Mel was walking distractedly to the bus stop that brought her closer to where she was living. She thought about how her day had been, what she felt when she met Eduardo, and wondered who the woman was with whom he had lunch.
“Forget it, Mel. It’s none of your business…” she murmured to herself, trying to push those thoughts aside.
As she continued on her way, a car drove through a puddle in the street, splashing water all over Mel.
Mel felt the cold water soaking her clothes and stopped, surprised by what had just happened. The car slowed down as it turned the corner, and Mel could see, in the passenger seat, Alexandre's mistress laughing at her. The sight made anger bubble within Mel, who was sure the driver had driven through the puddle just to splash water on her.
“Idiot!” she shouted furiously, not even looking to see who was driving the car.
Eduardo, who was coming right behind in his car, saw the scene and stopped immediately. He watched Mel trying to wring out her clothes to carry on her way. Concerned, Eduardo got out of the car and approached her.
“Mel, are you okay?” he asked, noticing the expression of rage and discomfort on her face.
Mel looked at Eduardo, surprised and a bit embarrassed that he had seen her in such a state, especially since her white shirt was almost transparent.
“I... yes, I’m fine,” she replied, trying to maintain her composure. “Just an unpleasant mishap; at least it's water and not sewage…”
Eduardo noticed Mel's condition and realized that she was visibly shaken. So, he decided to offer help.
“Here, take my handkerchief.” Eduardo extended the handkerchief to Mel and took off his blazer, placing it over her shoulders. “And use my blazer to cover up. I can’t leave you like this.”
Mel hesitated for a moment, but she knew it would be difficult to catch the bus in her current state. With the handkerchief, she managed to dry her face, and the blazer made her body feel a bit more comfortable. Mel looked at Eduardo, surprised by the empathy he was showing after their cold encounter that morning.
“Thank you, Mr. Bittencourt,” she said with a smile.
“It’s nothing…” Eduardo tried to disguise the feeling of satisfaction that washed over him seeing Mel's smile. “I can give you a ride home if…”
“No, I don’t want to be a bother… You’ve already done too much by stopping to help me.” Mel thought that Eduardo was committed and wouldn’t accept the ride; she knew how it felt to be betrayed and was afraid his girlfriend might think she was trying to hit on Eduardo, and she didn’t want to cause any misunderstandings.
“Alright… Take care.” Eduardo returned to his car and continued on his way. Mel walked to the bus stop, which arrived shortly after. During the ride, the scent of Eduardo's blazer enveloped her, providing a sense of comfort amid what had just happened.
Eduardo arrived home thinking about Mel. Her smile was enchanting. He remembered that night club; whenever he saw her smile while chatting with a friend, he felt the same way. However, the fear of what he felt made him try to push thoughts of her away.
Sitting on the couch, Eduardo tried to focus on anything else. He picked up a book, turned on the television, but nothing seemed to distract his mind from the memory of that smile. Eduardo knew there was something special about Mel, something that attracted him in a way he couldn’t explain.
“Why does she affect me so much?” he asked himself, frustrated with his own feelings. “What is happening to me?” Eduardo ran his hand through his hair. He had always been cautious with his feelings, especially after the disappointment with Julia. He was afraid to open up again, to allow himself to feel something deeper.
He stood up and went to the kitchen, trying to find something to do. He brewed a coffee, but as he brought the cup to his lips, the memory of meeting Mel in the elevator came back to him. Eduardo closed his eyes, trying to push her image away, but Mel's face seemed to be etched in his memory.
"This is ridiculous!" she exclaimed, trying to convince herself that it was just a fleeting attraction. The last thing she wanted was to get involved again and risk getting hurt.
"She will be my new secretary. I need to keep our relationship strictly professional—no friendship, no emotional involvement." He told himself, trying to reassure his mind. But every time he thought of her smile, his heart quickened.
Eduardo decided to take a hot shower, hoping it would help clear his thoughts, but it didn’t work.
After the shower, Eduardo felt a bit calmer. He sat in the living room with a book in hand, but his mind kept drifting. No matter how hard he tried to focus on reading, Mel's smile lingered in his mind.
When Mel entered the house, she carefully folded Eduardo's blazer and draped it over the back of the sofa along with the handkerchief. The strong and pleasant scent of Eduardo's cologne still clung to the garment, and she couldn't help but feel touched by his kindness.
Mel took a hot shower, trying to relax after an intense and unexpected day. The warm water eased her fatigue, making her feel slightly more at ease. When she got out of the shower, she prepared a quick snack; she wasn’t very hungry but needed to eat something before resting.
After her snack, Mel sat on the sofa, gazing at Eduardo's blazer and handkerchief on the backrest. She planned to wash them before returning them, as a gesture of gratitude. Looking at the blazer, Mel couldn't help but think of him once more.
Mel couldn't help but notice how handsome Eduardo was. His eyes, strong features, and confident posture were hard to ignore. However, Mel had promised herself that she wouldn’t fall in love so soon, especially not with someone at work. After the betrayal and disappointment with Alexandre, she didn't want to risk her heart again.
"I’d better sleep... I can't be like this for someone I just met..." she tried.
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