01/12 Chapter 477 I'm loving every step I take
Today was the inauguration of my apartment’s shared and outdoor spaces. Since my parents were at the beach house, I invited your dad and my sister. She was really excited, but she left work early and the event wouldn’t start until 6:30 p.m. With time to kill, she picked up Rafinha and went home instead. I didn’t mind much. I imagined it would be something simple—just a quick walk through the downstairs areas of the building, the pool, the gym, nothing more than that.
I picked you up from school, and then it was just the three of us—you, your dad, and me. But the moment we arrived, everything changed. There was complimentary valet parking. At the entrance, they handed us VIP wristbands. There were drinks, appetizers, champagne, even live music. It was a beautiful event, the kind you don’t expect. For a moment, I even felt rich. I’m not used to this kind of thing at all.
Before we even went in, the receptionist asked if I was there to pick up the keys. I was caught off guar, I hadn’t realized they were already handing them out. I told her I had no idea, and she suggested I check with someone from the staff inside the event. I did, and that’s when they explained: keys are only released once the apartment is fully paid off. Until then, it technically still belongs to the construction company.
I tried to ask gently if I could at least go up with someone from the company just to take measurements for the custom furniture. They said no. I won’t lie, it stung a little to watch some people receiving their keys while I remained on standby. But I can’t be ungrateful. Ungratefulness is one of the ugliest traits there is. If my dad can only pay the final amount in February, then so be it. We’ll wait a little longer. Rushing has never been a friend of perfection. After everything my father has done, all I can feel is gratitude.
We went on to explore the outdoor and shared areas, and everything was beautiful. The place is so large it almost feels like a shopping mall. People looked refined, elegant... I noticed expensive designer bags everywhere. The pool was stunning, truly resort-like. I found the party room a bit small, but the kids’ playroom completely stole my heart. And yours too. You didn’t want to leave.
The only sour note was your dad. He seemed moody, distant. He didn’t congratulate me, didn’t hug , nothing. That hurt more than I expected. While texting my sister, I mentioned the event, the fancy food and drinks, and she immediately got excited. She said she’d come with Rafael and Rafinha, even if it took a bit longer. When your dad overheard the call, he clearly didn’t like that I’d invited her. I got nervous, and we ended up arguing. I told him I just wanted someone there who felt genuinely happy for me—for my achievement—someone who would celebrate me, maybe even hug me. Something he hadn’t done.
It’s a very luxurious apartment. An apartment worth over R$1.7 million. I know a big part of that came from my father’s help, and without him, I would never have achieved this. But a large part of it is mine too, earned through my work, my effort, my persistence. I work hard, and I work with purpose. It’s all for moments like this. Lost in those thoughts, I went back to the garage where the food and drinks were being served and picked up a glass of champagne. I’m not much of a drinker, but it felt like the right moment to celebrate—with myself.
Still, the feeling was bittersweet. At the same time that I felt happy, empowered, independent, it hurt to see everyone else celebrating their milestones with a partner, or surrounded by a whole family. I knew it would be just you and me. Not a complete family. And that made me feel like I had failed you somehowfailed to give you that. The feeling is awful.
And yet, there’s also pride. Pride in knowing I did this without a partner. Pride in knowing my character, in knowing I am not—and will never be—a woman who depends on someone else for her worth. But there’s another side to that independence too. A lonely side. Living life without someone who truly calls you theirs. Especially when I was someone who always dreamed of getting married, who believed deeply in love, who wanted to live it fully and intensely.
Today, I think about that much less. But every now and then, in moments like this, my former self insists on showing up.
I even felt my eyes well up for a moment, but then my sister arrived and the atmosphere softened. She may have every flaw in the world, but when she’s in a good mood, she has this gift of lighting up any room she walks into—and that’s exactly what she did. I asked your dad to bring you down to the garage, and you were so, so happy to see Rafinha. Even your dad, who hadn’t loved the idea of them coming at first, ended up enjoying himself once they arrived.
Meanwhile, the champagne was starting to hit me, and I kept refilling my glass.
My sister was genuinely happy for me, and they all congratulated me. And of course, the very first thing you did was grab Rafinha by the hand and take him straight to the playroom. You two had the best time together. The outdoor playground, I thought, was much simpler than the rest of the building, but you barely noticed. You stayed in the playroom the whole time—and when it was finally time to leave, there were tears, protests, and a whole lot of crying.
