Thor finished his coffee, wiped his mouth with the napkin, and stood up.“Surprise me, Dona Lúcia. I trust your talent.”She laughed heartily, shaking her head.“Then I’ll make something really delicious.”Thor stepped closer and pressed a warm kiss to the top of her head.“I’m going for a ride and to take care of a few things. If Celina wakes up before I’m back, tell her I stepped out but will be home before lunch, okay?”“Don’t worry, my son. God be with you.”Thor gave her a quick wave, grabbed his hat, and walked out the front door, leaving behind the scent of coffee, cake, and the quiet serenity of home.Celina woke to the gentle light of morning spilling through the window. Reaching for her phone, she saw it was already 10 a.m. and stretched lazily. The cool, crisp air from the countryside coaxed her out of bed. She padded to the window, opened it, and a chilly breeze brushed her face. She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in deeply, letting the freshness renew her. The co

Celina remained silent, honoring the gravity of the moment. She simply reached for his arm, letting her fingers glide gently over his skin—a quiet way of saying, “Go on, I’m here.”“I’ve always been decisive about everything,” he continued. “When I want something, I see it through. And I want you. I want a life with you. I want it even if I’m scared, even if I don’t quite know how to do it. But I need to know if you want this too. Really want it. Because I can’t take another heartbreak, Celina.”He paused, his breath heavy and warm against her neck.“You were married. You’re in the middle of a divorce. I had someone too. But the difference is, life took Karina from me—her and our child. In one single night, I lost everything. The woman I loved and the baby I dreamed of holding. It was a blow I thought I’d never recover from.”Celina’s grip on his arm tightened, her eyes brimming with tears. Every word from Thor was both an open wound and a step toward healing. He was baring his soul,

As they stepped into the dining room, Celina’s face lit up at the sight of the table so carefully set.“Wow… that smells amazing!” she exclaimed, inhaling deeply before teasing, “Are we expecting an army for lunch?”Dona Lúcia was placing the serving dishes with the ease of someone who had done it a thousand times, pride shining in her eyes. The aroma of fresh herbs and spices filled the air, making Celina smile just by breathing it in.“I might have gone overboard,” Dona Lúcia admitted, a dish towel draped over her shoulder. “But I’ve never been one for cooking small meals when the house is full. I made garlic rice, fresh beans with bacon, egg farofa the way Thor likes it, roast beef with onions, country-style chicken with okra… Oh! And salad—so no one can say I didn’t add some color to the plate.”Celina laughed.“This looks like Christmas dinner, Dona Lúcia!”“Isn’t it?” she replied with a playful smile. “Any day with good people at the table is a day to celebrate. And today, we ha

Thor moved toward the hospital bed in slow, deliberate steps. Each one felt heavy, his heart hammering, his face set in grim lines. The room was wrapped in a dense silence, broken only by the steady beep of the heart monitor beside Isabela.“Good afternoon, Letícia,” he said, his voice firm but restrained.Letícia looked up at him, eyes red and swollen, the mark of a sleepless night and the lingering shock etched into her features.“I almost lost my daughter, Thor… my grandchild.” Her voice trembled. “Why did you do this?”Thor’s gaze was icy, as if protecting the last wall inside himself.“I’m not to blame for your daughter’s choices. She acted like a child. She refused to accept the end of the engagement. Don’t put the weight of her mistakes on my shoulders. Relationships end all the time—especially when one party never had a choice in the first place and was forced into it by their family.”“She loves you, Thor. She always has. Her dream was to marry you, to start a family… she bel

When the world finally stilled, when their breathless bodies began to search for air and calm, he rested his forehead against hers. Their breathing synced, hearts slowing together. Thor brushed his fingers gently through her hair.“I love your hair,” he murmured, still catching his breath. “Promise me you’ll never change it?”She smiled with her eyes closed, answering softly, “I promise.”Shifting slightly, he kept her in his arms and, to her surprise, began to sing. His voice was deep, smooth, and brimming with emotion—a slow, romantic song, like a declaration wrapped in melody.Celina’s eyes flew open. She had never imagined he could sing like that. The emotion washed over her with such force that tears slipped free without her consent. She gazed at him, enchanted, mesmerized.When he finished, she cupped his face with trembling hands.“You sing beautifully, love…”He smiled.“This song is ours. It’s about our love. Wherever you are, whenever you hear it, you’ll remember this moment