A Love Worth Fighting For

CHAPTER 005

A Night That Changed Everything

"Dad, I'm so excited! I can’t believe she actually invited us. This party is going to be amazing. I'm absolutely thrilled at the thought of meeting that stunning man all our friends are talking about. Sofia grinned, her eyes shining with excitement.

Ricardo Moreira chuckled at his daughter’s enthusiasm.

"You should dress your best, sweetheart. Leonardo Vasconcelos is still single. Catarina told Sofia that her heart could be won if she made good choices.

I guarantee Mom that he won't be able to resist me. Let me tell you, I hold the position of number one model across the nation. Sofia Vasconcelos… or Mrs. Vasconcelos. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it?" She sighed dreamily.

Catarina and Ricardo exchanged knowing smiles.

Ricardo directed his attention to his other daughter Beatriz without revealing any emotion.

She paused mid-bite and looked at him.

"Do you have anything planned for tomorrow?"

Sofia rolled her eyes before responding. Dad you can't possibly be planning to bring this nobody with us. Absolutely not. I refuse to go anywhere with her."

"Sofia, Dona Estela invited all of us. You need to understand that. You don't need to worry because Beatriz will be completely overlooked at the event. Ricardo spoke in an easy manner as though his words weren't cutting into Beatriz's heart like sharp knives.

She dropped her fork after losing interest in her food.

Why do they hate me so much? What did I ever do to them?

Tomorrow I must prepare a large order. "Tomorrow I have a big order to prepare so I can't attend," Beatriz spoke softly.

"Good. That event attracts high-class guests rather than serving as a charity function. You don’t belong there," Catarina scoffed.

Without saying anything Beatriz got up and went off to her room closing the door after her. She rested her back against the door and released a trembling breath. When she saw the picture on her nightstand she could no longer hold back her tears.

She whispered to her mother's memory while tracing Ana Silva's smiling face in the photo.

Beatriz embraced the picture frame against her chest while curling up on her bed. "Will I ever find happiness? Will someone ever love someone like me?" She spoke the words so softly sleep took hold before she finished them.

A Dangerous Game Begins

The club reverberated with bass while neon lights danced in chaotic patterns. With his jaw clenched he downed his drink in one swift gulp.

"Are you serious? She actually slapped you?" Tomás Oliveira’s eyes expanded before he started laughing uncontrollably.

Leonardo’s glare darkened. "Shut up, you i***t. It’s not funny."

Tomás wiped a tear from his eye. "Not funny? This situation will make you a headline sensation if anyone finds out. If news broke about this incident the headline would read ‘The Ruthless CEO Gets Slapped by a Nobody’

Leonardo’s fingers tightened around his glass. Should you tell anyone about this situation you will face regret.

Tomás displayed a smirk before surrendering with raised hands. "Fine, fine. What actions are you going to take to address this situation?

A slow, menacing smirk formed on Leonardo’s lips. "She woke the beast. She has to tackle the fallout from her actions.

Tomás frowned. "Come on, man. You were about to hurt her kid. She’s a mother. No mother lets their child suffer."

The sharp words pierced Leonardo’s buzz like a blade as he stiffened. His grip on the glass loosened slightly.

Tomás tried to explain his intentions but Leonardo dismissed him with a wave and took another sip from his drink.

"So what about the wedding?" Tomás changed the subject.

"Dona Estela will calm down eventually. I’m not getting married. I don’t believe in marriage."

Tomás sighed. "One day, that’ll change."

Leonardo snorted. "Not in this lifetime."

The woman approached him while her fingers gently moved down his arm. "Hey, handsome, looking for some fun?"

Leonardo flashed his smirk in Tomás’s direction again while casting a look at him. "I’m leaving."

"Such a lost cause you are," Tomás said under his breath while Leonardo walked away with the woman.

A Sinister Plan

Expensive cologne and a sense of regret filled the hotel room. Leonardo positioned himself on the bed's edge while pulling his shirt back on. He pulled out some bills without looking and tossed them at the woman who remained caught in the sheets.

