[Iuri Stevens' vision]

" Aya," I call her, but she doesn't stop walking. "Please wait" I ask and hurry my steps, when I reach her I hold her arm, this makes her abruptly stop her escape.

" Let me go!" she screams and struggles to get loose, but I don't let go of her arm, I need to talk to her.

"Please listen to me..."

"What for? You want to make fun of me! Call me a slut, just like everyone else must be calling you in there? What do you want, you spineless idiot! Are you happy I'm in the shit!? Do you see this as a form of revenge?" she screams hysterically.

"Of course not, why would I take revenge on you?" I let go of her arm, take off my jacket and cover her breasts, her eyes stare at me in disbelief.

"You think I don't know the reason for that stupid dinner?" The hatred in her speech leaves me disoriented.

"What are you talking about?" I question confused, "Our parents are friends," I try to justify myself, "They always had dinner at our house, and for me it was also a surprise when you showed up..."

"You are a liar!" she rolls his eyes. "That dinner..." the tears fall again from his eyes, this makes my heart so tight, even more because I don't understand the real reason "My mother made me go, only because the spoiled son of her bosses was in love with me. Surely you just wanted to use me like Leandro did, you must be the same, two unscrupulous scoundrels who think they can do whatever they want without..."

"Don't compare me to him!" I interrupt your speech, I won't allow myself to be compared to this rubbish. "I will never lie to you, I never even thought about using you, because I don't...

"I never even noticed you in the room" screams hysterically "an ugly pimply ass who thinks he has money and then wants to manipulate everyone around him! All you're going to get in life are women who only want you for your money, because you have nothing more than that to offer!

Her words hurt me deeply, I never did anything to hurt her and it wasn't my fault what they did to her, on the contrary, I always loved her and what I wanted most was the chance to make her happy. I feel the shards of my heart bleeding the flesh around her. I am fully aware that I am not the most beautiful of teenagers, that I am not attractive to girls, that I don't stand out in any way, that nobody ever saw me, and when they did, it was only to play bad jokes on me. But to hear these words from the only girl I ever wanted to love me hurts me too much.

I even thought that this would be the year that I would stop being an Invisible in her life. I deluded myself thinking that I had a chance.

"I never thought I was better than anyone else" I say tiredly "Nor have I ever forced you to do anything, I know I'm not the most beautiful, but..."

"Go to hell, you invisible piece of shit!" interrupts me "I want to fuck you and everyone else!"

"Aya...

"Trrrrrrrim, trrrrrrrrim! " - the sound of awakening takes me once again from the memories that torment me in dream form every night.

Today is my last day here in this city, tomorrow I will return and take over the company. I will make the best of my last day here, just like this: With a brunette warming my bed.

-Today:

5/29/2023 - New York, Manhattan, East Village.

[Vision of Aya Millenis].

It is impossible not to get emotional, in these four years that have passed, so many things have happened.... I am ashamed of many of them, but I thank God for the people around me, especially for Mrs. Carmen and Mr. Gustam, they are the reason that I can be here today.

The numerous flashes in our direction register the awarding of the trophy, I hold the graduation diploma above my head while Mr. Stevens embraces me. Even though I wanted to give it all up, thanks to my friends, today I have a degree in Economics. My smile is huge.

"Congratulations Aya" after the photos, Leandro comes to congratulate me. Mrs. Carmen and Mr. Gustam went to greet the children of the other employees of the company.

"Thank you, congratulations to you too," the hug.

The mark on my wrist reminds me of the stupid thing I tried to do two years ago. After I accepted the help of the Stevens family, I asked them not to tell my parents about me or that they were helping me. I didn't want to have to face my mother so soon, I know what a spiteful and poisonous mother I have. The scenes from my last dance are crystal clear in my memory:

"-You're a slut!" my mother's scream makes me cry even more, I raise my hand to my face and sure enough it is red, it burns badly, she has never hit me so hard.

"I can't believe you did that, Aya!" my father says disappointed and angry "I told you not to lie to me!"

"Mo-mom, dad..." my voice comes out shaky from crying "Let me explain, no... that's not how it happened..."

"Shut up!" order and I shut up at the same time "I've been clear with you, Aya! You have shamed your whole family! You are a disgrace to the Millenis! Your existence..."

"No, no, no..." I shake my head frantically in denial, getting punched in the stomach must hurt less than hearing that.

"You humiliated me, you humiliated your mother and your sister, you disgraced our name."

"She is no longer my daughter!" my mother cuts him off and his speech hurts more than the slap that was given to me a few moments ago.

"Mom, please..." I try to get closer, I can't take being rejected like this.

"Don't touch me!" his hands push me, I fall off my heels and fall on my ass on the floor

"From this day on, you are no longer part of our family, we disown you! You slut!" my father points his finger in my face, tears catch in my throat "I gave you the best of the best, and yet you didn't think twice before lying and exposing us to public humiliation, throwing our name in the trash, you are nothing to us! And don't even come back to my house, what you thought you had there is not yours, it was me and your mother who bought it, and we're going to burn it, the only thing you're going to take is the clothes on your body."

