Chapter 2 Chapter 2
The woman's voice echoed softly:
“In my spare time, I like to paint. I'm not very talented, but I've had several exhibitions. I heard that Mr. Arbex likes to collect art. Could you give me your opinion on one of my paintings?”
There was sweetness and confidence in every word.
But then came the answer—cold and cutting:
“Ugly.”
The woman blinked, confused. “What?”
“Ugly.”
He leaned back in his chair, impassive. “If this painting represents your current level, I advise you not to hold any more exhibitions. Besides becoming a laughing stock, it will only serve as comic relief at other people's dinner parties.”
The silence fell like a bomb.
Katherine, behind him, couldn't contain her smile.
That was exactly how she remembered him.
Cruel. Sarcastic. And dangerously... fascinating.
The woman in front of João Pedro was visibly irritated.
“Mr. Arbex, what do you mean by that? You never give me a smile, you act as if nothing I say matters! Okay, but painting is one of my strengths. You are belittling my work! This canvas won an award—and there are people willing to pay fortunes for it!”
A brief, almost inaudible laugh escaped João Pedro.
“If it won an award, it's because the others were worse than you.
And if someone wants to buy it... maybe that person needs glasses.”
“You...!” She gasped, offended. “You were never interested in me, were you?”
“No, you silly girl.”
Katherine almost spilled her coffee when she heard that. A discreet smile curved her lips. The woman blushed with anger—and fell silent.
When Kath thought about leaving or maybe throwing her coffee at the arrogant man, the woman's voice returned, trembling.
“If that's the case, why did you sit with me for so long?”
“Because I was waiting for someone.”
“Waiting for someone?” She laughed incredulously. “Don't lie, João Pedro. It's been almost an hour. Who could you be waiting for? Your grandfather is right: you need to stop defying him. We are of the same class, we are the perfect age and reputation for marriage. Who in São Paulo would be more suitable for you than me?”
Her voice was now softer, almost pleading.
But his answer came like a knife.
“The person has already arrived.”
Katherine raised her eyebrows in surprise.
“Arrived? Where?” the woman asked, not understanding.
Then there was the sound of a chair being dragged.
Kath looked up and saw João Pedro—standing in front of her.
The world seemed to slow down.
His eyes were cold, intense, dangerously beautiful.
There was something in that gaze that made people forget to breathe. Even standing still, he exuded power. And when he moved toward her, the murmur of the women around them filled the restaurant.
He stopped in front of her.
“Let's go,” he said simply.
“Wait!”
The other woman stood up, blocking the way.
“Who is she?!” — her tone was sharp, almost a scream — “Who is this woman and what is your relationship with her?!”
João Pedro didn't even look at her.
His silence was answer enough.
Katherine watched silently, amused.
But then... she felt it.
That twinge again. Sharp, burning, on the left side of her chest.
The world spun for a moment.
His heart—rebellious, unstable—seemed to collapse.
She looked at him.
It was the perfect chance to confirm.
“Hey.”
He turned his face, curious.
And before he could say anything, she whispered:
“Do me a favor.”
And she pulled him.
Her arms wrapped around his waist; her face rested on his firm shoulder.
He didn't smell like perfume — but there was a light, fresh scent about him, something between milk and mint.
Katherine had known all kinds of fragrances, but none had ever made her feel that: peace.
Her heart slowed down. The pain disappeared.
For a second, she wanted to... stay like that.
The woman beside them watched, motionless, until she turned and left, defeated.
“Have you hugged me enough?”
João Pedro's voice sounded close to her ear, low, controlled—but with something different.
Kath let go of him.
There was not a trace of shame on his face.
“I'm just helping you reject her. Don't think too much about it.”
And, as if nothing had happened, she picked up her bag and walked toward the exit.
João Pedro remained still.
For the first time, his cold gaze seemed to waver.
A flash of something dark and intriguing shone in his eyes.
The two got into the car, sitting in the back seat with enough space between them to fit another person.
Katherine was still thinking about the sudden change in her body, shocked. She had lived twenty-five years and had never experienced such a strange phenomenon.
She picked up her cell phone and sent a message to Antonio Malvares:
“Confirmed. It's not a coincidence.”
\[Antonio Malvares\]: If conditions allow, confirm it two more times. If the pain disappears without him around, it means he has nothing to do with it.
\[Kath\]: It's not the same thing. Alone, it takes at least three minutes for the pain to gradually subside. But when I'm around him, it disappears immediately.
\[Antonio Malvares\]: Confirm it two more times, no problem.
\[Kath\]: We'll see.
After the conversation ended, she opened a game on her phone to pass the time.
João Pedro, beside her, also paid no attention to her. He kept his eyes fixed on his laptop, answering brief calls with the same coldness that seemed to surround him.
The assistant, sensing the tense atmosphere, tried to break the silence.
When João finished a call, he seized the opportunity:
“Sir, I've received some news. Your older cousin has gathered people around him and has already started developing a new product. We need to hurry.”
“What's the rush?” João Pedro replied, without looking up.
"Sir, actually, I think Sasha Luz only exists in rumors. If such a brilliant pharmacist really existed, why has she never appeared? I've heard of talented people who are not recognized... but not of someone who hides their own talent on purpose."
The challenge issued by the patriarch Arbex echoed in the assistant's mind.
The grandfather had announced that he would leave Cinedim to the grandson who, in three months, achieved the highest sales volume with a new product.
The eldest grandson rushed to assemble a development team.
João Pedro, on the other hand, seemed in no hurry—insisting on finding a mysterious specialist who might not even exist: Sasha Luz.
“Just drive,” he said, in an icy tone.
The assistant bit his lip, giving up on insisting.