"Get lost."

She threw her head back with a look of indignant surprise while sitting up. "What the hell? We could have some more fun—"

"I don’t do repeats." The marble floor beneath his feet matched the chill in his voice. Leave now or I'll have to kick you out.

As she moved through the door her curses reached Leonardo but he barely registered them. He snatched up his laptop to check the email sent by Rafael Mendes.

Subject: Elena Marshall – Background Check

Name: Beatriz Moreira is a 23-year-old single woman who holds an MBA in Management and owns her own bakery business.

Leonardo leaned back, rubbing his jaw. "Interesting."

Rafael inserted a note at the bottom of his email.

Ricardo Moreira formerly maintained a client relationship with Vasconcelos Group. Ricardo Moreira committed fraud against the company and committed an act of betrayal. You completely severed your relationship with him two years ago.

Leonardo smirked. "Like father, like daughter."

A cruel glint shone in his eyes. "Time to start the game."

As Tomás’s words played on his mind the city’s laughter and music outside disappeared.

"She’s a mother, Leonardo. No mother lets their child suffer."

He shook his head. Lies. All of it.

His gaze hardened.

This wasn’t about emotions. This was about payback.

A Twist of Fate

Beatriz cleaned the flour off her hands and reviewed the order list.

Will you be personally delivering this order yourself, Ma’am? one of her workers asked.

"I’m not sure. The customer asked me to deliver this order personally.

"You should go, ma’am. Might be good for business."

She hesitated, then nodded. "Alright."

Two hours later, the cake was ready. She moved toward her belongings when her phone started ringing.

An unknown number.

She frowned but answered. "Hello?"

"Good afternoon, dear. It’s me, Dona Estela Vasconcelos. Just checking in on my order."

"It’s ready, ma’am. I’ll deliver it before evening."

"That’s wonderful, dear. I would love it if you stayed at the party.

Beatriz hesitated. "Ma’am, I don’t know anyone there. It would feel… strange."

"Nonsense. Just come for a little while. If you feel uncomfortable, you can leave."

A pause. Then, "Alright, ma’am. I’ll be there."

"Wonderful! See you soon, dear."

The call ended, and Beatriz exhaled.

"It’s just a few hours. Then I’ll come home."

She had no idea that evening would alter her existence forever. She would lose her dreams and joy while becoming trapped in a world she never chose to enter.

A Night That Changed Everything

"Dad, I'm so excited! I can’t believe she actually invited us. This party is going to be amazing. I can’t contain my excitement about meeting that stunning man whom everyone talks about! Sofia grinned, her eyes shining with excitement.

Ricardo Moreira chuckled at his daughter’s enthusiasm.

"You should dress your best, sweetheart. Leonardo Vasconcelos is still single. Catarina told Sofia while smoothing her hair that if she strategizes well she could capture his heart.

Don't worry Mom I'll definitely catch his attention. I hold the position of the nation's leading model. Sofia Vasconcelos… or Mrs. Vasconcelos. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it?" She sighed dreamily.

Catarina and Ricardo exchanged knowing smiles.

Ricardo shifted his attention to his other daughter Beatriz while keeping his expression neutral.

She paused mid-bite and looked at him.

"Do you have anything planned for tomorrow?"

Sofia rolled her eyes before she could answer. Dad you're not planning to bring this nobody with us are you? Absolutely not. I refuse to go anywhere with her."

"Sofia, Dona Estela invited all of us. You need to understand that. Beatriz need not worry because no one will notice she's attending. Ricardo spoke casually but Beatriz felt as if his words were cutting into her heart like sharp knives.

She dropped her fork because she no longer felt hungry.

Why do they hate me so much? What did I ever do to them?

A large delivery needs to be ready for tomorrow. "I will be unable to attend," she whispered quietly.

"Good. The party is for high-class individuals while a charity event includes people like you. You don’t belong there," Catarina scoffed.

