Alana

5:00 am, I wake up and go for a run like I do every day. It's very good for me, helps me when I'm sad, and even when I'm rarely happy.

After two hours of running – yes, I need to keep the pace, as I take part in marathons, the closest ones, and thanks to them, I was able to buy my car, which I love! And the only thing that makes me happy since my mother passed away, besides my love for speed and cars – the only thing I wouldn't sell and wouldn't sell to help my father.

After having coffee at 8:00 am, I go to Central Park to walk with my friends, which helps me a lot at the end of the month. Cacau is a Golden Retriever, Rambo a German Shepherd, Simba a Bulldog, Meg a Pitbull. Every day, from Monday to Friday, I take them for a walk. I started doing this when I was 15, after winning a training course. I went to buy food for my dog, Bill, and at the vet's there was a contest for a food brand. I signed up and won. After my mother passed away, what I did the most was study and win contests, which helped me a lot.

My family has always been humble, we never went hungry, but almost! Everything was always very difficult, always. My clothes were the ones my mother received when she went to do cleaning jobs, and some women had daughters and ended up giving away clothes that no longer fit them, many clothes that were very new. Those were the clothes that me and my sister had when we were little.

The worst was when my mother died. I was 15 years old, a cheerful, spontaneous, messy girl, but I always stood out in numbers, which made me win many scholarships. At the time my mother passed, I had just entered my junior year of high school. Yes, I skipped some grades because they made me take some tests, and I aced all of them from 6th grade. I jumped to 8th grade, and then from 1st grade, they moved me to junior year. I was happy until my mother Regina found out she had cancer and didn't tell anyone. She took out life insurance, and a few months later, she left us. Me, my sister, and my father.

I reacted by burying myself in my studies, to the point that today, at 24 years old, I have only been to one club, which was when I turned 19. My sister, Celina, or as my mother used to call her, "little warrior", was 13 at the time. Unlike me, she didn't study anymore and lived in clubs; that's how she dealt with it. And today she's married. Thank God, she found a good guy, they're almost the same age, he's very responsible, he takes good care of her. They have a garage, I like him because we have a passion in common: cars. And he modifies cars for some rich people, helps me with mine, and takes care of Ce!

My father didn't deal well with my mother's death. I think he died with her because he just drinks. In the beginning, it was on the weekends, but when Ce turned 16 and got married, I was 18, he didn't stop anymore. He drinks every day, lost his job, and last year we lost our house. It had been bought with the life insurance my mother had left us.

To this day, he hasn't told me how we lost the house, and since I was 18, I've been supporting him. And since last year, I've had to pay the rent too! My sister helps me when she can, but it's difficult for them too, they don't have much, and they had a baby. So I avoid asking for help, that's why I work in everything I can, walking dogs in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon they call me too, and sometimes I tutor math to children and teenagers. And at night I work at the college, which saved me without a doubt, it was my facility with numbers, learning, studying, and dealing with it.

Since I'm 24, but I have a lot of baggage, I do what I can to look older. My sister and a friend, who is not really a friend, but the only one I have because I see her very little and met her in a very strange way, they keep telling me that I look like an old lady! And that's the intention. I'm a finance professor at the college, I do very well, and last year they opened a course for businesspeople, which I'm part of the teaching team, and there are many men of all ages. So yeah! I need to look older, not attractive, and get attention for intelligence and competence.

I put on my college uniform, which is pants and a dress shirt, I put on my fake eyeglasses, which are horrible, I tie my hair, just an eyeliner pencil, and no makeup. I take my executive bag with my materials and go to another new class. In addition to this course, I teach economics and accounting. I have classes every night, which is a good thing because otherwise, I wouldn't be able to keep the house.

Alana, as my mother used to say, "the one who conquers." I think she got the name right.

I take a deep breath before entering the room, as I learned in a meditation course, and there we go. The first day is always terrible because they judge me by my age, size, and appearance, especially considering there are high-ranking businessmen from NY.

I'm 5'3", light brown eyes, some say they are greenish, long light brown hair, very fair skin. As I run, I have a nice body, but I try to hide it as much as possible for two reasons: one, catcalls, and two, I need to look unattractive to avoid harassment and problems at college.

Actually, I got used to not caring much about clothes, mine are loose and comfortable, or uniform. Only the ones I sleep in, not these, I have a passion, a need to feel good. But no one sees that, at least not yet.

I walk in and take a look around. The room is full, mostly men, almost all in suits, a few women, but very well dressed in very high heels. Some of them look at me.

I look at the clock, three minutes to go before class starts, I just walk towards the table and hear some comments as usual.

