Everyone in America knew Charlotte McKeena. She was the only child of Senator Bernard McKeena and former Miss America Judith Linvstone. They were the perfect example of a powerful and famous American family. Charlotte McKeena always excelled in everything she did. Not only was she valedictorian of her class at Harvard Economics College, but she also followed in her mother's footsteps and became the youngest Miss America and eventually also won the Miss Universe title at just twenty-two years old. . Her beautiful face and smile were plastered everywhere. From billboards to magazines. Even in Times Square. She was the inspiration of every American girl and the dream of every man who knew her. Charlotte was thirteen years old when her older brother died in a car accident. Her family fell apart over what happened. Her father, the strongest man she knew, went into denial. That's when he started to dedicate himself only to his political career, traveling often and staying at home very lit
“Okay, but promise you'll teach me. She said, still mesmerized by the man in front of her.. - I promise. He smiled sweetly and she thought she was going to die. Since that day, Charlotte and Marco were always together during their free time. She hung out with him and the rest of the editorial staff. Marco made a point of editing his columns himself and made suggestions to make his stories more interesting for everyone. Every Wednesday afternoon, they had a meeting at the Jornal Editorial Office. Marco always brought food for everyone. And he never forgot to bring a box of Charlotte's favorite donuts. One day, she was having lunch with one of the editors, Caroline. “Marco is enamored of you. - Which? “That's it, Marco likes you a lot. Charlotte blushed. - Why do you say that? “First of all, he never brought us food during meetings, it only started when you arrived. And secondly, he doesn't forget his donuts and his Macchiato ever. “He's just kind, Caroline. - No. Tr
Marco Villa-Lobos was a businessman who quickly rose through the ranks. He became one of New York's most respected businessmen when he assumed the role of vice president of Villa-Lobos International Holdings, Inc. Not satisfied, he opened his own company, Villa-Lobos Land Group Inc, in the real estate business and alongside Eduardo Villa-Lobos, he was the master of New York. He let his passion for this type of business blossom after a trip to Dubai, still as vice president of his father's company. He was sealing a deal with an oil refinery and was very impressed by the impressive buildings in the country. He wanted to bring to his city those same innovative designs, the style and elegance of that Arab country. A year later, Marco's accomplishments became a sensation. He acquired most of the properties that were pending in banks and turned them all into impressive and innovative skyscrapers, be they commercial buildings or five-star hotels. At twenty-five, Marco was often cited
— Uncle, calm down. She is not here. Eduardo's eyes stared at him like two balls of fire. 'So where is she?' — She left early as she had a photo shoot at the beach. “Explain to me why you're almost naked in my daughter's apartment. It's not like you don't have a place to spend the night as you have your parents' mansion and all the family hotels. You better tell me the truth, boy, or you'll pay dearly. Why are you here? Edward demanded. “Darling…” Camila touched her husband's arm, but he only had eyes for Roman. Eduardo carefully watched the red marks on Roman's shoulders, arms, and back. He was sure Luciana had done it. Like her mother, she could be a tigress in bed. “I slept here last night. Roman said bravely. - Same? So you're sleeping with her? For God's sake, Roman, you two are cousins. “We're not cousins. Roman said firmly. “You and my father are not blood cousins. "Blood or not, we're still related!" You two grew up as cousins and nothing can change th
Luciana was saddened. She knew the size of her father's thick head. She knew he was stubborn and even on the best of days, she would never accept her crush on Roman. But then she thought straight. She was already eighteen. She was legally an adult to vote, go to jail, leave her parents' house, drink... so why wasn't she an adult to love? If her father loved her as she knew she did, she would have to accept her choices even if they were contrary to his. It was high time she started acting like an adult. “I'm not caring about my father right now, Roman. she said, taking the whiskey glass from his hands. “I've never been kissed because I always wanted you to be the first for me. — Luciana... She put her fingers in his mouth to contain her protest. Then she launched herself against him and kissed him. Roman was so alarmed and surprised that he didn't respond right away, but when he became aware that it was Luciana who was urging him on, he put his hands on her waist and pull
“Marco, you have to come to California. Your father is panicking. Camila told her son over the phone. — I called Luciana, but she is not answering. By the looks of it, her sister is very busy on a photo shoot today. Marco was in the middle of a lunch business meeting with a group of Japanese investors at a famous New York Japanese restaurant when his mother called. He had left the table to take the call, but he noticed that the men waiting for him weren't very pleased. “I can't mother. I have a group of Japanese investors here with me. We are still negotiating our expansion into Asia early next year. “This is a family emergency. I want you here to talk to Luciana. She listens to you. Cancel your meeting, you can go to Japan next week for that. — Mom, I'm a very busy person. I have many appointments. “You don't need to remind me of your inability to take a vacation. I know perfectly well about your obsession. Camila scolded her son as if he was still five years old and not one of t
“I called Nicole and said you were coming. She was very excited to see him and said it was a coincidence that his ex-girlfriend was at the hotel at the same time. The Miss Universe Organization will be holding a fundraiser tomorrow. Marco was serious. His mind was somewhere far away. It had been a while, but he was still very hurt by the girl's shame and betrayal years ago. This was a wound that felt like it had been opened yesterday. "So, how about making out with your ex?" What a nice break, huh. “Don't joke about it Roman, it's irritating. Marco said angrily. “I'm not here on day off. Have you forgotten that my goal is to talk to you and Luciana about your forbidden relationship? - This is ridiculous. Roman huffed. - Our relationship is not forbidden, only your father thinks that. My parents don't care. “Roman, we're related. cousins. Marco had promised his mother he would try. Well... he was doing it, even if he didn't believe in the non-blood cousins thing.
