Chapter 19 Your girlfriend said

The dawn was beginning to announce itself, breaking the darkness of the night with the first rays of the sun. Inside the house, a faint sound of movement could be heard. It was Aunt Paula getting out of bed. I, on the other hand, was still lying down, eyes open, staring at the ceiling. I hadn't slept at all, and strangely, I didn't feel any signs of tiredness. On the contrary, I felt energized, completely awake.

Paula left the room, her bare feet softly touching the cold hallway floor. She headed to the kitchen with the intention of preparing breakfast for the two of us. As she moved, a blush crept onto her face as she remembered the outfit she was wearing. "Safira, you crazy woman," she muttered to herself, "look what your advice made me do."

She was disheartened. As bold as she had been, following Safira's suggestions, it seemed like her actions had produced no noticeable reaction from her nephew. Whatever she had been hoping for hadn't happened. And now, in the quiet of the kitchen as the smell of coffee began to spread, Paula couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Paula was in the midst of preparing her breakfast when a series of knocks on the door interrupted her activities. She paused, walked to the door, and peered through the peephole. Outside, a mailman was patiently waiting.

Realizing she was dressed in just underwear and a short T-shirt, she decided to change before opening the door. She returned to her room, put on shorts, wore a bra, and swapped her short T-shirt for a longer one. Before leaving the room, she glanced at her nephew, who seemed to still be sound asleep in bed.

Paula then opened the door, greeted the mailman with a cheerful "Good morning," to which he responded in kind. He extended his hand, handing her a letter. Paula took the letter with a quick "Goodbye" and closed the door, leaving the man behind.

With the letter in her hands, Paula felt a growing confusion. She wasn't expecting any mail. She tore open the envelope and unfolded the document, her eyes scanning the printed lines. It was a bill demanding money. She owed eight months' worth of car payments, according to the document.

A shock coursed through Paula. She hadn't bought a car. However, the description of the vehicle seemed familiar. It was the car her ex-husband had claimed to have bought in his own name.

Paula had always been a strong woman, but what she heard from her ex-husband left her in shock. She couldn't believe what he had done. The word "scoundrel" echoed in her mind like a deafening echo.

She had discovered that he had purchased a car in her name without her knowledge or consent. And the most outrageous thing of all was that he had the audacity to claim the car was in his name.

Paula felt her face flush with anger and disbelief. She brought her hand to her face, hiding the mix of emotions spreading across her features. Nervousness made her bite her lips, an attempt to control herself in the face of the situation.

She reflected on her past with him, a history marked by abuse and humiliation. As if everything he had already done wasn't enough, he still managed to surprise her with a new act of disrespect.

"Was beating and humiliating not enough for you?" she questioned, bitterness in her voice being the only thing holding back the tears. "Did you really have to drag me into more of your filth?"

With every word, Paula felt her heart weigh heavier, but she knew she needed to confront this situation. She wouldn't let this man continue to control her life.

With the letter still in her hands, Paula walked back to the kitchen, her heart pounding in her chest. The smell of the coffee she had prepared earlier now seemed bitter, almost as bitter as the words she had whispered to herself. She sat at the kitchen table, the letter laid out in front of her, and clasped her hands, staring into nothing.

I, who had pretended to be asleep since I heard the knock on the door, finally got up. I couldn't ignore the heavy atmosphere that seemed to have invaded the house. I left the room and walked to the kitchen, finding Paula sitting there, looking distant. The open letter on the table caught my attention.

"Aunt Paula, are you okay?" I asked, my voice breaking the silence.

She raised her eyes to me, and for a moment, I could see the storm brewing inside her. But then, like a curtain closing, she concealed her emotions and forced a smile.

"Yes, my dear, I'm fine. Just unexpected mail," she said, trying to appear unconcerned.

I sensed that something was wrong with her, something in her behavior made me uneasy. I saw my aunt pick up a letter from the table, a letter I was eager to read, and a feeling of frustration started to grow within me. But I had a trump card: my eye powers.

While she averted her gaze, I activated my ability. A list of information floated before my eyes, all linked to her. Her name shone prominently, but I quickly shifted my focus to what really mattered: her current thoughts.

{ Current thoughts: "Despicable! A man with no prospects, how dare he act like this? Take a deep breath, maintain composure. Eugenio is watching you; you don't want to create an atmosphere of concern, right? The last thing I wanted was to turn to Safira, but she has connections with excellent lawyers. Would he have the audacity to use my name for some other purpose? No... that doesn't make sense. In principle, I would have to have signed some document to validate such an action, but I don't recall signing anything recently. So, how could I have given my signature if I don't remember it? Did he forge my signature? Maybe it's best to seek the guidance of lawyers; they will handle this situation better." }

"What's this, Aunt?" I asked. I was curious and reached out to take the document she had picked up from the table. "It's nothing, just a few things, nothing important that requires your attention," my aunt said.

