Between Love and Power

Prologue

Leonardo

Today was the day I would take command of the largest state in the country. My inauguration as governor of São Paulo would take place in a few minutes. I asked my parents to leave me alone for a moment. My life changed so much from the moment I took on the role as director until I was elected in the first round. During the four years I spent as health secretary, I did my best. I worked hard, dedicated myself wholeheartedly to everything I did and continued to be the same man my parents raised. Even though some things happened along the way and I almost deviated from what was right, in the end everything ended well and now I would start to deal with a new phase in my life. My campaign was clean, without attacking the opponent and fair with everything I set out to do. Marcelo was convicted of the crimes he committed and was now serving his sentence in Brasília. From what I heard from some acquaintances, he was fighting to get out of prison early. I had a good relationship with practically all the party members, I even managed to maintain a civilized relationship with Pedro and I never stopped helping Estrela Guia. The few times I was there, when I met Viviane she treated me well, and I realized that the feeling I once had for her no longer existed. I lived very single, with no one in my life. Sara and I returned to our relationship after she returned to Brazil, I discovered much later why she had gone abroad and that she needed to spend another year abroad now to control the disease and thus not need to undergo aggressive treatment again. turn.

Through my office window I saw the movement of people and the press outside. My name became important on the political scene due to the clean way of doing politics. I was fully aware that many hated me, but nothing would make me change who I really was.

The door opened and my advisor came in telling me it was time to go down. I straightened my suit, checked my tie in the mirror there and took out my cell phone and the folder with the speech I would give for the first time as governor-elect.

We left the office together towards those people who trusted me and my work. I would never dirty my name, I would continue to carry out my mandate honestly, cleanly and without lies or deceit.

Jessica

Rio de Janeiro

Taking care of a smart four-year-old girl who didn't stop for a minute was quite tiring. Valentina was a girl who was very intelligent for her age, curious and loved playing doctor with her dolls. My daughter was the exact copy of that man. The eyes, the smile and everything reminded me of that person I hated. I lived in a house in a neighborhood far from the center with my friend Fernanda. She was the one who welcomed me when I decided to leave everything in São Paulo and start over somewhere else.

"Mommy, look what's on TV " distracted, I didn't see that my daughter had put it in the afternoon newspaper and when I saw the image that was on television, I put down the vegetable I was cutting in the sink to change the channel.

Hearing what that man said, the anger inside me was so great, when he said that he would fulfill his promise to create full elementary schools from the first grade onwards and that he committed to working in partnership with the city hall with the construction of daycare centers for communities and thus help single mothers.

It was funny to hear what that bastard said. He conquered everything, with that conversation of his, with his demeanor as a good man who in the end was nothing more than a masked character he played. Boba was the woman who let herself be deceived by the damn thing.

I change the channel, putting it on random and I hear Valentina fighting me about it.

"Mommy, I want to keep watching the boy on television.

My daughter tries to take the control from my hand, but I'm faster and put it on the shelf high up so she can't reach it.

"You're not old enough to watch these things and let's go to the room where your aunt Nanda will arrive shortly.

I point to the door to our room. Seeing Valentina pout when she was sulking trying to convince me to change my mind. I point to the bedroom, she makes a sad face, even so, she accepts what I say and goes to change her clothes to take a shower before dinner.

As soon as my daughter enters, I take the remote and put it back on the newspaper. The report on the inauguration of the new governor of São Paulo continued and seeing that man again only brought back memories that I wanted to forget. It was hard enough having my daughter remind me every day who her father was. I hated him so much, but I loved my daughter so much and for her I would do anything to keep her identity hidden from the world. Nanda managed to free me from many things, but one day I would end up being discovered. Running away from my past was the best thing to do.

I saw her face for the last time, before turning off the television and going to the bedroom to see what my daughter was doing. It was better to forget Leonardo, what he represented and everything I went through after he kicked me out of his life.

Two years later...

"Governor, the inauguration of the first full-time school in the favelas is confirmed for a month from now," I was participating in my fourth meeting of the day. Two in the morning, followed by lunch, and now I was wrapping up my last meeting with some secretaries, which would conclude with a dinner at the hotel where the meeting was taking place. It had been two years since my first term began, and I had managed to handle the emerging problems well. I had to navigate away from people who were trying to corrupt me at all costs, and from Marcelo. That bastard, even in prison, continued to make my life miserable, always claiming that I had risen to power because of him. Otherwise, I would have remained just a community director in Estrela Guia.

"Lorenzo, I believe Estrela Guia is more than ready for this moment. I spoke with Pedro at our last meeting, and he told me that the Secretary of Education has been fulfilling all the promises. It's of utmost importance for us to continue our campaign work. We all know here that the residents of that place were crucial votes that got me elected."

