The week drifted by calmly and pleasantly, thanks to Elijah. It felt strange to think of this as a job. To me, Elijah had become a ray of hope and a source of joy. Each day with him helped me reconnect with the old Valerie from São Paulo. The confident, fearless girl who had faced life head-on. This week, I reached out to my old friends from São Paulo, Hugo and Brenda, something I hadn't done in a long time.
The relationship with Edison had been a difficult time. When we started dating, he demanded that I cut off all contact with my past, including Hugo, who had once been my boyfriend. Edison's reaction was extreme, ending not only my friendship with Hugo but also my connections with other cherished friends. I should have recognized how toxic he was, but Edison knew how to charm me and hi
