Without waiting for an answer, Celina walked straight into the kitchen. Mrs. Sara was just finishing the dishes.“Mrs. Sara… thank you for everything. I’m leaving now. But please, send me news about him.”She picked up a notebook and a pen from the counter and wrote down her cell phone number.“For everything you hold sacred, keep me informed. And tell him… tell him I was here. That it was me who took care of him.”Mrs. Sara stepped closer, moved, and wrapped Celina in a firm embrace.“Don’t worry, my dear. You cared for him with so much tenderness… I’ll never forget that. Go in peace. I’ll keep you updated.”“When he wakes up, give him the soup… but don’t tell them I made it.”She returned quietly to the bedroom. Isabela was nowhere in sight. Thor was sleeping deeply, his face finally at peace. Celina walked to him and caressed his face gently.“You have no idea how much I love you…” she whispered in his ear, her voice trembling. “Please fight. Be well. For me… for us.”She kissed hi

Thor tossed and turned, restless. His face was tense, betraying the anguish of a deep nightmare.“Daddy…” voices called, little hands reaching for him. “You need to get out of there… or you’ll never see us grow up. We won’t be able to play… Come on, Daddy! We love you!”Thor tried to answer, tried to move, stretched out his arms, but he couldn’t escape. He had no strength. The sand kept pulling him under.Then a dark shadow loomed behind the children. A tall, faceless man. Thor couldn’t see his features, but he began dragging them away. The children screamed:“Daddy! Daddy! No!”Thor raised his arms desperately, trying to touch them, to hold on.“NO!”The scream tore through the bedroom as he jolted awake, chest heaving, sweat soaking his shirt.Isabela, who was still in the living room, rushed in at once. Without knocking, she flung the door open, feigning concern.“Darling! You’re awake!” she exclaimed, running to the bed.Thor was dizzy, disoriented, struggling for breath.She sat

Celina walked in, drawing a deep breath.“Calm down, Celina. Calm down… everything’s fine,” she murmured to herself.She entered the lobby of the penthouse building, but was stopped short.“You can only go up with authorization,” said the night attendant.“I have authorization. I’m going to Thor Miller’s penthouse.”“I need to check. ID, please,” the receptionist requested.Celina handed it over. The young man checked the system and, after a few seconds, said:“I’m sorry. You’re not registered. I can’t authorize entry.”“But… there must be some mistake,” Celina said, her voice tightening with nerves. “I’ve been here with Thor before. I registered with another staff member. We even took a photo.”“The team is new tonight. There was a changeover. I’m sorry, ma’am.”Celina pulled out her phone. She tried calling Thor. His phone was off. She texted Mrs. Sara. No reply. She turned back to the receptionist.“Can you call him for me? There must be some error.”“I’m sorry,” he repeated.Celin

Gabriel kept speaking:“No! I won’t stop. You’re going to sit there quietly and listen to me. Because I’m not hurting you—I’m trying to open your eyes. To make you see your mistakes. To push you to fight for change. You are completely emotionally dependent, Celina. And I get it! You lost your parents young, you had no family, and you fell into a marriage with a manipulative man. César might be brilliant at his job, but as a man, he’s trash.”Her voice came out barely above a whisper:“You’re being cruel…”“Cruel? Cruel would be letting you stay trapped in this sick cycle. Cruel would be taking advantage of your vulnerability, telling you what you want to hear, taking you to bed, and then leaving you alone just the same. But that’s not who I am. I’m leaving in a few days, and what I want is to see you strong. Ready.”She couldn’t hold back her tears; they fell silently down her cheeks.“You need emotional intelligence, Celina. You’re stepping into a new chapter. You’re about to publish

While he prepared a simple pasta with a makeshift white sauce, Celina began to loosen up more and more. The conversation grew lighter, laughter blending with the sounds of boiling water and garlic sizzling in the pan. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had laughed like that. She felt welcomed, safe, alive.“Attention, madam expectant mother and emotionally renewed,” Gabriel announced as he set the plates on the table. “Dinner is served. It’s not five-star, but it’s made with love. And garlic. Lots of garlic. Which, by the way, is excellent for the heart.”“Smells delicious,” Celina said, serving herself with a genuine smile.They ate right there in the kitchen, sitting side by side at the small table, trading jokes and stories. It was a simple moment, but a special one. A breath of peace in the middle of the storm.When they finished, Celina stood to help, but Gabriel moved quicker.“Absolutely not. Tonight it’s the full package. Or did you think the prince of homemade dinne