On that sunny Friday morning, Riana left home a bit later than usual, even though she was aware of the appointments scheduled for the day. As she approached her office at the company, her temporary assistant, Felipe, hurried to meet her, holding an agenda and greeting her politely:
"Good morning, Miss Raddoc."
Riana returned the greeting with a smile, acknowledging Felipe’s presence beside her, and replied while continuing to walk toward her office:
"Good morning, Felipe. Come with me to my office; we can talk inside."
The two of them made their way to Riana’s office, and upon entering, Felipe gently closed the door before turning to her with a serious expression:
"The people from the Times are already here. Your interview is scheduled for 10 a.m."
Then, taking a piece of paper from the agenda he was holding, he handed it to Riana, explaining:
"Here is an outline of your schedule for today. Also, Mrs. Marília has already started interviewing the candidates, but due to the large number, she requests that you meet here after lunch to discuss the details."
Felipe’s attention to detail was evident, demonstrating his dedication to keeping Riana informed and prepared for the day’s commitments.
Riana quickly glanced at the paper Felipe had given her, noticing a discrepancy regarding the nature of the interview. She asked:
"Is the interview live?"
Felipe, showing a concerned expression at the possible mistake, shook his head before responding:
"No, Miss. I apologize for the confusion. It will be a few questions about the new product being launched. However, it’s common for them to ask a few additional questions beyond the planned ones. But don’t worry, Miss Scarlet will be waiting for you in the meeting room. Also, Mr. Julião was here. He’ll be taking part in the interview instead of his brother."
Riana sighed, recalling the substitution of Paulo by Julião for the interview. She commented:
"Oh, right. I had forgotten about that. Thank you for reminding me. What else do we have planned for today?"
Felipe, consulting the agenda in his hands, raised his gaze and replied:
"Mr. Estevan from the IT team came by and asked to schedule a time. He said he has some updates. That’s all."
Riana thanked him for the information and instructed:
"Great, when Julião arrives, please let him in."
After Felipe left and closed the door, Riana checked the time on her wristwatch and then headed to her desk. She turned on her computer and began searching through some files necessary for the day’s tasks. Meanwhile, she sent a message to Estevan, letting him know she would come by soon. A little later, there was a knock at the door, and Julião entered, carrying a bouquet of yellow roses.
With a cordial smile, he approached Riana and greeted her with his usual elegance. Handing her the bouquet, he spoke gently:
"Please accept my apology on behalf of my brother. I feel ashamed."
Riana observed Julião for a moment before responding, her demeanor reflecting a blend of courtesy and reserve:
"You haven’t done anything wrong, Julião. No need to worry."
Upon hearing this, Julião expressed his gratitude:
"I’m very grateful to you for trusting Estevan to join the IT team. He’s a smart young man, and I can’t thank you enough."
Riana, staying focused on the day’s agenda, shifted the conversation:
"Yes, Estevan is truly excellent and should have been included in the team a long time ago. But let’s get to business; Scarlet is waiting for us, and the interview will start soon. Let’s go."
Julião agreed with a broad smile, following Riana as she headed to the meeting room. At that moment, he couldn’t help but notice Riana’s elegance, her long, fitted skirt perfectly accentuating her figure, catching his attention.
Upon entering the meeting room, they found Scarlet already prepared for the interview. She greeted them politely and handed a sheet of paper to each of them, keeping one for herself. After the initial greetings, Scarlet explained the interview format:
"The entire interview will be recorded, and if Miss Raddoc has any objections, she may request edits to the recording. Jennifer will start with a few questions about the new product, and you, Miss Riana, will briefly talk about your brother. After that, we’ll have a few questions taken from social media, followed by some photos for the magazine cover. Is everything clear?"
Riana nodded with a graceful smile, agreeing to the journalist's suggestion. Everyone moved to another room, where the production team was ready to begin preparations. As they entered, they were greeted with curious glances from the team, who quickly returned to their tasks as the lead journalist approached to greet them.
With a warm smile, the journalist took Riana’s hand and expressed her admiration for the businesswoman’s beauty.
“You’re even more beautiful in person. Shall we start?” she asked, eager to begin the interview.
Riana returned the smile and nodded in agreement, signaling her readiness to start. However, the journalist made one more suggestion:
“Do you mind if we apply a bit of makeup? It’s just to adjust for the lighting. You have a natural beauty, so we’ll only enhance a few features, like a little lipstick and a touch of color on your cheeks.”
Riana nodded again, confident that the light makeup wouldn’t change her appearance but would rather enhance her image for the interview.
Scarlet waited for confirmation from both Riana and Julião before proceeding, making sure they were aligned with the interview’s procedures.
After the final makeup touches, Riana settled down in front of the journalist, with Julião beside her. The interview began with basic questions about the new product and its significance in the market. Then, the journalist asked Riana to share more about her brother and what inspired him to create products like this one. A soft smile appeared on Riana’s lips as Julião gently held her hand, offering silent support. Though it wasn’t her preference, Julião’s gesture of affection was comforting.
When that part of the interview concluded, Jennifer expressed her satisfaction and suggested the next stage: photos. She called the young photographer’s attention and outlined the locations and poses she wanted.
“Beto, I want a picture of the two of them in that corner, then another one there, and there,” she said, pointing to different spots and suggesting lighting adjustments.
Then she turned to Riana with an additional request:
“Do you mind taking a photo with Mr. Julião, arms around each other?”
There was a moment of hesitation, but Julião quickly spoke up, assuring the journalist:
“It’s all professional, I’m sure Riana doesn’t mind, right?”
He gave Riana a confident look, and although initially reluctant, she eventually relented.
“Fine by me.”
This small exchange reflected a professional dynamic, but also revealed a subtle camaraderie between Riana and Julião during the interview.
After a photo session with Julião and others on her own, the interview finally came to an end, and Riana was able to return to her office. She was exhausted; the interview’s questions had stirred up memories she preferred not to revisit, and her thoughts quickly drifted to the past.
She found herself transported to a Christmas Eve when the air was filled with a comforting chill. Junior, her brother, was a joyful and playful young man. He approached Riana, who was busy sketching some drawings to hang on the Christmas tree, and suggested with excitement:
“Let’s sneak some cookies from the kitchen?”
Riana smiled at him, responding with equal enthusiasm:
“Let’s go.”
The two siblings got up and ran to the kitchen. Despite being 15 years old, Junior seemed to share the same playful spirit as Riana, who was eight years younger. Upon reaching the kitchen, they hid behind a cupboard. Soon, the cook passed by with a tray full of Christmas cookies, placing it on the counter. Without hesitation, Junior grabbed a few cookies and, holding Riana’s hand, the two ran off to their secret hiding spot. However, in the middle of their play, Riana stumbled and fell. Immediately, Junior rushed to her, cradling her in his arms with a protective gesture, gently kissing her forehead as he asked with brotherly concern:
“Did you hurt yourself?”