Lost in her thoughts, Riana hardly noticed the time passing. When her phone rang inside her bag, she was jolted out of her reverie. Answering, she heard Aila's worried voice on the other end. 
— Hi, Aila. Is something wrong? 
The housekeeper sounded anxious as she whispered: 
— Where are you? Paulo has been here waiting for you for half an hour. You scheduled something with him and didn’t tell me. 
Riana furrowed her brow, realizing she had completely forgotten about the appointment. A mix of guilt and apologies flooded her mind as she replied: 
— I’m sorry, Aila. I’m on my way. I’ll be there in a few minutes. 
Recognizing her oversight, but before Aila could respond, she continued: 
— I completely forgot, but tell him there was a little hiccup, and I’m on my way. 
The housekeeper seemed relieved to hear Riana's explanation. 
— That’s alright, I’ll let him know. But try to be quick; he seems impatient. 
Riana nodded, even though Aila couldn’t see her. 
— I’ll be there soon. Thanks for the reminder. 
After hanging up, Riana took a deep breath, feeling slightly guilty for the oversight but determined to rectify the situation as quickly as possible. 
Riana, a woman of distinct appearance, crossed the spacious entrance hall of her home. Paulo, a man with a strong demeanor, stood there looking somewhat impatient. However, as soon as their eyes met, his face lit up with a seductive smile, the expression he always wore when he saw her. 
— My God, my beautiful! What happened? 
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Riana smiled back and apologized. She then invited him to dinner, saying: 
— Stay for dinner; we need to talk. I just need to take a shower, I promise I won’t take long. 
Paulo, concerned, looked her over closely and noticed something odd. 
— Is that blood? Are you hurt? What happened? 
Riana quickly glanced at her arm and brushed away the spot stained with Willian’s blood. She reassured him: 
— It’s nothing; there was a little traffic accident with a guy, but I’m fine. 
At that moment, the housekeeper approached them and asked politely: 
— Excuse me, may I serve dinner, Miss? 
Riana turned her attention back to Aila, who was watching her intently. She replied: 
— I’ll take a shower; give me five minutes, but serve a drink for Paulo while he waits. 
After speaking, Riana left the room. She walked with long, determined strides to her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Leaning against the door as if seeking some support, she took a deep breath, relieved to have a moment of privacy. 
She then made her way to the bathroom, starting to undress slowly. As she did, her thoughts immediately drifted back to Willian. A series of questions began to swirl in her mind: "Is he hurt?" "What do those men want with him?" "Is he running from the police?" These were questions she couldn’t answer at that moment. 
Riana then submerged her body in the hot water of the bathtub, trying to push those thoughts from her mind. She knew she had an important conversation ahead with Paulo. She also understood that she needed to choose her words carefully for this conversation, ensuring he couldn’t persuade her to change her mind about whatever it was he wanted to discuss. It was a delicate moment, and she needed to be prepared for it. 
When Riana descended the stairs, her elegance was striking. Her brown hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders, complementing her honey-colored eyes. However, it was her face that impressed the most: an angelic expression radiating sweetness. Upon presenting herself to Paulo, he couldn’t help but notice her unique beauty, and a gentle smile emerged on his lips as he complimented her: 
— Beautiful as always! 
Riana, however, began to sense that these compliments might just be part of Paulo's courtship game. Despite this, she returned his smile and invited him to dinner, acknowledging his wait. The two proceeded to the dining room and were promptly served. 
As they savored the meal, Paulo decided to address the topic of the missed dinner from the previous night: 
— What happened yesterday? I called you several times; did you forget about our dinner? 
Riana looked at him sincerely and replied gently: 
— I’m sorry. The truth is, I still don’t feel ready to commit. I like you, Paulo, but I feel like I need more time to make this decision. 
Paulo was observing Riana’s reaction closely as he spoke, trying to decipher her facial expressions and grasp her emotions. His voice sounded calm and measured as he expressed his feelings: 
— You’re right, my beautiful. We are the most distant couple there is. I think we could be doing this out of professional interest, but I confess I like you and want to get to know you better. I want to spend more time with you and let things happen naturally. What do you think? 
Riana, in turn, seemed to contemplate Paulo’s proposal. She hadn’t expected him to take this initiative, but she decided to play along with him, showing herself receptive to the idea. A seductive smile spread across her lips as she replied: 
— I agree with you. 
After dinner, they moved to the living room. Paulo took a small red box from his suit pocket and presented it to Riana with a gentle smile. He opened the box in front of her and proposed: 
— I brought this for you. Can I put it on? 
Riana returned Paulo’s smile and turned her back to him, offering space for him to place the gift. With a smooth gesture, she held her hair while waiting for him to put the gift on. Paulo wasted no time and began to act, seizing the opportunity to make his move. Gently, he took the necklace from the box and carefully placed it around Riana's neck, allowing his hands to lightly brush her skin, causing her to shiver slightly.