Guillermo

Guillermo
Two days later

"Lunch at two?" I ask as soon as she answers the phone.

"I can’t. I promised Julien I would supervise the preparation of the brigadeiros for tonight’s reception."

"Alright, Miss Freitas, but your shift ends at five. I’ll meet you in the lobby at 5:00 sharp."

"I shouldn’t spend another night at your place."

"Five o’clock. Don’t be late."

I hang up before she can continue protesting.

She avoids being alone with me at work, even though I convinced her to sleep at my place ever since we spent the night at the hotel.

I know this distance during the day is necessary, and I should be satisfied that at least one of us can think clearly, but that’s not how it feels. I feel like a predator trying to steal every opportunity we have to be together. Ironically, what’s getting in our way is exactly what Layla complained about the most in me: that I worked too much. Olívia takes her obligations as seriously as I do.

She’s smart and learns quickly. My girlfriend has been spending a lot of time in the kitchen with Julien. At his request, she created a gourmet brigadeiro menu, and he made sure it was listed as her creation.

Of course, I’ll want to try every single one. On her body, preferably.

Gradually, I’ve started bringing up topics from the past—both about Layla and about Olívia herself—but every time, she seems uninterested. It’s as if she unconsciously avoids revelations.

Now, however, it’s me who urgently needs to lay everything out. I want her to know everything because I feel like neither of us can be whole in this relationship until this obstacle is overcome.

Yesterday, I took some time to carefully read everything my late wife had about Olívia. At the time of her death, I had skimmed the documents, and some details had escaped me, but now I have no doubt that Layla knew Olívia lived in precarious conditions. She even knew that Olívia’s adoptive mother was sick, and yet not even that could touch her cold heart.



There’s an hour left before I’m supposed to meet her when Melissa announces that Joaquín is coming in.

Until Olívia came into my life, I used to leave work a little later, although not as late as I did before Nina was born, but still, rarely before six. Lately, however, I’ve organized everything so I can be with her as soon as possible.

Because of Valentina, I had to moderate my workload, and I increasingly value the moments I get to spend with her and Olívia.

"Get that silly smile off your face."

I get up to speak to my brother, two years younger than me, but who could easily pass for an elder if you consider his bad temper.

He came without warning, but it doesn’t surprise me that he’s here. Joaquín is like a hunter—once he starts tracking, he doesn’t stop until he uncovers everything, and right now he’s obsessed with the circumstances of Olívia’s fall.

Even though at first he was, to say the least, reluctant about her, after I took her to lunch at my parents’ house, he stopped bothering me.

My brother couldn’t stand Layla from the moment he saw her, but he developed genuine horror when he learned about the agreement surrounding our divorce and, consequently, Valentina’s custody.

Like me, he is very protective of family, and even more so when it comes to Nina, so any woman who appeared in my life would be a target of his paranoia.

"What haven’t you told me about Olívia?"

"Have you thought that if I didn’t tell you, it’s because it’s none of your business?"

"Fine." He says as if conceding something.

Not for the first time, I think the woman who falls for him will need to be canonized, but even though he always has the power to annoy me, today I’m in a good mood.

"Did you find anything?"

I know that’s the only reason he would come here. Joaquín never wanted to get involved in the family business. He, like all the siblings, is one of the majority shareholders but leaves everything in my hands.

"The footage really disappeared, didn’t it?"

"Yes. The whole floor."

Before becoming a prosecutor, he worked a few years as a police detective. When he decided on a legal career, my parents thought he would become a lawyer, although it wasn’t a complete surprise that he chose to work helping to catch criminals.

"Do you know what this means?"

"That more than one person was involved."

"That strange woman you kept by your side for years could have removed the sign on purpose to hurt Olívia, but for all the footage to disappear, she would have needed accomplices."

"What do you suggest? I’d rather have some evidence in hand, just in case we’re making an injustice."

"Fine. You’re not wrong..."

"But?"

"But physically hurting someone is an extreme act, Guillermo. It’s not just the action of a jealous woman, but of a person capable of hurting an innocent girl to remove her from your way."

"She’s already been transferred."

"Right. I have some people inside trying to find proof it was her. I advise, however, that you give her paid leave."

"I can arrange that. Kathleen was behind on her vacation when I reassigned her. The head of HR had already said she would lose the days if she didn’t take them."

"Do that. Keep her away for two weeks. By then I’m sure I’ll have an answer."

"I’ll arrange it tomorrow."

"How’s Nina?"

"Good. The teeth finally came in."

He smiles, which should be framed and hung because it’s so rare.

"I have to go."

"A date?"

"None of your business."

"It’s not fun when the gun is pointed at us, right?"

Despite the unfriendly look, he comes over and hugs me.

"Take care."

"Always."

I check the clock, thinking it’s time to meet Olívia, but barely reach my desk when Melissa appears in the room, her face white as a sheet of paper.

I immediately know something’s wrong. She would never come in without knocking.

"What happened?"

"Olívia..."

Before she can finish, I’m already heading for the elevator.

"What happened?"

"A hotel security guard stopped her downstairs. Actually, he detained her, accusing her of theft."



"Where are you?"

I step into the elevator and call Joaquín. Whatever is happening, I’m going to need him.

"Leaving the elevator, why?"

"Go back. I just got the news that Olívia has been detained."

"What? I’m on my way up. Where should I go?"

"One moment."

I turn to my secretary, who looks like she’s about to faint.

"Where did they take her, Melissa?"

"Ivy said they detained her in the hotel lobby and that Olívia was crying. Now they’ve taken her to the security center."

She herself seems on the verge of tears.

"Joaquín?"

"I heard. I’ll meet you there in a moment."

She just waits for me to hang up before starting to talk rapidly.

"There must be some mistake, Dr. Guillermo. She wouldn’t do that."

As crazy as I feel, I need to find out what’s happening, and to do that, I have to calm her down.

"Tell me what happened."

"She was leaving when one of the employees accused her of stealing his wallet."

"What do you mean?"

"The wallet of one of the juniors ended up in Olívia’s bag. Charlotte, the girl whose wallet was taken, said she saw her take it but didn’t say anything to catch her in the act. I really don’t know exactly what happened, but in a matter of minutes, a crowd gathered in the lobby. The security guard detained her in front of everyone. That’s not protocol."

"Damn it!"

After my outburst, she shivers.

"Go to the surveillance room. Don’t let anyone touch anything, understood? No one should touch the footage, not even anyone in the command center."

"Yes, sir."

We leave the elevator, and as I walk toward where I think she is, Melissa continues and follows my orders.

I still can’t see Olívia, but there’s a crowd of employees on the third floor, some pointing their phones and recording.

I’m filled with rage. There’s no doubt they set her up, and I have a good lead on who did it.

As I get closer, I hear Joaquín’s voice.

"Did she resist?"

"Dr. Joaquín, what are you doing here?"

I can feel the tremor in the man’s voice, even from a distance.

"Let’s flip the game: answer my question first—did she resist when you said you would check her bag? After that, maybe you can explain why the hell you put your hands on my sister-in-law inside my family’s hotel."

As I approach, I notice he has already pulled Olívia into his arms. She doesn’t hug him back but keeps her face buried in his chest.

After my brother’s statement, a sepulchral silence falls, and when I arrive, the crowd parts like a corridor.

"Olívia."

She lifts her head to look at me, and I see no one else. I raise my hand in invitation, and she doesn’t hesitate. When I have her close to me, I wrap my arms around her and speak only to Joaquín.

"I’ll take her up, but no employee is to leave the hotel until everything is clarified. Whoever was involved in this will pay."