Sure, here is the translation:

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(GAVIN)

A month ago, Donovan and I met at the tea house and had our first disagreement in years. A month ago, the vice president of Urus claimed that bad things might be happening within the company, and that my presence might be required if solutions didn’t appear quickly. A month ago, Amanda and my best friend spent an afternoon together — and until now, I didn’t know what had happened, but I had a vague idea.

Amanda seemed slightly introspective since then, and nothing could get out of my head that I might be the one to blame for it. She wasn’t unfriendly, insensitive, or rude to me; but she was emotionally distant. Her smiles had become rarer, and the look of sadness that had been disappearing came back with full force. Every time I tried to get closer to talk about her troubles, I was gently dismissed. Now our conversations were trivial, mere small talk. And I didn’t know what to do to change that.

Donovan showed up on weekends, almost not talking to me and taking her out. I never asked where they went or what they did, deciding it would be better for all three of us if certain topics were never discussed. So this is how the current situation stood, two men in love trying to ensure that the girl of our lives stayed with us, and an ever-growing tension arising. I couldn’t remember the last time Donovan and I had a meal together. In fact, looking at my phone screen, I realized the last message sent was when I told him Amanda was speaking.

Nothing could get out of my head that, while I was sinking into insecurities, fear, and becoming increasingly tangled up in apologizing or getting closer to Amanda, Donovan was paving a beautiful road to her heart. That left me filled with anger and jealousy, and it was becoming impossible to cope with it well.

When the girl with brown skin and dark eyes locked herself in the room to read, I would retreat to the balcony and sip pure coffee, thinking about what I could do. My options had run out, and none of my approaches worked. She must have been really hurt by my idiotic speech about how she would never manage to be alone. And although I was inclined to admit that I had been harsh with my words, maybe even a bit rude, the intention behind them was the best possible. I only wanted to ensure that she could always count on me, that I wouldn’t let her go. But it all backfired completely.

I sighed. If things continued like this, if her heart remained closed and none of my desperate attempts to fix things worked, then the danger of losing her forever was much more real than I had imagined.

The English course for native Brazilians, however, remained stable and was the only aspect of my life that wasn’t an emotional mess. There, I could still maintain a good relationship with my students and pretend for a brief period that everything was fine with me. By focusing on work, I managed to lessen the anguish in my heart that only grew day by day.

I sighed heavily as I looked at the cars below. It was a warm and sunny afternoon, but the rays of sunshine put me in a bad mood rather than joy. Amanda was still in the room, the door remained ajar, but never locked.

I was completely lost in my thoughts, which is why I was startled when I saw the slim silhouette of the girl who made my heart race passing by me. She was wearing a simple sky-blue dress and was barefoot. Her hair was voluminous when dry, and the curls swayed in the wind. Her gaze was serious and distant, as usual, and her breathing was heavy and regular. It was the first time she came to me without me having to call or persuade her. I stared at her.

Amanda continued looking straight ahead, playing with one of the curls in her hair. Then, staring at some fixed point in front of her, she murmured.

— Hi.

I was quite nervous and unsettled, and she noticed it. I murmured back:

— Hi.

For a few seconds, only the rustling of some trees and fast-moving engines below composed the sound of the environment where we were. Amanda spoke again:

— Are you okay?

My initial idea was to reassure her, to show that she could trust me to open up and share whatever it was, but I couldn’t maintain that kind of facade for long. So I decided that honesty was the best approach to take. I took a deep breath, inhaling as much air as I could before answering:

— Actually, no, Amanda.

Her head nodded up and down repeatedly, a silent sign of confirmation. Then I returned the question:

— And you, are you okay?

Her ankles crossed and her elbows rested on the railing. She was seriously reflecting on the question I had asked. Her empty gaze bothered me a lot, but I think Amanda didn’t even realize that was exactly how she looked at me.

— It’s not an easy question to answer right now.

I remained silent. Her words could mean absolutely anything. Her voice was soft and serene, and almost completely recovered.

— Dr. Solloman said that I could recover my voice in less than a month, and completely. He also said that my aversion to touch might take two or three months to completely disappear, but I will still have to deal with echoes in the future. He... congratulated me for being so strong and sticking to the treatment. And he always, always asks if I’m okay.

It had been a long time since Amanda spoke so much, and with such frankness. I realized that this last month had been as complicated for her as it had been for me... Maybe even more. I felt a pang of shame for being so absorbed in my own pain and questions and not giving her the support she deserved.

More silence. Amanda couldn’t look me in the eye as she rambled.

— Donovan has been showing himself to be a... Wonderful guy. He is hardworking, dedicated, scholarly. And he always knows exactly what to say. — A sad smile appeared on her lips. — But he also always has that vacant look at the end of our outings, that expression he swears is neutral, but it’s clear it’s sadness. Because I’m going back here... To your apartment.

I couldn’t help but look at her, despite her lack of eye contact. Hearing her talk about Donovan that way made me uncomfortable, and it was hard not to frown at the thought of the two of them together. Amanda continued:

— He told me that the company is going through a tense period, and that this might drastically affect the way we live. And that you will need to take charge of the situation if things continue like this. — She finally looked at me, her eyes slightly wide. — What did he mean by that?

I swallowed hard before answering, taking great care not to let my voice stray from its calm and low tone:

— It means that I’ll have to take over Urus completely and in person. That I won’t be able to leave Donovan in charge of everything anymore, as has been the case in recent years.

— So...?

— The time we spend together will decrease a lot. And my total focus will have to be on Urus.

Her expression was one of sadness and shock, but also of confirmation. Probably this was what she had been thinking all this time, and now she was just getting confirmation of her fears. I hated being the bearer of that news, but there was no way around it. She deserved to know the truth.

