Chapter 52The Roman night was cold and silent when the black car stopped in front of the five-star hotel where the couple was staying. Augusto stepped out first and walked around to open the door for Patrícia, who got out still visibly shaken by the events of the dinner.She clutched her red clutch purse tightly, as if she were still channeling the anger from the slap she had given Estela. He noticed. Gently, he took her hand and brought it to his lips.“It’s over now, my dear. We’re far from her.”She sighed but nodded with a small smile. The doorman greeted them with a discreet bow, and they soon entered the lobby.As soon as the elevator doors closed, she rested her head on Augusto’s shoulder.“I didn’t want to fight. But I couldn’t stand seeing her touch you.”“You did what any woman in love would do,” he replied, softly running his fingers through her hair.The elevator chimed. Hand in hand, they walked down the carpeted hallway and entered the suite.Patrícia kicked off her sho

Chapter 54Meanwhile, in the hotel suite, Patrícia stepped out of the shower with her hair still damp, wrapped in a white towel. She went straight to the closet and slowly began to get dressed with natural elegance. She chose black lace lingerie, subtly provocative, put on the stockings with garters, then the bra, adjusting the clasps precisely. After that, she slipped into a pencil skirt and a structured blazer—the look of a confident woman, ready to face any setting.On the bed, Augusto was leaning back against the pillows, a laptop balanced on his legs. For two days he hadn’t gone to the office and was using the time to follow reports and internal movements. He already knew things were stabilizing, and that morning he had received confirmation that a new CEO had officially been hired to replace him in management. The corporate world never stopped.But at that moment, his focus shifted.He lifted his eyes from the screen and saw Patrícia in profile. His gaze traveled over every deta

Chapter 56The following morning, the Avelar couple arrived at the company together. Patrícia was wearing an elegant, discreet pantsuit, her hair styled in a charming bun. Augusto, as always impeccable, guided his wife through the lobby as if it were a silent ritual of partnership. They talked about their plans for the day while waiting for the new CEO to arrive at the office.Mario, the assistant, appeared at the door with a cordial expression and a hint of enthusiasm."The CEO has already arrived, Mr. Avelar."Augusto nodded, stood up, and offered his arm to Patrícia, who accepted it with a soft smile.They walked together to the meeting room. When the door opened and they stepped inside, what they found caused a brief moment of surprise: Lorenzo was there, impeccable in a gray suit, looking straight at them with a confident smile.Patrícia blinked a few times, startled. The shock of recognizing him was immediate. Her stomach tightened slightly. The man with whom she had shared a br

Chapter 58The morning sun filtered softly through the gaps in the curtains. Patrícia woke up feeling light, even though the headache from the night before was still lingering slightly. As she stretched, she caught the faint scent of Augusto’s cologne on the pillow beside her. She smiled, but when she looked at the clock, she realized he had already left.She went downstairs and found a note he had left on the desk in the office:“Good morning, my love. I went to the office with Rafael. I love you. We’ll talk later.”She touched the paper fondly, then finished getting ready and asked the butler to call the driver, as her head still hurt too much to drive. She was going to visit her grandfather at the hospital. She had been longing to see him awake for a long time, and now she would finally have that moment.The drive to the hospital was calm. When she arrived, her mother was already waiting for her at the reception. They hugged tightly.“You look beautiful, my daughter,” her mother sa

Chapter 60Rafael was already getting ready to leave his father’s office when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He checked the screen and frowned when he saw the lawyer’s name.“It’s Dr. Alcides Mendes…” he murmured, lifting the phone to show his father.Augusto nodded, watching as his son answered the call.“Hello? Dr. Mendes, good evening.”“Good evening, Rafael. Sorry to call so late, but I thought it was best for you to know as soon as possible.”Rafael felt a chill in his stomach.“What happened?”“Estela. She caused a disturbance at the Rome airport and was taken to the hospital under police custody. The medical report indicates a possible emotional breakdown.”“What?!” Rafael’s eyes widened, and Augusto straightened up, attentive to the tone of the conversation.“She tried to board a flight to Brazil. She was out of control, shouting, arguing with staff, saying incoherent things. Security intervened, and on medical advice, she was taken for a psychiatric evaluation.”“Is this s