They took their seats at the table. Isabela immediately slid into the chair beside Thor, placing her hand on his thigh with exaggerated intimacy. Celina sat farther away, on the opposite side of the table, forcing a faint, awkward smile while Angélica tried to keep the atmosphere pleasant—chatting about the new décor in the house, weekend plans, and how happy she was to have everyone together.Thor barely replied, his attention fixed on Celina, silently watching her discomfort grow with each passing second.Isabela, on the other hand, seemed positively elated. She touched Thor constantly, laughed loudly at jokes that weren’t funny, and called him my love at every turn, as if determined to stake her claim.“Thor has always loved this wine,” she said, filling his glass without asking. “Remember when we had it in Tuscany?”Celina pressed her lips together and looked away, the knot in her throat beginning to form.Thor closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. He didn’t want to

Dessert arrived—a delicate berry tart served with handcrafted ice cream. But Celina didn’t touch her plate. The sweetness in the air turned her stomach. She was hungry, yet the bitter acid of sadness fed her more than any food could.Thor didn’t eat either. His plate sat untouched in front of him. Angélica only picked at hers, more interested in studying faces than savoring flavors. Her eyes moved from Celina to Thor, from Thor to Isabela, as if piecing together a dark puzzle that revealed itself one fragment at a time.When the clinking of silverware stopped and the plates were cleared, Thor rose to his feet.He reached out and gripped Isabela’s arm firmly. His face was expressionless, but the tension in his jaw betrayed the effort it took to remain calm.“You’re coming with me,” he said in a tone that left no room for discussion.Isabela stared at him, caught off guard, but she didn’t dare refuse. She stood, wearing a mask of confusion, and before leaving, shot one last sideways gla

The car moved in silence through the nearly deserted streets. The city slept, oblivious to the pain overflowing in the passenger seat. Celina stared out the window, but she didn’t really see anything. Her eyes were clouded—not just by tears, but by everything that had been ripped away from her.While Gabriel drove, he kept one hand firmly over hers, steady, grounding her.She clenched her fists in her lap, trying to control the tremor that refused to leave her body. Each memory cut like a blade. Everything spun, everything collapsed. It felt as if there was no ground beneath her feet anymore—no direction, no sense of self.“I should’ve just been alone…” she whispered, barely audible, her gaze still fixed on the glass.Gabriel tightened his hold on her hand, glancing at her briefly.“Don’t say that, Cê. Please, don’t.”“I’m tired, Gabriel…” her voice cracked mid-sentence. “Tired of loving too much and… always ending up alone. Always. Why?”He swallowed hard, each word from her hitting

Angélica sank into the armchair, absorbing every word.“I tried, Mom. I really did. I tried to keep my distance from her in every possible way. But I couldn’t.” Thor’s eyes were glassy. “What I feel for her… it’s different. Stronger. I can’t even explain it. It’s more than what I felt for Karina. And that scares me. Because with Karina, I thought that was everything. But with Celina…” He shook his head, as if words could never contain it. “It’s like I woke up to something I’d never experienced before.”Angélica stayed silent for a moment. Her eyes shimmered, but her expression remained calm. She understood. She could see the truth in her son’s eyes. And yet…“And now, Thor… now there’s a child on the way.” She pressed a hand to her chest. “Isabela is carrying your baby. That changes everything. Celina will need more than promises. You’re going to have to choose with maturity… and with responsibility.”Thor closed his eyes. Guilt, love, fear, and anguish twisted into a single knot in h

Gabriel walked back into the bedroom, already dressed, his hair still slightly damp, that calm, steady smile on his face.“Hey, how about coming to the kitchen with me? I’ll make us some coffee,” he said, his voice gentle.Celina sat up in bed and shook her head with a faint, almost embarrassed smile.“You don’t have to, Gabriel… I’ve already caused you enough trouble. Honestly, I think it’s about time I head home.”“No way. I’m not letting you leave without having coffee with me. It’s the least I can do after yesterday,” he replied, with that warm charm that made her feel safe.With a quiet sigh, Celina gave in and followed him to the kitchen. While he set out the mugs and turned on the coffee machine, he glanced over at her.“How are you feeling today?”She rested her elbows on the table, fingers interlaced, and took a deep breath.“Better than yesterday, no doubt…” She paused, meeting his gaze with tenderness. “Thank you, Gabriel. For everything. For letting me stay here, for comin