Chapter 3 An Offer She Can't Refuse

Beatriz hadn't slept all night.

The sound of the wind beating against the windows of her mother's modest apartment seemed almost a distant murmur, unable to drown out the storm raging inside her. Her thoughts kept revolving around Eduardo Moura's proposal. An offer that trapped her like a net, a proposal too tempting to ignore, but at the same time suffocated her with the same force with which it held her captive.

"Work for me. In exchange, you'll have everything your brother needs."

The promise of money, of medicine for Tomás, of a life less marked by misery tortured her. At what price? What kind of game was he willing to play? And how was she going to escape this web of lies and power?

Far away, in his bed, Tomás sighed. His fever hadn't broken, and the situation had become unbearable. Despair was beginning to invade her; she couldn't wait any longer. Her brother needed her, and her mother, exhausted from sleepless nights, was on the verge of despair. The choice was clear, even though her heart twisted as she made it.

At dawn, Beatriz made the decision.

She dressed quickly in the first thing she found: a faded shirt and worn pants, comfortable enough to face what was to come. When she stepped outside, the fresh morning air seemed to give her one last breath of calm before what was to come. The road to the Moura mansion was long, but she walked it with determination, like someone heading toward a destination with no escape.

The iron gate of the mansion, which had always seemed imposing from a distance, now seemed even more formidable before her. The mansion was silent, as if waiting for her presence had frozen it in time. The well-kept gardens, the enormous trees that adorned the property, everything seemed like an image from a dream of wealth, far removed from the world she knew.

With her heart pounding in her chest, Beatriz touched the golden knocker on the front door. Her hand trembled slightly, but she steeled herself. A tall, stern-faced butler appeared behind the door. His eyes, like two dark pools, studied her from head to toe.

"What do you want?" he asked, not giving Beatriz time to say a word.

"I'm Beatriz Sosa. I'm here to see Mr. Eduardo Moura," she replied, trying to remain calm, although the tension in her voice couldn't help but betray her.

The butler watched her for a few seconds, as if sizing her up, and finally, with a disapproving gesture, opened the door.

"Follow me."

Beatriz had no choice but to do so. As she walked through the mansion's halls, the luxury suffocated her. Everything around her glittered with opulence, from the crystal chandeliers to the silk carpets. Every step she took on the marble floor was like a kick to her common sense, constantly reminding her how far removed she was from this world.

Finally, they reached a spacious room with large windows overlooking the estate's gardens. Sunlight streamed in, seeming to illuminate the face of Eduardo Moura, who stood at a table, staring intently at some papers.

When he looked up and saw her, Beatriz felt the air thicken. His gaze was so cold, so calculating, it set her nerves on edge. He dropped the papers on the table and walked toward her with an arrogance that almost made her flinch.

"So you've arrived," he said in a deep voice, displaying no hint of kindness. "Do you have any idea what it means to be here, Beatriz?"

Beatriz didn't know how to respond. This wasn't just a meeting. It wasn't just a proposal. It was an offer she knew, deep down, she couldn't refuse. There was something about Eduardo's posture, something about his presence, that made her feel like she was about to play a game much bigger than she could comprehend.

Eduardo took a step closer to her, bringing his face close to Beatriz's, but not quite touching. His eyes, gray and cold, studied her as if she were a piece on his board.

"I propose this, Beatriz: Work for me."

He paused for a moment, watching her process his words. "Not as a servant. I don't want you to be just another shoe shiner. I want you to be my eyes and ears here, in this house. This place is full of secrets that people of my class prefer to keep hidden. But you... you can see things I can't see. You can hear what no one else hears."

The world stopped for a moment. Beatriz didn't know if she was listening correctly or if her mind was betraying her. Spy? To be her eyes in a place where everyone lied and manipulated at will? At what price?

"And what do I gain from this?" Beatriz asked, her voice firmer than what she felt inside.

Eduardo smiled. Not a polite smile, but a smile that froze the air in the room.

"Anything you want," she said with complete certainty. "Money, medicine for your brother, security for your mother. And, if you play your cards right, maybe something more."

Beatriz closed her eyes for a moment, fighting the conflict boiling in her chest. Could she trust him? No. No one could trust someone like him. But her brother... the life she had dreamed of for her mother... that was the price she had to pay. The price to get out of the hole she found herself in.

"I accept," she said, with a sigh that seemed to come from her soul. It wasn't a victory, nor an easy decision. It was a condemnation disguised as an opportunity.

Eduardo extended his hand, and Beatriz, although she hesitated for a second, shook it firmly. The deal was done.

"Good, Beatriz. You're now part of my world. Don't forget that in this place, I make the rules. And you... you'll be the last to break them." Beatriz said nothing. She just turned and left the room, aware that the price for her and her family's freedom had already been set. There was no turning back.