Episode 7

When they met, Mel was beaming with the good news about her new job, but she noticed a different sparkle in Isabela's eyes.

"I know you have something to tell me. Go ahead, tell me." She spoke curiously.

"Mel... I'm getting married!" Isabela announced.

"Getting married?" Mel hugged her in surprise. "Congratulations, Isa! You deserve to be happy."

"I'm so happy, Mel... and I... I'm pregnant."

"I can't believe it!" Mel was surprised by this further news, happy to see her friend's happiness.

"Yes, I'm pregnant, and Mel, I wanted to see you before I went back to Italy, to personally invite you to my wedding with Matteo." Isabela couldn't stop smiling as she delivered the invitation. "We're getting married in Italy, and it will be very special to have you by my side."

Mel was surprised and touched by the invitation, but soon a worried look appeared on her face.

"Isa, I would love to come to your wedding, but I don't have the money for a trip to Italy, and I don't even have a passport," said Mel, visibly saddened and embarrassed by her financial situation.

Isabela took Mel's hand.

"Don't worry about it. You're my friend and I want you to be there. Please don't worry about the travel expenses, or the passport, Matteo is taking my mother and brothers on his family's private plane, and you can go with them. Remember I told you who he is," Isabela said, making Mel remember that Matteo was a mobster.

Mel hesitated for a moment, but Isabela's enthusiasm was contagious.

"If you say it's all right, then I'll go. Thank you, Isa. It means a lot to me."

"It means a lot to me too. You've always been there for me," Isabela said, hugging Mel tightly. "And you'll find a new love soon, Miss."

"I don't know if I want to love again," she said, still hurt by the way her marriage had ended: being cheated on.

"I have to go now..." Isabela said, knowing it was almost time to leave for the airport.

"Have a good trip, Isa."

They said goodbye with a tight hug. Mel was happy and excited about the trip, while Isabela felt relieved to have her friend's presence at such an important time.

Mel turned in her documents the next day and looked forward to starting work, and for her, the days flew by.

Mel woke up on Monday with a mixture of nervousness, anxiety and excitement. It was her first day of work and training as a secretary at Sands Imports. She dressed carefully, choosing a formal outfit for the role. She didn't have many options to wear, but her clothes were impeccable.

Upon arriving at the company, Mel was greeted by Celia, the former secretary who was retiring. Mel immediately recognized her, as Celia had been present at the interview.

Celia, a woman who looked to be in her fifties at most, greeted her with a welcoming smile that immediately made Mel feel more at ease.

"Welcome, Mel! Good morning," Celia greeted, shaking her hand. "My name is Celia, and I'm happy to be able to pass the baton to someone as enthusiastic as you seemed to be at the interview. Shall we begin?"

"Good morning, ma'am. I'm very happy to be here, for this opportunity."

"Mel, you can call me Celia, I'll feel old if you keep calling me ma'am."

"All right, Celia."

"That's much better. Come on, I'll show you your workplace."

Mel followed Dona Celia to the room where she would be working. The office was spacious and well-lit, with a large desk and bookshelves full of meticulously organized documents.

Celia began to explain Mel's duties as Eduardo Bittencourt's secretary.

"Your main responsibilities will be to manage Mr. Bittencourt's schedule, organize meetings, handle correspondence and emails, and prepare reports," Celia explained. "In addition, you will be the main point of contact between Mr. Bittencourt and the other departments, as well as international clients and partners. Your fluency in English will be very helpful in that regard."

Mel took careful notes, absorbing every detail. Celia went on to show her the filing system, how to organize the small amount of correspondence that still arrived, and the importance of maintaining efficient and discreet communication.

"Mr. Bittencourt is demanding, but fair. He values punctuality, organization and discretion. If you follow these guidelines, you will have no problems."

"Right, Celia."

"Any questions?"

"Many... but why are you leaving the job? You seem to enjoy it so much, and you have so much experience."

"I'm retiring, and I want a little more peace and quiet with my husband. We have our own business, I want to dedicate myself to it, make my own hours, enjoy my grandchildren, travel."

"I understand. And when will I meet Mr. Bittencourt?"

"Well, he will be out for two days, on a trip to a branch of the company in the interior. When he returns to the company, I will introduce you to him."

"All right," Mel said, anxious to meet her new boss.

On Wednesday, Mel went to work expecting to meet her boss. She arrived at the company in a hurry, not wanting to be late. In the hall, she waited for the arrival of the elevator, which seemed to be taking longer than usual.

As she entered the elevator, looking at the time on her cell phone, Mel ended up bumping into someone.

"I'm sorry," she asked a little embarrassed, pressing the button for the floor she wanted to go to.

"It's nothing." Eduardo's deep voice caught Mel's attention, who was tempted to look at him, but avoided any eye contact at that moment.

Eduardo didn't pay much attention to what had happened, he was worried about some problems he needed to solve that day, besides the lunch he was having with his mother, knowing that she would tell Julia that she was pregnant with her first grandchild. Eduardo's thoughts were interrupted when he began to smell the delicate aroma that was taking over the elevator, a fragrance he couldn't ignore. He caught himself breathing more deeply, trying to capture the essence that somehow made his worries seem distant.

And they looked at each other at the same time, their eyes meeting. Eduardo felt a chill in his stomach that he couldn't explain. Mel, in turn, felt something different, something that made her nervous, but she was caught in his gaze.

The two were silent for a few seconds, but the tension in the air was palpable. Eduardo couldn't take his eyes off Mel, trying to understand why he was so intrigued by her. Mel, in turn, began to feel her heart beat faster, not understanding the reason for that unexpected reaction.

When the elevator stopped on the floor of Eduardo's office, he got out first, but not before taking one last look at Mel, who remained standing. The elevator doors began to close, and at that moment, Mel remembered that she was also getting off on that floor. She pressed the button for the door to open, but it was too late. The doors closed and the elevator continued to rise.

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