The sea stretched across the dark horizon, speckled with distant lights.And for the first time in a long while, Celina felt like the sea itself—vast on the outside, yet in silent storm within.The car now approached the luxurious hotel where the dinner would take place. Golden lights reflected off the bodywork, and elegantly dressed people were already arriving in their gala attire.Celina took a deep breath and released the sapphire pendant.She forced herself to remember: she was strong.Independent.She would not be brought down without a fight.When Thor parked and turned to her with a smile, Celina put on the most perfect smile she had.It was time to wear the mask.It was time to play, once again, the perfect woman beside the perfect man.But inside…Inside, her soul had already begun to bleed.Thor got out of the car first. He adjusted his perfectly tailored jacket over his athletic frame and came around to open the door for Celina.She slid out of the car like a goddess falle

It was then that Verônica appeared, stunning."Thor, darling!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him in an exaggerated hug.Thor returned it with a mechanical, cold touch.Verônica then turned to Celina with a smile on her lips."Celina, you look beautiful!"Celina merely tilted her head, not bothering to hide the contempt she felt.Adjusting her purse on her shoulder, Verônica spoke in a sweet voice."Ah, it’s time for the interview, I came to get you!"Before leaving, as if suddenly remembering something very important, Verônica laughed and extended her hand to Thor, holding something between her fingers."Almost forgot, Thor…" she said, handing him an elegant pen. "You left this with me this afternoon."The blood drained from Celina’s face.Her stomach churned.It was as if a dagger had been thrust into her chest.The memory of the red lipstick on Thor’s shirt crashed into her mind with brutal force.Verônica.It was Verônica.The world seemed to spin around her.Thor took th

Thor brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, tucking it gently behind her ear. Without warning, his fingers slid to the back of her head, gripping her hair just enough to pull her into a kiss—deep, urgent, and laced with restrained desire.It was the kind of kiss that ripped Celina out of reality and into another world. The kind that dismantled every defense she had left.She melted against him, powerless to resist. Every touch from him set her skin ablaze, every sigh was an invitation to get lost.He didn’t let go. Still holding her hair, his voice came out low and rough against her lips.“Do you still think I’m cheating on you?”Celina couldn’t answer. She could feel him hard against her thigh, pulsing with life at their closeness. Before she could catch her breath, Thor kissed her again—hungrier this time, more desperate, more demanding. It was a kiss that took her apart completely.In that locked room, the rest of the world ceased to exist.Thor lifted her into his arms as i

Seeing her friend’s reaction, Isabela asked suspiciously,“What happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”“No, it’s nothing… really, just nonsense.” Lívia tried to hide her phone, but it was too late.With a quick, firm move, Isabela snatched the phone from her friend’s hands. Her eyes scanned the screen until they froze on an image.“Who is this woman?” she asked through clenched teeth, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve seen her somewhere before…”She pressed a hand to her head, trying to piece together the memory.“The company… That’s it! I saw this woman at Thor’s company!”“What?” Lívia exclaimed, already uneasy.“She works for him! She has to. Must be some nobody assistant he decided to hook up with. He’s out of his mind if he thinks he’s going to replace me with some random woman!”“Calm down, Isa… it’s probably nothing. You know how it is—business trips, events… sometimes employees travel with their bosses…”Isabela shoved the phone right in Lívia’s face, pointing dir

The living room door swung open and Roberto walked in with his usual laid-back charm, grinning when he spotted Celina.“Well, look who decided to show up—my muse herself,” he teased, his smile wide and aimed straight at her.Thor, sitting on the sofa beside Celina, immediately stiffened. His eyes locked on Roberto, a subtle but instinctive flash of protectiveness in his expression.Tatiana caught the shift in the air and quickly stepped in.“Hey, love,” she said, crossing the room to greet Roberto with a quick kiss. “This is Thor… he’s…”She hesitated for a beat, searching for the right words for an introduction that carried far more weight than mere formality.Thor watched the exchange between them, and in that instant, the tension in his features eased. The missing piece of the puzzle fell into place. He finally understood—Roberto was Tatiana’s husband, not an ex or current flame of Celina’s. Which explained why Celina had been staying there during her divorce.Rising to his feet, T