"Is she a student?" "Teacher's assistant?" "She can't be the teacher, she looks like a kid."

"No way, I refuse to let a little girl teach me something she probably doesn't even know."

"How can this college, being the best in NY, open a course with this standard of teacher?"

I just listen and give a little smile.

I look at the clock and wait a few more minutes for the latecomers to arrive, as always, the younger ones.

A few more guys and a girl arrive. So I decide to start.

"Good evening, my name is Alana, finance professor."

At this moment, I hear several insinuations and comments.

And before any pre-judgments, I ask you to kindly allow me to present my background, so I put it on the screen in the room.

Alana Milli.

Graduated in Economics, note: one of the youngest to graduate, honors student.

Postgraduate degree in Finance, Foreign Trade, and Financial Strategies.

Master's in Finance, honors student, participant in a Central Bank project.

Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Finance.

"Well, moving on. If you have any questions regarding my qualifications, I'm at your disposal. Otherwise, we can start because we have a lot to cover."

The best part was seeing the expressions of most of them who seemed not to believe it, but soon in the first classes, they realized my capacity, and the classes flowed, they were great. Only the first ones were never!

One gentleman said "Wow, young lady, I'm impressed," and he smiled.

On the other side, the Ficheer family

Willian - You know it's time, Benjamin.

Benjamin - Time for what, Dad? smiling

Willian - You know the rules, Benjamin, you know very well who we are and how we act, or do I need to explain it to you in a not-so-pleasant tone?

Luiza, Benjamin's mother - Calm down!

William - Tell this kid, our son, who dares to drag our last name through the mud...

And look at this! throwing several newspapers and magazines on the meeting table What will our partners think of all this?

They were reports in which Benjamin appeared with several women, models, actresses, professionals from various fields, all of whom had beauty and physique in common.

Benjamin - Dad, they're just friends, and you know, you did a lot of this before you married Mom! Or didn't you? Or do you still?

Luiza - Benjamin!!!

William - Pay attention here, look at yesterday's, and tell me if you know what caused this!

Benjamin - I don't understand.

William - She was married!

Benjamin - Okay, I didn't know the wretch was married, it won't happen again.

William - If you want to f**k, we have several nightclubs with several sl**s you can f**k, Benjamin!

You're 33 years old and all you do is party??? You have to get married, and soon!

Benjamin - laughing Never, I like to play the field.

Willian - That wasn't a question, it was an order.

Benjamin - Are you going to disinherit me?

William - If you prefer.

Luiza - That's enough!!! You calm down, William, and you, Benjamin, don't make me repeat myself!

You are 33 years old, all you do is party since....always!!! You're lucky you're good with numbers and people, and our company is doing very, very well. But what you have in maturity at work, you lack in your personal life, and as you know, our company is very traditional, and because it was founded by your great-grandfather, it has some rules. To be president, one of them is to be married!

Benjamin - I don't want to be president, Dad, you can do it.

William - No! I'm tired, I haven't taken a long vacation with your mother in over 13 years, and also...

He stammers

Benjamin - What, Dad?

William - I'm very stressed, and I almost had a heart attack yesterday, I need a break, son. You always knew we have several businesses and you know about the casinos, we're not mobsters, but we have some business with them, and they're charging me, saying the person in charge has to have a family, be married, you know how they are, and you know that besides Cassiano, they give us a lot, a lot of profit in the hotels, where we let some things slide, nothing too serious. As you know, we're not murderers nor do we do bad things, but we have partners.

Benjamin - Calm down! And if I agree, who am I going to marry? The women I date are not the marrying kind.

William - Your mother and I can help you find a wife.

Benjamin - And if I don't approve?

William - You need to be married for at least two years after taking over the company, then you get divorced, and that's it.

Benjamin - Okay, so I have a year left to enjoy myself.

William - You would, but I need to step away before then, you have 2 to 3 months at most.

Benjamin - I'm out.

Luiza - Where are you going?

Benjamin - Out, leave me alone, I need to breathe, think, this is too much to process.

William - I'm going too.

Luiza - Right, now you've done it.

William - I'm going to the Casino to see how things are, you can come if you want, you know you're always welcome. I hope our son has the luck we had in love because if there's anything good about me, it's only you, my love, only you!

Luiza and William kiss

Luiza was a woman of about 55 years old, but she didn't look her age, blonde, blue-eyed, beautiful, friendly, calm, intelligent, and could read people easily, let's say she had a very strong sixth sense.

William, cold, tall man, 6'1", serious, without many smiles, famous businessman, very powerful, and besides that, he had casinos and some questionable partnerships, but he was very fair and well-regarded by society, as was their last name. In love with Luiza, he believed in love.

