Do you want to be my girlfriend?

Nicole regretted telling Leandro what Bruno said. Now she felt worried because she feared a problem between them.

In the morning, Leandro arrived at Bruno's office. He tried to stay calm; otherwise, he would be prevented from entering. Bertha announced him, and Bruno was surprised by his visit but asked him to come in.

"De Santis, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Bruno didn't imagine that Nicole had told him.

Bruno received a strong punch to the jaw as a response, catching him off guard. He staggered a bit but managed to regain his balance and retaliated with a strong punch to Leandro's stomach. Bertha entered to see what was happening and immediately called security. The guards arrived and managed to separate them.

"What the hell is wrong with you, De Santis? You're a damn madman, how dare you come here and hit me."

"You have the audacity to ask what's going on. You lied to Nicole to turn her against me. You're a miserable coward."

"I only said what Sondra told me. You paid her to take Nicole to your room that night, and not only that, you paid the reporters. So, you're the only coward here, paying to have a girl because you couldn't win her over."

"Sondra lied. She told me that Nicole agreed to spend that night with me, and I don't know if it was her or someone else who paid the reporters."

"I don't believe you at all."

"I couldn't care less if you believe me or not, Leone. I warn you, don't interfere in my relationship with Nicole."

"Hahaha, what relationship? Don't tell me you still have hopes for something more with her despite knowing that you're siblings."

Bruno used to be cruel when he was upset.

"I'm not talking about that kind of relationship. It's much more than that, but someone like you wouldn't understand." By the expression on Leandro's face, Bruno knew he had touched the point that caused him the most pain.

"Get this man out of here. He's banned from entering from now on."

"You've been warned, Leone," exclaimed Leandro before the guards took him away.

Bruno wiped the blood from his lip with his hand. When he looked at himself in the mirror, he noticed that his eye was swollen, and a part of it was starting to turn dark.

He grabbed the first aid kit from his bathroom to clean the wound. Dante entered his office at that moment.

"Hey, what happened?" Dante arrived just as they were taking Leandro away. He tried to ask him, but Leandro left without even greeting him.

Bruno came out of the bathroom, still furious about what had happened.

"That idiot, Leandro De Santis."

"He really gave you a beating, brother."

"He caught me off guard."

"What did you do to him? It must have been something serious for him to dare to come here and hit you. Luckily, Nicole left for a while. She had a meeting at Santi's school."

"Are you taking his side?" he asked angrily. The last thing he needed was his brother defending Leandro.

"Absolutely not, but I know you perfectly well, and I know you're capable of driving anyone crazy."

"I told Nicole what Sondra said, that he was responsible for what happened that night. She had the right to know."

"I don't understand how you can still trust what that snake says."

"It bothers me to see how Nicole is with him, how she'll never be with me."

"Have you noticed how he treats her, so she can be that way with him?" Dante wanted to reason with him, to make him realize that his behavior was ruining things.

Bruno remained silent; Dante was right. Leandro was attentive and loving with Nicole and her son.

"You should go get those injuries checked out. If you want, I can accompany you."

"It's nothing, brother. It'll pass."

"Okay, at least put something on to reduce the swelling of that eye. Santi would be scared if he saw you in that state. I'm going, Sophie is waiting for me."

Dante left in a hurry, his blonde girlfriend was waiting for him. She had prepared an elegant table, wanting to be up to Dante's level. She felt she had a long way to go, but she was trying her best, or at least that's what she believed.

She came from a middle-class family, growing up in the suburbs. Her world was definitely very different from his. Her father worked hard to afford her education in the best schools, and that's how she met Nicole. In university, her classmates mocked her for how she dressed or because she was the only one who used the bus to get there until her father could buy her a modest car. 

Her classmates laughed when they saw her happy. It wasn't the latest model, but to her, it seemed like the best one.

Nicole was the only one who supported and defended her. Since they met, they became inseparable, always trying to be in the same schools and the same group.

The doorbell interrupted her thoughts, and she hurried to open it. It was Dante, smiling, holding a beautiful bouquet of roses. She felt excited; it was the first time he had such a thoughtful gesture towards her. Their relationship was more sexual than romantic.

