Between Love and Power

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y on the night of my daughter's graduation. While most girls danced with their fathers, Valentina was the only one in the class who didn't, and even though she pretended to be okay with it, I couldn't hide my sadness for long after my daughter fell asleep. I cried out of anger and hatred for ha

our flight is after lunch," Fernanda sits beside me. My friend

f one week in São Paulo, and then we'll be back home. I called Pedro early, letting him kn

s hearing me t

onder if a lot has changed there. I always hear the girls tal

family with her, it will prevent bad things from happening. But let's

t was crazy for me to think that I would encounter Leonardo during the days I would be in th

ontinue with this ridiculous charade? Wake up to reality. Mr. Hottie now doesn't waste his time in the favela taki

cky and end up seeing that man again? He's not stupid enoug

, but do you really believe Valen w

ll talk to Pedro in the community itself. Beg him not to tell anyone, especially not Viviane or Sofia. Those two must have

lie. I wasn't ashamed of being a single mother, as some might think if they discovered my lie. What I felt was fear of being discovered and that man finding me again. Leonardo was not trustworthy, even if he showed everyone he was a good-hearted man. Our last encounter was horrible for me, not because I had drunk something I hadn't touched for months at the time of

t's change the subject becaus

week off first, and if I managed to resolve everything with Aunt Maria, I would return; otherwise, I would spend the full 30 days in São Paulo. The feeling that everything would change was overwhelming inside me. I would stop thinking abou