I never stopped saying that. Without those people, I might never have reached the position I held now.

"Leonardo, you're always so concerned about those people," João, Marcelo's vice who had taken his place at the time of his imprisonment, was now the Chief Secretary of the Civil House. He always hinted at the affection he had for the community. For political reasons, I was forced to accept him as part of my government, but it was something I swallowed silently, knowing that if he could, he would take my place as Governor. In two years, I had achieved victories, but there were also intrigues and problems I solved without making a fuss. To the media and the public, I needed to maintain my image as a fair, upright man who wouldn't accept bribes or act outside the law. Many were surprised by how I dealt with Pedro. We ended up finding common ground, even though Viviane, my ex-wife, always kept her distance from me when we were in the same environment.

I checked the time on my watch. Dinner would be served soon, and I wanted to rest for a few minutes before continuing the meeting.

"Gentlemen, we've concluded this phase for now. We have a half-hour break until dinner is served, and then we'll wrap up today's proceedings."

As soon as I finished speaking, all the men in the room began to leave, leaving me alone in that room. I picked up my phone to check for calls or messages. My mother wanted to know how I was doing. After I was elected and because I was single, she played the role of the first lady, accompanying me to some events alongside my father and working alongside the Vice Governor's wife.

I replied to her message, and as I did, the door opened, and I didn't need to turn my head to know who it was. The sweet perfume filling the room already gave away her arrival.

"I thought you'd be locked in with all those men until God knows what time," Larissa stood behind me, massaging my tense shoulders due to the fatigue of the day. She was my assistant and personal secretary, as well as a bed partner when I needed to relax. Sara had decided to live in the United States permanently and only visited Brazil occasionally. Larissa had been Marcelo's former secretary, competent, and I had accepted her as my own. She worked well, was five years younger than me, and was good company. My mother disliked her, thinking she was opportunistic like all the other women who got close to me.

"Tomorrow, I plan to visit that new hospital to see how the new management is doing," I said, holding her hand and bringing her onto my lap.

"Your mother called, wanting to know if you would have dinner here," Larissa informed me, and I told her I had already responded to my mother before she entered.

"I can't stay with you tonight," I said as she kissed me, moving in my lap.

Our relationship was based solely on sex and nothing more. I didn't love her, and I knew she didn't feel the same way about me either. But we got involved because we spent too much time together, and it helped me forget my past. Viviane and Jessica, the two women who had passed through my life. Each had gone her own way. While Viviane, my ex-wife, had married Pedro, the leader of Estrela Guia, and they lived happily, I didn't even know if Jessica was still alive. She had disappeared, leaving only memories that resurfaced in my mind when something reminded me of what I had experienced with her. Maria, the aunt and the only relative that girl had, I later found out, had returned to live in the same place, sick and alone. Apparently, the money she had earned at my expense hadn't been put to good use.

Jessica

"Mom, when is Aunt Nanda coming back from her trip?"

Valentina helped me with the dishes. My daughter was now six years old, smart, intelligent, and observant. I still lived in the same neighborhood as when I became pregnant. After years of living in Rio de Janeiro, I had grown accustomed to the Marvelous City. Nanda had left me in charge of the house, only asking me to cover the water and electricity bills. My friend was following the path I couldn't take due to my unexpected pregnancy. And now, two years later, I believed that Valentina was the miracle in my life, placed there by destiny to bring about real change. I was living a normal life, raising my daughter alone, far away from everything that reminded me of my dirty past. I still worked at the same beauty clinic, but now I was a college graduate, thanks to a scholarship I had obtained at a private university. Fernanda had encouraged me to pursue this profession, even though she told me I could earn much more by continuing my work in Rio de Janeiro. However, because of my daughter, moving to Europe as my friend had done was out of the question.

Fernanda worked in partnership with Juliana, the owner of a modeling agency that recruited girls for parties with politicians and now also represented women for international work. I was against this line of work, but Fernanda argued that the money she made deceiving young girls was something she could never achieve, even if she worked for 20 years. I didn't agree, despite all the things I had done when I was younger. After my daughter's birth, my mindset and outlook on life had changed.

"Your aunt stays only for the year-end parties, sweetheart. Then, she'll return to Europe, as I've explained to you."

With all the dishes put away, hand in hand with my daughter, we went to watch the children's soap opera before she fell asleep. I was getting ready for my graduation, which was scheduled for next month. The year was coming to an end, and I wished for nothing but good things. Valentina was about to enter the first grade. She could read and write like a 10-year-old. Her intelligence had surprised even the teachers when I enrolled her in the local daycare. Now, she attended school in the afternoon since my boss, understanding my situation as a single mother, had decided to let me work only part-time. On the days I needed to stay late, our neighbor's daughter picked up Valentina from school and took care of her at her home.

