Chapter 2 Cruel Words

Manuela

Finally, after an unexpected turn with the arrival of Leila and Caíque, I managed to prevent Adriel from confessing his feelings for Cecilia that night. And that brought me relief mixed with a hint of concern.

Cecilia was in a wonderful moment of her life. Pregnant, radiant, and deeply in love with Liam, her husband. Seeing her happy was all I wished for. However, if Adriel had revealed his feelings for her that night, it could have caused confusion that could have disturbed this happiness.

Cecilia is an incredible person, kind, and generous. She didn't deserve to be put in a situation like that, where she would have to deal with the unrequited feelings of a close friend. Knowing that someone is suffering for her, while she is so fully committed to Liam, would only bring sadness and guilt to her.

But at the same time that I felt relieved for having avoided a potential emotional disaster, a twinge of worry crept into my heart. By preventing Adriel from pursuing his desire, I could have put our friendship at risk.

When I suggested that it would be best to leave Cecilia and Liam alone in the garden with the newcomers, my intention was to guide Adriel back to the party. However, Adriel didn't follow my suggestion. Instead, he walked around the mansion and headed towards where the guests' vehicles were parked. Instinctively, I followed him, even uncertain about his reaction to the frustration of his plans.

He stopped next to his car and stared at me, and for a brief moment, I could feel the gravity of the situation weighing on us. I braced myself for what would come next, feeling a lump forming in my throat.

Adriel finally broke the silence, his voice vibrating with an intensity that made me shiver. "You shouldn't have meddled, girl!" He admonished me, his voice heavy with tangible anger. "Cecilia has the right to decide her own fate, and you can't control that."

A lump formed in my throat, feeling suffocated by the cutting coldness of his words. "We're friends, Adriel," I tried to argue, my voice trembling under the weight of the moment. "Cecilia is my best friend, but you... you helped me when I needed it the most. And that's why I don't think you should do this. I know Cecilia well enough to assert, without hesitation, that she doesn't feel for you in the way you hope."

A flame of indignation burned in Adriel's eyes at my statement, his words sharp as a honed blade. "You can't say that for sure, Manu!" he snarled, his voice echoing with a wild determination. "You're not Cecilia, and you never will be. Only she, and no one else, can speak for herself."

Adriel didn't expect any response from me. Right after throwing those words in my face, he violently opened the car door and got into the vehicle, slamming it shut harder than necessary. The engine roared as he drove off, tires screeching in an act of childish anger.

That reaction seemed childish, worthy of an explosive temper. But it wasn't the way he left that bothered me the most. It was the way he threw in my face that I'm not Cecilia. It was cruel and unnecessary.

At that moment, a painful certainty settled within me: Adriel knew about my feelings for him. And now, he was using them against me as a form of revenge. It was a low blow, and I didn't know how to deal with it.

I no longer had any mood for the party, but I couldn't simply leave without giving an explanation to my best friend. I wasn't sure if I could face the party after that; I felt shaken and confused after the argument with Adriel, but I had a responsibility to Cecilia. So, I put on a forced smile and returned to the hall.

Upon entering, I found Cecilia next to Liam, Caíque, Leila, and their in-laws, Frederico and Valentina Ricci. It was evident that they were enjoying a family moment, but I needed to inform Cecilia that I was leaving. It was the least I could do.

As I approached, I was surprised by the light and seemingly harmonious atmosphere among them, considering what Leila and Caíque had done with Liam and Cecilia. As I approached, Cecilia gave me a big smile and, after excusing herself from the group, came to meet me.

We exchanged a glance of understanding, and Cecilia soon realized that I was curious about the recent events, following my departure from the garden. Cecilia and I stepped away from the hustle and bustle of the party, and that's when she began to share the events that had occurred in my absence. Surprisingly, Caíque and Leila had redeemed themselves from their mistakes, and everyone agreed to give the couple a second chance. An unexpected turn of events that left me perplexed, but I agreed that, given the circumstances, it was the best course of action.

