Luana
- I don't have many options, Bernardino has made it very clear that he wants this marriage, I imagine it's also better this way, we can build a good friendship. I don't intend to intervene in his relationships with his mistresses and girlfriends, we will be friends and nothing more than that.
I decided after a good night's sleep to accept my engagement and marriage, Bernardino knows that we will only be good friends even though he insists on this story of entering my heart, but I know that he will give up this story when he notices that I am not willing like him.
- Are you sure you'll wear a tank top, shorts, and flip-flops?
- I am sure, Cecilia! Sister-in-law, I am having dinner with a friend and not with my boyfriend, I don't need to get all dressed up to go to a dinner with friends.
Cecilia was holding my niece who was sleeping while holding her mother's breast, my sister-in-law was trying to take the breast from her but with my brother's death, my niece became more needy and has been getting more and more attached to Cecilia, being much longer sucking even if she doesn't feel like it just to be near her mother.
- You are the one who knows! Mama is overjoyed to think that you have finally accepted the engagement, that's good. It's been a long time since I've seen a smile on her face, since Tomas left.
Cecilia is sad whenever she talks about my brother, she misses him a lot. Like me, my friend decided to close herself off to love because she understood that she was only loved by my brother, just as I only knew what it was to love when I was with Nathaniel.
- I'm going out the back door, if Mama sees me like this she'll want me to change my clothes!
I kissed my niece and Cecilia, leaving the back of my house following in light steps to the mansion Bernardino, entered the kitchen where I gave a kiss and a hug to Mrs. Conceição, she looked at me from head to toe certainly strange my clothes.
- Daughter, Mr. Bernardino is looking like a prince and you are dressed as if you were going to clean the house!
- It's a dinner among friends, Mrs. Conceição. Bernardino likes to be shown off, you know how his boss is.
Ms. Conceição smiled at me saying that Bernardino was already waiting for me in the dining room, when I arrived I saw him sitting down messing on his cell phone, I had his attention as soon as he felt my presence noticed how he was dull with the way he was dressed, but I faced the dinner just as a meeting between friends, however Bernardino expected something different by the clothes he wore.
- I hope you like the escondidinho of dried beef, Conceição says it's one of her favorite foods on the Brazilian menu.
I know he is trying to disguise his astonishment at seeing me so casual, but it's good to make it clear, so he will begin to understand things before he deludes himself.
- You can rest assured about that, I love Conceição's food!
- Me too! My mother's food was just as wonderful as hers, but I miss the wonderful sweets she makes, especially the chocolate cake with icing, but when we're married I'll make sure she always makes it for me.
It was inevitable not to be embarrassed by the plans Bernardino was making for both of us but I just smiled at him trying to disguise my reactions. Bernardino told us about his childhood and youth, about his initiation at the age of 13, too young for expected standards, and the terrible death of his mother.
- I had a sister, her name was Rosalia after our grandmother. My mother went to Italy to visit the land of my grandparents but she suffered a bombing, it was when the war between the Tolentino and the Albertini was at its bloodiest, many died, my uncle and mother were one of the many victims of this massacre, the Tolentino left my little sister alive but abandoned her in an orphanage, where she was adopted by Nicolas Ferraz, a known human trafficker. The bastard sold my sister to Dario Albertini, and I know that he made her a private prostitute of his, and I imagine that Rosalia must have suffered a lot at the hands of that monster, a murderer of women! The Don has had a terrible reputation since his initiation when he butchered his fiancée for treason.
I put my hand on my head remembering everything from the first day I met Cecilia, the stories of her childhood and education to become a luxury escort to the day I asked my brother for help to save her from a horrible fate.
- I don't know what happened to her, Dario surely had her killed since my sister was nobody to him, Rosalie must have been thrown into a ditch like a nameless indigent. I know how things are handled in Italy when it comes to someone like my sister was considered, I hate Dario for what he did to her and I also hate myself for not having found Rosalia before he destroyed her life.
- Bernardino, if I tell you that Rosalia is not dead? That she's alive and well!
He stood up looking at me in anger as if he had said something very wrong, Bernardino held my arms very tightly as if he was going to break them, he was already better with his leg for sure making it impossible for me to try any kind of defense, Bernardino is twice my size besides having years of training. I was at the mercy of his attack of fury, his reaction was very different from what I imagined it would be.
- What kind of stupid joke is this, Luana? I thought we were entering into an agreement, now you come with this joke, know that this is cruel of you, this commitment of ours was a hasty decision, you should have seen this from the beginning. It was a big mistake, you are a very different woman from what I expected you to be, it's best that we end this soon before you do or say anything else.
I had the chance I wanted so much, which was to end this damned engagement, but I would have a guilty conscience for the rest of my life, it wouldn't be fair to hide something so serious out of selfishness. I know that at this moment I can unite two brothers separated by the wickedness of men and I won't let my desire to live the rest of my life alone get in the way of that.
- This is not a joke, I am very serious, I would never joke about something so important to you! I am a woman and I know how to fulfill my responsibilities, so don't think that I would talk about such a delicate subject in an ironic way or to irritate you. Listen carefully to what I have to say.
Bernardino slowly let go of my arms as he sat down in front of me again, his eyes dark with hatred.
- When my brother was summoned, both you and Sergio interrogated him about an 18-year-old girl kept by Dario. My brother said he knew nothing about the girl but he lied! Dario gave an order to Tomas to take his sister to a famous brothel in the city on his wedding day.
- I understand that your brother was afraid of Dario and maybe he thought I asked to know if he had accomplished his mission or because the Don asked for discretion about my sister but I never had any connection with that monster. If you are saying this it is because you know where my sister is, I tell you that no matter where Dario threw my sister as if she were no one I will go and get her today. I will take care of her no matter what, Luana, tell me where I can find Rosalia.
Bernardino was anxious to know about his sister, but I don't know if he will take well to the news about her being so close and for a long time unaware of it.
- Thomas didn't take her to the brothel, why ask him not to do that. I worked in the mansion where her sister was kept by Dario, we met and ended up becoming great friends. I asked my brother to take care of her, but he said he would only do it if she asked for help, and thank God my friend did. But to protect her from both Dario and possible enemies of his who could use her to harm him, my brother brought her with us to Brazil but before that, Tomas married his sister so that if Dario returned he would not be able to touch her. Since in our environment, we women are the property of our husbands.
Bernardino, when he realized who I was talking about, widened his eyes in surprise, I guess he wasn't expecting this revelation.
- So you want to tell me what I'm thinking?
- Yes, Bernardino! Cecilia and Rosalia are the same person, Cecilia is his sister.