FACE TO FACE II

- Everything planned, from the beginning.

- What? Tell me... You have nothing to lose. I need to know the truth. Our lives are at stake right now... Mine, yours... My daughter's. You were with me when I took her in my arms, you know how much I felt the death of my friend... Why did you act like that?

He looked at Celine, who replied:

- Me and Dani planned all this.

Dani? Did I hear right?

- No... We didn't plan together. You planned it, Celine. For me, we were together and you know it. I just want you.

- Damn... You guys have an affair? Hector asked.

- It's not a mere affair... We've been together for years... Many years. - He replied.

- You were the mentor of all this, mother-in-law? – I asked, stunned.

- Give me the girl, Celine. Hector asked again.

- What the fuck, hand over the girl! Daniel shouted. - I can't stand her crying.

Celine gave Malu to Heitor. I felt my heart calm down for an hour.

We heard a bang at the back door and the front door at the same time. Daniel didn't have time to draw the weapon. He got so nervous that she fell to the floor. Before he could catch it, Anon 1 rescued her.

- Celine? – Allan looked at his ex-wife inside the house.

- What do you do here? she asked in surprise.

Everyone's guns were pointed in Celine and Daniel's direction. I ran to Heitor and Maria Lua and hugged them, fearing that something could still happen there. I didn't want my daughter to witness anyone's death.

- Were you behind this? Did you want to harm my granddaughter? Take money in exchange for an innocent child?

- She's not your granddaughter, you idiot. Why do you pretend that everything is fine? He sent me away because this woman – she pointed in my direction – is the daughter of a ghost from her past. He left everything... For some nonsense, a whim, a past that was buried.

- Beatrice was never buried for me, Celine. And I always knew you had someone ... But I didn't think it was for so long... Or that they could plan such atrocities together.

- I want my rights. – Celine said haughtily. “Including the one to keep quiet.

Anon 2 went to her, removing his tie from around his neck. He put Celine's hands behind him and tied them with the cloth, saying:

- You have the right to remain silent, madam ... But as we are not from the Police, few of us care about rights.

- You... You're going to arrest me, aren't you? She looked at everyone, confused. “In consideration of our years together, Allan. You can't do anything bad to me. And Milena? – She looked at Sebastian – You won't be able to sleep with my daughter knowing that you hurt her mother.

- I can. – Sebastian assured. - Like you slept every night, even knowing that my mother had lost the baby because of you. He did all the evil things possible to his own daughter... Yes, I'm going to lay my head on the pillow and finally sleep, without dreaming of what it would be like to see his end... Because he's arrived.

She laughed, wickedly:

- There are a lot of people here... Too many witnesses for you to do me any harm.

- Would you like to do the honors, Sebastian? Allan asked him.

- I would, Allan. But if you want, I can give you preference, since you're elderly.

- I would, boy... I swear I would. But I know you need to do this more than I do.

Guys, what world was I in? Was my brother capable of killing someone? I think so, after all, Allan was in a wheelchair due to a Perrone... In this case, our father.

- Otávio, could you come with me and bring her? Sebastian asked.

- Of course sir.

- All to the street. Allan ordered.

That sentence was enough for the armed men to disappear from our sight in seconds, leaving only Anon with the gun pointed at Daniel.

- This is surreal... - I heard myself saying. – I don't want Malu to hear all this.

- She slept. Heitor turned, showing me her head resting on his shoulder, her little mouth drooling.

- She said she was hungry. - I said, feeling my heart sink.

- Let's settle this at once, dad. – Heitor said – I want to go home with my wife and daughter.

- What are you going to do with Celine? Daniel asked nervously.

- Why did you ask Babylon? – I asked.

- I don't know... There wasn't a reason in particular. – He confessed.

- Did you really think you'd win Heitor's money?

- You know what, Babi... I did all this because Celine convinced me. I liked her.

- Our first meeting... In Babylon...

- Until then you had nothing to do with the story. I went to work there at her behest, to be aware of everything Heitor did. At first she saw Cindy as a threat. But then you came along and turned everything upside down. And she realized it was a lot more serious than it looked.

- Inheritance, money... That's all she thought. That's why I left her out of the will and got married without community property. I would never share the empire I created alone with a woman like her – Allan said – But my boy, well we know that you did a little damage in the lives of my son and daughter-in-law.

- Damage? This bastard tried to strangle my wife. There is no forgiveness for him. Hector said.

- So have him killed for real this time, my son. - Allan said, turning the wheelchair and walking slowly towards the door.

I looked at Daniel. I could use an ounce of pity. But I remembered his eyes when he tried to kill me, his hands around my neck, squeezing my throat tightly. He and Celine were capable of kidnapping a one-year-old child and asking for money without even knowing what they wanted and how they wanted it. It was as if everything they did was always aimed at violence and revenge.

- God... She tried to kill my daughter drowning in the pool... You tried to strangle me. This will never end, will it? I already knew it was a vicious cycle. - I spoke.

- Anon, either you do it well this time or I'll take more severe attitudes towards you – Heitor said.

- Want some proof, sir?

- No ... But if he appears in my life again or I even imagine that he stayed alive, you won't get a job even at the North Pole.

- It's pretty clear, sir.

Anon tied his arms with a string that looked like it had been bought for the purpose, which he took from his pocket and left with Daniel.

- Hey, you can't kill me, Hector. I'll charge you with attempted murder and...

- How are you going to do that, creature? – I asked – You'll already be dead.

He turned his face towards me and said:

- See you in hell, Barbara!

- Absolutely... I'll end up with you there too, disqualified. Because here I won't be the one to end your race. And you know what, I'm even thinking about what outfit I'm going to wear to watch you burn in hellfire? I want to know the vine under which you will be buried, for I will make your blood wine. You messed with my daughter, Daniel... That was your death sentence.

- I hope you don't sleep during the nights, with a bad conscience... - His voice was getting farther and farther away, while Anon took him away.

- Give her to me, please. – Asked.

Heitor put Maria Lua on my lap. I kissed her cheek and said:

- Mom will plan the label of the wine I'm going to make with it. I think it even crosses my mind what I'm going to call it... blood captive.