Period

**Liandra**

My gaze followed every step Petros took as he crossed the room, his posture commanding and his controlled smile a perfect mask. He joined his brothers and that woman—Jennifer. She looked comfortable as if she belonged in that circle of power and influence.

Jennifer wasn’t just beautiful; she exuded a confidence that deeply irritated me. I knew what had been said: Jennifer was introduced as Nikos’s girlfriend, the youngest of the Kouris brothers. But it was impossible to ignore the silent language shared between her and the three Kouris men. Glances that lingered a fraction too long, gestures that spoke louder than words.

Petros hadn’t lied. Her relationship with the Kouris brothers was exactly as he’d described—unconventional.

My thoughts betrayed me, dragging me back to Petros’s office, and that scene burned into my memory. Jennifer, in that moment, wasn’t just a beautiful woman; she was a threat. A threat who knew how to please, how to seduce, how to manipulate.

I wondered if Petros planned to make use of her presence now, so conveniently here in Curitiba. Would he use her to continue his cruel game with me? Had he already used her before, in those moments when he seemed so distant?

The thought ate away at me.

I stared at the wineglass in front of me but didn’t drink. My throat was dry, yet the weight in my stomach made it impossible to even think about eating or drinking.

Petros’s ultimatum echoed in my mind. He was forcing me to choose between a life of convenience and a love with no guarantees. But what did any of it matter now, when my mind was plagued by the scene unfolding across the room? I looked at him again. 

He was laughing at something Nikos had said, his hand casually resting on the back of Jennifer’s chair. She tilted her head, letting her golden hair cascade over her shoulders as she spoke to him. My stomach churned.

The memory of the scene in his office surged back with full force. Jennifer, is so confident, and Petros, is always in control. It was unbearable to think he might be considering repeating that now that she was here, so close.

The pain and jealousy coursed through me like acid in my veins. No matter how much I tried to rationalize, telling myself Jennifer wasn’t the real issue, I couldn’t push away the image of Petros indulging in her body, taking what I could never offer him.

I glanced at my parents. My father smiled politely, chatting with other guests, blissfully unaware of the storm raging inside me.

I felt trapped—between my duty to my family, my wounded pride, and the irrational desire for a man who seemed to delight in my vulnerability.

I took a deep breath, trying to focus on the dinner. My parents were animated, talking with other guests, completely oblivious to the chaos within me. My father, especially, seemed happy, as though he was finally seeing a glimmer of hope for our family.

But I couldn’t feel hopeful. Every laugh from Jennifer, every look from Petros, felt like a needle pricking my skin.

I needed to think. I needed to decide what to do. Because, as it stood, I was tearing myself apart inside.

At some point, Petros disappeared from the room, and when I looked for Jennifer, she was gone too. My heart raced, filled with a familiar sense of dread. This wasn’t the first time the two of them had vanished together, and my mind began weaving scenarios I didn’t want to imagine.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed answers, an end to this torment. I couldn’t keep living in limbo, loving someone who didn’t love me back and who seemed to take pleasure in my suffering. Because there was no denying it anymore—I was in love with Petros.

With determined steps, I headed toward the bathroom. An uncomfortable memory surfaced, of a time when I had found the two of them together in a situation I’d rather forget. If that was happening again, it would be the end for me.

On my way, I passed one of the balconies and noticed movement in the shadows. Something inside me hesitated, but the impulse was stronger. I took a deep breath and moved forward, my heart clenched.

The scene I found on the balcony knocked the ground out from under me.

Petros was there, his back to me, but unmistakable. Jennifer was next to him, wearing that smile that seemed designed to provoke me. And, to my complete surprise, Isadora was there too. She seemed out of place but no less intriguing.

I didn’t know what it meant, but I didn’t want to stay and find out. My heart felt like it was about to explode. Without demanding any explanation, I turned on my heels and hurried away, ignoring the curious glances that followed my abrupt departure.

The cool night air wasn’t enough to calm the turmoil inside me. My hurried steps echoed along the empty sidewalk, and for a brief moment, I thought I had managed to escape. But then, I heard Petros’s firm steps behind me.

“Liandra, wait!” His voice carried irritation, but there was something else... something I didn’t want to identify.

I kept walking, but he caught up to me before I could fully leave the restaurant’s line of sight.

He quickened his pace, and before I could reach the door, his hand gripped my arm.

"Liandra, look at me."

I turned sharply, feeling the heat of tears threatening to fall.

"What do you want, Petros?" My voice came out harsher than I had expected.

He studied me for a moment as if trying to gauge my emotions. But I wasn’t about to let him play games with me again.

"I’m done."

"Done with what?" he asked, his expression confused but laced with a hint of cynicism.

"With you, with Jennifer, with feeling like a stranger in my own life."

Petros sighed but didn’t release my arm.

"Liandra, you didn’t see what you think you saw."

"It doesn’t matter anymore what I saw or didn’t see," I said, my voice trembling but firm with resolve. "I can’t do this anymore."

His eyes narrowed, irritation flashing across his face.

"This? What exactly?" he asked cynically. "Our engagement? Our agreement? Because from where I’m standing, you seem to be doing quite well with it."

My breath quickened, and the words slipped out before I could stop them:

"This farce, Petros! This engagement isn’t real—it never was. And I don’t want it anymore."

He stepped closer, his expression darkening further.

"It’s not a farce, Liandra. You knew exactly what you were getting into when you agreed to this engagement. And you have two options, as I’ve already made clear."

"Well, I’m not choosing either," I said firmly, and for the first time, Petros seemed genuinely surprised. "This is destroying me, Petros. I made the mistake of falling in love with you, and all I’ve gotten in return is indifference, manipulation, and humiliation."

He opened his mouth to respond, but I raised my hand, cutting him off.

"None of this is worth my sanity. None of it is worth my self-respect."

I could feel the pain burning in every word, but I pressed on:

"My father will have to accept bankruptcy. There’s no other way. I’d rather live with the little I can earn through my own work than stay trapped in something that’s killing me inside."

"Liandra..." His voice was lower now, almost like a warning, but I interrupted him again.

"I don’t want anything more to do with you, Petros. It’s over."

He seemed about to reply, but before he could say another word, I wrenched my arm free from his grip and walked out the door.