“Marc, why don't you admit it? It's me, Nicole. You still love her, admit it to me. “I don't love her anymore. She's a bitch, okay. Nicole clicked her tongue and pursed her lips. “Say that a million more times and maybe you'll be convinced. “Damn it, Nicole. Stop this. Marco said, frustrated. He didn't want to get angry with his cousin. “Come on, show me my room. I'm too tired. - OK wait. I'm just going to wash my hands. Nicole took off her apron and washed her hands. She asked one of the assistants to finish making the mousse and to take it to Mr. Villa-Lobos when it was ready. She then escorted Marco to the presidential suite, just as Roman had promised. He whistled, taking off his jacket and shoes. — Where is your room? “I get half of the upstairs. Roman with the other. "Am I right in assuming Luciana is in Roman's room?" - Yea. They're in love, Marco. Is so beautiful. Beautiful, I know. It's always beautiful in the beginning. Marco wanted to say it out
Five years later Marco walked into the house with a huge smile on his face. Tonight, he and Charlotte celebrated five years of marriage blessed with children and lots of love. It seemed that with each passing day, he loved his wife more and the opposite was also true. Charlotte had become even more beautiful with advancing age and even after two pregnancies, one with twins, she was still considered one of the most beautiful women in the world, losing the match to her sister-in-law Luciana, who had leveraged her career as an international model. . Marco parked the car in the garage and the moment he opened the door, two blonde girls with identical faces ran towards him. — Papa! Daddy! Daddy! Beatriz and Juliana shouted happily. They were only three years old, but their lungs looked bigger than they were. “Hello angels of my life. I missed my little princesses. Marco kissed each of them deeply, making them laugh. "Daddy, you're tickling me." Beatriz said, pushing Marco's
“We don't even have the result yet. Charlotte smiled, unable to contain her anxiety. He sneered at her with one hand. “Oh I don't need to. I feel. There's a Villa-Lobos in here. he said, placing his big hand on top of her belly. “And he does. Camilla agreed. “I didn't believe it either when I got pregnant with Marco, but that fool knew right away. Charlotte was touched by the love she saw in their eyes. Twenty-five years had passed and they still loved each other as if they were married yesterday. She wanted that too. After an awkward and loveless life, being part of Marco's family was the greatest blessing she could have. The doctor returned to the office with a huge smile on her face. Eduardo blinked at the two women beside her, full of himself, as if he had reason. "I'll have the trousseau prepared." he said, with a giant smile. — Now all that remains is to know the color. Nicole and Luciana couldn't stop chattering when the three of them returned to the room wit
The weeks that followed were far from easy for Charlotte. In the first, immediately after her father's death appeared in the newspapers and the cause, namely her own daughter, she had to face her mother - who publicly disowned her, saying that she would never forgive her for taking her husband away from her shortly before. of being arrested by the FBI for passive corruption -, the police - to whom he had to give several explanations and describe step by step what had happened in Porto, having to prove that he had acted in self-defense - and the press, which was the worst of all. all. After the news got out, she couldn't take a step anywhere without being surrounded by reporters from all the media. Her father's criminal record was mostly revealed and was extremely extensive. Also, he had a few projects that ended up coming to light. One of them being a major action in Harlem and part of Brooklyn that would take away the housing of hundreds of people, as it included demolishing som
Patrick and Elena“Elena, there hasn't been a day that I haven't thought about you. "So while you were working out your revenge plan against my father, was it me you were thinking about?" As you tried to destroy my family's business, was it me you were thinking about? There was fire in Elena's eyes and as much as Patrick couldn't physically feel the heat emanating from them, he was afraid of being burned just like ten years ago. He panicked. “Please, please, please, Elena. He knelt at her feet. “Try to see my side. Look, I know I messed up, I see it now, but I was wrecked. - Then he started crying. “I was scared, ashamed, filled with pain… I didn't know how to guide myself. Closing her eyes tightly and turning away, Elena tried to run away from the pain in Felipe's eyes. She laughed sadly and shook her head. She didn't know if she should refer to the man with her in that room that way. Felipe was sweet, kind and never, not in a thousand years, would he hurt her. But Pat