"They're beautiful," she exclaimed, thrilled. She had never been given roses before.

"I'm glad you like them." Sophie stood there, savoring the scent of the roses, and Dante smiled.

"Sorry, please come in." She was extremely nervous; it was the first time she had cooked for him, and she hoped she had done well.

Dante entered; he had been there before, but this time felt different. It was evident that Sophie had put effort into the decoration, especially the table, which looked beautiful and elegant.

The blonde served dinner, and he noticed she was different, somewhat strange. She blushed when he looked at her, and he found that endearing. After finishing dinner, he helped her clear the table.

"Thank you for the dinner and for cooking for me. Everything was delicious."

"You don't have to thank me. I did it gladly."

They sat in the living room, and she nervously played with her hands.

"Is something wrong? You seem different."

"It's nothing, well, actually..."

"What's going on?"

"I don't know what's happening to me with you."

She decided to be direct and say it outright.

"I don't understand."

"I know we have an agreement to enjoy each other whenever we want or need."

"And?"

"I can't continue with the agreement anymore."

"Are you breaking up with me?" Dante paled upon hearing her words.

"No, I can't end something that hasn't even begun."

Dante realized that Sophie was right. He hadn't asked her to be his girlfriend yet, and he really wanted to. He had just forgotten how to do it. The only girlfriend he had ever had was Shelsy, and the others were just casual flings, nothing serious.

"You're right, I understand what you mean. I want to go much further; I just don't know how to ask."

"Just say it," she said with a smile.

"Sophie, would you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes, of course."

She lunged at him, completely ecstatic, and kissed him. This kiss was entirely different from the previous ones. In that kiss, she made him feel all the love she had for him.

"I love you," Dante was pleased with what she said. It was the first time she had said it; before, she had kept it to herself out of fear of being rejected.

"I love you even more," he replied with a smile.

The kiss grew more intense, Dante's caresses drove her wild. The guy knew exactly what he was doing, and she had no doubt about that. She uncovered her breasts, and he started to caress them. His tongue traced her nipples, and she spread her legs as he moved down to her intimacy. He eagerly flicked his tongue, making the girl moan with pleasure. He took her to cloud nine, but she needed much more. 

She helped him undress and then pushed him onto the couch. She straddled him, initiating a rhythmic motion. Dante watched her, taking in every detail. Her movements filled him with pleasure, and the sounds she made excited him. Her expressions as she received pleasure drove him crazy.

After a while, they were lying on the couch, Sophie resting on his chest, tracing small patterns on it with her fingertips.

He gazed at the ceiling, thinking how he would love to be like this forever, waking up by her side, sharing their everyday lives, and maybe even having a few kids running around.

In his office, Bruno wasn't sure if Nicole had returned to work after the meeting at the school. He went outside and didn't see her at her desk. He was about to ask Bertha, but she was also nowhere to be found. He looked at the time and realized that all the employees had already gone home. The day had been filled with work, so much so that he lost track of time. Only he and the security guards remained in the building.

He went down to the parking lot and got into his car. He felt tired and lonely, very lonely. He wanted to go home and be greeted by his family, tuck his son into bed, and read him a good bedtime story while he tried to fall asleep. 

Then he would go back to his bedroom and make love to his wife, falling asleep in each other's arms until dawn. Thinking about that felt like building castles in the air; nothing was real, just a fantasy

When he snapped out of his thoughts, he found himself parked in front of Nicole's house. He turned off the car and stared at his son's bedroom window. The curtains were open, and he could see Nicole tucking their child in and kissing his forehead. Then she approached the window, closed it, and drew the curtains. She recognized the parked car as Bruno's and decided to ignore him. She felt exhausted, and being around him was draining.

Bruno understood the message. He started his car and drove away. He wanted to win her back, to regain custody of his son, but every time he approached her, he ended up hurting her. Maybe he should come to terms with the fact that she would never forgive him, that she would never allow him back into her life. He picked up his phone and called his lawyer.

"Hello?"

"I need you to prepare the documents to initiate the process of my divorce as soon as possible."