— Shh! - I put my hand on her mouth because Kelly has the habit of talking loud and attracts the attention of everyone around her. How embarrassing! - Speak quietly!
I push her aside and stand in the middle of the store with the dress in my hand. She looks at me sulking and goes to change her clothes. After paying for the dresses, we head to Starbucks for coffee, and Kelly keeps pushing.“If you think Josh is so wonderful, why don't you go out with him? I ask.“Because I already have a boyfriend,” she says, and I stick out my tongue. Kelly laughs and holds my hands on top of the cafeteria table. — But seriously, Cecília. I only care about you. You're always cooped up in your room studying, we have to drag you around. You don't go out, you don't have fun, you don't do anything!— I already told you that I need to study — I say and tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. “Dad won't let me work at the company if I'm not very good. He takes that place very seriously. And his partner then, I think he's capable of killing someone because of the company - I say, thinking of Thomas. He's been my dad's friend forever and I just remember his closed and serious face the whole time. I don't even know if the man knows how to smile. And I know he won't let me work there just because I'm his friend's daughter. — What's beautiful, there's scary.I only realize I've spoken aloud when Kelly raises both eyebrows.— Do you have a crush on your father's friend, Cecilia? she asks, and I feel my face on fire.- Of course not! I reply and take a sip of my iced coffee. “He's just…handsome. You know, for a guy his age. It doesn't matter! The thing is, I need to study. This is my last semester, I can't screw it up.“A little kiss won't hurt you,” she teases, and I roll my eyes laughing.I'm not lying, I really need to study. But I will not repeat toshe is the other part of the truth. Josh is nice, he's really good looking and fun, smart, but… He's not the guy. It's stupid, but I want my prince charming, a guy who sweeps me off my feet and who I'm going to fall in love with so much it's going to hurt to breathe without him. This guy who's going to be my future husband, and he's definitely not Josh. So why am I wasting my time?"Oh, I just remembered!" I say. — I have to buy a cell phone. Mine broke a few days ago and I need a new one. My mom must be desperate thinking I died because I haven't talked to her in three days.Kelly and I went back to the mall and after some time choosing a new model, we had to run to class so we wouldn't be late.**
Classes started just over a month ago, but it's early October and it's starting to get cold. Winter here is very different than what I grew up used to in São Paulo, and I just love the snow. I can't wait for the city to be covered in white.
By the time I leave class, it's late afternoon and I'm walking across the college campus toward my sorority's house. Only then do I remember the cell phone I bought earlier and I rummage through my purse for the device that is still turned off. I walk and configure the cell phone, and I only finish when I'm at the door of the house.Everything finally connects and my phone syncs. Dozens of messages from my parents start jumping on the screen. I weird. It's okay that I didn't have a cell phone for a few days, but even they don't try to talk to me that much. I open the messages as I enter the house. Several of them just ask me to call home and say they need to talk to me.I start to get worried and I'm so distracted that I don't notice anyone until I bump into one of the girls who lives with me.“Sorry,” I say and look at her.The girl has her eyes wide open and her mouth open in animation.- What it was? I ask and she points to the room.“You have a visitor.- I? I ask confused. She nods her head and I go there. I see three or four more girls circling the couch and I wonder who's here for all this reception.I lock in place when I see the handsome man in a smart suit, with neatly styled black hair and a seductive smile for one of the girls, who doesn't even hide that she's all over him.“Ah…I'm at a loss for words, but the sound draws his attention. Thomas de Albuquerque looks at me and frowns, as if he doesn't recognize me.— Cecilia? he asks in a confused voice.He narrows his eyes and looks me up and down with interest in his gaze. I shudder in place. I've known Dad's friend for many years, but he's never looked at me like that. When he looks back at my face, he has one eyebrow arched. I feel a shiver down my spine as a sly smile cuts across his face.He gets up.“Thomas? I finally speak when I regain my voice. I feel my face burn because he doesn't look away as he takes a few steps towards me. I clutch my bag in front of me as if I can shield myself from the mischievous gleam in his pale eyes, but I decide I must be going crazy. Of course I'm getting this all wrong and he's not looking at me with any desire. - What are you doing here?"Didn't your father tell you?" he asks in Portuguese, opening the smile on his face even more. “I came to get you.Cecilia "Okay, we can talk here." I close my bedroom door and the place feels very small. It's not, it's quite spacious like all the rooms in this house, but Thomas is big and tall and strong, and he seems to take up all the space. He's looking around at the room's decor, and I don't know why I get so nervous, but I do. He walks across the room and over to the dressing table in the corner against the wall. He picks up a framed picture of me with my parents and flashes me a smile that sends shivers down my spine. It sounds mean, but it doesn't make sense that it would be, since he's always been a great friend of the family. - Everything is fine? - I ask. He doesn't say anything. He just nods and continues to stare at the photo for a few more seconds. "So your dad didn't call you?" he asks and I start to get worried. I take my phone out of my purse and start skimming through the messages I've missed over the past few days. — My cell phone broke a few days ago, I only managed to buy
