Chapter 63

• Damiano and Victoria's lips finally touched, reminding them of the addictive sensation that overcame them the first time they felt each other. This time, Victoria was under Damiano's body, wrapping her legs around him, trying to bring him even closer, as if they weren't already as close as possible during the contact. Feeling him in that way was even more tempting, and the heat that consumed her made it seem like her skin was on fire. He couldn't utter a single word, completely overwhelmed by the intoxicating sensations of finally touching her again. However, as incredibly easy as it would be to continue and fulfill what they both deeply desired, Victoria remembered the real reason she had called him there. Even though she missed him, she couldn't ignore that what had happened to Catarina was much more urgent than any desire they felt for each other. "Wait," Victoria stopped the interrupted kisses that had begun from the first moment they touched. Damiano got off her body, concerned. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go too far," he said, afraid he had crossed some boundary. Victoria smiled, seeing how concerned he was about something so personal, feeling the respect he had for her. "It's not that," she touched his face gently. "It's that I asked you to come for another reason." "I thought you missed me, that hurts," he joked. "Stop being an idiot," Victoria tried to suppress her laughter. "It's something serious, actually," he watched her joyful expression quickly fade, sensing that something was wrong. And it was. "What happened? You're making me worried," he said. "It's about Catarina. She's not well," Victoria tried to think of the best way to tell him what had happened, but upon reflection, there were no words good enough to soften such great violence. "What happened? I noticed she was different when I saw her earlier," he seemed thoughtful, trying to remember something that might have gone unnoticed. "I don't know how to say it. I think it's better if you talk to her, she'll explain. But I need you to promise you'll help her. Okay?" she asked, holding his hands tighter than she imagined. "What happened, Victoria?" he asked, nervous. "Tell me." "Damiano, she's not well. She's been crying every day, I can hear it from here, and also, she has bruises on her arms, like someone held her down with great force…" Victoria paused her sentence, hoping he would understand without her having to be explicit. "I think someone hurt her very badly, do you understand what I'm saying?" she said, watching Damiano's face turn almost pale as if he were breaking into a thousand different pieces. He got up, pacing the room, completely disoriented as he tried to process the information. Catarina and he had never been very close after their mother's death, but regardless, she was his sister, and he loved her. Just thinking that someone might have hurt her made his blood boil like fresh lava from a volcano that had erupted. "Who was it, did she say?" He started fiddling with the gun he carried at his waist, nervous. Victoria felt scared and began to recall the older man's impulsive nature. Worried, she got up and walked towards him. She reached for his face with her hands and tried to calm him down while looking deeply into his brown eyes. "Don't do anything you'll regret. Talk to her first, calmly. Understood?" she ordered, and he remained with his eyes fixed on the younger woman, without any reaction. "She didn't tell me exactly who it was, but she made it clear it was something necessary for your father to secure a partnership he wanted very much," she said with a sad tone. "He needs to know about this, I'll call him now. This man cannot go unpunished, Victoria," he hurried toward the phone that was in the jacket near the door. "No!" Victoria shouted nervously. "You can't say you know it was this man, Damiano." "Why not? He needs to know, he'll deal with the bastard," he said with such certainty that Victoria felt sad thinking that she would further destroy Dominique's image as his eldest son. "He already knows," the redhead said, cutting him off quickly. "He knows everything and doesn't care," she reaffirmed, trying to make him see the real situation. "That's not possible," he smiled in disbelief, starting to look distressed again. "She must not have had the courage to tell him yet, I imagine it must be difficult." "Damiano," Victoria called him with frustration evident in her voice. "He already knows, Damiano. She told him, and he brushed it off." "That's very hard to believe, I'm sorry," he replied, sitting in the armchair next to the bed. "Why is it so hard to believe that someone like your father would defend something like this?" Victoria asked, irritated. "Because he's my father, Victoria!" he shouted, irritated. "He's my damn father, how can I imagine he would do this to his daughter? It's inhuman, I can't think he's that rotten." Damiano lowered his head, resting it in his hands. It seemed like he was crying, but Victoria couldn't see his face; he didn't allow it. She tried to respect him, letting him take as much time as he needed to process all the information. His anger and denial were understandable, as accepting that his father was such a cruel person couldn't be easy. However, he needed to understand that Catarina was the victim here, and she needed to be considered in light of all the information she had shared with Victoria.