The clock read 7:47 p.m. when Lara's world collapsed.
"Preventive custody," she repeated, unable to believe the lawyer's words.
"This is a mistake. My father would never do something like that."
Across the table, the man in the dark suit sighed heavily.
"The prosecutors found strong evidence, Lara. Offshore accounts, overpriced contracts... It's serious."
Lara felt her stomach churn. The elegant, quiet restaurant, with its amber lighting and soft background music, now seemed to mock her. Minutes ago, she still had hope. Now all she felt was a tightness in her chest and a gaping void beneath her feet.
"How long until trial?"
"Months. Maybe years."
Her father, until just a few months ago, a respected congressman, was now just another name on the long list of politicians accused of bribery, money laundering, and criminal association. The final sentence will come soon. But the bail amount… that was already printed on the paper lying on the table.
One million reais.
That was the price of her father's freedom, the man who had spent his life ensuring hers.
Lara ran trembling fingers through her dark hair, trying to contain her panic. She had no way to raise that kind of money. She had sold her car, quit her job, drained all her savings on legal fees, and still, it had all been in vain.
She buried her face in her hands, fighting back tears. Her family was in ruins. Her mother had disappeared after the first headlines. Her friends pretended not to know her. And now her father, the man who had always been her anchor, was behind bars like a common criminal.
"Is there any way to get him out?" she asked, her voice shaky, desperate.
Dr. Fagundes hesitated. He lowered his eyes. Then, carefully, he said: "There is… but it's unconventional."
She looked at him. "Explain."
He cleared his throat.
"Someone reached out. A major investor. He says he knows your family and is willing to pay the bail. All the costs. But… there's a condition."
"What condition?"
The lawyer took a second too long to respond.
"You. Three months. Accompanying him. To events, trips, business functions. Exclusively."
The silence hit like a punch to the chest. Lara felt a chill run down her spine.
"You mean… like a…"
"The exact word he used was 'rented.'"
The shame hit her like a slap. She stood up abruptly, her heart pounding.
"Who is he?"
Fagundes hesitated."Vicenzo Vasquez."
The name didn't register right away. But as she repeated it in her mind, something clicked, a surname tied to the rival company of the empire her father had built.
"Why would he do this?" she whispered.
"I don't know. But… he wants you."
Lara left the restaurant with hurried steps, blood thundering in her ears. The proposal was absurd, humiliating, and outrageous.
And yet… she knew she would accept.
Because her love for her father was stronger than her pride, and for him, Lara would do anything. Even sells herself to the man who might be her worst enemy.
******
The mirrored building reflected the heavy sky as if announcing what was to come. Thick, nearly gray clouds blanketed the city, suffocating the air and Lara's mood.
Vicenzo Vasquez.
The name tasted like poison in her mouth. Lara had researched everything about him. A cold, ruthless billionaire, heir to an empire built on public contracts and old grudges. The same man whose father had been politically humiliated and destroyed… by hers.
They had grown up side by side, in opposite worlds, separated by invisible walls. Now, fate was giving Vicenzo the chance for revenge, and Lara, the price of surrender.
She stepped out of the car, knees trembling. The lawyer's assistant had said only, "Don't be late." And there she was, standing in front of the address sent to her by text, wearing the only elegant dress that had survived the financial downfall of the Fernandes family.
A security guard greeted her at the entrance, checking her name on a clipboard with the indifference of someone who had done this a thousand times.
"Go up to the penthouse. He's expecting you."
The elevator ride felt longer than any she'd ever taken. The mirrored walls reflected her tense expression, slightly smudged lipstick, and restless hands clutching her purse like a shield.
On the eighteenth floor, the doors opened into a silent hallway. A butler led her into a spacious living room overlooking the city.
But it wasn't the view that made her breath catch.
It was him.
Standing by the window, a glass of red wine in hand, a luxurious wristwatch gleaming on his wrist. Tall, broad shoulders, an impeccably tailored Italian suit. His presence hit like a punch to the gut, and Lara felt her body react before her mind could even process the feeling.
He turned slowly, dark eyes scanning her from head to toe with the precision of a predator.
"Lara Fernandes."
She swallowed hard. His voice was deep, controlled. Almost ironic.
"Vicenzo Vasquez," she replied firmly, though her heart was pounding like a runaway drum.
He walked toward her slowly, stopping just a meter away. The masculine, woody scent of his cologne wrapped around her like an invisible embrace. Lara shivered and hated her body for responding.
"You know why you're here?"
"I do. But I still don't understand the reason."
"The reason?" He raised an eyebrow. "You need money. I have money. I want you. You came."
Simple as that. Cruelly logical. Lara tightened her grip on her purse strap.
"Three months?"
"Ninety days. Twenty-four hours a day. Exceptions allowed only when I don't need you."
She swallowed again. Her pride screamed at her to walk away. But desperation… desperation had a louder voice.
"And what exactly do you expect from me?"
She had asked herself that question a hundred times, and it took great effort to put it into words. But deep down, she knew the answer wouldn't change her decision.