Patrick and Elena Elena couldn't believe it. Her breath hitched as she tried to absorb what she had just discovered. How had Felipe escaped the fire on the hill? And why did he use the name Patrick Matarazzo now? "How come I didn't connect the dots earlier?" Elena wondered, remembering everything that man had told her. An arson, isn't that what he told you? How could she not have guessed? Dammit, she didn't even think about it. But she couldn't blame herself. She never thought that Patrick could be Felipe because deep down she imagined that if he had survived that hellish night, she would have looked for her immediately. That was the image she had of the guy she knew and loved. It didn't cross her mind for a miserable moment that he would one day become such a calculating man. But where did his father fit into this story? Why did Patrick do what he did with his family's company? Why did he bring his father almost to ruin? Or rather, why did she hate him so much? Even
- Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Eduardo roared with rage. James Hardy had called him a few minutes ago, telling him about the ill-fated FBI raid on Senator Bernard McKeena's home. Apparently, he had spies inside the agency and already knew about part of the operation, so his men managed to get him out of prison, killing four federal agents and a detective in the process. It was obvious that at that moment he was preparing to leave the country. And maybe never come back. Something that raised every hair on Eduardo's body. “Darling, calm down. Camila asked, fearing that her husband would end up having a health problem. “How am I going to calm down? That worm put my son in a coma just because he got a few bumps. What do you think he's going to do with the rest of us when he finds out I'm the one who gave him to the police for good? That's if he doesn't already know. “Marco will be fine. - Yes go. But I don't want to spend the rest of my life fearing that at any moment he or you or Luc
Marco was taken to a specially monitored room. His condition was not really serious, the doctors had said that when his body was ready he would wake up, but it was good to always keep an eye on him for any changes in the condition. Not many people were allowed to stay there for long, so after each of the family members saw him, only Camila, his mother, was able to spend the night with him. Charlotte would have liked to have had that honor, but she understood that the poor woman was desperate to be close to her son and besides, she had to help Edward get his father. Around two in the morning, Patrick's investigators and Eduardo himself contacted him. They already had the evidence they needed to turn Bernard over to the police. Not only the ones that linked him to the attack on Marco, but also a video recovered from years ago in which the senator plotted Thomas' death with two mobsters. Yes, mobsters. James Hardy identified them on the recording. They were men of the mobster wa
- It is clear. Charlotte felt a lump in her throat. She wanted to see Marco, she wanted to be with him when she got out of surgery, but she also wanted to help with the evidence against her father. Eduardo got up and started to walk down the hall back to the waiting room. But he stopped before walking through the cafeteria door, looking at Charlotte. “Thanks for that, Charlotte. - He smiled. — I'll talk to Camila, I'm sure when she's calmer, she'll reconsider her words. “Thank you, sir. Please just... let me know if he comes out of surgery before we get back. — Yes, notice. Keep me informed of developments. Matarazzo Corporation's IT technician was analyzing the images captured by the camera, which, thank God, was still recording in good performance. Patrick and Charlotte had been with him for over an hour, and as cooperative as she was, her mind hadn't left the hospital. She just wanted to know about the man she loved. - Charlotte? Charlotte? “Uh, what? - She blinke
"I must apologize for my wife, Ms. McKeena. Eduardo sat in the chair next to Charlotte's, giving her an apologetic smile. "She's nervous and... — Don't worry, Mr. Villa-Lobos. Charlotte smiled back at him. “I understand perfectly. “Hello, Charlotte. - Patrick greeted her, sitting down too. — Patrick. And Elena? “She stayed there with my wife. – Edward informed. "But tell me, why did you want to talk to us?" Charlotte shifted in her chair so she could look the two men in the eye – even if she had to lift her head very high to do so. “I can help you find the biker who shot Marco and put the person responsible in jail. “And how can you help? Sorry, I don't mean to be skeptical, but I don't see how you can help. — I know who is responsible for sending Marco to the hospital, Mr. Villa-Lobos. - As? Who is it? — Eduardo scowled, already preparing himself for what he thought he was going to hear. “It was my father. After Marco told me the truth about my brother's death