Amanda looked down and began to fiddle with her fingers, apparently nervous. I took a step toward her, but didn’t get any closer. I didn’t want to invade her space or make her uncomfortable unnecessarily.

Her voice was so quiet now that I had to lean a little further forward to understand.

— How long would it take for you to come back?

I put my hands in my pockets, looking around. I was quite anxious and tense.

— I don’t know, Amanda... I have no idea. It will all depend on what happens from now on.

Then she hugged me.

Her two hands gripped me tightly, and her face buried in my shirt. Surprised and moved, I returned her hug, smelling her hair in the process and closing my eyes as I felt the jasmine scent. We stayed like that for a while. During this month of distance, we had never even come close to any physical contact.

— I’m going to miss you — she said while still holding me.

— I’ll miss you too — I murmured.

Neither of us let go anytime soon.

. . . . . . . . .

(JAMES)

Sitting comfortably on my sofa at home, I’m on the phone with our ally in the destruction of Urus. He sounds quite happy on the phone and categorically states that the second act is already underway. There was no escaping it anymore; the days of that damned company were numbered. After that, it would be impossible to keep the news under control, and by the end of the week, everyone would know that something was wrong inside. I just wanted to be a fly on the wall to see the expressions on Donovan’s face and the execrable Gavin’s.

Satisfied, I bid farewell to the informant and hang up the phone. Still in silence, I take a Cuban cigar out of my red and gold robe pocket and light it up.

One of my maids approaches my coffee table, placing a tray with a tall glass of champagne. Then, as quietly as she entered, she leaves to find something else to do.

Alexandra should already be aware of what was about to happen. In the last month, we had discussed at length which date would be best to dismantle Urus and see who would fall first. If everything started happening at a very rapid pace, with a relatively short time interval, it could raise susp

icions. If we wanted everything to go smoothly, we needed caution, patience, and a lot of composure.

That didn’t seem difficult for the demon woman. It was remarkable how strong and fearless she had been, especially when I lifted a company on the brink of bankruptcy to the fourth largest and most profitable in recent years. I heard here and there that her control was strict, and that she was little tolerant of mistakes. Others said the opposite, that her kindness, smiles, and politeness were enough for her loyal empire to continue serving her. Knowing Alexandra, it was obvious that both versions were true, as the redhead had a varied arsenal to achieve what she aimed for.

There was a small problem with all that glory, however. A tiny flaw that, despite the moment, might give me a headache in the future.

Alexandra and I had voluntarily suspended our fiery encounters, as now too many eyes would be on us to investigate any conspiracy or sabotage. We needed to show that although we had common interests, neither of us had anything deeper to denote. Until they proved something, or even suspected anything, that damned company would already be bankrupt and without a chance to recover. And finally, I would say who, exactly, was the alpha of that pack.

The problem that became apparent after some gentle reluctance and futile denials, however, was this: during all that time, just over a month to be exact, I hadn’t considered having intercourse with any other woman.

Obviously, I could have drowned in pleasures with whomever I wished, and I never thought Alexandra would be sharing a bed with any other man besides me, but it was odd that the desire didn’t even cross my mind. A harem had always been open to me, with women of different ages, body types, and influences at my feet, eagerly waiting for me to notice them. I could line them up like a Maharaja inspecting his concubines and choose the one I liked best.

I could, but I hadn’t done so. Not once.

And why?

That was precisely the problem: I had no reason to deprive myself of any woman, for despite being obviously allied to destroy our enemies, Alexandra and I had nothing beyond a shared hatred. That was what bound us, the shared disdain for all the weak men who unjustly occupied positions of power, harming the strong. Those worms needed to be purged from the Earth, and with the right time and investment, we would get rid of all of them.

The redhead’s body was delicious, and I wasn’t exaggerating when I said she was the best sex I’d ever had. Whenever I took her properly, whenever we wanted to satisfy each other’s hunger, we never left unsatisfied or disappointed. We gave each other exactly what we needed, but we knew our place and didn’t cross the boundaries.

It would be an interesting sight to see Alexandra completely surrendered to me, but aside from the moments of carnal intimacy, that would never happen. I never had illusions about that woman. She would never be mine at any point in life, or anyone’s. The Jewel Empress was a solitary wolf who would share glory temporarily, only while she needed support to achieve her most important goals.

In the end, she wouldn’t screw me over or try to destroy me, but she would certainly make it clear that I was an excellent ally... And that’s all. No warmth in her eyes, no mention of anything we had done or said.

That didn’t bother me. When we had our flings in the beginning, the demon woman even joked about these things, saying it would be hard to get rid of me when the day came; that she had never had so much fun and that it was a pity to know that all of it had an expiration date.

She wasn’t wrong. Our alliance wouldn’t be eternal, and in the world of business and pleasure, those who believe in blind and eternal loyalty are often the first to be purged.

So... Why was I feeling this way? What was this uncomfortable sensation in my chest? Why all of a sudden did I feel empty with her absence, with those scornful, powerful, and audacious smiles that used to quickly disappear when I put her beneath me and made her scream?

The question was frightening. But nothing could be worse than the answer.

I would resolve that later. For now, I could set aside all that nonsense.

I take the drink and savor it, letting the alcohol make me forget those questions that wouldn’t help me at the moment. I needed to stay alert to the consequences of our second step, carefully analyze the adversary’s response, and then finally hit the points for the third.

Alexandra would make contact soon. She would definitely be triumphant on the phone.

I lean back on the sofa. The ticking of the clock is the only sound keeping me company this afternoon.

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