a rag doll, Maxmilian still needed to keep up appearances; smile warmly, treat her well.And the second and most important reason of all was that Mariana's life was in danger. Those people who were under Michelle's control and orders would do anything for their mistress, and if the secretary wanted Maxmilian's ex-wife to die for real, it would be done.As he approaches the imposing home of the woman who was once his mistress, the businessman takes a deep breath, opening and closing his hands before changing his expre
Michele's eyes are glassy with hatred. She quickly stands up and points a finger at Isabella:"What do you think you are doing?!""Protecting my son," Isabella says, her trembling voice full of fear, yet authoritative as ever. "Maxmilian, listen."Max, who is standing with his hands on his waist, looks at the two women. According to the information he was able to get out, his mother and his former lover were working together. What did it all mean, then?Silence was strategic. Silence was the best ally Max had at that moment. So the man pretended to be stunned, confused, as if everything in that scenario was extremely difficult to understand.Michele opens a smile filled with nervousness to Maxmilian:"Please stay calm. Your mother is probably freaking out, it must be the effect of all those drugs-""Shut your damn mouth, you opportunistic, lying little siriga! You sniveling snake!" shouts Isabella, her eyes so red and full of tears that she really seemed to be emotional about the whol
Maxwell looks once at the cell phone screen, frowns, rubs his eyes, and stares again at the incoming text message. No, he was not blind; the text remained the same after he doubted what his eyes showed.So, by elimination, Maxwell was going crazy. Or...Everyone around him had loosened the screws and he was the only one mentally sane.His mother had made it very clear that she was going to go after Michele to redo the deal, make more money at the expense of the front secretary, and thus ensure that she would become richer than she already was. What Max didn't expect was that she would not only threaten him with a gun, but also rat him out to Maxmilian.And at that moment, that was where they were headed, to the perfect captivity hidden in an equally perfect place. Mariana would be freed and would probably return to the arms of Maxwell's older brother.As if she could smell her own rescue coming, Mariana, leaning back in a rocking chair in the living room, looked up at the glassed and
Emanuele takes a step back."What did you say?"Maxwell doesn't answer, just stares at her."What did you say?!" she repeats, exasperated. Her voice comes out much shakier and wobbler this time.Her ex-brother-in-law just shrugs."That's it, Emanuele. I'm sorry."Was he? Everything seemed to indicate that she didn't.She sits back in her chair, slowly."The secretary... No, it's not possible.""You don't believe me?""How would a secretary do all those things? That's impossible."A sad little smile appears on Maxwell's younger brother's face."Impossible, you say?"Scratching one of his eyes, he tries to keep his tone of voice as cool as possible, but fails:"It would be impossible if we followed the normal course of things. If we followed... you know, the established pattern. But you know, my dear Mariana... Everything you know so far, and even everything I know... They are nothing but a beautiful web of lies, perfectly contrived to leave anyone who is the most curious in the dark."
Mariana watched in a mixture of astonishment, curiosity, and even denial as the car actually started to come closer to the house.This place had been tailor-made to be her captivity. It was obvious that these were not mere passersby."I guess it all ends here," Maxwell mutters, between his teeth.Mariana puts her hand on her belly. The baby begins to fuss wildly.When the door finally opens, the woman doesn't know where to look first.At the secretary who wasn't really just a secretary, Michele, wide-eyed from what could be panic.To the gray-haired but imposing woman holding Michele by the shoulders as if she were a prisoner.Or to the man... the man who simply could not take another step when he saw Mariana.Not only alive, but pregnant. Pregnant with their child.Tears stream down the girl's face. Maxmilian is still standing there, staring at her, dumbfounded and absolutely in shock.Isabella looks at Maxwell:"Everything is over now," she says, in a stern tone. "Our role in this g
At first, Mariana really believes that everything is over.She sees the pale, tear-stained, hate-filled face of the former secretary, the way she snarls and cries. The gun doesn't stand still aiming at a specific point, because the hand that holds it is also terribly shaky.Then, in a space of time that could be hours, days, minutes or seconds, Michele pulls the trigger.But Mariana feels nothing. Not even a burning sensation or the beginnings of pain.Because she has not been shot.In a burst of screaming courage, coupled with a very high speed and coordination, Maxmilian pushed the redhead's wobbling body, causing her to miss, and badly, the target.A loud male scream echoes throughout the room as Maxwell, holding his left shoulder tightly, falls on his own knee. Blood drips down his shirt, spreading rapidly."You bastard!" shouts Mariana's ex-brother-in-law.Mariana watches in shock as chaos unfolds before her eyes. Hearing the gun fire and seeing Maxwell wounded awakens a mixture
Mariana had felt fear many times before.She remembered how frightening it was when, when she went to sleep, all the lights in the house were turned off. The darkness made her head ache with panic, and nightmares often stunned her mercilessly.The girl also felt an unusual fear of butterflies, although she had never told anyone about it. When they took off, flapping their colorful wings in the sky, everyone around thought it was beautiful. She just wanted to run away.But Mariana had never felt so afraid as she did at that moment, when she saw the amount of blood running down her legs and knew that yes, she was losing her baby.Maxmilian immediately releases Michele, who runs out the back door of the house as if her life depended on it.Isabella screams and makes mention of going after her, but hesitates when she sees Maxwell's wound.Mariana is so shocked and immersed in loss, grief and pain that she can't move. Maxmilian holds both sides of her body and embraces her."Mariana! Maria