“A multifunctional auditorium,” he answered immediately, stepping closer. I felt his physical presence intensely, but I didn’t move away. “For events, lectures, performances. Maybe something special for that dance school next door,” he added with a subtle smile that made me laugh softly.
“You really thought of everything. It’s unbelievable… How long did you spend planning something like this?”
Enrico fell silent for a moment. When I looked back at him, he was serious, his deep eyes fixed on mine with a sincerity that made me hold my breath.
“To be honest, I started planning all of this the day after I found out about my grandmother’s lies,” he admitted gently, keeping his gaze locked on mine. I swallowed hard, absorbing the weight of that confession. “I knew I had to try to repair everything I destroyed. You weren’t the only one I hurt, Valentina.”
A wave of emotion rose in my throat. I quickly looked away, my chest tightening under the impact of his words.
“The last five years were hard. Pain, longing, regret…” His voice faltered slightly, forcing him to pause before continuing. “I completely lost myself along the way. I let other people choose my life for me. And that’s not the man I want Clara to know in the future.”
I froze, emotions colliding inside me in a tangled, overwhelming mix. His honesty was almost painful. The urge to touch him, to hold him, to offer comfort was nearly irresistible—but I fought it, reminding myself how dangerous it still was to lower my defenses completely.
I took a deep breath, discreetly clearing my throat to regain control, and quickly pointed to another section of the model, forcing my voice into a practical, neutral tone.
“And this building here—what exactly is it?” I asked, desperately trying to steer the conversation back to something safer, less emotionally charged.
From the brief glint of amusement in Enrico’s eyes, I could tell he’d noticed my strategic retreat. Still, he respected it, calmly resuming his explanation of the project with patience.
The conversation continued—lighter, safer—but we both knew that brief emotional moment had been a clear revelation.
And as frightened as I was by that realization, a small part of me felt stronger, steadier, because of his courage in sharing it with me.
***
I left the bank distracted, checking a few documents as I walked along the sidewalk. The morning was quiet in Tiradentes—the kind of day that made the town feel even more welcoming under the soft sunlight.
The street was mostly empty, the calm pace typical of mornings in a small town. Then suddenly, the rear door of a luxury car parked just ahead opened, forcing me to stop.
I frowned, confused, until a familiar, sweet and unpleasant voice echoed from inside the vehicle.
“Get in, Valentina.”
My body reacted before my mind fully processed what was happening. Eloá Ferrara was there, impeccably dressed, staring at me with a cold, cutting smile.
My stomach tightened, an old, familiar sense of unease crashing back over me. Eloá wasn’t just Enrico’s grandmother. She was, quite literally, the woman responsible for destroying my life in the past.
It had been many years since I’d last seen her, but I had the distinct feeling she couldn’t say the same about me.
“No, thank you,” I replied, struggling to keep my composure as my heart raced. “I have nothing to say to you.”
Eloá’s smile widened slightly, her eyes locked on mine, radiating a calm that was chilling.
“Oh, my dear, we do,” she said venomously. “And I have no intention of discussing personal matters on the street, where anyone might overhear. It will only take a few minutes. Surely you’re not afraid of a brief conversation with me, are you?”
I hesitated, unsettled by the way she’d chosen her words. Eloá had always been a master manipulator—I knew that. But I also sensed she wouldn’t leave without saying what she wanted.
And in a way, I needed to know exactly what she was planning this time.
Enrico’s grandmother had been quiet for far too long. Ever since that charity event, she hadn’t made a single move toward us.
“You have five minutes,” I said coldly, climbing into the car and sitting on the opposite side of the seat.
The door closed behind me, sealing us off completely from the outside world. The car was saturated with her expensive, suffocating perfume, instantly dragging up memories I would have preferred to forget.
Eloá leaned back against the leather, her assessing gaze slowly sweeping over me.
“It’s good to see you again, Valentina,” she remarked with irony, as if making an enormous effort just to say it.
