A few hours earlier, that afternoon, the video call had begun. On the screen, Thor appeared in one of the frames, his gaze steady and alert. Arthur and Otto were together at the hospital, seated in the imposing presidential office, while the lawyer—joining from another location—adjusted his tie before speaking.“Gentlemen,” he began, his voice deep and assured, “the first phase of the operation has been completed. Otávio has been arrested. His detention was ordered on charges of money laundering, tax fraud, and criminal conspiracy. The evidence gathered—combined with financial transaction reports and fraudulent contracts—leaves no room for defense.”He paused briefly, then continued:“An arrest warrant has also been issued for Isabela. She is being charged with direct participation in her father’s fraud schemes and a series of criminal acts already known to the public. Among them are her involvement in harassment and bad-faith actions documented in witness statements. She is currently

A chill ran down Zoe’s spine.Moments later, Arthur appeared at the entrance, with Otto beside him, holding his briefcase. Both of them looked worn out from a long, exhausting day.When Otto saw her, he opened his arms wide.“My favorite daughter-in-law!” he said, laughing.“The only one too, right?” Zoe replied in her unmistakably playful tone as she hugged him. “But I’ll take the title.”Otto sat down on the couch next to his wife, while Zoe took the armchair facing them.“What happened, beautiful?” Arthur asked, stopping beside her. He gave her a quick kiss and gently caressed her belly. “Hi, buddy… Daddy missed you.”Zoe ran her hands through her hair, took a deep breath, and said it all at once:“I want to raise Clarisse as my daughter.”The silence was immediate and heavy. Eloísa’s eyes widened, and Otto leaned forward, as if certain he had misheard.“What did you just say?” Arthur’s voice cut through the room, firm and sharp. “Absolutely not, Zoe.”Eloísa pressed a hand to her

Arthur looked at her differently then, a mischievous smile forming on his lips.“Come here now…” Arthur pulled her gently toward him, his gaze filled with affection and desire. “I want to enjoy my wife while it’s still just the two of us. Because tomorrow…” he smiled sideways, lightly brushing his hand over her belly, “…our lives are going to change completely. And Miguel…” he added softly, “…that little one is still baking.”Zoe laughed, shaking her head.“Honestly… I’m so excited I don’t think I’ll even be able to sleep tonight.”“I want to see if all that excitement survives when two babies are running around this house,” he said with a wicked smile as he slipped her nightgown off. “But for now, I’m going to take advantage of all that energy and make sure you’re very tired before they arrive.”The next day, the atmosphere in the room was pure anticipation. Arthur, Zoe, Eloísa, and Otto were gathered together, and Zoe could barely stay still in the armchair. Her legs bounced restles

The gunmen obeyed, restraining her even more. One of them slammed her shoulders against the wall while the other kept her wrists locked.The leader stepped forward again, pressing his body against hers, his weight and presence crushing what little space remained. His hot breath brushed Isabela’s face, but she kept her gaze steady, her chin lifted.“You’ll need more than two men to make me bow my head,” she spat, her words nearly grazing his ear.He smiled crookedly—there was no humor in it. Only cold, lethal intent.“Then we’ll see… how far that courage of yours goes.”The room was saturated with tension. Outside, distant voices and footsteps sounded like they came from another world. Inside, there was only silence, the smell of gunpowder, and a dangerous contest over who would break first.Without taking his eyes off her, he began to undo his belt, yanking his shorts down in a rough motion. His underwear followed. Realizing what was coming, Isabela reacted with fury—she raised her kn

She took a deep breath, her voice weak, barely more than a whisper.“Kill me, you disgusting bastard…”He let out a low laugh, joyless.“Kill you? No, fancy girl… I already told you—death would be mercy. And mercy is something you don’t deserve.”He leaned in, close to her ear.“You’ll pay for every second. You’ll pay for every tear you made others cry. And you’ll pay awake.”Isabela bit her lip, fighting not to break apart.“But today…” he straightened. “Today, you’ll take a bath. Not out of pity. Just because even a rotting carcass doesn’t get to stink in my space.”He gestured toward one of the men standing by the door.“Bring the water. Take the ropes off—but stay sharp. This one’s already shown her teeth.”Some time later, he spoke again.“Today you get VIP treatment, fancy girl,” he said, gripping her chin before barking an order. “Bring the scissors. Our guest needs a haircut.”Later, his voice returned, colder.“Put her on the bed. Don’t cover her mouth—I like hearing her scre