Chapter 6

Rafael returned to the office satisfied with how the nine o’clock meeting had gone, but his mind was soon taken over by worry.

Why the hell did I invent that lie about my father having a wife?

He ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. It was simple: he didn’t want Estela anywhere near him, ever again. But now he had to deal with the consequences of that story.

Then something clicked in his mind.

Patrícia.

The memory came suddenly. He remembered the person who had recommended the young woman as a nurse. At the time, that person had mentioned that Patrícia was desperate for a job to pay for the hospital where her grandfather was admitted.

Rafael picked up the phone and called his contact, getting straight to the point.

“What does her grandfather have?”

On the other end of the line, there was a brief silence before the answer came.

“He’s dying. Patrícia just wants to ease his suffering.”

Rafael remained silent, processing the information.

An idea began to take shape in his mind, something that could solve two problems at once.

Rafael decided he would talk to Patrícia as soon as he got back to the mansion. For now, he considered the matter closed and glanced at the clock. He still had another meeting before lunch.

Sighing, he refocused on work. He needed to clear his desk as quickly as possible to avoid piling up tasks for the next day.

Meanwhile…

Patrícia gently slid her hands over Augusto Avelar’s shoulders. She applied light pressure, trying to ease the stiffness in his muscles, even without knowing if he could feel it. She wanted to believe that he could.

“You always used to get massages, didn’t you?” she murmured, remembering what she had heard in the kitchen. “I hope you like this one too.”

As she moved down his arms, she noticed something that made her stop for a moment. She could have sworn she felt a slight contraction in his muscles.

Was it her imagination, or did he really react?

Patrícia bit her lower lip and resumed the massage, now moving down to his forearms and hands.

She finished the massage and, though reluctant, decided to have breakfast. She needed to keep her strength up to continue caring for Augusto.

She sat at the table and brought the glass of juice to her lips, but her mind was far away. Had she really seen that movement, or was it just her imagination?

If it was real, it meant he was responding to stimuli, and that was a great sign of hope. But what if it had only been an involuntary reflex?

She sighed, picking up a piece of papaya with her fork. She needed to believe.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the butler, who entered the room with his impeccable posture.

“Miss Patrícia, the medical team is on the way. They should arrive before lunch.”

Her eyes widened.

“So soon?”

“Mr. Rafael requested urgency.”

Patrícia nodded, feeling her heart race. This was it.

At exactly eleven o’clock, the medical team entered the room. Every movement was meticulously calculated, as if everyone knew this moment was decisive.

Patrícia, dressed in her white coat, stood beside Mr. Avelar’s bed. Her eyes were fixed on him, as if she were determined to catch the slightest sign of movement.

Every minute felt like an eternity. The lead physician, Dr. Costa, approached the bed with a serious expression. His team followed carefully, preparing for the final procedures. He observed the patient for a moment, adjusting equipment and checking the monitors.

After the examinations, which felt endless, he looked at her, his cautious gaze reflecting a certain gravity.

“Ma’am, Mr. Avelar is no longer in a coma. He is sleeping, and his condition is stable. We can expect him to wake up at any moment,” the doctor said calmly.

She took a deep breath, feeling a knot loosen in her chest.

“He’s going to wake up?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Yes, but we’ll need to be cautious. Removing the machines and the intravenous feeding is necessary, but we still need to monitor every detail. His awakening may be gradual,” Dr. Costa replied, with slight hesitation. “We’ll keep everything under control.”

With the diagnosis confirmed, the team began removing the machines that had kept him alive throughout that anguishing period. The sound of the machines’ beeping gradually faded, and the IV line he had been using for nourishment was carefully removed.

She couldn’t take her eyes off Mr. Avelar. Every second, she expected him to open his eyes, for the timid signs of life to turn into a full awakening. But for now, he remained still, resting as if he were simply in a deep sleep.

“You’re going to wake up, sir,” she whispered, holding his hand more firmly, as if her presence were a beacon guiding him back to reality.

The next minutes passed in silence.

After settling Mr. Avelar in bed and removing all the equipment from the room, Patrícia found herself alone with him, standing in the middle of the room watching him. The anguish of waiting consumed her. She picked up her phone and called Mr. Rafael, reporting everything that had happened.

As soon as she hung up, the butler appeared at the door, inviting her to lunch. Reluctantly, she accepted and left the room.

At the exact moment Patrícia crossed the doorway, Augusto frowned, as if lost in a dream.

Patrícia walked to the kitchen with hurried steps. Despite her hunger, her mind was restless, fearing that something might change while she was away.

Lunch was already served. She tried to eat, but every bite tasted bland compared to the worry consuming her. Time seemed to drag, and every minute away from Mr. Avelar was torture.

As soon as she finished her plate, she politely declined dessert and stood up.

“Wouldn’t you like to rest a little?” the butler suggested. “Mr. Avelar will be fine.”

“I’d rather go back to his room. Any change could happen at any moment.”

The butler sighed but didn’t insist. Patrícia hurried out, crossing the mansion’s corridors until she reached the bedroom door.

When she entered, she stopped for a moment, holding her breath.

Augusto Avelar remained motionless, but something was different. His face seemed less rigid, and his breathing deeper. Patrícia approached and instinctively took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“I’m back…” she murmured, feeling a tightness in her chest.

She settled into the armchair beside the bed and held his other hand between hers, waiting.

Time seemed to crawl in that silent room. Patrícia stayed alert to any minimal movement from Mr. Avelar.

The day passed slowly, filled with small tasks like adjusting pillows and refreshing the room. Whenever she could, she talked to Augusto, telling him about the news or any random subject, hoping he could hear her. Eventually, she went back to reading.

When the sun began to set, she heard the sound of a car engine approaching. Rafael was back.

Minutes later, the butler appeared at the bedroom door.

“Miss Patrícia, Mr. Rafael asked that you meet him in the office.”

She nodded, casting one last look at Augusto before leaving. Her heart sped up a little. Although she knew Rafael wanted to talk about his father, the seriousness of the request made her tense.

When she reached the office, she knocked lightly on the half-open door.

“Excuse me.”

Rafael looked up from the papers he was reviewing and gestured to the chair in front of him.

“Come in, Patrícia. Sit down.”

She obeyed and folded her hands in her lap, waiting.

“How was he today?” Rafael asked, leaning back in his chair.

“The same, but…” Patrícia hesitated for a moment. “This morning, I thought he reacted to the massage. It was a subtle movement, but it could have been an involuntary reflex.”

Rafael nodded, thoughtful.

“The doctors think there’s a good chance he’ll wake up soon. But in the meantime… I wanted to talk about something else.”

She frowned.

“Something else?”

He took a deep breath and looked at her seriously.

“I have a proposal for you. Something a little… unusual.”

Patrícia remained silent, intrigued, waiting for him to continue.