Beatriz got up and silently left for her room before closing the door after her. She pressed herself to the door and released a trembling breath. As soon as she glimpsed the framed picture on her nightstand her tears started to flow.

"Mom I wish you were here," she whispered while tracing Ana Silva's smiling face.

She held the picture frame against her chest as she curled up on her bed. "Will I ever find happiness? Will someone ever love someone like me?" Before sleep took over she could not hear her own words.

A Dangerous Game Begins

Neon lights danced an erratic pattern as the bass reverberated throughout the club. In a single swift movement Leonardo Vasconcelos finished his drink while his jaw remained tight.

"Are you serious? She actually slapped you?" Tomás Oliveira opened his eyes wide and then started laughing uncontrollably.

Leonardo’s glare darkened. "Shut up, you i***t. It’s not funny."

Tomás wiped a tear from his eye. "Not funny? Tomás Oliveira jokingly warned Leo about becoming a viral sensation if word of this incident spread. Imagine the media frenzy if they knew about 'The Ruthless CEO Gets Slapped by a Nobody' becoming the main headline!

Leonardo’s fingers tightened around his glass. Should you tell anyone about this you will face severe consequences.

Tomás displayed a smirk but responded to the situation by surrendering with raised hands. "Fine, fine. What are your plans to address this situation?

Leonardo’s mouth twisted into a menacing, unhurried smile. "She woke the beast. She must now face the repercussions.

Tomás frowned. "Come on, man. You were about to hurt her kid. She’s a mother. No mother lets their child suffer."

The words from Tomás cut through Leonardo's buzz like a knife and caused him to stiffen. His grip on the glass loosened slightly.

Tomás tried to speak before Leonardo silenced him with a gesture and finished his drink.

"So what about the wedding?" Tomás changed the subject.

"Dona Estela will calm down eventually. I’m not getting married. I don’t believe in marriage."

Tomás sighed. "One day, that’ll change."

Leonardo snorted. "Not in this lifetime."

A woman approached him with a seductive touch as she trailed her fingers down his arm. "Hey, handsome, looking for some fun?"

Leonardo glanced at Tomás and flashed his familiar smirk. "I’m leaving."

Tomás called Leonardo hopeless while watching him leave with the woman.

A Sinister Plan

The scent of costly perfume mingled with regret filled the hotel room. Leonardo positioned himself on the bed's edge as he put his shirt back on. He tossed some bills at the woman still tangled in the sheets without looking at her.

"Get lost."

She sat up abruptly with a glare of indignation while gasping for air. "What the hell? We could have some more fun—"

"I don’t do repeats." The chill of his voice matched the icy marble floor where he stood. Leave now or I’ll have to throw you out.

As she left the building she continued to curse but Leonardo detected only faint sounds. Leonardo took his laptop and accessed Rafael Mendes' email message.

Subject: Elena Marshall – Background Check

Name: Beatriz Moreira is a 23-year-old single woman who holds an MBA in Management and owns a small bakery while her parents are Ricardo and Catarina Moreira and she has a sister named Sofia Moreira.

Leonardo leaned back, rubbing his jaw. "Interesting."

Rafael included a note at the email's bottom.

Ricardo Moreira served as Vasconcelos Group's client until his fraudulent actions led to severed ties. Ricardo Moreira tried to defraud the company and then betrayed them. You ended your relationship with him two years ago.

Leonardo smirked. "Like father, like daughter."

A cruel glint shone in his eyes. "Time to start the game."

The city's sounds of laughter and music disappeared as Tomás’s words reverberated inside his head.

"She’s a mother, Leonardo. No mother lets their child suffer."

He shook his head. Lies. All of it.

His gaze hardened.

This wasn’t about emotions. This was about payback.

A Twist of Fate

Beatriz removed flour from her hands before reviewing the order list.

Ma’am, are you planning to deliver this order yourself? one of her workers asked.

"I’m not sure. The customer asked me to personally deliver the item.

"You should go, ma’am. Might be good for business."

She hesitated, then nodded. "Alright."

Two hours later, the cake was ready.