33

33

Javier

I leaned back in the office chair, elbows resting on the armrests and hands clasped in front of my face, staring fixedly at an invisible point. The scene in the courtyard was still fresh in my mind, but it wasn’t the blood or the sound of the gunshots that bothered me. It was Camille.

I knew Marco would handle the mess with the shipment and find a way to reverse the damage. He was efficient, always had been. He would deal with the buyer, give an acceptable explanation, and sort out the necessary details to make sure something like that never happened again.

But I couldn’t just delegate Camille to someone else.

She had seen more than she should have, more than I ever wanted her to see. While I was in the middle of the chaos, I could feel her presence like a timid flame behind me, and when I turned around, I saw her expression.

That look.

It was a mixture of horror, disbelief, and… disappointment.

I let out a long sigh, running my hands over my face. How could I explain? How could I make her understand that what she saw is part of who I am? That this is the price of keeping everything under control? That it’s not something I do for pleasure, but out of necessity?

My thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door. I straightened up in the chair and looked toward the entrance. It wasn’t Marco. It wasn’t any of the guards.

It was Carmen.

“She’s sleeping, but… I don’t think she’s okay,” she said bluntly, as she always did. Carmen knew Camille well enough to notice things others wouldn’t.

I nodded but said nothing.

Her stiff posture and serious expression made it clear she wasn’t there for small talk. She wore her usual pristine white apron, but there was something in her hand that immediately caught my attention.

“What now, Carmen?” I asked, tired, though my voice came out harsher than necessary.

She stepped closer, standing right in front of me without hesitation. In silence, she pulled something from her apron pocket and extended it toward me. My eyes landed on the object, and confusion turned into disbelief.

It was a pregnancy test.

“What the hell is this?” I asked, carefully taking the test from her hand.

Was Carmen trying to say she was pregnant?!

“It’s exactly what it looks like, Javier.” Carmen crossed her arms, keeping her tone firm, though there was a hint of concern in her expression.

How old was she? Around forty…?

I glanced at her belly.

“Explain.” My voice was low, but each word was heavy with tension.

“I noticed Camille hasn’t used any sanitary pads this month.” She looked directly at me, unwavering. “When I went into the bathroom earlier, I sensed something was off. It was just a hunch at first, but I decided to investigate.”

“You’re telling me… you did the test?” I asked, narrowing my eyes, incredulous.

Carmen nodded slowly.

“Camille was in the bathroom. I took the opportunity and tested the urine she left after forgetting to flush.” Her voice was calm, but full of conviction.

I looked at the result on the screen of the test, and my chest tightened. Two lines. Positive.

“You’re telling me she’s pregnant?” The words came out more like a statement than a question, and their weight echoed inside me.

“Yes, she is,” Carmen replied with the same firmness.

I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the impact of the news hit me like a blow.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” I asked, trying to hide the storm of thoughts swirling in my mind.

“Because I needed to be sure. Camille doesn’t know, and honestly, I don’t think she’s ready for that conversation yet. But I thought you should know first.” Carmen tilted her head slightly to the side, gauging my reaction.

I remained silent, staring at the test as if it were a bomb about to go off. My world was already a mess, and now this. Camille, pregnant. With my child.

“What are you going to do, Javier?” Carmen asked after a moment, her voice gentler now.

I stood up, placing the test on the table with care.

“First, I need to think. Then… I’ll talk to her.”

Carmen watched me for a moment before nodding in agreement.

“You know she won’t take this easily, right?” The question was rhetorical, but the way Carmen looked at me—with that mix of disapproval and concern—made my chest tighten.

“She’ll have to, Carmen.” My voice came out harsher than I intended, and I immediately regretted it when I saw her expression.

“Maybe. But not today, Javier. Maybe never, if you don’t know how to talk to her. She’s going to need you now more than ever. Be the man she deserves, Javier.”

With those words, she left, closing the door behind her and leaving me alone with the news that would change everything.

I leaned forward, elbows resting on my knees, staring at the floor.

Camille was different. From the beginning, I knew that. She wasn’t like the others around me. She hadn’t been shaped by this world, didn’t carry the scars we all did.

And maybe that’s what worried me the most.

If I couldn’t find a way to make her understand… I don’t know if I could bear to lose her. And deep down, I knew she deserved better than what I could give.

But even so, I couldn’t let her go.

Especially now, carrying my child.

Se quiser, posso ajustar algum trecho para deixá-lo mais intenso, suave ou com outro tom.