Heitor - Friend, advisor, and cousin of Benjamin, 6'1", brown eyes, strong blonde, muscular, intelligent, cautious, playful.

Ravi, friend and advisor, 6', brown, green eyes, black hair, strong, quick with people, and with a face that scares most but actually very nice and playful.

Benjamin - 6'2", muscular, very strong and imposing, handsome, brown hair and eyes, extremely rich, intelligent, clever, quick, and ruthless in business, black belt in several fighting modalities, womanizer, and self-centered.

Women would do anything to be with them, especially with Benjamin, even more so because of his last name and power, not to mention his beauty and charm. However, he doesn't date, just one-night stands, two at most; he has a lot of exes for this reason. He doesn't want anything serious when it comes to love.

Benjamin is passionate about cars, loves his nephews and children, runs every morning, has a loyal four-legged friend, Brutus, that no one can touch but him. Extremely fierce, he obeys orders only and exclusively from Benjamin, having even attacked when asked, even his father is afraid of Brutus.

The three were inseparable and caused a lot of trouble in every way, but at work, they were very good, they didn't even look like the same crazy guys they were outside the company.

Hector- what happened? Did Benjamin kill someone or is he going to kill someone?

Benjamin drinking whiskey like it's water

- I'm screwed, damn it, I'm going to have to get married

Ravi and Hector burst into laughter - what a joke, the day you get married the world will end

Benjamin - company, CEO, I need to get married. Rules, hell!

Ravi - who will be the poor thing?

Hector - that woman's unfortunate

Benjamin - you know women line up to be taken to bed by me

Hector - yes, but I bet Uncle William won't want those

Benjamin - neither do I, I need a different one, who respects me not only for my money and power, she needs to be a woman to marry, respectful. Like it's going to be a facade for two years, but imagine there's a lot at stake, last name, family, appearances in society, company partners....

Ravi - you're screwed

Hector - I agree and they laugh at him. How long do you have to find one? A year?

Benjamin - 3 months maximum

Ravi - not even enough time to order one

Hector laughing - we'll help you find one

Ravi - let's make a list of Benjamin's possible wives and they laugh at him a lot

Benjamin ends up laughing at the silliness and because he was already a little tipsy from drinking so much

The list had many, many women, but would any of them...

At Benjamin's parents' office

William - we need to find Benjamin a wife

Luiza - let's go, I can feel it

William - calling Joseph who was their security, advisor and close friend

Joseph - good morning my friends

Them - good morning

Joseph - how can I be of service

Luiza - we need to find a wife for Benjamin

Joseph - but my friends, women who desire your son are plentiful, he laughs

William - no jokes Joseph, we need a respectable woman, it's enough that he has a terrible personal life and you know it.

He will be the future CEO and you know we have many partnerships and they don't accept that the person in charge of negotiations is single, he needs to get married. It will be a facade, for two years, but only those closest to us can know that.

Joseph - nowadays it's not very easy to find this type of woman, especially one who will submit to respecting Benjamin without question and you know how your son is! The hard part will be for Benjamin to only have one woman, a wife, yes, but he is not very well behaved

Luiza - don't even get me started, every week with a different one and sometimes even more, I don't know where I went wrong with that boy, Amanda didn't give me any trouble, she's already married and a businesswoman with her husband, successful and they even have children. And she's only 28 years old.

William - calm down, love, believe me, we'll find someone and who knows, God will send us one who will change him.

Luiza - amen to that!

Joseph - look, remember yesterday when we were talking about the Casino accounts?

William - yes, what about it?

Joseph - you know that Mr. Henrique?

William - hmm, I don't follow

Joseph - he owes a lot, and he has two daughters, one of them is married but the other one, from what I hear, is not.

William - find out everything and then tell me

Joseph - I'm on my way, I'll try to be quick and bring you information in two or three days

William - great, and keep an eye out, if you think of anyone, let me know

Joseph - agrees and leaves

William and Luiza are left talking about some friends and daughters of friends who have attended their most intimate parties and their home.

Luiza-

Carol, beautiful, but very shallow and Benjamin has been with her a few times, he doesn't like her and she's very annoying, she smiles.

Vivi - beautiful, a model, but very greedy, Benjamin has also been with her, he thinks she's irritating and shallow, and I have to agree

Isis - too much of their friend, you know what I mean, she was a luxury escort but very few people know, so no! Don't even think about it.

Gabi - a good friend of theirs and likes the same things they do, so no

William- yes, all of these would be a disaster!

Let's think