Page 15 of Please, Forgive Me

“Daddy, you’re gonna lose!” Arthur cried, pretending to strike me with his little hands.

I overdid the reaction, tumbling back onto the ground as if his attack had knocked me flat.

“Defeated by the strongest heroes in the world!” I exclaimed dramatically, making both boys burst out laughing.

Their laughter was contagious, and before I realized it, I was laughing too—something that didn’t happen nearly as often as it should.

That’s when Alexandre appeared, watching with a grin. He walked closer, stopping beside me while I was still sprawled on the ground.

“Looks like you lost,” he teased, crossing his arms as the boys celebrated their victory.

I got to my feet slowly, brushing off my pants, trying not to smile too much even though I was still caught up in the fun.

“Yeah, looks like I did,” I admitted with a shrug. “They’re unbeatable.”

The boys went running back into the yard, picking up their game again, while my brother and I sat down on the porch sofa where we could watch them.

“Haven’t seen you that relaxed in a while,” Alexandre said, glancing at me sideways.

“I don’t always get the chance,” I muttered, keeping my eyes on the kids. “But being with Arthur… it helps. Reminds me what really matters.”

Alexandre nodded, also watching the boys play. For a moment, we sat in silence, letting the calm settle around us.

“So, what’s going on outside of work?” he asked casually, shifting the focus.

“Nothing,” I replied with a shrug. “I keep things simple when I’m not at the office. Spend as much time as I can with Arthur.”

“And what about Maria Gabriela?” he pressed, tossing her name into the air with a sly smile that immediately put me on edge.

I knew he was teasing, but there was something in his eyes—something sincere—that told me he wasn’t only curious. Alexandre genuinely wanted to understand what was happening between me and Maria Gabriela.

And the truth was… so did I.

“What about her?”

“Oh, come on. Do you just enjoy messing with the girl, or is there something real there?” my brother asked bluntly.

I drew in a breath. No point hiding it. Alexandre had always been better than anyone at reading between the lines.

“We spent the night together last weekend,” I admitted, my voice heavier than I expected. “That’s it. Nothing more. I was careful—I used protection. I won’t let what happened with Arthur’s mother happen again. And I don’t want to be a father all over.”

Alexandre’s expression shifted, a mix of surprise and understanding. He knew how delicate the subject of Arthur’smother was—something we almost never spoke about. And I preferred to keep it that way.

“Right…” he said quietly, not pushing for more. “Just be careful. Sometimes all that teasing turns into something we’re not ready to deal with.”

“I know,” I said, my gaze drifting back to the yard where Arthur and Theo were still laughing, still playing. “I’m aware.”

And I was.

Maria Gabriela was different. She provoked me, challenged me, and pulled me in a way I couldn’t control. But there was fear too. Fear of things spiraling out of control, of repeating mistakes from the past that still haunted me.

For now, I’d keep things as they were. Professional—or as close to professional as I could manage.

The problem was, ever since that night, something had shifted. And no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, the spark between us kept growing—quiet, relentless.

My brother gave me a light tap on the shoulder, snapping me back to the moment.

“Well, whatever it is, you know where to find me if you need me,” he said with a grin.