One cause, two loves

With cautious steps, young Evelin Steal walked to the bow of the ship, keeping her eyes fixed on the dock where the massive vessel was supposed to dock.

"Finally," she whispered, carrying only a small suitcase with essentials and around her neck, her most precious possession, a locket gifted by her parents on her eleventh birthday.

Taking a deep breath, the young woman, returning to her hometown after spending ten long years in a convent, let the sea breeze fill her lungs. In a matter of minutes, the ship docked, and Evelin could feel the breeze caress her face one last time as it gently passed through her long, wavy hair.

"Solid ground!"

A huge smile formed on her lips as she felt she had finally reached her destination.

"Rebel... hold the rebel..." a deep male voice shouted in the crowd. Before Evelin could turn to see what it was, something bumped into her, causing the suitcase she held in her left hand to fall a few steps away.

"Sorry!" an apology came quickly.

Once again, a male voice was heard, but this time it wasn't as deep. Evelin immediately turned her eyes toward the man who had bumped into her moments before and noticed a frightened look on his face.

"Go!" she whispered to the man, who, even without understanding, obeyed and blended into the crowd. When she stood up, Evelin brushed her dress to remove the dust and walked to her suitcase.

As Evelin bent down to pick it up, she noticed a piece of newspaper nearby with the headline: "All Against Dictator Gregório Dovidier." She reached for her suitcase again, but before she could grab it, someone pulled her arm, causing her to stand up abruptly.

"Didn't you hear what I said?"

The owner of that deep voice that echoed through the crowd earlier was now in front of her, holding her firmly. Judging by his attire, he appeared to be a general in the army.

"Were you talking to me?" she asked, confused about why he was holding her.

"Didn't you hear me when I said to hold the rebel?" The uniformed man before her was Henrique Dovidier, the army general and the only son of the dictator Gregório Dovidier.

Henrique was a man of pleasant appearance, tall enough to stand out in any crowd. His defined body exhibited the strength derived from years of military discipline. His fair skin contrasted with his short hair, emphasizing his sober and elegant expression. His eyes, with a deep almond hue, captured the attention of those who met them, revealing a blend of mystery and warmth that left a lasting impression.

"Didn't you see when that man bumped into me?" Her voice was gentle yet firm. Evelin had an unwavering determination, locking eyes with him, challenging his status and any threat he might pose.

As he observed her closely, Henrique noticed that, although he had no recollection of seeing her before, there was something intriguing about her. "Those eyes..." Henrique said in a low voice, with a hint of nostalgia.

Evelin's eyes resembled a rainbow, a rare fusion where orange seamlessly blended with the predominant blue in her gaze. It was a captivating and unique color combination, as if the sky and the sun had found a home in her eyes.

He had only seen eyes like those once before, but it had been a long time. The memory of that sight, now before him again, momentarily stunned him.

"What's so special about my eyes?" Evelin tried to pull her arm from Henrique's grasp, but in vain, as he held her more firmly.

"Nothing!" Henrique replied, his voice momentarily uncertain in the face of Evelin's determined expression.

"Could you please let me go?" Evelin calmly requested.

Before Henrique could respond, a female voice resonated through the crowd, cutting through the tension in the air.

"Evelin Steal!" someone called her name. It was Nice Steal, her mother.

"Evelin?" he whispered, his eyes meeting hers, and unintentionally, he released her, as if the memory of a childhood love had awakened within him.

"Miss Steal, get out of there immediately!" Nice Steal stood in front of Henrique, who remained unresponsive upon realizing that the lady he was holding was Evelin Steal, his childhood love, now unexpectedly reentering his life.

"Evelin, don't make me count to three!" Nice said, losing patience.

Henrique turned his eyes toward Evelin but didn't find her in front of him; she had used him as a shield and hid behind him, seeking momentary refuge.

"One... two..." Nice began counting but stopped upon seeing Evelin move away from Henrique.

"Mom..." Evelin approached her mother hesitantly, holding onto her dress.

"Who allowed you to leave the convent without our permission?" Nice asked firmly, her eyes showing a mix of concern and reproach.

"I sent letters, and as I didn't get a response..." Evelin began to explain, trying to justify her departure but knowing that words might not be enough to calm her mother.

"Evelin Steal!"

Another voice called Evelin's name, this time a male voice.

"Dad!" Evelin hid behind Henrique again, who couldn't help but laugh at the unexpected situation.

"Darling, the important thing is that our daughter arrived safely..." Nice tried to calm her husband.

"Didn't you hear me, Evelin? What are you doing there that you haven't come to your father yet?" Matteo questioned with a serious expression.

"Are you going to scold me?" Evelin asked, staying close to Henrique.

