Sunday dawned lazy, with a light drizzle running down the windows of my apartment. I was sitting on the sofa, reading a legal article, trying to keep my mind occupied, when the cell phone vibrated on the coffee table. Hugo's name appeared on the screen, accompanied by that photo he had taken of himself, smiling in a way that irritated and enchanted me at the same time.
I answered.
"Good morning, Dr. Vasconcellos," he said, with that velvety voice that made me forget for a second who I was.
"Good morning, Hugo. Calling early, is everything okay?"
"Better than ever," he replied. "I wanted to ask you something... or rather, inform you."
I closed the book slowly, already suspecting the audacity.
"I'm listening."
"Tomorrow is my parents' wedding anniversary. They always have dinner at home, something more intimate, just the family. And I... I want you to come with me."
I was silent for a moment.
"Meet your parents?" I repeated, surprised.
"That's right. I'll pick you up at seven in the evening. We'll go together."
"Hugo..." I exhaled with a certain weight. "Don't you think this is... rushed?"
"Maybe. But life is like that, isn't it? Full of risks." He paused for a second and added, in a more serious tone: "I like you, Helena. I'm not playing games. I want them to meet the woman who made me stop looking at the world as if everything were an obligation."
I closed my eyes, feeling a slight tightness in my chest. No one ever spoke to me like that. Without beating around the bush. Without fear of surrendering.
"I just... don't know if I'm ready for that," I confessed, lowering my voice.
"I'm not asking you for an eternal commitment, nor that you say you love me. I just want to share a piece of my life with you. And if, at some point, it becomes uncomfortable, we'll make up an excuse and leave."
I let out a short laugh, surprised by his lightness.
"Do you always manage to break my defenses like that?"
"Not yet. But I'm trying hard."
I sighed, looking out the window.
"All right. I'll go."
"Great. Tomorrow at seven, then. Oh, and Helena..."
"Hm?"
"You don't have to worry about impressing anyone. But, if you want to leave my mother speechless, wear that black dress from the hotel."
"Hugo!"
He laughed loudly and hung up before I could answer.
I stood there, looking at the phone for a few seconds.
Meet the parents.
It wasn't something small. It wasn't something casual. It was a... dangerous step.
But maybe it was time to take some risks.
The clock struck seven when Hugo parked in front of my building. I had been feeling restless since morning, as if a premonition whispered that something was not right. Still, I took a deep breath, put on an elegant wine-colored dress, tied my hair in a discreet bun, and went with him.
During the journey, Hugo tried to lighten the atmosphere with jokes and affectionate looks. He seemed happy to take me to meet his family. And, for a moment, I wanted to believe that it was real. That someone like me could, finally, be part of something lighter, more human.
But the illusion was short-lived.
The Xavier's house was immense, cold, sophisticated to a fault. The kind of home where emotions seem to shrink before works of art and white marble. As soon as we entered, we were greeted by a slender woman, with an erect posture and eyes as sharp as razors.
Margareth Xavier.
"So this is the Helena?" she said, looking me up and down as if I were an insect perched on her Persian rug. "I expected... more."
Hugo tried to intervene, but she raised her hand, interrupting him with a simple gesture.
"You can go get your father, Hugo. I want to talk to the young lady here... alone."
"Mom, please..."
"Now, Hugo."
He hesitated, gave me an afflicted look, but obeyed.
I stood there, in the center of the room, feeling her eyes burning my skin.
"Listen carefully, Helena Vasconcellos," she began, with a poisonous tone. "I don't know where you came from, nor do I care. Some little lawyer who grew up in a shelter and thinks she can mix with people of our level?"
I was silent, controlling every muscle in my face.
"You don't belong in this world, my dear. Hugo may be having fun with you, but it's just a whim. A pastime. He will marry Cibele Albuquerque, as was already arranged. Her family has history, name, money. Something you don't have and never will."
"I didn't come here to compete with anyone," I replied, firmly, but without raising my voice. "Hugo invited me."
"Of course, he invited you. Men get carried away by... curves and a poor little face. But the reality is that Cibele returns from Europe in a month, and you will be discarded like the trash you are."
That hurt. And she noticed.
"Do you really think he's going to give up a powerful heiress for someone who barely knows how to smile? You're an embarrassment. The kind of woman that no man introduces to society."
Ivan Xavier appeared soon after, with the same superior look as his wife. He didn't need to say much - a simple "You've had enough fun, Hugo" made it clear which side he was on.
Hugo tried to argue. He babbled weak words, without firmness. I saw the doubt in his eyes, the discomfort. But I also saw the fear. The weight of obedience. He wasn't going to oppose his parents. Not for me.
I got up, took my bag calmly, and looked into Margareth's eyes.
"You're right about one thing. I really don't belong in this world. And thank you for reminding me of that so clearly."
"At least you're smart enough to understand your place," she spat.
"And you..." I looked at Hugo, disappointed. "You are exactly what I promised to avoid."
Hugo stood up, trying to accompany me.
"Helena, wait... I'll take you home."
"No. I'll manage on my own," I replied firmly.
At the door, I called a taxi. While I waited, he stood there like a frightened boy, not knowing what to do.
"You know what's worse, Hugo?" I said, without facing him. "It's that for a second... I thought you were different."
I got into the car and slammed the door shut.
As the taxi moved away from that mansion full of hypocrisy, I felt my throat tighten. Once again, life slapped me in the face. Once again, when I allowed myself to believe... everything collapsed.
The truth is that my heart was still made of stone. But this time... it had cracked.
***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***
Updated 61 Episodes
Download
Like this story? Download the app to keep your reading history.
Comments