Chapter 35
Oliver Ferraz
I was harsh with her, I know. Honestly, I was a real son of a bitch.
Damn it, I could have listened to her. Alice is different from Andréa.
In the little time we’ve spent together, she’s shown me she’s a great person—pure, kindhearted.
But I need to distance myself. I don’t want to suffer.
Not again.But why does it hurt so much?!
I thought it would be easier, but no... it hurts like hell.
It feels like there’s a knife stuck in my heart.
And the strangest part is, I didn’t even feel this way when I caught that traitor Andréa in bed with that bastard.
Sure, I suffered, but nothing compares to seeing my little one like that.But it’ll pass... it’s just the beginning.
She ran out of my office, and all I wanted was to run after her.
Instead, I sent Catarina to see what happened.
She still hasn’t returned to her desk. I’ll wait a bit longer, and if she doesn’t come back, I’ll go after them.
I stand there with the door open, waiting, and when I see her, I breathe a sigh of relief.
She walks toward me with the tablet in her hands, gives a quick knock on the door, asks permission, and starts going through the schedule—completely professional, as if nothing had happened.
But I notice her red eyes. Damn, I never wanted to make her cry!
It cuts me to the core. All I want is to get up and hold her in my arms, but I hold firm.
“That’s the schedule for now, sir. The week is packed,” she says, without looking at me.
“Alice...” I begin, but she cuts me off immediately.
“Sir, let’s keep things professional here. We have nothing personal left to discuss,” she says coldly, without hesitation.
Holy shit, I managed to ruin everything and hurt my girl. Congratulations, you idiot. You imbecile.
“I understand. You’re right. Please continue,” I say, swallowing hard.
The day was terrible. Spending hours beside her without being able to touch her, without hearing her laugh... shit, why did I do that? But it’s done now. I was cruel, I said harsh things, and there’s no going back. This choice was mine—and now I have to live with it.
The day finally ends, and with it comes the pain of not being able to have her in my arms. I shake my head. I need to stop thinking about her... but how? I’ll schedule a trip to one of the branches, check if everything’s okay. Tomorrow I’ll ask Alice to book my ticket. Being away should help.
The next day, I arrive early. I need to get everything sorted before I travel. As soon as I see her arrive, I call her over.
“Good morning, Alice. Can you come to my office, please? And bring a coffee.”
“Good morning, sir. Of course.”
She leaves, and I think about what my days will be like without her.
“Excuse me,” she says, entering with the coffee and tablet in hand.
“Have a seat. We have a lot to go over. First, I need you to book a flight for me. I’m going to visit some branches—starting with Maceió. I should be there for a week. Book round trip and reserve a hotel room. We’ll also need to move up some things from this week, by tomorrow at the latest.”
“Is this the same trip Mr. Gabriel will be taking? You have a meeting scheduled with a supplier on Thursday. It’s an important one, and he can only do that day. Should I hand it off to Mr. Alberto?”
“About the trip with Gabriel, you can go with him. As soon as I get back, schedule your departure. As for the meeting, have Alberto handle the client. When I return, I’ll talk to him.”
“Okay. I’ll see what I can move up to today and tomorrow. The rest can wait until after you’re back, if you think that’s best.”
“Whatever Alberto handles with your help can stand. After all, he’s the vice president, and you’re not in that assistant role for nothing.”
“We’ll do our best. Excuse me, I need to reorganize the schedule.”
That day, Andréa shows up. She’s been around the company too much lately. I need to do something about that.
“Hello, my love! How are you?” she says, entering without knocking. “I just stopped by to see you.”
“Who gave you permission to enter? Where’s Alice?” I say irritably.
“I saw her going into Alberto’s office, and since no one was here, I decided to come in. Obviously she’s not a good employee—she should be at her desk. But soon we’ll be married, and the hotel will be mine too. The first person I’ll fire is your dear little secretary, love.”
My blood boils. This woman manages to get on my nerves just by opening her mouth.
“I already told you we’re not getting married. That’s settled. And you’ll never have a say in my business. Now, get out. I have a lot of work.” I open the door and gesture for her to leave.
“I came to tell you that your parents are coming back from their trip, and we’ve already scheduled a dinner at my house to decide the date of our wedding.” She smiles venomously. “I’m not going to lose you to that child. You’re not going to get rid of me that easily, darling.”
She leaves without waiting for a response, and I slam the door hard.
I need to get rid of Andréa, but now isn't the time to think about that. Right now, what really worries me is Alice... and what she's going to do when I'm gone.