Celina parked the car in the mansion's garage and stayed there for a few moments, breathing deeply. Her hands were still shaking on the steering wheel, and her mind was spinning. The previous night seemed like a blur, a dream—or perhaps a nightmare.
She got out of the car with uncertain steps and entered the house silently. The mansion was plunged into darkness, with only a few night lights discreetly illuminating the way to her bedroom. She climbed the stairs slowly, her heart racing. Her head was pounding, a reflection of the drinking and the intense night she had had. When she pushed open the bedroom door and entered, she found everything dark. She sighed with relief, thinking she could lie down and try to forget everything. But then, a soft click echoed through the room. The lamp next to the armchair was lit, and Celina stifled a scream when she saw César's silhouette sitting there, waiting for her. His eyes were dark, his face rigid, an expression of pure hatred. "Where did you spend the night?" His voice cut through the silence like a sharp blade. Celina froze. Her chest rose and fell with rapid breathing. Then she lifted her chin, trying to regain control of the situation. "I don't owe you any explanations.” She turned toward the bathroom, but before she could take another step, she felt a strong hand grab her arm violently. The impact spun her body around, and now she was facing César, seeing the fury in his eyes up close. "I'll ask you again, Celina. Where did you spend the night?" The pain in her arm was intense, but Celina refused to show any weakness. So, in pure defiance, she raised her eyebrows and smiled sidelong. "Oh, I see... Only you can have fun with your mistress, right?" César's jaw tightened, and his fingers on her arm tightened even more. "See this little body here?" she continued, taunting him. "Other men want it too." That was the last straw. His hand rose in a quick, brutal motion. The slap echoed through the room. Celina felt the impact tear her skin and fell sitting on the floor, stunned. Her cheek burned, and her eyes filled with involuntary tears. "You slut!" César growled, his voice laden with disgust and contempt. She brought her hand to her face, feeling her skin throb. Their eyes met. He was overflowing with hatred. She was filled with pain and disbelief. César calmly reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Without saying a word, he unlocked the screen, opened a video, and held the device out toward Celina. "Do you recognize this?" On the screen, she saw herself entering a simple hotel. The image was slightly shaky, but clear enough. A man was walking beside her. His face, his body... it was undeniable. It was her. Celina turned pale. She felt the ground slip away beneath her feet. "Where did you get this video?" she asked, her voice trembling. César raised an eyebrow, his expression hard. "It doesn't matter where. What matters is what you did, Celina.” He paused at the exact moment she walked through the door with the man. The silence that followed was deafening. "And then you come and judge me? I swear to God, the only reason I'm not killing you is because my career is worth much more than your life," he spat out the words, his eyes flashing. Celina held her breath. "The Brown name is too important to be tarnished by a bitch like you." She swallowed hard, feeling each word cut her like a sharp blade. Tears now streamed down her face uncontrollably. "I'm going to ruin your life," he said, taking a step forward. "You were nobody when I met you." Just a secretary with no family, no future, nothing. Everything you have today is because I gave it to you. Celina swallowed hard, feeling each word cut into her like a knife. César pulled her by the arms, forcing her to stand up. "I want a divorce. You're leaving this house!" he shouted, spitting out the words with hatred. In one sudden movement, he let go of her, and Celina fell back onto the bed. The sound of the door slamming shut shook the entire room. She lay there, motionless, her face burning, her heart crushed. And for the first time since she discovered his betrayal, she cried until she had no strength left. Celina spent the entire day in her room. By late afternoon, her body felt heavy, as if she were carrying the weight of all the humiliations she had suffered in recent days. What César had done to her was not just betrayal. He had destroyed her. The next day, Celina barely noticed the difference between night and day. The pain in her face was still there, a cruel reminder of what had happened. But something inside her had changed. Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, she realized that César was right about one thing: she had nothing left. But that didn't mean she couldn't start over. So she took a deep breath, dried her tears, and got up. Celina showed up at Tatiana's house by surprise, her eyes tired and her voice hesitant. "Tati, I... I need a job." Tatiana frowned, surprised by the sudden request. But, looking at the clock, she remembered she had an appointment in a few minutes. "Look, I can't talk right now, but I know a company that's hiring. Send me your resume, I'll give you the email address." She quickly jotted it down on a piece of paper and handed it to Celina. "Send it today, okay?" Celina nodded, clutching the paper in her hands as if it were a chance for a fresh start. She arrived home, grabbed her laptop, sent out her resume, and began searching for jobs. The first week was frustrating. She sent out resumes, made contacts, but always received the same response: we will get back to you shortly. Until, after two weeks of searching, her cell phone vibrated with an unexpected email. "Dear Celina Bernardes, we would like to schedule an interview for the position of executive secretary at T&R Enterprises. Please wait at the reception desk the following day at 9 a.m. to be escorted to the president's office." Her heart raced. Finally, an opportunity. The company Tati had mentioned had called her. The next morning, Celina dressed carefully, choosing a simple but elegant outfit. She tied her hair in a low bun and put on a pair of discreet heels. She arrived at the company shortly before 9 a.m. and introduced herself at the reception desk. "Please wait a moment, Ms. Bernardes. The president will see you shortly." She nodded, feeling a slight knot in her stomach. A few minutes later, she was led to a large double door. When the secretary opened it for her to enter, Celina took a step forward and looked up. And then, his heart stopped.