Valentina: I laugh by myself watching some videos on Instagram during the ride. The car stops, I take a deep breath and get out without waiting for Souza to open the door. I walk to the first company that I scheduled a visit for today, it's right in the center of Seattle and has a beautiful facade. The realtor is a very evasive guy and it bothers me the intimate way he speaks to me.
Realtor: Darling, this building is unmatched, perfect for you to start your company.
Valentina: He touches my shoulder and I swear I heard Souza growl. I forcefully remove his hand from my shoulder and stare at him sternly.
From the moment I walked through these doors, you've been unethical and evasive. You start or end your sentences with compliments, or an intimacy that I did not give you. If you can't act like a professional, this visit ends right here!
Realtor: I'm sorry.
Valentina: Let's just continue the visit, please.
The realtor takes me to the office and the atmosphere in the elevator becomes tense. Souza glares at him with hatred and I position myself between the two. I am fascinated by the view, in love with the architecture of the office, and I can imagine myself working here.
Realtor: Do you like it?
Valentina: It's perfect. I'll take it!
The realtor makes some phone calls to inform that I'm taking the company and I take the opportunity to inform my parents and cancel the other visits. I'm sure I'll have a lot of work here and I think it's great because I need to occupy my mind.
Souza: Valentina paces back and forth looking at everything and the company's lawyer arrives.
(Lucca, 28 years old. Lawyer for the family company)
Valentina: Lucca, thank you for coming. Is everything okay?
Lucca: Everything's great, Valentina. How are you?
Valentina: I'm doing very well. Will it be possible to buy this company?
Lucca: The documentation is all in order. I'll finalize the details and the company will be yours.
Valentina: Oh my God, what wonderful news. Thank you, Lucca!
Lucca: You're welcome.
Valentina: If it's not too much to ask, could you get the company's blueprints in the meantime? I want to define the design so that we don't take too long to get it up and running.
Lucca: I'll check on that information and if I can, I'll send it to you by email. Is that okay?
Valentina: Of course, perfect, Lucca. Thank you very much.
Lucca says goodbye, leaves, and I take one last look at everything. I leave the company excited and go straight home to draw the design. I spend hours on the floor of my room planning the smallest details.
Souza: Valentina dismisses me for the rest of the day and I go home trying to understand why it's so difficult to keep up with her.
Gustavo: Valentina spends the day in her room and I go to check on her. I knock on the door and enter, finding her sleeping on top of a stack of papers. I pick her up and lay her on the bed, she wakes up drowsily and falls back asleep when she sees me. I shower, get dressed, and go downstairs to leave.
Lorenzo: Is Tina okay, son?
Gustavo: She fell asleep on top of a pile of papers, she seems fine, Dad.
Lorenzo: Where are you going?
Gustavo: To a bar, I'll be back soon.
Alice: Behave, my son.
Gustavo: Don't worry.
I leave the house and go to a local bar, to my surprise, the little clumsy one is serving tables. I observe her from a distance, she is a very beautiful woman, but what stands out about her is the lack of expression. There is no joy or sparkle in her eyes. Her smile is forced and it bothers me how worn out she seems. The waitress serving my table is polite, and I've seen her here several times before. I give her a generous tip in exchange for some information and her silence.
Who is the redhead girl?
Waitress: That's Emma.
Gustavo: Who is Emma?
Waitress: Nobody knows, she doesn't talk to anyone. She just comes to work and leaves. As far as I know, she works during the day at a restaurant, at night here in the bar, and does serving gigs at parties on weekends.
Gustavo: Has she been with any customers?
Waitress: Never, and there have been some wealthy guys here drooling over her. She's a strange woman, if you want to know.
Gustavo: Strange?
Waitress: I can't explain it, but she scares me.
Gustavo: I see, let's keep this conversation between us.
Waitress: Of course, thank you for the tip.
Gustavo: I stay at the bar for a while, Emma really doesn't give any opening to any customer or employee at the bar. I stay in the car and watch her leaving towards the bus stop late at night. I follow her out of curiosity, she takes two buses and gets off alone in a distant neighborhood. I observe her walking quickly, clutching her bag. She enters a simple house, a woman comes out of the house and I spend some time trying to understand what I am doing here. I return home and ask one of our investigators to get a complete report on Emma. I have always been curious, but never to this extent. Emma has left me with a series of questions that I need answers to. I go to bed and create theories about the redhead. I wake up early and receive confirmation that they will investigate Emma, I will eagerly await this report. I change clothes and head to the hospital, I have decided to do my residency at Dr. Maurício's hospital. I want to become a general surgeon and I know I have a long and exhausting journey ahead of me. My shift starts and I forget the world, spending the day in the emergency room, a busy day with some traumas and small sutures. I go to attend to another suture in one of the treatment rooms and I couldn't be more surprised.
Clumsy!
Emma: I wipe away some tears rolling down my face, lift my gaze and come face to face with the rude guy I bumped into at the wedding party where I worked as a waitress.
Gustavo: Emma was crying and I regret the "clumsy" comment I made.
Emma: Jerk!
Gustavo: I really was very rude, I'm sorry Emma.
Emma: How do you know my name?
Gustavo: It's in your medical records.
Emma: Hmm... I'm fine, can I go?
Gustavo: I'll examine this cut first.
I approach Emma and examine the cut on her head.
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