A week had passed, but for Olívia, each day felt like a chapter in a novel she hadn’t written herself. Ever since she signed the contract, Liam appeared like a dazzling shadow in every aspect of her life. He showed up at her office at the end of the workday, took her to dinners, to the suite where he was staying, and even went to her family’s mansion. Sometimes there were even kisses. Everything had to look real.To anyone watching from the outside, they looked like a solid, passionate couple. On social media, photos began to appear—intertwined hands, frozen smiles, and a discreet caption: “a new beginning.” Ana showed everything to her friends with pride. Fabrício seemed calmer. Even Victor kept saying she had finally made the right choice.But inside, Olívia felt the performance suffocating her. Every rehearsed gesture reminded her of the contract, the blackmail, the baby growing inside her. And yet, there were brief, almost imperceptible moments when Liam’s mask seemed to crack—a l

Later, Olívia withdrew to a dressing room beside the ballroom. She needed to rest. She sat in the armchair, eyes closed, trying to catch her breath.She heard the door close. She opened her eyes and stood.“Peter? What are you doing here?” she asked, startled.Peter took two steps forward.“Olívia, forgive me. Walk away from this wedding. Come with me.”Her eyes widened.“Are you insane, Peter? Did you forget everything you did to me? You’re married. MARRIED.”He moved closer.“I made the biggest mistake of my life, but it can all be fixed. I don’t love Camila. I love you, my life.”Olívia felt tears rise. Her voice came out shaky.“Now you remember you love me? After all the suffering you put me through?”Peter held out his hands.“I couldn’t stand knowing another man touched you—got you pregnant. I never should’ve left you alone in that suite. I was dying for our first time, but I panicked when they called saying my mother was sick.”Olívia closed her eyes, pain detonating in her ch

Olívia stopped in the middle of the foyer. The cold marble beneath her feet clashed with the heat rising through her body. She lifted her eyes to the imposing staircase, trying to make sense of the scene unfolding in front of her.From the top step, a woman descended slowly. The white silk robe seemed to glide with her. The suggestive smile on her lips looked rehearsed. Every step felt like a blow.Olívia’s breath caught. Her heart pounded fast.Bárbara reached the last step and, without hesitation, threw herself into Liam’s arms. The intimate gesture sliced through the air. She pressed herself against his chest and kissed him lightly, as if Olívia were nothing but a shadow in the corner of the hall.“You took your time, love…” she murmured. “I missed my gorgeous dark-haired man.”Liam, cold, answered without looking at Olívia.“Good. You’re here, Bárbara.”Olívia’s stomach turned. She didn’t know whether she was shaking from rage or humiliation. She drew a deep breath so she wouldn’t

The room was quiet when Olívia opened her eyes. She had slept only two hours, yet it felt as if she had lived through an entire night. The torn dress was still on the floor—a reminder of everything that had happened. Her head ached from crying.Soft knocks on the door interrupted her thoughts.“Ma’am… I brought your snack,” a female voice said from the other side.Olívia blinked, groggy.“Just a minute, please…” she murmured, slowly getting up.She felt the comforter slide off her body. She stopped, confused.“How did this comforter end up here?” she whispered to herself.She went to the closet, grabbed a robe, and put it on. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.The maid entered with a tray and set it on the small table in the room.“Here you go, ma’am,” she said gently.“Thank you… but I didn’t even ask for this,” Olívia replied, her voice still rough with sleep.“Mr. Liam asked me to bring it. I came earlier, but you didn’t answer,” the maid explained.Olívia frowned.“Is he h

Liam was sitting in the armchair in Olívia’s bedroom. His body leaned forward, elbows resting on his thighs, fingers interlaced and covering part of his mouth. His gaze was fixed on the carpet as if it could burn straight through it. The hum of his own thoughts was so loud it felt physical. When he heard her voice, he lifted his eyes slowly, as if coming back from very far away.“Why did you assault Bárbara?”Olívia’s eyes narrowed. Her breath came short; disbelief and pain blended in the same look.“Are you seriously asking me that?” Her voice came out indignant, slightly trembling. “I think the question should be, ‘Are you okay?’ After all, I’m pregnant, and she pushed me to the limit.”He watched her in silence. Olívia turned and walked to the door. She twisted the handle with a firm gesture and flung it open, trying to force control back into her own body.“We have nothing to talk about. You can leave now, please. It’s late, and I’m exhausted.”Liam stood. The movement was slow, d