Episode 1

My name is Leonardo Villar. At twenty-five, I finished my degree in Administration and, soon after, took a position at Villar & Co., one of the most respected companies in the sector, led by my uncle Sergio Villar—my father's brother and a reference in the business world.

Two years ago, I realized one of the greatest dreams of my life: I married Samantha. She has always been the woman who made my heart beat faster, stronger... more alive. Our first year of marriage was like a beautiful and serene film, one of those you don't want to end. We laughed at any silliness, understood each other with a look, and love seemed to grow every day.

But, like an unexpected twist, everything began to fall apart when Samantha accepted a job alongside Silvia, an old friend, at a prestigious law firm. Since then, the woman I loved—and who always looked at me with sweetness—has become a stranger in our house. Cold. Distant. Silent.

Our conversations, once filled with plans and tenderness, have turned into long silences or empty discussions. Sometimes, I look at her and feel like I'm trying to reach someone who has already left, even though she's by my side.

I have been making every effort to save what's left of our marriage. I love Samantha more than I can express. Just imagining losing her, an abyss opens inside me. And yet, no matter how much I fight, it seems the distance between us grows every day.

My name is Samantha. I am twenty-four years old and work in a law firm.

If I could go back in time, perhaps I wouldn't have made the biggest mistake of my life: marrying Leonardo Villar.

Don't get me wrong—Leonardo is not a bad man. On the contrary. He is hardworking, honest, generous. Maybe even too good… But our marriage was never a choice of the heart. It was a decision made under the shadow of other people's expectations. My parents always considered him the perfect son-in-law, and, wanting to please them, I ended up saying "yes" to a man who always loved me madly… and whom I never managed to love in the same way.

Things really started to change when I started working at the firm. Rodrigo, the owner, came into my life like a gentle breeze—and, little by little, turned into a storm. Attentive. Sensitive. Intense. With him, I discovered feelings I never imagined feeling. Emotions I never experienced alongside Leonardo. And yes… we fell in love.

Rodrigo wants me to get divorced. For us to assume everything, without hiding. But I haven't had the courage yet. Not because of Leonardo—but because of my parents. I know this breakup will shake our family relationship in an almost irreversible way.

Even so, I'm reaching my limit. Living with Leonardo has become a martyrdom. The conversations have turned into friction. The hugs have disappeared. The home we once tried to build has become just a cold space, with silent walls and lost looks.

And now, between the fear of disappointing others and the desire to be happy… I am divided. All I know is that I can't stand this double life anymore. Nor Rodrigo's absence. Nor Leonardo's presence.

The clock read 6:47 PM when Samantha closed the last case of the day. The room was silent, the other employees had already left. Only the sound of the air conditioning filled the environment—and the almost imperceptible noise of footsteps she already recognized from afar.

Rodrigo entered, without knocking, as he always did. The impeccable suit, the tie slightly loosened, and that look that, from the beginning, managed to break through the defenses she tried to erect.

"Can we talk?" he asked, his voice low but firm.

Samantha sighed and gestured for him to sit down. Rodrigo pulled the chair in front of her and rested his elbows on the table, staring at her intensely.

"Have you decided?" he went straight to the point.

"Rodrigo..." she looked away, nervously shuffling the papers in front of her "You know it's not that simple."

"Isn't it?" he retorted, leaning in a little closer. "You yourself told me that you don't love Leonardo. That you are only together out of obligation. That you barely speak. Why prolong this suffering, Sam?"

She closed her eyes for a second, feeling the weight of guilt tighten her chest.

"I don't want to hurt him... And there's my parents. They had so many expectations for this marriage. They always saw Leonardo as the ideal man. If I separate, everything will fall apart."

Rodrigo laughed, but without humor.

"And when are you going to start thinking about yourself? Are you going to live your whole life trying to please others? Hiding what you feel?"

"It's not just about pleasing," she retorted, her voice trembling. "It's about taking responsibility for the choices I made. I said 'yes' at the altar. I can't just throw everything away as if it meant nothing."

Rodrigo stood up, walking slowly around the table, until he stopped beside her.

"And what does it mean to stay married to someone you don't love?" he asked, more calmly. "It's not fair to you. And, if you want to know, it's not fair to him either."

Samantha swallowed hard. She felt as if she were trapped on a tightrope, trying to balance reason and emotion, past and future.

"I need time," she whispered, finally. "Just a little more. I need to find a way to do this in the least painful way possible."

Rodrigo nodded, although his eyes showed impatience.

"Alright... I'll wait. But not for long, Sam. Life doesn't stop for those who are afraid to live. And I... I want to live by your side."

He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently. Then, he left the room, leaving Samantha alone—surrounded by papers, doubts, and a divided heart.

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