thomasI listen carefully as Cecilia talks to her dear father on the phone. I watch the second her face transforms from worry to pure despair. I sit and wait and look at the clock impatiently. I'm bored."How could you do that, Daddy?" - The girl whispers in a thin voice and tears run down her pale face.I expect.I follow all the anger expended in an even sweet way, until Cecília hangs up the phone.“Oh honey, I'm so sorry. You know I've always thought of your father as a brother. I'm just as disappointed as you are. I smile cynically, because I know I'm going to use the sadness I see on your face right now against your father.- How can you? she explodes as she wipes the angry tears from her face.“How did I…” I look at her in surprise at the outburst. - How could I? How could your father be the right question, girl!"You think you're much better than he is, don't you?" He thinks he can just go around buying people to pay for other people's mistakes.I let out a snarky laugh and sha
thomasCecilia did not return. It's already three o'clock in the morning and the bitch girl is gone. Her cell phone remains unavailable. I already called her parents asking for her, threatening, but they both seemed surprised and worried, so I ruled out her running away at their behest. I'm pissed because I hate it when people disobey me. I told her to be here at the hotel when I got back, and she was supposed to be here. Simple.I give up waiting.I get out of bed and put on a shirt before grabbing my car keys. I take the elevator down and make some calls. I look for information about parties in the vicinity and it is not difficult to find the location of the “big party” on social networks. I put the location into the GPS and it only takes ten minutes to arrive. I see a bunch of brats in front of a fraternity house with red cups in their hands and the racket rolling down the middle of the street.I curse Cecilia out loud, wanting to crush her little neck, and park the vehicle. I go d
I get up early even though I slept at dawn as usual. My body is already trained to wake up at seven thirty in the morning every day, and there is no one to make me stay in bed late.I change into clean clothes after I take a shower and brush my teeth. I run my hand through my hair to comb it, put my watch on my wrist and put on my shoes before going to where Cecília is sleeping. I knock on the door and it takes a few minutes for the employee to open it. I go in and see that the girl is still sleeping. I don't know what she was thinking going off like a madwoman drinking all the drinks in the world, but I'm not going to give the little princess a taste of rest after all.— You can let me take care of everything from here — I say to the lady, who just nods and leaves.I approach the bed and look down at the girl's makeup-smeared face. I shake her shoulders slightly and she grunts, smacking my hand.— Wake up, Cecília — I say and shake her body again. - Wake up!The girl wakes up with a
I was so mad at everything Thomas is trying to force me to do that I agreed to go to a party with Kelly, which I never do. Is not fair. I always do everything right, I'm a good daughter, a good student. And for what? To be sold into marriage to a gruff man who only wants revenge on my father."It's not his fault, it's yours!" I say and lift my chin even though I just want to run away from him giving me that intimidating look. “You were the one who decided to punish me when I didn't do anything.Thomas tilts his head to the side and gives me a warm smile that confuses me. He reaches across the table and grips my fingers. His hand is warm and soft and somehow makes my body relax.“It was your father who chose this, Cecilia. He could be a man and pay for his mistakes. But he chose to sell you to me, didn't he? He would rather you suffer for the rest of your life than go to jail as is fair. I feel my eyes fill with tears and Thomas pats my hand. “No, honey, don't cry. Everything is fine.
Cecília- I was worried about you.I hug the pillow and sigh as Kelly settles into bed next to me.It's been a few days since my life turned upside down and I'm at a loss for what to do. I'm getting desperate about missing classes, but I emailed some of the teachers and they let me make up later. I just want my life back. I don't want to be stuck in a hotel room waiting for the good will of an arrogant tyrant who has decided to make a puppet of me.My dad keeps calling, but I didn't pick up the phone once. I don't want to talk to him, I don't want to hear his excuses. The last time I spoke to Mom, she said he's in a lot of pain from this whole situation, but what about me? I am paying for a mistake that is not mine and they are not doing anything to help me.“I'm fine,” I lie and try to smile at my best friend.“I didn't understand anything when that guy picked you up at the party. I only let you go with him because he said the name and I remembered that you told me you were your fath
thomasI wait for Cecília in the hotel's meeting room. The lawyer is at my side, reviewing the paperwork I asked him to review and have ready for today. The damn girl is late and I need to control the urge to go after her and shake her until she understands that she needs to act different from what she's used to from now on. I'm not going to get involved with someone who runs the risk of tarnishing the good image I've always given to the media. The girl will have to walk the line.I hear a light knock on the door minutes later and I know it's her.- Goes into.I have my back to the door and I hear the hesitant footsteps approaching.— You're late, Cecilia. When I make an appointment with you, show up. Not a minute later.- I got lost. I didn't know where the meeting room was,” she whispers and walks over to the chair across the table from me.I arch an eyebrow when I see that it's all produced. Baggy clothing no longer exists, let alone horrible, see-through pajamas. Do not say anythi
thomasAs soon as I arrived in São Paulo, I came straight to the company because now, more than ever, rest is not part of my life. I got investors in New York, but the confusion is far from over. The damage left in the company's coffers was great. The man, in addition to stealing a large part of the cash allocated for labor, sabotaged the purchase of materials, replacing the good quality ones with inferior ones, but that was not what appeared on the invoices.Just thinking about that bastard's roguery makes me even more motivated to destroy him. The headache I'm having right now won't go away.I'm working hard, rereading emails, reviewing reports, when I hear a knock on the door.- You may come in.“Sir…” Diana looks agitated. “Securities got in touch saying that Cesar is trying to speak with you downstairs. He looks furious, and since he's banned you from entering—” “You can let him in, Diana.She nods helpfully and hurries off. This is going to be interesting. I really didn't have t