Episode 1

Synopsis:

Carol, a 19-year-old girl, kind and friendly, lives with her grandmother and uncle, who used to be the right-hand man of the local kingpin but was killed during a raid. Since then, Carol has been working odd jobs – waitressing at a diner on the hill at night and cleaning apartments in the city by day. She finds herself at a loss when she discovers that her grandmother has an incurable disease, and the treatment to make her life more comfortable is prohibitively expensive – something she can't afford.

Gael is a 30-year-old man who’s grown out of his boyish ways and matured into a man with a closed heart when it comes to love. For him, women are only for pleasure and afterward disposable. As the ruler of Paraisopolis hill, he is a feared and respected figure who doesn’t let anything slide. He's been with many women and money is no issue for him. He becomes obsessed with Carol the first time he sees her at the diner. Although he tries to make a move, she ignores him, which drives him crazy, and since then, he has forbidden anyone from approaching Carol. Later, Gael is incarcerated but continues to monitor Carol's life from behind bars. Upon learning of her grandmother's illness, he decides to make her an offer.

Will Carol accept the proposal from a trafficker and go against her principles?

Carol (narrating)

Well, first, let me introduce myself. My name is Caroline, but everyone calls me Carol. I'm 19 years old, fair-skinned with sea-green eyes, and naturally, I have a pretty figure because genetics blessed me, never really took care of it though. My hair is long, straight, and chestnut-colored, and I've got a rose tattoo on my arm. I live with my grandma, Dona Maria. I work in the city doing day shifts, and at night, I serve at Seu Mane's diner. This lets me keep a serene life for my grandma. Up till now, I’m still a virgin. I've never actually had a boyfriend, although I've hooked up with some city guys back in my school days, but never anyone from the hill – that’s a no-go area for me. The thought of becoming a gangster's girl and ending up mistreated terrifies me.

Morning:

I woke up early, took a shower, slipped on black leggings, a gray shirt, and black sneakers. Tied my hair in a loose bun and spritzed on my perfume. Heading to the kitchen, the smell of coffee hit me instantly.

"Good morning, granny," I greeted with a kiss for my grandmother.

"Morning, dear. I've prepared your sandwich," she responded, handing me a ham and cheese sandwich.

I gulped down my coffee in a hurry and grabbed my bag to leave.

"Carol, you barely ate," my grandmother commented.

"I'm late, granny. Got to go," I replied, rushing out the door.

I hastened down the hill to catch the bus when suddenly I heard a motorcycle approaching. It was the local kingpin stopping by the blockade. I'm not sure why, but he gives me the shivers. He's a good-looking guy, but he frightens me – I've heard terrible stories about him.

I walked past the blockade, pretending not to notice his gaze upon me, and made it to the bus stop in time for my bus.

The ride took me to Barra, where I disembarked and headed to the apartment where I would work on my cleaning shift. I'm employed by a cleaning agency that sends me to different homes each day. I get the addresses on my phone and just show up, even though some days I feel like running away.

Nobody was home when I arrived at the apartment, so I started cleaning right away. After spending the entire day tidying up, I finished around four in the afternoon, utterly exhausted. Heading back home, I trudged up the hill when I heard:

"Carol, wait up, girl." I turned to see Dani, my best and only friend.

"Where have you been, Dani?" I asked, greeting her with a kiss.

"Just paying some bills for my mom," she explained.

"Are you working tonight?" she inquired.

"Of course, it’s a samba night, and it's going to be packed. I'll be busy," I said with a sigh.

"My God, girl, you work too hard. You need to find a boy and go out," she exclaimed, full of excitement.

"Are you crazy? I have no time for that," I dismissed her idea as we continued our slow walk.

"I didn't tell you, but I'm seeing someone," she suddenly exclaimed.

"Who is it?" I asked, already concerned.

"It's Magrinho," she said, beaming.

"Oh my God, Dani, he's the kingpin's second in command! Are you out of your mind? You want to end up bald?" I replied, worried.

"Stop it, girl. He's different with me," she claimed.

"Well, you know what’s best for you," I said, thinking about her craziness.

We reached her house, she entered, and I walked a bit further to mine, where I saw my grandmother in the living room watching TV dramas.

"Hi, granny," I said, giving her a kiss.

"Hello, dear. I left your meal in the microwave," she stated, continuing her crochet work.

"I'm not hungry, granny. I'll take a shower and rest a bit; I'll eat later," I said, heading to my room. After showering, I just threw on a large shirt and underwear, lay down, and fell asleep.

My phone alarm woke me up, and it was already 6:00 PM. I showered again, put on jeans, a white tank top, white sneakers, and tied my hair in a ponytail. I applied subtle makeup, wore my perfume, and I was ready. In the kitchen, I heated my meal, quickly ate, and went to brush my teeth. After slipping on some lipstick, I bid my grandmother goodbye and made my way to Seu Mane's diner, right on time for my shift.

Carol's Photo 👆

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