de, men in suits chatted quietly, mixing words like stocks, mergers, and acquisitions. Among them, Enzo Alb

e, oblivious to the dissipating steam. Opposite him, Lucas Viana, his par

he old bakery space, and we've closed off the entire perimeter for th

ble. Across the street, through the glass wall, he could see the bakery. Small, narrow,

ar

sh light inside seemed to envelop her in a cocoon that contrasted sharply with the cold concrete of the cit

atiently. "I told you if you don't hand over the keys, the le

rying a box of cake. Clara smiled back, but Enzo recognized it: it was a broken smile. He ran his hand over his chin, feeling the scraggly beard that insisted on growing during long meetings. For a moment, an old m

the table, ignoring the

without taking his eyes off his glass.

gh, taking off his gla

The bank has already denied everything. It's only a matter of time. And i

eaned forward, smelling something other than business. "Don't tell me you're going to have a crisis of conscience now? After

scle popping in his jaw. "I

k take care of itself.

ny it, Clara was like a splinter stuck in his skin: i

g her frosting-stained apron, and chatted with a delivery man who was gesticulating excessivel

ed his chair back, ignori

" the partner asked,

it my

. "Be careful not to mix up b

the entire cafe. He didn't respond. He simply left,

didn't help her at all: he left everything leaning against the wall and disappeared on h

tered, trying to

t Clara shuddered before she even turned around. The sc

he face she knew better than she cared to admit: the suppressed smile, t

nz

s calmly as e

me. She wasn't Clarita anymore. She

do you

, as if it were the most natural thing in

retorted, trying to get the

t was brief, but enough for an electri

" He paused, giving a faint

r stomach. "You won't b

e box against her hip to speak clo

he box as if he owned the place, which, in a way, he did. Inside, Enzo looked around, l

haven't changed a bit." Clara took the box from his hands, placed it behind t

ping her fingertips on the marble. His

his tone so calm it almost sounded cruel.

row the rag in his face, throw him out. But something in hi

de, it was just the two of them, trapped in an ancient game