Three days later, the silence in the room that had become a cage was cutting. The night had been long and heavy, marked by a damp cold that seeped through the cracks in the walls. Isabela’s body, curled up in the corner, ached everywhere. Her wrists were bruised from the tight ropes, and the smell of dried blood clung to her skin. She didn’t know whether she was shaking more from the cold or from the mixture of fear and hatred burning inside her.The sound of footsteps echoed down the narrow corridor. Heavy. Steady. The boss of the hill was coming. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to brace herself for what was coming.The door creaked open with a metallic groan. Without a word, he walked in. In his hand, a bucket. Before she could react, icy water was thrown over her body, ripping a sharp scream from her throat.“Wake up, fancy girl,” his voice cut through the air like a blade, heavy with authority. “You sleep too much.”Isabela gasped, her teeth chattering.“For the love of G

Celina closed her eyes, feeling a tight knot form in her chest. Thor stepped closer and took her hands, as if offering support while also seeking comfort himself.“I know… it’s heavy to hear,” he said quietly. “But you needed to know.”At the mansion, the atmosphere was tense as well. Arthur was in the living room beside his father. Zoe and Eloísa sat together on the sofa, with Clarisse asleep in her stroller. Otto asked for the television to be turned off; this was not a conversation to have with distractions.“We need to talk about Isabela,” Otto said, looking at the two women.Surprised by his serious tone, Zoe shifted in her chair.“What happened to her, Father-in-law?”Arthur took a deep breath before answering, carefully choosing his words.“Early this morning, she was left at the entrance of a battalion in Rio… she’s hospitalized in critical condition.”Eloísa brought a hand to her chest.“My God…”“We learned she had been hiding in a favela,” Otto continued, his voice low but

The New York sky was an almost unreal shade of blue that Sunday. The treetops in Central Park swayed lazily in the breeze, letting sunbeams slip through and paint the soft grass gold. It was one of those days that invited families to slow down, forget the clock, and simply enjoy the moment.Celina adjusted the plaid blanket she had spread across the lawn, carefully arranging the picnic items. The wicker basket lay open beside her, revealing cut fruit, juices, small sandwiches, and a few homemade cookies she had baked the night before. In front of her, Thor sat cross-legged, completely focused on teaching Safira and Antonella how to stack colorful blocks.The girls, now seven months old, were at the peak of their discovery phase. Antonella, always expressive, clapped her little hands against the tower of blocks and burst into laughter whenever it collapsed. Safira, calmer, picked up a block and immediately brought it to her mouth, rubbing her gums with determination.Celina watched the

The camera shook as his mother walked. His heart sped up slightly—sharing good news always came with that pleasant flutter in the stomach. When the image steadied, his grandmother appeared on the screen, settling herself on the bed, the nightcap and nightgown making it clear she was ready for sleep.“Blessings, Grandma.”“God bless you, my son,” Adelaide said, smiling in a way that carried him straight back to childhood memories.Gabriel couldn’t resist a joke.“Grandma, you’re stunning in that nightgown and cap… it even made me want to kiss that mouth.”Luzia let out a scolding laugh.“Gabriel! Stop that.”Adelaide rolled her eyes, without losing her tenderness.“Have some shame, boy. This generation gets stranger by the day… I doubt that, in my time, I could have spoken like that to my parents. There was more respect.”Gabriel and Ava looked at each other and burst out laughing. He quickly softened his tone.“Grandma, I’m kidding. I love you, okay?”“I love you too, my grandson,” sh

Thor’s eyes widened, blinking several times as if he needed to convince himself he had heard that right.“What do you mean?” He jumped out of bed, his hair a mess and his chest rising and falling fast. “You said… Ravi is being born?!”Celina laughed, far too calm for the situation.“Yes, love.” She raised an eyebrow, holding back a smile. “I was just going to the bathroom, but it looks like Ravi didn’t want to wait. My water broke.”Thor leaped out of bed, searching for his phone, his sweatpants—anything that might give him the illusion that he was in control.“My God, Celina! Your water broke! And you’re standing there, all serene, smiling?” He ran a hand through his hair, pacing back and forth. “Where’s the bag? You packed the bag, right? Of course you did—you always think of everything…”She was clearly amused by his panic.“Love, breathe. The bags have been ready for a month. Mine is in the closet, and Ravi’s is in his room. And the one who thinks of everything is you.”Thor went