Karina’s natural beauty was striking. Her face, bare of any makeup, radiated a rare, classical elegance. Her luminous skin, high cheekbones, and full lips were breathtaking, and her almond-shaped eyes held a quiet defiance that only added to her allure.
Francisco’s gaze lingered, his anger momentarily replaced with fascination.
“Who are you?” he asked, his tone softening as his interest deepened.
Karina’s heart sank. She already knew the answer to her questions. The man in front of her—the balding, overweight Francisco—was the real target of the previous night. And she had sacrificed herself for the wrong man.
Eunice hurried forward, her voice sugary and obsequious. “Mr. Francisco, this is my youngest daughter, Karina. Isn’t she stunning? There’s not a woman in all of J City who can compare to her beauty!”
Francisco’s eyes lit up, and he nodded approvingly. “Very good. Very, very good.”
Eunice smiled, emboldened. “Mr. Francisco, Karina is single. She’s the perfect choice to be your wife!”
Francisco’s grin widened. “She suits me just fine. But first... I want to test her out. I’ll come for her tonight.” He turned his gaze to Karina, his eyes filled with shameless intent. “Make sure she doesn’t run this time.”
Eunice bowed her head eagerly. “There won’t be any mistakes, I promise.”
The moment Francisco left, Karina spun on her father, her voice shaking with rage. “You’re selling me again?”
Lucas opened his mouth to respond, but Eunice cut him off, her voice cold and sharp. “Selling? We fed and clothed you all these years. It’s only right that you help your family now. Do you want us to go bankrupt?”
Vitória stepped forward, grabbing Karina by the arm. “Don’t make things harder, Karina. Think about Catarino. Are you going to abandon him? If his treatment stops, what will happen to him?”
The mention of her brother struck like a dagger. Karina’s resolve crumbled, and tears welled up in her eyes. She bit her lip, swallowing the sob that threatened to escape.
“Fine,” she said quietly, her voice hollow. “I’ll go.”
Vitória led her upstairs, shoving her into a room before locking the door. Karina pounded on the door, rage and despair coursing through her. But there was no way out.
Slumping to the floor, she pressed her face into her trembling hands. Her mind wandered to the past, to her mother’s warm smile and gentle voice.
“Mom,” she whispered, tears slipping down her cheeks. “What should I do?”
Her thoughts spiraled to her mother’s death when she was just a child. In the aftermath, her father replaced her mother with Eunice and brought Vitória into their lives. That day, Karina had lost not only her mother but her father as well.
Suddenly, a memory surfaced. Karina scrambled to her feet, her heart racing as she rifled through her room's drawers. She found a small, dusty box tucked in the back of the closet. Her hands trembled as she opened it, revealing a glittering necklace adorned with precious stones. Beneath it was a folded piece of paper with a sequence of numbers scrawled.
Clutching the necklace tightly, Karina whispered, “Mom, I have no choice. Please forgive me.”
Karina’s fingers trembled as she dialed the number. Her mind raced with doubt. After all these years, could this number connect her to the lifeline she desperately needed?
To her astonishment, the call connected. A deep, slightly aged voice answered, cautious yet curious.
“Hello? Who is this?”
Taking a shaky breath, she steadied herself and spoke softly, “Hello, is this Mr. Otávio Barbosa? Do you remember Heloísa? I’m her daughter.”
The other end fell silent momentarily, then came the slow exhale of recognition. “Heloísa’s daughter... What do you need?”