"Mom, did you know that at school, parents will be able to dance with their kids?" Hearing what my daughter said, I tried to hide the sadness in my voice that always surfaced when the topic of her father came up in our conversations. To Valentina, her father was dead. Whenever anyone asked, I would lie and say he was a criminal who died during a favela raid where Fernanda lived. When I registered her, I had to convince the clerk to list her father as unknown on the birth certificate. The truth about her paternity was a secret only Fernanda and I knew. My friend kept bringing up the same topic, saying that I shouldn't deny my daughter the luxury and wealth her father's family possessed. However, revealing the truth would reopen wounds that had long since healed in my heart. He was no longer just a wealthy doctor; he now held a position of power and lived a good life. At least, that's what the media portrayed. Always with his overbearing mother or alone at events shown on television. Many times, I found myself wondering if he still loved Viviane after all these years. From what I knew, Pedro and Viviane were living happily in Estrela Guia with their two children. Fernanda was the one who discovered everything for me, including the illness my aunt had, though I couldn't find it in my heart to feel sorry given what had happened between us.

"I'll be by your side on your graduation day, my love," I kissed the top of her head, trying not to cry.

"I wish my dad were alive to dance with me. My friend said she has a new dad, that her mom got married again. Only you never get married."

"Your mom doesn't want to get married, and I've already told you that this kind of conversation isn't for young ladies," I pointed to the television, showing the scene in the soap opera. We watched everything until it was time to put Valentina to bed. We went through our nightly ritual-after brushing her teeth, she put on her pajamas, and I lay down beside her until she fell asleep. Carefully, I left her room and went to the kitchen to make hot chocolate in an attempt to fall asleep later. I glanced at the kitchen clock; it was almost eleven at night. I grabbed my mug and returned to the living room, turning on the TV to some random channel. My phone lay on the couch. I noticed it vibrating with a call from São Paulo. I tried to avoid answering any calls as much as possible, but Fernanda had informed me that she was waiting for a response from a girl she had met in Santos. I answered with a somewhat rude "hello."

Upon hearing the male voice on the other end of the line, I didn't recognize him at first. It was only after he said my name that I identified the mysterious man.

"Jessica, don't hang up; I know it's you," the man spoke, and I swallowed hard. If he knew my number, he surely knew where I lived, and it was only a matter of time before he showed up at my door.

"How did you find my number?" I asked, as for so many years, I had managed to stay hidden without anyone knowing.

"A little birdie spilled the beans, and it wasn't hard to put two and two together to find you. Now, I need you to listen to me, even if you don't want to."

"I have nothing to say, nothing to listen to, and no one here in this city to worry about," I replied, preparing to end the call.

"I don't know how things between you and Maria have come to this point. What you need to know is that your aunt is dying. I know you're aware of her health condition, and yet, all these years, you've never reached out to her. What you need to understand now is that Maria doesn't have much time left, as the disease has spread to other parts of her body."

I heard about the situation that Aunt Maria was in, unable to believe that the woman who had once boasted so much was now dying of cancer because she hadn't sought treatment when she should have.

"Pedro, honestly, I can't do anything to help my aunt. She chose this path, and I'm living my life here in Rio de Janeiro. I have no plans to return."

I stated, trying to end the call before I regretted it. But then Pedro said something that would change my life completely.

"Maria already suspected this, but she needs to ask for your forgiveness for something she did to you in the past. Know that I'm doing this for my wife and Sofia. Both of them insisted that I find you and bring you back. Maybe then Maria can pass away peacefully after you forgive her."

Upon hearing the last sentence, my heart softened, and reluctantly, I agreed. Before ending the call, I warned that I couldn't travel immediately; I still needed to take care of a few things before returning. Valentina was the main concern-I didn't want anyone to know about my daughter, let alone have those people look at me with pity for returning years later with a child born out of wedlock.

"If you're referring to your daughter, there's no need to hide the child. I know you had a daughter with a drug dealer, or at least that's what you say. So, if the child is the issue, know that I'm aware of your entire life in Rio de Janeiro. I understand that she's still in school, so I'll wait for you to settle everything before calling me, and then you can return to São Paulo."

Pedro ended the call, asking me to save his contact in my phone and to call if I needed anything. I sat there in that room, lost and unsure of what to do. I had been found, and Pedro, and probably Viviane, knew about my daughter. How would I return to São Paulo, even if only for a few days, without my past coming back to haunt me once again?