The soft hum of the engine filled the car as Gabriel drove down the illuminated highway, returning from Zoe and Arthur’s elegant wedding. The lights of São Paulo slowly faded in the rearview mirror, and the night wrapped around them like a calm blanket after an evening overflowing with emotion.

Ava, seated beside him, held the bouquet she had caught—much to her own surprise—with delicate fingers. The flowers remained intact, vibrant, like a quiet symbol of the chaos now swirling inside her meti