Laura arrived at the hospital early, wanting to review some procedures from previous surgeries and study. Walking towards the doctors' lounge, she crossed paths again with CEO Jason Willis, accompanied only by the doctor she was interning with.
"Dr. Laura, it's good to find you here. I want you to accompany Mr. Willis during the exams he will be taking." He turned to Jason and introduced her. "This is one of my most remarkable residents, Dr. Laura Peçanha."
"Peçanha?"
"Yes."
"Any relation to Onofre Peçanha?"
"Yes, he's my father," she replied, serious.
"Well, well, well, this is what I call a coincidence. It's a pleasure, doctor."
He extended his hand to greet her and she reciprocated. Together, they followed to the lab and he smiled, thinking she might be a good possibility.
"How old are you, doctor?"
Laura frowned, thinking about the reason for the question, but saw no reason not to answer.
"23, sir."
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
"I am married to medicine, I have no time for anything else."
He then devised a strategy to win her pity, since she didn't seem to be open to love. With each exam he completed, his expression was one of grief and fear. He even leaned on her, feigning weakness, and blurted out:
"I am young, rich, I have always had an iron constitution, and now I may die without even having an heir."
"Don't be like that, sir, there are very good and efficient treatments, you will certainly be cured," she comforted him, letting him hold her hand.
"What woman would want a broken man?"
"You're great," she smiled sweetly at him, "any woman would love to marry you, but you don't need to, you already have a fiancee."
"She cheated on me with the head of security at my firm, I ended everything," he frowned, speaking with self-pity.
"Calm down, sir, everything will be alright."
"Just Jason, please, don't make me feel old."
They were walking down the hall, the exams already done, and he invited her for coffee. But she excused herself, as she still had patients to visit.
"I enjoyed talking to you so much, it did me so good, that I didn't want to leave," he said, feigning regret at having to leave.
"I really can't right now, but when you come for your consultation, you can count on my support," she smiled simply.
"Thank you, doctor, I will count on it."
His assistant approached, seeing that he had finished the exams, and quickly escorted him away, reporting that the driver was waiting for them at the hospital entrance. He followed, smiling at his triumph and excellent performance.
Laura watched him leave and her smile faded, that kind of man didn't appeal to her at all. Rich men like him were manipulative and thought they owned the world. She went back to work and forgot about him. She had been nice at her superior's request.
Meanwhile, Jason straightened his imposing figure, resuming the expression of a strong, superior man, and ordered:
"Tell Onofre I want to see him in my office as soon as he arrives. Also, call the lawyer responsible for the marriage papers, we're going to have some changes."
"Yes, Mr. Willis," the assistant replied, opening the car door for his boss to enter and taking the passenger seat, typing the orders into his cell phone.
Onofre was not at the company, he was at home, arguing with Leda:
"It wasn't my fault for falling in love! You're the one who always uses me to pay off your debts" - he didn't even finish speaking and his face was met with a violent slap, which knocked her to the floor.
"Don't be insolent, I am still your father and this is my house, respect me!"
Leda wanted to say that to be respected, he needed to respect himself. But she remained silent, afraid of making things worse.
"Sorry, Dad."
The cell phone notified him of a message and he read the summons and warned his daughter:
"I have to go now, otherwise you would see how I accept your apologies" - he turned to leave and when he was at the door, he turned around and ordered - "Take care of getting rid of that thing you have in your belly, I will not support a useless man's child."
They arrived at the office at the same time, entered, and Carl, the assistant, closed the door. Jason started the meeting:
"I think I've found a solution to our issue, Onofre."
"I thought of one too, Willis," said Onofre, who had known his partner's son since childhood and had always called him that.
"I met your youngest daughter today. Is that what you were thinking?" he asked ironically.
"Yes, it was. Unfortunately, she left home when she was eighteen, since she went to college. I haven't had any contact with her since."
"That must be why she managed to graduate and be upstanding, don't you think?"
"Would you accept her, instead of the other one?"
"Yes, but I want guarantees. Dr. Fagundes, take care of the marriage papers, instead of Leda, enter... what's her name?" he asked Onofre.
"Laura. Thinking about it, I brought a copy of her birth certificate."
"There you go, now go convince her, but don't mention my name or our agreement. I've already softened her up by provoking her pity, see if you can do it right, I'm in a hurry."
Jason ended the meeting and went to his desk to take care of his business. Carl rushed to give him his schedule while the two men managed to get over their astonishment and left. The lawyer was thinking about the amount he would have to pay and Onofre was thinking about how he would manage to bend his rebellious daughter.
Laura had no idea of the plans of those disrespectful men and worked all day. Once she started her residency, she received a scholarship, which was what supported her. At least she no longer had to work two jobs, in addition to college, to support herself.
She decided to leave home when she realized her father's abusive behavior. He managed to spend her sister's inheritance, which was not linked to the marriage, like hers. Maybe her mother knew her husband well and protected her from her father. So, she got a job as a waitress and went to live with a friend, sharing a rented studio apartment near campus.
Would her father dare steal what she didn't have? At least not yet.
To be continued.
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