C10 Chapter 10

Eliza Campos

Already in my room, I begin to think that my father and Heloise have the same names and Carla couldn't tell me the name of Pedro's brother, I can't explain this whole mystery.

After a few minutes of analyzing the paperwork that Pedro had asked me to do, I hear someone knocking on my door.

- You may enter - I speak to the person, who opens the door, and it is precisely Carla - Do you need something?

- Pedro told me to tell everyone to gather in the meeting room, it seems that the visitors have just arrived - She answers - Shall we go?

- Yes," I say, and so we proceed to the meeting room.

I just didn't expect to meet that man again, even more so being the one from the ballad.

- Thomas? - I say without managing to contain my smile.

When he hears his name called, he turns toward me and is even more surprised than I was.

- Eliza, I didn't know that you work here," he says, "It seems that fate is trying to bring the two of us together.

Probably Peter had become jealous.

- We can start the meeting - Pedro says - Heloise, your father said he will be a few moments longer, he took a little traffic from the airport to here.

- Okay - Heloise says with a frown on her face.

After this brief dialogue, the meeting finally begins, we talk first about the meeting I presented yesterday and that feeling that something bad and good at the same time could happen again.

The meeting went on until it was half an hour long when Peter received a phone call from his father-in-law saying that he had already arrived.

Since my back was turned to the door, I could not see the face of the person who was entering, however, I did not know that I would be astonished to hear that voice.

- Good afternoon everyone," the man said, turning me in surprise.

- You? - I speak when I realized that I recognized that voice, I couldn't believe that I was seeing him after so many years, and even more that way, I even believe that I wasn't prepared to see him.

- Eliza? My God - My father says, smiling in my direction, seeming to be moved. It was strange to hear his voice after so many years. What is he doing here in this company? Is he a shareholder?

- Manuel, how are you? - I ask, I couldn't call him father after all I have been through.

Before Manuel can say anything, Heloise speaks up in his place.

- Dad, where do you know Eliza from?

When Heloise asked, the word father echoed in my mind, so that means she's my half-sister, my day couldn't get any worse.

Armed with unbounded sarcasm, I answer in her place.

- And father, tell your little daughter where you know me from," I say in debauchery.

I just wanted to see if Manuel would invent some excuse.

- Heloise - He seems to be looking for words to speak to his spoiled daughter - Eliza is my daughter, you are half-sisters.

When Manuel calls me daughter, I end up losing the bit of patience I still have and speak out loud so that everyone can hear what a perfect man that guy was.

- Daughter? Are you sure about this? You lost all right to call me that when you abandoned your family, your children who needed you so much, especially me." When I look at Manuel's face, I can only perceive his eyes as slightly reddened.

I get to the bathroom and can't stand it, I get into one of the booths and start to cry profusely, I breathe deeply and, afraid of having a relapse, I decided to call Giulia.

I stay a few minutes with her on the phone, which makes me calm down almost immediately. Talking to Giulia has always done me good, so I call her my angel.

As soon as our call was over, I left the bathroom stall because I wanted to talk to her in more privacy, but I was more surprised to see Carla waiting for me outside, with a worried expression.

- Lizz, are you okay? - she asks.

Carla wipes away a few tears that run down my face, and I answer almost unwillingly.

- I'm fine as much as possible.

- Girlfriend, is it because you didn't tell me that your father owned the company? Besides, you are Heloise's sister.

- Carla, I didn't even know all that. My father left home a few years ago, but I didn't know he had remarried, but I've realized something now, Heloise is almost my age, only a few months apart, which means he had a mistress when he was still with my mother - I speak - I can only feel disgusted with him, I don't think I can forgive him anymore.

- What a pity, friend - She speaks.

I can only feel sorry for myself too, to be exposed like that in front of almost all the employees, I will probably be a subject for a long time, like the daughter, who was abandoned by her father.

- I don't even know what to do," I murmur.

Carla turns toward me.

- Lizz, can I ask you something? - She asks, apprehensive about what I would reveal.

- Of course," I answer, finding Carla's change of subject strange.

- Sorry, but, without wanting to, I overheard you talking on the phone about being afraid of having a possible relapse - When I hear Carla talking about it, I start to get a cold sweat, and my hands become slippery because they are sweating profusely - You don't have to tell me anything, I was just worried.

Carla was probably already unraveling what this could be since it is not everywhere that people talk about relapses, even more hidden.

Would I have the courage to reveal to Carla all the problems I have had since I was young? They were not easy difficulties, many people have them and manage to heal, and others just sink even deeper, I hope I can get back on my feet more and more.