Olívia finally smiled.The kind of smile capable of tearing down whatever defenses he still had left.“That was the only key capable of unlocking this path.”The silence between them lasted only a second.Then he kissed her.It wasn’t a gentle kiss. It carried everything he had been holding back—desire, hunger, emotion, need. His lips claimed hers firmly, without haste, like a man finally surrendering to what had long been inevitable. The kiss deepened, hot and relentless, and Olívia felt her entire body respond before she could even think.Without breaking contact, Liam wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her effortlessly into his lap. A surprised sigh escaped against his mouth, and instinctively, she wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms locking around his neck as if she never wanted distance between them again.He carried her to the bed like that, the kiss never stopping, as though the entire world had narrowed to that short, burning path. Sitting on the edge of the ma

Liam’s voice broke. The sob came hard.“Mom…” he called, barely able to breathe. “Open the door, Mom… please…”No answer.In the present, Liam thrashed in bed. His body rigid, breathing ragged, his face twisted in pain.“No…” he murmured in his sleep. “Stop…”Olívia woke with a start. She sat up quickly and gently held his face, feeling the tension beneath her fingers.“Liam… baby, wake up,” she called softly but firmly. “You’re having a nightmare. Love… look at me, open your eyes. Mozão?”The scene shifted in that confusing way dreams do.Now Liam was six years old.The bedroom was far too quiet. He stepped inside slowly and found his mother asleep on her side, her face exhausted, worn down, as if the weight of the world had settled there.He approached the bed carefully and touched her arm, almost afraid to wake her.“Mom…” he whispered. “Wake up… I miss playing with you.” His voice came out sweet, full of love. “I love you, Mommy.”Before she could answer, the door opened.Vânia wa

The next day at Trident Marine, Ísis closed her laptop carefully, as though that dry click were both a period at the end of the workday and an attempt to organize her own thoughts.She was putting her bag together when she heard the office door open, and she didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was. Alex had his own way of filling a room: he wasn’t loud, but he was presence. The air itself seemed to shift when he walked in.Before she could finish what she was doing, his arms wrapped around her waist from behind, firm enough for her to feel the safety in the embrace and gentle enough not to feel invasive. His chest pressed warmly against her back, and Ísis held back a laugh on instinct, as though her body reacted before her defenses could.“How was your day, Miss Difficult?” he asked near her ear, his voice low and playful, carrying that calm tone that always seemed to hide a second intention underneath.Ísis laughed but didn’t turn around immediately. She kept fixing her ba

By instinct, Edgar reacted by gripping Laura’s arm firmly. Not aggressively — urgently. Desperately.“Laura…” he began, his voice low, almost pleading. “This isn’t what you think.”She immediately turned toward Marcela, then back to him, her eyes shimmering with tears, her jaw tight with tension.“Let go of my arm. Now.” The words came through clenched teeth. “I’m not imagining anything. I’m seeing it.”The sudden movement made Luna step back in confusion. The little girl looked from one adult to the other, trying to understand the heavy atmosphere that didn’t belong in a place filled with chocolate and candy.Ísis was right behind them and froze the moment she saw the scene: Edgar holding Laura’s arm, Laura visibly shaken.“I can explain—” he insisted, hating every syllable of the rehearsed-sounding phrase.Laura yanked her arm away hard.“Stay away from me!” she shouted, her voice cracking as her entire body trembled.The motion was so abrupt that the basket of sweets slipped from h

Laura slowly lifted her gaze to Edgar. There was no surprise in her eyes.Only contempt.“Your love should be at home,” she said quietly, her voice razor-sharp. “With your daughter. While your little wife thinks her husband’s at work.” She took a shaky breath, her chest burning. “Get out of here, Edgar. I never want to look at your face again.”The silence inside the room turned suffocating.Ísis felt it instantly — that was the breaking point. She stepped closer to the bed and gripped Laura’s hand firmly.“I’m going to step out for a bit,” she said carefully. “I’ll come back soon, Laura.”Before walking out, she fixed Edgar with a direct look.“Take it easy,” she warned. “Don’t forget the state she came in last night.”Ísis left.The door closed.Edgar took a step forward.Laura immediately sat up in bed and swung her legs over the side, her posture defensive, her voice firm.“Don’t come any closer, Edgar,” she warned. “Please… just forget I exist. Go be happy with your family. At le