Chapter 43 Chapter 43 — She's just...
Katherine, however, didn't even notice Adam's gaze. Her attention was completely focused on the listening device hidden in her pocket. Every word that came out of João Pedro's mouth was transmitted directly to her ear.
She had to admit: João was an impeccable strategist. His analysis of the market and profit maximization was so brilliant that even she was tempted by his logic. This collaboration was not just a business deal; it was a masterstroke that would benefit both sides astronomically.
However... he was taking too long.
Ten minutes passed. João Pedro began to discuss the art of fragrance creation with a depth that suggested he knew much more than he let on. On the other side of the screen, Mr. Luz's “cough” became increasingly forced and frequent.
Katherine realized that the charade was about to collapse. She dropped what she was doing, walked to the room, and knocked firmly on the door before entering.
“I'm sorry, Mr. Arbex,” she interrupted, with an expression of feigned concern. “Mr. Luz's health has taken a turn for the worse. He cannot continue with this long conversation.”
Please forgive us.“
Through the thin veil, João Pedro rose with lethal elegance. He looked like a prince on a battlefield, calm and victorious. ”If that is the case, I will not bother you any further. I will visit Mr. Luz another day, when he is... more recovered."
As he turned to leave, Katherine noticed a detail that made her freeze inside.
A smile.
It was not a farewell smile, but a sly smile, like someone who had just confirmed a suspicion. João Pedro did not seem frustrated at not having seen Mr. Luz's face; he seemed satisfied, as if he had just won a chess game she didn't even know they were playing.
Frowning slightly, Katherine helped “Mr. Luz” up with rehearsed delicacy and led him to the adjoining room. The silence in the meeting room was heavy, interrupted only by the rhythmic sound of rain against the Tower's windows.
On the other side, Marcus, João Pedro's assistant, followed his boss's footsteps as he walked toward the exit. “Boss, you... didn't sign the contract?” he asked, confused. “How can I sign something without knowing my partner personally?” João replied, his voice devoid of any hesitation.
His cold eyes revealed not only skepticism, but absolute certainty. João Pedro had realized, within a few minutes of conversation, that the figure behind the screen was not Sasha Luz. More than that: the person did not even have the vocabulary or aura of a perfumer.
“So Katherine lied to you blatantly,” Marcus muttered, adjusting his glasses indignantly.
“She shouldn't have agreed to the meeting if she couldn't convince Mr. Luz to show up. That girl is really... insensitive. Unscrupulous.”
Marcus suddenly realized that João's gaze had become dark and sharp. He immediately fell silent, feeling a chill down his spine.
With an indifferent expression, João Pedro handed the perfume bottle to his assistant. “Send this to the research department. I want a complete analysis of the raw materials by tomorrow.”
Marcus's face lit up with understanding. “Now I get it!” The words of the “fake” Mr. Luz... he said the answer was in this bottle. He's already giving us the formula, he just doesn't want to admit it publicly. That's it, isn't it, boss?
João Pedro didn't answer. He just stared at the horizon through the window, his sculpted profile reflecting a curiosity he rarely allowed others to see.
“In that case,” Marcus continued, convinced, “Katherine isn't a bad person. She's just... efficient. Very reliable for making things happen behind the scenes.”
In the hallway, a few feet away, Katherine, who was hurriedly searching for her hearing aid in her pocket, let out a slight, ironic smile when she heard the comment.
Minutes later, in the private dressing room.
Katherine had already put her hearing aid back in. She was sitting comfortably, focused on a series of online comics on her phone, trying to disconnect from the tension of the meeting.
At the dressing table next to her, Adam—who had just removed the heavy makeup and fake mustache that transformed him into “Mr. Luz”—was smoothing his shiny blond hair with a silver comb.
“Boss, do you think Mr. Arbex understood your intention?” Adam asked, looking at her through the mirror.
“What if he's just an ordinary man and uses the perfume without thinking twice?”
Katherine didn't take her eyes off the screen. “Are you questioning my judgment of people, Adam?” she asked, her voice low and calm, but laden with natural authority.
Adam laughed, raising his hands in surrender. “Not at all! It's just that... well, a ‘Mr. Light’ perfume is priceless. It wouldn't be impossible for him to want to keep it as a personal trophy.”
“We'll see.” She paused. “And what gift did he bring?”
Adam looked at the luxurious box on the table. “May I open it, Boss?” “Go ahead.”
With nimble movements, Adam tore open the tissue paper wrapping. “Wow!” he exclaimed, his eyes wide.
Katherine remained focused on her cell phone. “What is it? Tell me now, I'm reading the best part.”
Adam didn't wait. He picked up the gift and brought it in front of her, holding it out reverently. “Boss, open your eyes wide. Take a good look at this!”
Katherine finally gave in to her curiosity. She slowly lifted her eyelashes, and her cold eyes fell on an emerald green silk Cheongsam.
Adam was buzzing with excitement. “Boss! He knows! He knows that Sasha Luz is a woman!”
Katherine finally put down her phone. Her fingers touched the fabric: the silk was so fine it looked like smoke, and the hand embroidery was of a technical perfection that only an elite couture house could produce. A glimmer of real interest appeared in her eyes.
“João Pedro runs one of the most exclusive design companies in the capital,” Adam explained, gesturing frantically. “They specialize in one-of-a-kind pieces for high society. Celebrities would kill for a dress like this. This one was designed specifically to be a high-end gift.”
Katherine ran her fingertips over the embroidery. “He just got the gender right,” she murmured analytically.
Adam blinked, and then it dawned on him. He looked at the cut of the dress: classic, imposing, with a color and style that would suit a mature woman in her fifties—exactly as the world imagined the legendary Sasha Luz would be.
“It's true,” Adam admitted. “He thinks the ‘Master’ is an older woman. But to guess that it was a woman, amid so much mystery... Boss, your ability to read people is frightening, but his is not far behind.”
Katherine asked him to store the piece carefully and returned to her cell phone, but her gaze took a second longer to focus on the story. On the chessboard between her and João Pedro, he had just moved a piece she hadn't expected.