Page 88 of Please, Forgive Me

“Oh, right. Because the whole country speculating about the paternity of this baby isn’t a big deal, huh? And the best part—you’re still refusing to even consider the possibility.”

I rolled my eyes and slumped back in my chair, closing my eyes for a moment as I rubbed my temples.

“There’s nothing to consider. The baby isn’t mine. I’ve already decided that when it’s born, I’ll have the paternity test done. I’ll prove I’m right—that she’s been lying this whole time.”

“And what if you’re wrong?” Alexandre’s voice cut through the air like a blade.

I opened my eyes and glared at him, annoyed by the implication.

“I’m not wrong. I know how this looks, but I’ll handle it. When that baby’s born, I’ll shove the paternity test in the face of everyone who doubted me,” I said sharply, my tone harsher than I’d intended.

Alexandre leaned against my desk, studying me with that look only a twin brother could give—the one that said, I know you better than you know yourself.

“I’ll ask again,” he said quietly this time. “What if you’re wrong? What if the baby is yours, Diego? How are you going to live with yourself knowing you treated the mother of your child like that?”

“And I’ll say it again—I’m not wrong!”

Still, a small voice inside me whispered the question I didn’t want to hear:

What if Alexandre was right? What if I was making the biggest mistake of my life?

MARIA GABRIELA

“I thought I’d feel worse, but honestly… I’m relieved.”

What I’d done hadn’t been intentional, but after the fallout of the week, Diego would probably go through with the paternity test, and I’d finally prove I’d been right all along.

Carol sat next to me on the couch, her brown eyes bright with concern mixed with that familiar urge to cheer me up, the way she always did.

“Seriously?” She arched a brow. “Relieved about starring in a public scandal with your egocentric boss?”

Her tone was teasing, but I knew she meant well.

I sighed and shrugged.

“As much as I’d like to say I’m completely at peace, the truth is the doubt still eats at me. The fear of how Diego will react when the truth comes out never really goes away.”

Carolina smiled, leaning over to bump my shoulder lightly.

“Well, if it’s any comfort, maybe now he’ll stop acting like king of the universe and finally realize the world doesn’t revolve around him.”

A short, genuine laugh escaped me. It amazed me how my friend always knew exactly what to say to make me smile, even at my lowest.

“I highly doubt Diego Bittencourt’s going to change that easily. He’ll probably keep being impossible.”

“True,” Carolina said, laughing too. “But who knows? Maybe he’ll find a new hobby—like, I don’t know, building another company just to prove he can create an empire with nothing but a pen and a napkin. And of course, he’ll beg you to be his secretary again, because without you the man barely functions.”

“That’s where I draw the line. If he asks me back, I’ll just say, ‘Not even with triple the salary, Diego!’”

Carol widened her eyes and put on a mock-serious voice.

“Not even with a lifetime bonus and unlimited first-class coffee? Are you sure?”

Another laugh slipped out, and for a moment the weight of the past few weeks eased.

“Okay, maybe I’d reconsider for unlimited coffee,” I admitted, joking as I sank deeper into the couch, feeling a little lighter inside.

“See? Even you have a price.” She grinned, pleased with herself, before pulling the blanket over both of us. “Now, let’s focus on good things. How about we talk about your new life? Have you started thinking about what you’ll do when the baby arrives?”