Giovana had to sit down because she could no longer feel her legs reacting to Antony’s voice. Her heart was beating so uncontrollably that she felt like the air was escaping from her lungs. A genuine smile appeared on her face, and her eyes sparkled.“How are you?” He asked after long seconds of silence.“I’m fine,” she replied with a smile on the other end of the line, then remembered what had happened to her stocks, and the smile immediately left her beautiful face. “Antony, I’m sorry about the stocks. I didn’t mean to.”“It’s okay, Giovana,” Antony looked up at Andreas, who was looking at him with great expectations, but his words were sincere. Antony was no longer angry with Giovana. “Andreas and I have already sorted that out.”“Sorted it out?” The revelation startled her. Antony and Andreas had teamed up to resolve something?“You should only worry about the pregnancy,” the words came out of his throat like a dagger, “that’s all that matters now.”He closed his eyes as he spoke
There was no more time for regrets. Antony was getting dressed in Giovana’s old room, while looking at the graffiti or what was left of her marks on the wall, remembering that it was for that reason that his whole life had crumbled.If he hadn’t asked for a divorce on the same day, Gina was in the hospital fighting for her life. If he had listened to Giovana instead of projecting his frustrations onto her, Gina would have survived, and none of this would have happened.Irma wouldn’t be chasing her, he wouldn’t have married Giovana a second time.He wouldn’t have discovered how much he loved her. Life would lose its charm, and he wouldn’t be the man he had become at that moment.Perhaps things happened that Antony couldn’t understand. He put on his suit and ran his hands lightly through his hair as he concluded his thoughts. He needed to focus on the major goals and forget the rest so that he could live in peace.To live alongside the woman he now loved. Giovana was fixed in his though
Irma stood in front of Gina’s old computer, looking for any clue as to where Giovana had gone. She scrolled quickly through the web pages, her eyes glazing over every article about Antony’s arrest, trying to find any clue, but there was nothing.She screamed, slamming the mouse down hard on the table as her chest filled with anguish and anxiety. Not only that, but she stood up shakily, as she paced back and forth across the small room and searched for a solution. Irma would only rest when she managed to take revenge on Giovana and make her pay for Gina’s death.She still lived in the same house that her late husband had bought. The dirt-stained walls and punctured roof tiles indicated that the house had not been renovated for many years. Irma remembered that the fact that the house was in ruins was one of Gina’s chief complaints. In fact, after she died, things got considerably worse for Irma, since it was Gina who had to pay for the entire house.It was like a stone, crushing her hea
The weeks passed quickly. Antony sat on the porch of the old house, spending the afternoons watching the little movement on the streets, while Andreas didn’t return from the company. He had been forbidden to set foot there due to security and strategic reasons. There were days when he felt like he was going to go baffling inside that empty house. Living a monotonous life, away from work, was something he had never imagined.In the same proportion, it was reassuring to know that slowly the investors were returning due to the confidence Andreas inspired. Who would have thought that a boy could be good in business and prevent the company from declaring bankruptcy? Although everything seemed fine, something was still missing. Antony felt a huge void in his chest, and that absence had a name.He tried to push these thoughts away when he saw Xavier approaching. He had a worried look on his face and seemed tired, as if he had fought an endless war. Not only that, but he loosened his tie and
Antony walked away from home as quickly as he could, knowing that in a few minutes, everyone would know about his escape. The tropical sun made his skin burn, and sweat droplets soaked his clothes in a matter of minutes.He had no idea where he was going. He thought about going to Irma’s house, but concluded that it would be naïve of her to stay in the same house after everything she had done. Only after long minutes of walking through the streets did he come to a decision?He stopped at the bus stop. Antony had even forgotten the last time he had taken the bus. He was still a child when Nicolau worked as a simple candy seller. The memories, albeit incomplete, of him getting in the vehicle and sitting next to his father filled his heart with nostalgia. But there was something he never forgot, how nauseous he felt with the bus turns around the city. The volume of people in the same place gave him a strange sensation that made Antony even sick.When he saw the bus approaching, he prepar
Antony returned to the same bus stop he had gotten off at, but this time, the sun was even stronger, and the bus took longer than he had imagined. He was impatient and distressed. Maybe by the time he reached Irma’s house, it would be too late. She would certainly flee far away, and he would miss the great opportunity to regain his freedom. These thoughts only made the hole in his chest widen to unimaginable proportions.Exactly twenty minutes later, the bus stopped next to him. Irma’s house was far from there, practically on the other side of the city. For a moment of insanity, Antony even thought about walking there, but he wouldn’t get very far.As the vehicle moved forward, he devised a plan. He thought about the various possibilities and consequences. He would need to do everything correctly to avoid being discovered and to succeed in getting Irma to confess everything.When he got off the bus, his heart raced. He walked a few more meters until he spotted the house in the distanc
It was summer, and the sun was shining intensely in the sky. Giovana was crouched in front of the farm’s garden, picking chives for lunch. The contact of the moist earth with her hands gave her a sense of peace. Giovana had decided to occupy her mind with everything possible so as not to think too much about Antony.It had been a few days since she had heard from him. She hadn’t dared to call anyone, and no one had called her. Antony had his own problems to worry about, and Giovana didn’t intend to become another one.When she stood up, she felt a slight twinge in her back, closing her eyes. She heard the sound of a car approaching, and when she opened her eyes, the sunlight blurred her vision for a few seconds. She didn’t recognize that vehicle. However, she watched the car stop, and two male figures got out.Giovana hurried towards the boys with a wide smile on her face. Although she hoped Antony would also get out, she didn’t mind when she realized that only Andreas and Ricardo wer
A photo of Antony kissing Roberta, published in the country’s most-read newspaper, made Giovana completely lose the color in her face. Her legs weakened when she learned that Antony was on the run and Roberta was missing.They were hinting that Antony had fled with his lover.Giovana’s eyes filled with tears. Her hands trembled as she held the newspaper, and she felt she had no strength left to continue reading so much nonsense.She barely noticed Tania approaching and becoming concerned about her state. When she came back to reality, she realized that the former maid was on her knees in front of her, looking into her eyes and trying to calm her.“Tell me what happened, ma’am,” the woman insisted, but Giovana could not say anything.She reached out to her, handing her the newspaper. Without understanding, Tania lowered her head and began to read what was written. The photo of Antony with Roberta said it all, although Tania didn’t believe that her former employer was capable of that.“