Kiss the Scars - Don't Put Me in Hell Again

Unexpected Turns

It had been a month since Helena had been living a peaceful and calm life. She was still at her father-in-law's house, Otávio's father. She had gained weight and no longer had any marks from the past abuse on her body. She even had her own bank card, and could buy clothes, go to the beauty salon, or purchase anything she wanted to eat. However, Helena had not yet ventured to pass through that door; after Otávio's death, inside the house was the safest place for her. Only now did she notice the watchful eyes of the security guards; none dared to get too close. Despite being a widow now, she still commanded the respect that came with the Garcia name.

She would lose her mind if any man got too close to her. Strangely, Ricardo, who was previously responsible for Ella's security, now had to follow Helena wherever she went. She didn't understand this level of attention; she hadn't even had a personal security guard before becoming a widow. Ricardo was attentive and knew that his sister-in-law trusted him implicitly, but even so, she was unable to let her guard down. No man would have her trust; she would rather die than submit to that again. She didn't understand how she had endured those three years of being mistreated by Otávio. She refused to continue with the dark thoughts she was having and decided to organize her wardrobe. Since she got married, she hadn't allowed any domestic staff to enter her room to organize the space; she did it herself, thus avoiding anyone else seeing the frequent bloodstains on the sheets.

When she opened the wardrobe, she realized she definitely needed to buy clothes, but she knew she wouldn't have the courage to go with just the security guard, so she decided to call the only friend she had left who would understand her fear.

"Ella, it's Helena. How are you?"

"Darling, how are you?"

"Ella, I know he was your brother, but I'm relieved; I'll never have to endure that again."

On the other end, Ella was imagining a way to tell her brother's widow that she would soon need to join another man who wasn't as handsome but was intimidating. Poor Helena might have escaped one nightmare only to enter another, if not the same, possibly even worse.

"But Ella, I need a favor. Could you come shopping with me? I need new clothes; the ones I have almost don't fit and are worn out."

"I can, but I'll have to bring Estéfano with me."

Helena instinctively recoiled; she didn't want that man's presence, but she had no other choice. At least Ella would be with her.

When Ricardo knocked on the door to inform her that Ella was waiting, Helena was already prepared. She had put on a long yellow dress that Ella had left in her old room; the young widow looked beautiful, and her large blue eyes seemed even bigger than before. Estéfano, who accompanied the wife of the boss, immediately decided that he couldn't leave her in that house for another minute; she was a temptation for any man. And this was confirmed as they walked through the streets and shops, with men eyeing her inappropriately. It took all his self-control to stop himself, the right-hand man of the American mafia boss, from skinning them alive. The time he had allowed Helena to recover had expired; he needed to protect her from other males' attention before some suitor approached her, and he had to kill another one. While Helena was in the dressing room trying on a dress, Estéfano called Ella aside and said:

"You have until tomorrow to tell Helena that she is mine, not a day more."

"Helena is so happy, can't we wait at least another week?"

"Not a day more, Ella, or I'll tell her myself. And give Helena a warning, if she thinks about getting out of this marriage in any way, her successor will be your sister. She, more than anyone, knows that a girl would turn into a ghost if she had to endure a man like me."

She would tell her soon, then.

The conversation was interrupted by Helena coming out of the dressing room. Her gaze fell on Estéfano, and immediately her face turned pale. The current deputy of the American mafia realized what he was capable of doing to the woman who had become his wife without even knowing it. When she became a widow, Helena had signed several documents regarding the possessions owned by her deceased husband. Not understanding anything about the business, she ended up signing where the family lawyer indicated, and among all those documents, one recorded their proxy marriage.

 Helena and Estéfano were married, and like every union born in the mafia, only death would end their union. Not even the fear he knew his wife felt for him would be able to keep him away from her; he had never desired anyone as much as he desired her. When he saved the honor and life of the boss's wife, he hadn't sought a reward, but when he learned he would win Helena as a prize, he felt satisfied with the bullet that had struck his chest. He would endure ten bullets in the same spot just to have her for one night. Now he would fight against everything and everyone to keep her in his life; Helena was undeniably his.