She tried in every way to change the subject, but I wasn't willing to ignore what I had just read in her thoughts.

"I know it's not 'nothing,' Aunt," I replied, trying to keep my voice calm. "You're worried, of course I can tell. What's written in that letter?"

Paula seemed to hesitate for a moment, but after looking at my serious face, she sighed and handed me the letter. I took the paper from her and quickly read the contents. Anger began to bubble up within me as I understood what was written.

My aunt grabbed her phone with fierce determination, almost automatically dialing a number. I could bet she was calling someone named Safira, though this detail was irrelevant to me at that moment. My focus was on Cleber. Oh, how I wished to land another punch on that wretched man! What he did... it was unforgivable.

I left the document that was in my hands on the table and sat down, settling into the cold chair. I was almost certain that my aunt was trying to contact Safira to get a lawyer. It was the logical next step.

The voice that emerged from the phone was captivating, a gentle melody that, before I became a Ghoul, I would never have had the privilege of hearing. Now, I could hear it clearly, even from a distance. "Paulinha? What happened? Did what I advised you to do work?" the voice asked with evident concern.

My aunt's face turned slightly red, as if the question had struck a sensitive spot. With a resigned sigh, she replied, "No... I need a favor from you, Safira. Could you provide me with the contact of one of your lawyers?" The tension in the air was palpable, a clear sign that things were about to get even more complicated.

There was a pause on the line. "Lawyer? What happened?" Safira's concern was evident, even to me at a certain distance. "Cleber... he bought a car in my name. I received a bill today, saying that I owe eight months' worth of car payments," Paula explained, her voice trembling slightly.

"What a scoundrel!" Safira exclaimed. "Of course, I'll give you the contact of an excellent lawyer. He helped me with some problems in the past; I'm sure he can help you too."

While Paula continued her conversation with Safira, "Paulinha? That's strange, I don't know this woman, but Paulinha? They must be close friends, well, it doesn't matter. What matters is that I need to help my aunt."

While Paula got lost in a sea of words with Safira, a strange name pierced my consciousness - "Paulinha," the name my aunt was called. I didn't recognize this woman, but the intimacy implied by that nickname made me wonder. They must be friends, perhaps even close ones, by the way the woman pronounced my aunt's name with gentle familiarity. But why should I care? After all, Paula isn't my girlfriend... My God, what am I thinking? I'm getting lost in a maze of thoughts when the only thing that really matters is helping my aunt. I need to focus on that, nothing else.

I grabbed my phone with a firm grip and dialed Jorge's number. "Eugenio?" Jorge's voice sounded from the other end of the line, filled with uncertainty. With a heavy sigh, I said, "Yes, it's me, Jorge. I won't be able to make it today. My aunt has some trouble. I'm sorry."

On the other end, a deep silence settled in for a few seconds before Jorge spoke again. "Your girlfriend already told me you couldn't come. Why are you telling me this again?" he asked, perplexity creeping into his voice. Girlfriend? I felt stunned, confused. What the hell kind of girlfriend was that?

"Was she with you this morning?" I asked, trying to conceal the confusion in my voice. "No, she called me yesterday, just a few minutes after you left. Are you forgetting? Weren't you the one who asked her to let me know?" Jorge's words struck me like a bucket of cold water. "Oh, yes, I asked her. Sorry, I'm forgetting things. Thank you." I said and hung up.

Evangeline... it must have been her. Or Seraphina... If it was someone else, I really wouldn't know. But the strongest suspicion fell on Evangeline. It was as if she were watching me, always one step ahead.

I glanced at my aunt, who was talking on the phone, completely oblivious to my confusion. She seemed so focused on the conversation that it was almost a relief that she wasn't a Ghoul like me, capable of hearing what the other end of the line was saying. This thought triggered an alarm in my mind: my entire family could be in danger.

With my heart pounding in my chest, my gaze settled on Evangeline's number on my phone.

I decided I needed answers. With a trembling finger, I dialed Evangeline's number, preparing for the conversation that would follow.

The first ring seemed like an eternity. The second ring was a little less. On the third ring, she answered.

"Hello... I've been expecting your call since morning." Evangeline's voice echoed in my ears with a hint of surprise. She continued, her voice tinged with a mysterious invitation. "Why don't you come to the charming café, that cozy place always scented with the aroma of fresh coffee, right near your aunt's house?" Without giving me time to respond, she abruptly hung up, leaving suspense in the air.