When Giovana was married to Antony, her life was monotonous and insignificant. In the sense that nobody cared about her existence or the fact that she was his wife. But things changed after the divorce. Becoming the heiress of Nicolaus’s fortune made her an easy target. The world started to care about her, and everyone seemed to want her attention.On that same afternoon, as the sun was setting behind the mountains, someone knocked on the door. Her heart raced because she thought Antony had come after her to demand explanations. She looked through the side window of the house, which gave a small view of the main entrance. Giovana recognized that face, and it didn’t resemble Antony.When she finally felt safe, she walked to the door and greeted the visitor with a wide smile and a tight hug.“I thought you wouldn’t receive me because I’m Antony’s friend,” he whispered in her ear. “Surprised by the visit?”“Happy that you finally remembered me,” she replied with a smile on her face, step
A few days had passed, and Giovana felt that life was lighter without Antony disturbing her or Matteo pressuring her for another chance. Despite this, she found this calmness very suspicious. Antony seemed to have gotten the message, or at least that’s what she wanted to believe. But deep down, Giovana knew he was planning something diabolical against her.She left home that morning, feeling more determined than in previous days. The market was two blocks away from her house, and she decided to walk there. It was cold that day, despite the cloudless sky and the sun shining.She was attentive to the shopping list she held in one hand. She passed by the hygiene aisle and paused when she saw several packages of diapers. A smile emerged on her lips, but her heart raced when she thought that in a few months, she would have a baby, and no one would be there to help her. It was a frightening vision of her own future. The smile faded, replaced by an immense tightness in her chest. She put the
Xavier took longer than he should have to arrive, or Giovana’s lack of time awareness was making her anxious, causing time to stand still. When he finally arrived, he was faced with a scene of war. Giovana's house was a complete mess. Someone had ransacked it. The man stood in complete silence for long and agonizing minutes.“Oh, this is too much for me to bear,” he whimpered in a corner of the house, away from Xavier.“Do you have any idea who did this?” he asked, analyzing every corner in search of a clue.“I don’t know,” she said with a choked voice, “But I suspect who it might have been.”“Antony wouldn’t have the capability for this.” Xavier could read her thoughts. “Besides, the main door was forced open. Antony still has the spare key.”“Aren’t you being too nice to him? Wiping her tears, she tried to think of a solution. “they’re trying to intimidate me. Look at the message they left in my room and tell me what else I should do?”Xavier walked to the room where Giovana slept a
Antony averted his anxious gaze to look around. Giovana must be baffling, he thought. The sharp look he gave her, before grabbing her arm and pulling her inside the building, left her bewildered.“What’s your baffling plan this time, Giovana?” she felt his fingers tightening around her arm. She furrowed her brow in fear as she tried to free herself.“Don’t play dumb, Antony,” she shook herself again, but he didn’t let go, “I know you were at my house, and it was you who left that message written on the wall of my room.”Antony immediately burst into laughter. He didn’t know this uncontrollable side of Giovana. When they were married, she always behaved well in his presence, quiet and completely submissive. But after the divorce, Giovana’s behavior had changed so dramatically that it scared Antony most of the time.“I haven’t forgotten that you reported me for threats,” he tightened his grip on her arm “do you really think I would go to your house to threaten you again?”“I know it was
Antony was placed in the police car, silently. When he understood what was actually happening, all he could muster was his indifference. Before being put in the car, he cast one last glance at Giovana, and she felt fear in what she saw.At the foot of the stairs, Ricardo picked up his phone and called the lawyer, then walked over to the police car and told Antony that he would resolve the whole situation. Shocked and horrified by the scene, Giovana couldn’t move, while everyone exchanged suspicious glances.At that moment, Ricardo emerged silently from the crowd and walked towards Giovana. His face was pale, lifeless, and her expression was one of guilt.“I shouldn’t have come here.” it became clear to her that those people weren’t interested in helping her, only condemning her because Antony had been arrested.“It wasn’t me who called the police,” she whispered, realizing that fear and guilt were turning into anger. “When did you ask me why I was here?Upon hearing this comment, Rica
His ex-wife’s statement completely surprised Antony. What was even stranger was that Giovana’s determination to get him out of there caused strange feelings within him that Antony couldn’t distinguish.Immediately, surprise turned into mockery. In response, Giovana couldn’t help but release an emotionless sigh as she saw him disdain her intentions.“You came to get me out of this place?” He looked at her disdainfully, still smiling. “I didn’t know you had become a lawyer.”“Don’t be sarcastic, Antony.” she crossed her arms over her chest and averted her gaze from his. “I’m saying that I will drop the charges I made against you.”A silence lingered between them to the point that Giovana lifted her head to look at Antony and was surprised by the expression of confusion on his face. It was as if he didn’t believe that she could save him.“Not that you deserve my considerations,” he said, while his words shattered the enchantment of that moment, “but it wouldn’t be fair to leave you here,
“The judge’s decision may take days.” Xavier sat next to Giovana and tried to convince her to go back home. “unfortunately, Antony will stay here.”She was disappointed, and guilt wouldn’t let her rest.“Isn’t there anything else that can be done?” she asked impatiently.“We’ve done everything we could,” Xavier stood up, ready to leave. “I advise you to go back home and wait.”Giovana didn’t say anything for a while as Xavier anxiously waited for her to decide whether she would return home or not. Giovana felt her feet aching, and her stomach was growling with hunger. Sometimes she forgot she was pregnant and didn’t worry too much about going for hours without eating, but Xavier was always ready to remind her of her true situation.“Let me remind you that you’re pregnant and need to rest,” she stood up impatiently, trying to prevent him from continuing that conversation.“I appreciate your concern,” she whispered, “but let’s not talk about it here. I don’t want Antony to find out.”Xa
After insisting a lot for Xavier to come down and spend a few minutes with her, Giovana got out of the car and headed home alone. It was different for her to know that Xavier was the only close friend she had. He was always willing to help her, even if she didn’t pay him his fees, and even if Nicolau was alive to order him to do those things.Xavier promised to take care of Giovana without any reward. And he was keeping his promise well. He took care of Giovana as if she were his own daughter.Did Xavier have children? A wife, a family to take care of and protect? Giovana realized that she knew nothing about him, which was a lack of sensitivity that she wasn’t used to.She was thinking about this as she approached the door and only noticed a box, wrapped like a gift, when she reached the porch.Giovana found it very strange. She observed the surroundings. There was no one nearby. First, they broke into her house, destroyed almost everything, spray-painted threatening messages on her b