"That really was the best thing to do, considering everything that happened," I commented, trying to maintain a neutral expression. The last thing I wanted was to spoil the light atmosphere that was settling among them.

"Something's wrong, Manu. I can sense it. Are you okay?" Cecilia asked, her concern evident.

I forced a radiant smile, trying to hide the inner storm that was brewing.

"I'm great, Cecilia, really. Just tired. The week at Laser Inc was intense."

She frowned, seeming unsatisfied with my response.

"You can tell me, Manu. If something's wrong, I want to know. Something about Marcão and his gang?"

Lying to Cecilia was something I never wanted to do, but at that moment, it seemed like the only option.

"No! There's nothing wrong, Cecilia, I promise. I'm just tired. But I don't want to spoil your night. You're pregnant and deserve to enjoy every moment."

Cecilia didn't seem entirely convinced but decided not to insist further. Instead, she smiled and said:

"You're the best friend I could wish for, Manu. Thank you for being here."

"I should thank you for being part of such a special moment for you."

We exchanged a tight hug, and for a few seconds, I allowed myself to relax next to my best friend. Before she could perceive my true mood, I pulled away and asked hesitantly:

"Would you be upset if I left the party now? I would love to stay, but I'm really exhausted."

"Of course not! It's okay... even Liam and I are thinking of leaving soon" Cecilia revealed with a contagious laugh, easing my concern with her happiness.

I ended up laughing along with her, feeling the weight of the world dissipate for a moment. Logan, who was approaching us, joked:

"Any jokes you'd like to share with a cool guy?"

Cecilia, amidst laughter, clarified:

"It wasn't a joke. Manuela is leaving, and I made a friend's comment."

Logan's expression indicated that he wasn't entirely convinced by Cecilia's explanation; his raised eyebrow gave it away. But he chose not to press. Turning to me, he offered:

"Can I drop you home, Manu? Shall we?"

"Sure" I agreed, accepting his kindness but already anticipating the reason behind it even before getting into Logan's car.

I audibly sighed, feeling pressured by his insistence.

"I really don't know, Logan. I'm not hiding anything."

He pointed out the fact that Adriel and I had become close after the days I spent at his house, noting that there was a great affinity between us.

"That's true, Logan. We did grow closer during that time," I admitted, choosing my words carefully.

"And you two seem to have quite a bond as well," he continued, his eyes turning to me, analyzing my reaction.

"Adriel is a great friend," I replied, keeping my response simple yet genuine. "But that doesn't mean he tells me everything about himself."

Logan eventually accepted my answer, but uncertainty lingered in the air. I didn't know if he truly believed my words or if he simply gave up on pressing further. However, that didn't matter to me as much as the fact that Adriel was about to reveal the truth.

The way he desperately tried to express his feelings for Cecilia, without caring that Liam was his best friend, showed that Adriel was about to cause a big problem. He didn't seem to care that Cecilia was Liam's wife.

The rest of the journey was made in tense silence, with Logan constantly casting glances at me. I could sense that he wanted to say something, and the fear of hearing what he had to say grew with each exchanged look.

When Logan parked his car in front of the modest building where I had managed to rent an apartment, his eyes fixed on me intensely and then came the question that caught me off guard.

"Can I come up with you?"

At first, I thought I had misunderstood. Logan had given me rides home before, but he had never suggested accompanying me to my apartment. It was usually Cecilia who asked him to drop me off when we all went out together, something that happened frequently since I started working at Laser Inc.

"Come up with me?" I repeated, seeking confirmation.

"Yes, that's exactly what you heard," he replied, persistent.

I was speechless for a moment as he pressed on, insisting he wanted to talk to me.

"But we're already talking now," I pointed out the obvious.

It's not that I was afraid of Logan or anything like that, but I also wasn't exactly eager for his company in my apartment.