Chapter 67 – Dom Aragão's War

Chapter 67 – Dom Aragão's War
I never imagined I would be afraid to see my own father.

But at that moment, I was terrified.

Not because I thought Dom Aragão would hurt me.
Never.
Despite all his flaws, my father would never raise a hand against me.

The problem was exactly that.
I knew my father.
I knew his stubbornness.
His pride.
His absurd need to control everything.
And once he got something into his head, almost nothing could make him change his mind.

“There’s still time to run,” Betina commented.

I looked at her.
“You say that like we’re running from the tax inspector.”

“Depending on the inspector, it would be less dangerous.”

“Betina.”

“What? I’m trying to help.”

David sighed.
“For the first time in my life, I agree with her.”

“That’s worrying,” Leona added.

Romeu remained silent.
Sitting beside me.
Watching the movement outside through a gap in the curtains.
Tense.
Dangerously tense.

And that worried me more than the armed men surrounding the building.
Because when Romeu tried too hard to control himself…
He usually ended up exploding.

“How many men?” I asked.

David peeked out the window.
“At least twenty.”

“Twenty?”

“Your father likes to overdo it.”

“I noticed.”

“I brought flowers.”

The deep voice echoed from the hallway.

My blood ran cold.
Everyone froze.

Romeu stood up immediately.
David muttered a curse.
Leona widened her eyes.
Betina simply placed a hand over her chest.

“My God.”

He walked in as if he owned the building.
As if he owned the city.
As if he owned the world.

Dom Aragão.
Dressed in black.
Impeccable.
Intimidating.
And holding an enormous bouquet of flowers.

I blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.

“You surrounded the building with twenty armed men…”

My father nodded.
“Yes.”

“And you brought flowers?”

“Also.”

Betina started laughing.
Leona joined her.
Even David had to turn his face away.

“I don’t see what’s so funny,” my father replied.
“It’s a gesture of affection.”

“Dad.”

“Daughter.”

“You’ve lost your mind.”

“I disagree.”

“Of course you do.”

For a few seconds, no one said anything.
Because no one knew exactly how to react to the situation.
Not even me.
Much less Romeu, who was looking at my father as if he were calculating how many different ways he could hide his body in a ditch.

“I want to talk to my daughter,” my father announced.

Romeu crossed his arms.
“She doesn’t want to talk.”

“I wasn’t speaking to you.”

“Too bad. Because I’m speaking to you.”

The atmosphere changed instantly.
David closed his eyes.
Betina grabbed a package of cookies.
Leona accepted one.
It was like they were watching a show.
Which, honestly, wasn’t far from the truth.

“Listen here, boy…”

“No. You listen.”

Romeu took a step forward.
“Mikaella just survived a kidnapping. She’s exhausted, confused, and hurt. And all you can do is surround the building and try to drag her home?”

My father narrowed his eyes.
“You don’t understand.”

“Then explain it.”

“She’s my daughter.”

“I know.”

“It’s my responsibility to protect her.”

“A little late for that.”

The silence hit like a bomb.

My heart skipped a beat.
David froze.
Leona’s eyes widened.
Even Betina stopped chewing.

My father stared at Romeu.
Long.
Dangerously.

“Careful.”
His voice came out low.

Romeu didn’t back down.
Not even an inch.

“No. Enough with the careful. Enough with the games. Enough with the secrets. All of this started because you believe you can decide other people’s lives.”

Dom Aragão’s face hardened.
But Romeu continued.

“You decided for her mother. You decided for Fercondiny. You decided for Silvia. Now you want to decide for Mikaella. And I won’t allow it.”

My heart raced.
Because no one spoke to my father like that.
No one.
Absolutely no one.

But Romeu was doing it.
And worse — he was right.

“Enough.”

I stood up from the chair.
Both of them turned to me immediately.

“Enough.”

I pointed at Romeu.
“You.”

Then at my father.
“And you.”

Betina murmured, “Now it’s really fucked.”

I ignored her.

“I am not a prize. I am not an object. I am not a child. And I’m tired of men deciding what’s best for me.”

My father opened his mouth.
I cut him off.

“No. Now you’re going to listen to me.”

For the first time in many years, Dom Aragão stood completely still.
Shocked.
Maybe because I had never spoken to him like that before.
Maybe because I had never spoken to him like that before.

“I love you,” my voice cracked.
“I will always love you.”

His face softened.

“But that doesn’t mean you can control my life.”

The words hurt.
Because they were true.
And the truth usually does.

“Mikaella…”

“No. Now it’s my turn.”

I took a deep breath.
Then I looked at Romeu.
My heart tightened immediately.
Because he looked just as scared as my father.
Which was ridiculous.
Romeu Petráglia should never look scared.
But he did.

“And I love him.”

Silence filled the apartment.
Complete.
Absolute.

“I love Romeu Petráglia.”

The words echoed through the room.
Firm.
Clear.
Without doubt.
Without fear.
Without regret.

My father closed his eyes.
As if that were the defeat he feared most.

Because no matter how many armed men he brought,
no matter how many orders he gave,
no matter how much power he had…

In that moment…
I had already made my choice.