Page 100 of Please, Forgive Me

Carol, sitting beside me, watched closely. She frowned, as if not fully understanding.

“What do you mean?”

“I thought I’d feel this huge weight lift off my shoulders, but…” I ran a hand through my hair, trying to untangle my thoughts. “It’s not like I wanted to be like him. I didn’t enjoy humiliating him, even after everything he did to me.”

“That just proves what an incredible person you are, Gabi.” Carol smiled, though I caught a flicker of concern in her eyes. “You don’t need to stoop to his level. But you also can’t forget everything he put you through.”

I nodded, letting her words sink in.

Diego had done everything in his power to make me miserable, especially in those final months at the company—endless work, humiliation, impossible demands.

It had drained me completely.

But now, looking back, with Clara in my arms, my priorities had shifted.

“I know he deserves it, but…” I started, and Carol pulled me into a hug so tight it nearly knocked the air out of me.

“You did what you had to do, Gabi! And now, what matters is you and Clara. He’s the one who has to deal with the consequences of his actions.”

“The thing is,” I murmured, my voice trembling a little, “no matter how much I want to hold on to this anger, we’re going to have to coexist. Because of Clara. He’s her father, after all.”

Carol pulled back just enough to meet my eyes.

“And do you think he’ll actually want to be involved?”

“I think so.” I sighed again. “When I saw Diego today, he seemed different. Almost… remorseful.”

“Time will tell,” she said softly. “But one thing’s for sure—he can’t treat you the way he used to. And you need to set clear boundaries. For you and for Clara.”

Living with his presence again would be inevitable, but that didn’t mean I had to let my guard down. The Diego I knew was unpredictable, and even if he looked more vulnerable now,the memory of the cold, ruthless man he’d been was still too vivid.

“I’ll try to keep things under control,” I said, sounding more confident than I actually felt. “If he wants to be part of Clara’s life, he’s going to have to prove he deserves that.”

“Exactly.” Carol’s eyes lit up with determination. “And you’ll manage, Gabi. You’re strong—so much stronger than you think.”

I smiled, feeling the weight of the day start to ease.

Maybe it was Carol’s company, or maybe it was finally saying to Diego everything I’d held in for so long. Either way, a small spark of hope flickered inside me—a hope that, despite everything, I might still find a way to live in peace with my daughter and, somehow, even with Diego.

But for now, I knew I had to keep my emotions in check—to protect myself, and above all, to protect my daughter.

Things wouldn’t be easy. But I was determined to keep moving forward—one step at a time.

CHAPTER 41

“Every scar tells a story, but it’s the healing that defines who we are…”

DIEGO BITTENCOURT

“I’ve told you a thousand times that’s not how I want that report done!” My voice came out harsher than I intended, but the irritation building inside me was getting impossible to contain.

The new secretary, Marli, visibly shaken, stammered an apology while scrambling to pick up the papers she’d dropped on my desk.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Bittencourt, I’ll… I’ll redo it right away.” She couldn’t even meet my eyes before rushing out, nearly tripping over her own feet in her haste.

When the door closed, I exhaled and leaned back in my chair.

She was the sixth secretary since Maria Gabriela left.