Page 71 of Please, Forgive Me

“You look exhausted,” she said, blunt as ever.

“I am.” I sighed, dropping into the chair beside her.

Nancy wasn’t one for long conversations. She simply nodded, her eyes scanning my face.

“He’s gotten worse since he came back from that last trip, hasn’t he?” she asked, adjusting her glasses. “I saw the way he talked to you this morning. Again.”

“Yeah, worse,” I admitted, keeping it short. “He’s unbearable. Every time he looks at me, it’s like I’m a problem that needs fixing—an inconvenience he’s stuck with. I don’t even know what to do anymore, Nancy.”

She tilted her head, thoughtful, and took another sip of coffee.

Nancy was the most logical, organized person I knew—never ruled by emotion, which made her the complete opposite of me. Where I reacted with my heart, she always sought practical solutions.

“You need a plan,” she said after a few seconds. “Letting his moods dictate your day isn’t going to help. Think about the baby. Focus on what matters to you, and let the rest… sort itself out.”

I placed a hand on my belly, thinking about the tiny life growing inside me.

She was right. No matter how much Diego was wearing me down, I had to focus on what truly mattered.

“He makes me feel like I’m stuck in a hurricane, you know?” I confessed. “One minute he’s mocking me, the next he’s serious, demanding… and it always gets worse when he mentions the baby. It’s like he wants to forget, but at the same time, he can’t stop pushing me.”

Nancy closed her eyes for a moment, as if carefully weighing her words.

“I know Diego’s temper isn’t easy, but he can’t control what’s happening inside you. He doesn’t have that kind of power.”

I smiled faintly, admiring how Nancy always managed to cut straight to the point. It was comforting having someone who didn’t dramatize things, but also didn’t minimize them.

“You’re right,” I agreed quietly. “He doesn’t have that power. But sometimes it feels like he’s determined to break me anyway.”

Nancy’s gaze sharpened.

“Don’t give him that power. He might be your boss, but you’re stronger than you think. And that baby’s only going to make you stronger.”

I thanked her with a smile, feeling a little lighter.

I knew the battle with Diego was far from over, but at least I wasn’t alone. Nancy might not have been the warmest friend, but she was solid—and that meant everything.

“Besides,” she added, changing the subject to ease the tension, “you still need to pick a name for the baby. Have you thought of any yet?”

I laughed, remembering how often we’d joked about this.

“Not yet. I don’t want to know the gender for now, so I’m keeping things open. But I’ll need all the help I can get. Got any ideas?”

“Oh, I’ve got a whole list in my head,” she said, smirking. “We’ll figure it out.”

As Nancy started throwing out name suggestions, I found myself smiling for real—for the first time in days.

For a few minutes, I forgot about everything waiting for me outside that cafeteria.

Diego was still a storm I’d have to face, but somehow, I knew I’d find a way through it.

DIEGO BITTENCOURT

As I finished reviewing the last reports, my eyes drifted from the screen and landed on Maria Gabriela. She was across the room, smiling as she chatted with someone.

I didn’t know how she still managed to smile after everything. Maybe that was what infuriated me so much.

Or… maybe it was something else.