A year had passed since Ella last saw the streets outside the convent. It was nice to breathe fresh air and see the city, but the thought of going back home scared her. Everything scared her: the approaching wedding, the wedding night, and especially her brother. Ella was terribly afraid of Xavier, but of Otávio, besides fear, there was disgust. She trembled at the thought of the words he had spoken during his last visit; his desire was still there. She was jolted from her thoughts by Xavier's voice:
"We've arrived."
Ella wanted to run out of the car, to flee until she was away from everything and everyone, but she couldn't. Xavier noticed her fear:
"Ella, you're afraid to go inside the house, and I want to know why."
But she couldn't tell. How could she explain the fear she felt of Ot