"Come to me, and you'll find out!" Matteo's tone was stern but also carried a touch of protective warmth.

Evelin once again stepped out from behind Henrique and walked toward her father. Henrique, seeing Matteo raise his arm, moved toward them but stopped when he saw Matteo pull Evelin into a hug, making it clear that, despite initial appearances, there was more warmth and understanding than anger in their reunion.

"Do you know how worried your mother and I were?" Matteo's tone, once stern, gave way to relief as he hugged his daughter tightly.

"Henrique? I'm sorry, I didn't see you there!" Only after embracing his daughter did Matteo realize Henrique was beside him.

"I noticed..." he smiled awkwardly, acknowledging that his presence had gone unnoticed during the emotional reunion.

"What are you doing here?" Matteo questioned Henrique, curious about the general's unexpected presence.

"I was in search of a rebel."

"A rebel?" Matteo took Evelin's hand and placed her behind him.

"But unfortunately, I lost him," Henrique explained with a touch of frustration in his voice.

"Moreover, he was accusing me of being a rebel or something..." Evelin interjected.

"My daughter is no rebel!" Matteo's voice betrayed a certain nervousness as he protected Evelin with his own body.

"I know, and I apologize for that!" Henrique acknowledged with a hint of regret in his voice. He kept his gaze on Evelin for a few seconds, as if wanting to retain that image in his memory before looking away.

"Mr. and Mrs. Steal, it was a pleasure to see you again." His gaze was again on Evelin, who continued to stare at him with those enchanting eyes that had once captivated him.

"Well, I'll leave you alone!" He bid farewell with a brief smile, showing respect for the emotions of the moment.

Through the family car window, Evelin observed the changes that had occurred during the ten years she had been away.

"A lot has changed, hasn't it, dear?" Nice interrupted her thoughts.

"Yes, Mom!" Evelin agreed, reflecting on the transformations that had occurred in her hometown.

Seeing all those changes, she felt in a completely strange place, and the nostalgia she thought she would feel didn't exist. However, it was when her father stopped the car in front of her old house that Evelin felt the weight of that change. The garden that once existed was no longer there, the orange tree she and Andrew had planted was also gone, and that was the first moment Evelin felt truly sad. The absence of the memories she shared with Andrew affected her deeply, as if the roots of her nostalgia had been uprooted, leaving her with a certain emptiness.

"What's wrong, dear?" Nice asked, seeing Evelin sad; her maternal eyes caught her daughter's melancholy.

"Nothing, Mom!" Evelin tried to disguise, forcing a smile. "And Andrew, where is he?"

"As soon as he's free, he'll come to see you... now, come in, go up to your room, and rest a bit."

"But I'm not tired!" Evelin insisted, eager to see Andrew and impatient to reunite with her brother.

"Go rest, Evelin." Her mother insisted.

"Okay! But as soon as Andrew arrives, call me." She agreed, climbing the stairs with anticipation for the upcoming reunion.

Evelin was anxious to see him, as he hadn't visited her in almost three years and hadn't responded to her letters for nearly two years.

Opening the door to her former room, Evelin finally felt the nostalgia she had been seeking. The room was exactly as she left it, and that made her happy. She threw her suitcase on the floor and jumped on her bed.

"Home sweet home!" Evelin stretched out on the bed and then took her locket off her neck and opened it. With memories and emotions flowing, she reconnected with her past and the memories that room evoked.

"Mom... dad... I'm back..."

The cherished locket contained photos of her adoptive parents and also her biological parents. "And I will finish what you started..." Evelin stared intently at the locket in her right hand and at the piece of newspaper the rebel had dropped.

Georgia and Antônio, her biological parents, were two brave activists who, along with several others tired of oppression, formed the first resistance group called the "Rebels" against the government of Gregorio Dovidier. Unfortunately, not only were their lives cut short, but they were also marked by brutal torture.

Upon learning that another group was forming, the flame of justice that once burned in the hearts of Georgia and Antônio now blazed in Evelin's heart. She returned determined to finish what her parents had started.

"I will finish..." Evelin whispered as tears streamed down her face, her promise echoing in the silence of the room like a solemn oath to her parents and the cause they embraced so fervently. Evelin's determination to continue their legacy now burned stronger than ever.

"Evelin... Evelin..." a gentle male voice called her, waking her from her slumber.

With half-opened eyes, Evelin noticed that the owner of that voice belonged to the person she most cherished and secretly loved: Andrew, her adoptive brother.

Seeing him there, after all those years, brought a wave of conflicting emotions-joy at seeing him again, anxiety over the dilemma she faced. Evelin's life was marked by secrets, but the one kept in her heart was the most unconfessable.

She delved into her thoughts; her heart raced. She knew loving him was forbidden, but she also understood that not loving him was impossible.