Tired of everything

Murilo

I chose not to continue with that discussion, and when I had no patience whatsoever, I dismissed Arlete and tried to get most of the work done by lunchtime.

Maybe if I could finish everything earlier, I could also advance this meeting and at my normal time, I would go home and try once again to talk to Virginia. As much as I believed I was right in my desire to introduce her to my family, I could not let Virginia feel thwarted.

Despite my efforts and not even going to lunch, I was not able to get ahead of schedule for my meeting with marketing, as other issues kept coming up and occupying my attention. So, when there was only half an hour left, I contacted Arlete and asked her to tell the sector in charge that I was already waiting for them in my office.

There was a huge meeting room that could easily accommodate fifty people, but since our meeting would only be between the marketing director, the manager of that sector, and myself, there was no need for such sumptuousness for a meeting that I wanted to be as quick as possible, and I summoned them to my office.

I had prepared hard for another meeting with Bruna, but this time it would be even worse because there would be only one more person between us, unlike the board meeting, where there were too many people for me to avoid having further contact with her. When my secretary knocked on the door, I imagined it was to announce the arrival of Bruna and Igor Mello, who was directly responsible for the team, and I let out a long sigh of resignation, believing that the moment of having to face my ex"fiancée had arrived.

But the person Arlete announced left me really surprised and completely without any reaction.

" Are you sure, Arlete? " I had to ask, just to be sure.

Arlete had entered my office and closed the door while looking at me questioningly.

" I'm sure that's the right name, Murilo. Just today I received your orders to provide a driver for this very person " she said, looking very curious "I even contacted the reception desk, so I asked how they let her up if I had not given her name as one of the people booked for today. The receptionist informed me that her name is on the VIP list, so I understand that she is someone important to you.”

Upon hearing Arlete's last words, I understood her questioning look and smiled, as I realized that she was curious about who the girl in the waiting room of my office was.

" Then go right ahead and ask her to come in! " I said to the secretary "My future wife cannot be kept waiting to enter my own office.”

Arlete showed all her surprise at the new information and hurried out of my office to do what I asked her to do, while I had a smile glued to my face.

Virginia is in my office! This was something surprising and encouraging.

I remembered when I had left her name on our VIP list, which contained all the names of people who were allowed to come up to the boardroom floor at any time, the day after I met Virginia in the food court of the mall and I learned about her pregnancy. I always expected that at some point she would come to me so that we could understand each other.

This did not happen as I imagined because it was only after I found her in her store, through Lavinia, that we could have a serious talk. What was important was that now she was there, in my company, and probably had come to talk more calmly.

Since it was almost the end of business hours, I imagined that she had decided to come here when she was already on her way to my apartment and expecting us to go together, which was quite encouraging.

Virgínia

When the driver sent by Murilo arrived to pick me up at the place agreed upon to serve as the meeting point, I was feeling guilty and quite tense.

After talking to Mariana, to whom I had already told everything that was going on between me and Murilo, she pulled my ears because she seemed so upset with my attitude.

"You must be crazy, Virginia!”

She was about to scream, but I believe she controlled herself because we were having lunch in the tiny pantry of our store and a saleswoman could arrive at any moment.

" I'm scared, Mari " I repeated what I had already told her "I don't know anything about Murilo's world except what is in the magazines or gossip sites every day.”

" You can learn, creature! " Mariana countered "What you can't do is let someone like Murilo, who always makes it clear how special you are to him, get away with it.”

I preferred to stay silent because I didn't want to argue with my best friend.

"Just say what you're thinking that you don't dare to say out loud. Don't keep anything in there, you'll choke.”

I let out a sad smile because she realized that I did have something to say, but that it might create some uneasiness between us.

" For those who are outside the situation, it's easy to talk, Mariana " I let out "Saying that you would do it this way or that way. I wonder if you were in my place, about to throw yourself into a world of people who can easily humiliate you, just because you don't have the same background as they do.”

" Screw them all, then! " she said, and I widened my eyes at her unusual language "I'm tired of being the weak side of the story, Virginia. I'm tired of always being the loser.”

This information was new and made me very curious, but when I mentioned asking what it meant, she stopped me with a gesture of her hand, preventing me from saying what I intended.

"Today is about you, friend. Another time, we can talk about me.”

" Maybe I can help you, Mari " I suggested, for that was indeed my wish.

" How about you help yourself first? " Mariana returned.