Chapter 51 Who are you, Katherine Lutz?
Arbex Mansion – President's Office
Gabriel entered the office after João Pedro gave him permission. The CEO was motionless, staring at a bottle of perfume on the oak table. The scent, which had already been analyzed and returned by the laboratory, seemed to exert a strange fascination over him. It was sophisticated, enigmatic... just like the woman who had given it to him.
João raised his eyelids lazily. “If you have nothing useful to say, leave.”
“I have information, Mr. Arbex. About the surveillance of Jessica Mendes.”
João put the perfume in a security drawer and turned his chair around. “Continue.”
Gabriel recounted the events at the hospital: Adam's intervention, Luana Mendes' humiliating expulsion, and the subsequent leak of all her dark secrets, which forced her to flee abroad. He couldn't resist trying to “sell” his romantic theory:
"Boss, Adam defended Jessica tooth and nail. He's not related to her, nor is he her colleague. Most likely, he's trying to date both Miss Lutz and Jessica at the same time. When Katherine finds out, she'll kick him out... and then you'll have a clear path!
João Pedro's face became a mask of ice. The gleam in his eyes was lethal. “Do you want to continue working at this company, Gabriel?”
The assistant swallowed hard, his smile disappearing instantly. “I apologize, sir. I was out of line.”
João looked away, returning to what really mattered. “What about Tiago and Elisa?”
“They don't know who the contractor is. Their goal was only to destroy the underground laboratory of the late Professor Kawasisk, Jessica Mendes' mentor.”
João narrowed his eyes. “Kawasisk? The expert on human brain diseases?”
For the first time in weeks, a flash of satisfaction crossed João Pedro's face. The progress he had been seeking so hard had finally gained a name. “What happened to the laboratory?”
“It looks like it was destroyed or cleaned out before we got there. The contents are gone,” Gabriel lamented. “What do we do now? Do we continue to follow Jessica?”
“It's not necessary,” João decided. “But I want you to contact the people at Fire. Pay whatever it takes for them to investigate everything about Jessica's connection to Kawasisk's research.”
Gabriel hesitated, a worried expression on his face. “Sir... there's a problem. The folks at Fire have already refused to accept any work related to Jessica Mendes. They say her name is on the ‘blacklist’ of blocked requests.”
João Pedro let out a dry, mocking laugh. “There's no commercial organization that hates money. Insist. Double the offer. They're information mercenaries, not saints.”
Gabriel nodded and left, but the mystery lingered in the air. Fire was an organization of elite detectives and hackers, the mirror image of the Dark Alliance, but focused on data. Refusing a client like the Arbexes because of a girl like Jessica Mendes wasn't just strange... it was a sign that someone much more powerful than they imagined had already “shielded” that information.
João Pedro opened the drawer again and touched the perfume bottle. Who are you, Katherine Lutz? And what kind of fire are you using to burn my clues?
As the campus plunged into the relative silence of the break, João Pedro received a notification that made him raise an eyebrow. It was his mother, Anastasia.
\[Today, after work, pick Kath up from school. I have an appointment and can't go. The driver is also off duty. And don't delegate this to your assistant.\]
João Pedro remained indifferent. He was not a man to be dragged into tasks he considered trivial or “problematic.” But seconds later, his phone vibrated again.
\[Kath may have been bullied. As her “brother,” you should visit her in person. Reply when you read this.\]
João stared at the message. The term “bullying” seemed out of place when applied to Katherine Lutz — the girl he had seen dominate the underworld just a few hours ago. However, his silence was his only official response.
At college, the atmosphere was one of academic warfare. With the monthly exam approaching, the seniors were in a trance, reviewing formulas even during meals. Some went so far as to avoid fish, so as not to “waste time” removing bones.
Katherine, however, seemed to inhabit a parallel universe. Sitting in the teachers' area, leaning against the hallway wall, she calmly drank her yogurt while reading a comic book on her cell phone. The current chapter detailed a serial killer's methods for hiding evidence—a topic she found strangely relaxing.
Her bubble of peace was burst by a sharp knock on the table. Katherine looked up and found herself face to face with Professor Wilson and Eliane Crispim.
At the sight of Eliane, Katherine's icy stare softened instantly. She put away her phone and stood up with a courtesy she rarely showed. “Ms. Crispim. Professor Wilson.”
Keith Wilson was momentarily speechless at seeing the “rebellious student” behaving so well, but his irritation soon returned. “Katherine Lutz, what were you reading with such interest?”
“A comic book,” she replied, without a hint of guilt.
“Ms. Crispim, look,” Wilson turned to Eliane, exasperated.
“This student is a lost cause. Instead of studying for the test the day after tomorrow, she's reading trash. If the results are the disaster I foresee, she will be transferred and her academic career will be over.” Eliane smiled sweetly, trying to appease her colleague. “Professor Wilson, don't be so strict. Every child has their own pace and talent.” Some understand the world in ways that books don't teach. Wilson muttered something about “lack of discipline” and left, stamping his heels. Eliane, now alone with Katherine, approached her with a loving look. “Kath, have you heard about the Chemistry Competition? I'd like you to participate.”
I'll give you extra lessons at my house after school.
“Mom! What are you talking about?” Mirela's shrill voice cut through the moment.
Eliane's daughter approached, grabbing her mother's arm and glaring at Katherine with pure venom. “Only the best students get into the competition class. I've already signed up!” Are you going to waste your time with her instead of helping your own daughter?
“Mirela, don't talk like that,” Eliane scolded, but the damage was done.
Katherine curled her lips into an indifferent smile, observing Mirela's insecurity. “Teacher, I appreciate the invitation, but you don't need to worry about my private lessons. I know exactly what I'm doing.”
“See, Mom? She said it herself!” Mirela pulled Eliane away, ignoring the worried look her mother cast behind her. Katherine just sat back down, resuming her reading about the serial killer as if nothing had happened.