Rules Of CEO

that, to withdraw into himself, wrapped in his own anguish. Like now. The blue eyes, behind the slightly rounded glasses, looked at the man reflected in the brushed steel. Without a blazer, tie loos

the feat of changing her vacation itinerary. She no longer knew whether she would go straight to Rome nor whether she would take Valentina to meet the rest of the family. He didn't even know if he was going to ask her to marry him. Tobias opened the first drawer of his work desk and placed a velvety, rectangular jewelry case at the bottom of the top, containing the ring he had bought for Tina. He was interested in the book with the fake cover, with the Thirty-five rules for conquering the perfect man. He opened it for the millionth time. He had already scrutinized each of the scribbles, each of the notes, each damn little heart drawing on which she had inscribed the initials: V and K. Obviously, the "V" was for Vinícius, the red-haired guy she had run to, after leave him momentarily deprived of his senses. She ran her long finger across the page marked with a pink clip. What kind of bewildered creature spread his initials across a book, he highlighted it, made notes, but was unable to write his own name on the title page? He took another sip of Whiskey, not understanding how there were people in the world, like that woman there, who didn't keep track of their own things. He marked hers. Very annoyed and with a horrible feeling of helplessness, she asked, also for the millionth time, looking at the book: – Who are you... "K"? FOUR Kárita Bueno...? The question came from a bald man, dressed discreetly in gray pants and a white shirt, underneath a worn blazer. She looked up from her smartphone calculator, hiding a frown. Even scraping the last few cents from the candy store, she wouldn't be able to pay the phone bill, the fruit suppliers, the credit card bill, or put an end to a herd of charges that she kept reproducing. The car payments, the loan to pay for Aunt Glória's hospitalization and, shit, shit, shit, the Health Plan would also remain open! - It is me. – Extrajudicial notification, madam. The man overcame the steps that separated him from the counter and held out the sealed envelope. – What... – Kárita spasmed, eyes wide, almost popping out of their sockets. Like this? Like this? From where, why? She was late on payments, of course, but there were no more than two for each debtor! Or more. Perhaps. But notification? Like this?! She received the paper with shaking hands, from a visibly uncomfortable bear