Episode 3

By the next morning, the video of Dante Monteserra peeling five kilos of shrimp during the benefit dinner was everywhere.

The financial newspapers praised the Monteserra Group's social initiative. Entertainment sites amused themselves with the situation. Social media, meanwhile, was divided.

Some users said the group's president was humble for taking part in the action. Others commented that he looked as if he had been forced.

Naturally, no one dared mention Helena Alencar.

She was known for her discretion. She never gave interviews about her personal life, didn't attend unnecessary parties, and never responded to gossip. Her public image was impeccable: a brilliant executive, rational and far removed from scandals.

Seated in her spacious office on the top floor of Alencar Capital Global, she read a report while Clara, her personal assistant, organized the day's schedule.

"Ms. Alencar, the meeting with the Singapore investors has been moved up to ten o'clock."

"No problem."

"President Monteserra called twice."

Helena didn't lift her eyes from the documents.

"Did he leave a message?"

"He asked you to call him back as soon as possible."

She merely nodded.

There was no urgency. If it was a business matter, his assistants would contact her team directly. If it was about the dinner the night before, the conversation could wait.

Clara hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"I also received a call from the Monteserra Group office. Miss Navarro didn't come to work today."

Helena finally looked up.

"Is she sick?"

"According to human resources, she requested leave because she's very shaken by the comments online."

Helena closed the folder she had been reading.

"Did human resources handle it correctly?"

"Yes. The request was accepted."

"Then there's nothing else to discuss."

Clara smiled faintly. She admired her boss's ability to separate feelings from professional decisions.

To Helena, an employee was evaluated by their work, not their personal life.

As soon as the assistant left the office, Helena's phone vibrated.

It was a message from Beatriz Monteserra.

"My dear, do you have time to have lunch with me today?"

Helena answered almost immediately.

"Of course. Where would you like to go?"

"Our usual restaurant. I need to talk."

She knew that tone.

Beatriz rarely asked for help, but when she did, it was because she truly needed it.

Meanwhile, at the Monteserra Group headquarters, Dante paced back and forth inside his own office.

On his desk sat three tablets, all of them displaying news about the benefit event.

"Damn it!"

He threw one of the devices onto the sofa.

His friend and the group's chief financial officer, Renato Vasques, watched the scene in silence.

"You're overreacting."

"Overreacting? I've become a joke!"

Renato crossed his arms.

"Honestly? You're reaping what you sowed."

Dante shot him an irritated look.

"Are you taking her side too?"

"I'm not taking anyone's side. I'm just saying your wife has never done this kind of thing without a reason."

Dante took a deep breath.

"It was just a joke with an intern."

Renato let out a short laugh.

"Do you really believe that?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've known you for more than fifteen years. I've never seen you treat any employee that way. You wanted to provoke Helena."

Dante fell silent.

His friend was right.

It had all started months earlier, when he realized Lívia admired him almost blindly. She laughed at his jokes, praised his decisions, and looked at him as if he were the most incredible man in the world.

Helena had never done that.

She recognized his qualities, but she never hid his mistakes. If he made a rash decision, she pointed out the problem. If he made a mistake in a negotiation, she corrected him.

At times, Dante had the feeling he was married to a demanding teacher.

Renato interrupted his thoughts.

"Have you ever stopped to think about what will happen if Helena gets tired?"

Dante gave a mocking laugh.

"She's not leaving."

"Are you that sure?"

"Of course. Our marriage unites two enormous families. Besides, she knows she needs the Monteserras as much as we need the Alencars."

Renato almost answered, then gave up.

He knew certain details of the partnership between the two families. He knew the Monteserra Group depended far more on Helena's international contacts than Dante liked to admit.

But over the years, he had learned that no one could convince a proud man while he still believed he was in control.

At that moment, Dante's phone rang.

It was Lívia.

He answered immediately.

"Hi."

On the other end of the line, the young woman's voice sounded fragile.

"President Monteserra... I... I think it's better if I resign."

He frowned.

"Because of what happened yesterday?"

"People are judging me. They're saying I destroyed your marriage. I never wanted that."

The tremor in her voice made Dante feel a strange need to protect her.

"Don't pay attention to the comments. You didn't do anything wrong."

"But your wife hates me."

"Helena doesn't hate anyone. She just... has a complicated way about her."

Lívia seized the opening.

"She's very powerful. I got scared when she looked at me."

Dante gripped the phone more tightly.

"You don't need to be afraid. As long as I'm here, no one will touch you."

On the other end of the line, a small smile appeared on Lívia's lips.

It was exactly the answer she had wanted to hear.

At noon, Helena arrived at the discreet restaurant where she usually met Beatriz.

The place was private, frequented mainly by businesspeople and politicians. There were few tables, and none of them sat very close to another, ensuring privacy.

As soon as she entered, she found her mother-in-law already seated.

Beatriz looked tired.

"I'm sorry to bother you on a workday."

Helena removed her blazer and sat across from her.

"You never bother me."

The older woman held her teacup with both hands.

"I want to apologize for my son's behavior."

"You don't need to."

"Yes, I do. Because I know exactly how you felt."

Helena didn't answer.

Beatriz turned her gaze toward the window.

"When I was your age, my husband also liked showing off little kindnesses to other women. He bought jewelry, flowers, trips... while I stayed home taking care of the family and trying to keep up appearances."

Helena listened to everything in silence.

"Do you know what my greatest mistake was?" Beatriz continued. "I always believed that if I endured a little longer, he would change."

"And did he?"

The woman smiled, but there was sadness in her eyes.

"Yes. He changed mistresses."

The two of them stayed silent for a few seconds.

Then Beatriz held her daughter-in-law's hand.

"Don't become like me."

Helena squeezed her hand in return.

"I don't intend to."

"Do you still love Dante?"

The question hung between them.

Helena thought for a moment before answering.

"We never had a marriage based on passion. But I believed there was respect."

"And now?"

She looked down at her own cup.

"Now I'm waiting to find out whether there still is."

Beatriz wanted to say something else, but she was interrupted by Helena's phone ringing.

Clara was calling.

"Ms. Alencar, I'm sorry to interrupt your lunch, but something strange happened."

"What happened?"

"President Monteserra just left for an outside meeting... and he took Miss Navarro with him."

Helena remained silent.

Clara continued.

"The problem is that the group driver just sent me a photo. He said he found it inappropriate and thought it better to let you know."

"Send it to me."

A few seconds later, the image arrived.

It was a photograph taken discreetly in the company parking lot.

Dante was behind the wheel of his private car.

And Lívia was sitting in the passenger seat.

Not in the back seat, reserved for employees and guests.

In the front seat.

She was even using the small neck pillow Helena usually left there for longer trips.

Beatriz noticed the almost imperceptible change in her daughter-in-law's expression.

"Did something happen?"

Helena locked her phone screen and placed it on the table.

Her voice remained calm.

"I think your son just wasted his second chance."

Outside the restaurant, a black car slowly left the parking lot.

Inside it, Dante drove without imagining that a simple place occupied in the passenger seat would become one more step toward the destruction of his own marriage.

And somewhere in the city, someone watched everything from afar, satisfied to see the pieces on the board moving exactly as planned.

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