Page 73 of Please, Forgive Me

I walked to the window, staring out over Florianópolis, trying to find some peace in the city skyline.

“I’ll find out the truth about that baby’s father,” I said, more to myself than to him. “But I won’t give in. She’ll learn that I always win in the end.”

Alexandre exhaled, running a hand through his hair, frustration in his voice.

“Sometimes winning isn’t what matters.” He shrugged, heading for the door but pausing at the threshold. “Think about that.”

I sat back down, but his words lingered long after he left.

How was I supposed to think about anything when I was trapped between the fear of being betrayed again… and something that might be far more dangerous?

I didn’t know. And maybe that was what tormented me most.

My eyes found Maria Gabriela again from across the room. She was laughing at something, and the sound—or maybe the sight—of it unsettled me.

Not just because of what had happened between us, but because of what she’d come to represent.

I didn’t want to admit it, but maybe Alexandre was right.

Maybe what I felt for her went much deeper than I was ready to face.

But for now, I refused to give in.

CHAPTER 30

“Life is a journey of discoveries, and love is its greatest treasure…”

MARIA GABRIELA

I burst out laughing when Carolina cracked one of her ridiculous jokes—the kind that only long-time friends find funny.

We were sprawled out on my living room couch, with Max bouncing from one side to the other, as hyper as ever. Heseemed to be having as much fun as we were, but lately, there was something about him that melted me even more. Every time I laughed or made a sudden move, he’d come over and rest his head on my belly, like he somehow knew he had to protect the baby.

There was this quiet, unspoken bond between us.

Carolina noticed it and started laughing too.

“Max is more tuned in to your baby than the actual father!” she teased, her laughter filling the room.

“I’d say he’s the best bodyguard I’ve ever had,” I said, stroking Max’s head, feeling the softness of his fur beneath my fingers.

He closed his eyes, leaning into my touch, and for a few fleeting moments, all the chaos at work—and all the tension with Diego—just… faded.

Carolina looked at me, her laughter softening into something gentler.

“Gabi… I know you try to keep things light, but sometimes it feels like you’re carrying the whole world on your shoulders.”

I sighed but forced a smile, brushing off the heaviness in her tone. I didn’t want to ruin the night or drift back into the reality of how much Diego had turned my life upside down.

“Maybe I am. But hey, nobody gets through life without a few heavy burdens, right?” I said, keeping my tone casual, even though Carolina could always see right through me.

She tilted her head knowingly but didn’t push. Instead, she grabbed the remote and switched the TV to Friends—our all-time favorite show.

No matter how many times we’d watched it, the jokes always got us.

As laughter filled the room, Max curled up closer, pressing his snout against my belly like he was trying to listen in.

“Look at that,” I said, smiling. “Maybe it’s a sign he’ll make a great big brother.”