Chapter 1 The silence in the room was almost oppressive, broken only by the rhythmic sound of the machines and the deep breathing of the man lying in the bed. Rafael entered the room slowly, as if afraid to disturb the peace that surrounded the place. The dim morning light filtered through the half-open curtains, casting soft shadows over his father’s face. With slow steps, he approached the bed and sat beside him. His eyes, always firm when facing the world, now shimmered with the threat of tears. He reached out, lacing his fingers with his father’s, feeling the warmth still there—the only proof that he was alive. “Wake up, Dad…” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “I miss you so much…” For a moment, he stayed there, observing every detail of his father’s face: the deep dark circles under his eyes, the hair longer than usual, the grown beard that had nothing to do with the impeccable image of the powerful CEO everyone knew. Rafael made a point of calling a barber every fif

Chapter 3 After hours of reading aloud, Patrícia ended up dozing off in the armchair beside the bed. She woke with a start when she felt a hand on her shoulder. When she opened her eyes, she found Rafael standing there. For a moment, she feared he would scold her, but his expression was calm. “Go have dinner,” he said simply. “I’ll stay with my father for a while.” Patrícia sat up straighter and rubbed her eyes, trying to wake herself. “I need to bathe him first, sir.” “I do that every day. Today will be no different.” She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, sir.” As he watched her leave the room, Rafael sighed, running a hand through his hair. He did not doubt Patrícia’s intentions, but he did not want her taking on more than she could handle. His father was a large man, 1.85 meters tall and weighing over 100 kilos, while she seemed so small and delicate. Moving him required strength and practice, something Rafael had been doing for two years. He knew that at some poi