"She doesn't even deserve that!"

"No, Mom, please .... Stop it! Stop it..."

No matter how much I ask, the hatred in my mother's eyes cut through my skin like sharp knives. She pulls at the thin straps of my dress ripping them, I try to stop her, but I get another slap in my face. The screams give way to sobs, and as if on fire I feel the fabric being torn, my breasts are exposed, I try to cover them at all costs. The shame I feel is so great.

"You are not worth a penny, we raised you in the best way possible! We raised you with the best! But you're a fifth-rate, scrotum-sucking slut, a...."

"Please stop..." even though my knees are shaking, I stand up while holding the tears to hide the nakedness of my breasts "That's not me, please believe me... I would never do anything to embarrass you like that, that woman in the video is not me, please...."

"The floor is your place! You filthy scum!" my mother pushes me using more force than before. The contact of my forehead with the damaged floor of the court makes blood run down my forehead and the cut stings.

"Let's go, we've wasted enough time in this shithole."

"No please, don't do this to me, believe me, please..." I hold my mother's dress and she kicks my hand, my wrist throbs.

I close my eyes tightly to scare away these memories.

In my mind, I imagined that I would only see her on the day I entered the company headquarters, however, the world put her in front of me long before that, when I was leaving college, the memories to this day hurt me, every line and expression are extremely clear in my memory:

** It is the last day of autumn, the ground is covered with many different colored leaves, the onset of winter was very close. I take a deep breath, the fourth semester is being very hard, even though I am very studious, even I was having difficulties in some subjects. I need to clear my mind. I decided to study in a different place, I wanted to breathe the fresh air, so I decided to go to the little square near the college, I sat on the wooden bench and took the book and notebook from the backpack along with a pen, but as soon as I opened the book on the marked page, thin black heels entered my field of vision, I raised my head and my mother's gaze distilled disgust in my direction.

"Where did you steal that book?" she speaks harshly.

I answer nothing, I just put my head down, memories of the day of the prom come flooding back and I take a deep breath.

"From your clothes and the direction you got here, you came from college in New York, how did you get in there? I know, you got into bed with everyone in the management to get a ferry, right? I could only, the way it's a..."

"Yo... You have no right to pry into my life or make any wrong speculation about..."

"Bitch has no life, without selling your body you could never get in there, also do you lie with the students for a place to sleep? You are a filthy pig, surely you must have several STDs by now."

Headless to listen, I start to pack my things inside my backpack, better to go back to the Stevens residence, but she gets in my way and throws everything on the floor, stepping right after, crumpling the expensive book Ms. Carmen gave me.

"Why... Why did you do that!" I kneel on the floor, taking the book from under her heels.

"You're not worthy of reading those books or even stepping foot in that place, you're just a slut who fucks anyone and makes videos to expose yourself in front of everyone!"

"I didn't do any of that!" I speak with a choked voice and get up from the floor, hugging the book tightly over my breasts.

My cheek burns, again, this is the third time she has hit me, tears fall, I deserve this slap, no matter how hard I fight against it, I will always be defeated by my mind.

"Your place is in a brothel, wiping the floor with your tongue. A worthless slut, don't you ever dare appear in front of me again, stop spoiling the scenery with your promiscuous presence."

She turns her back and starts walking away, I feel my knees weaken, but before they reach the ground, she turns towards me again and looks me up and down, even though I haven't done anything wrong, I feel dirty in front of her eyes.

"You should be dead" her words hurt me "Or rather, you shouldn't even have been born, then we wouldn't be subjected to the shame of having you tarnish the Millenis surname."

Her words cut me, I can no longer bear the weight of my body and collapse on the floor, once again the tears fall thick from my eyes.**

I shake my head to shake off these memories, today is not the day for that.

"And Luana?" I ask as I take a sip of the champagne in my glass.

"She is taking pictures with her mother" he replies and points in the direction where she is.

I watch her smile for the cameras as she hugs her mother. I am happy for her, I became friends with her two years ago, I know all the struggle she had to go through to be here today, just like Leandro. They make a very beautiful couple, I am happy for them. Despite the pain of remembering what they did to me, I am also happy for their transformation and for the friendships that they came to have with me.

The day when Leandro and I met again for the first time after the dance, somehow still hurts me, and every second of that day are vivid in my mind:

**After I packed everything into my backpack, I walked to the Brooklyn Bridge, where the East River passes and connects to Manhattan, it is very high, during the course I thought a lot about my life, I often have the feeling that I'm messing up the lives of Mr. Stevens and that I'm taking advantage of their kindness, I'm not worthy of their help; today I can't trust anyone else, I exclude myself from the world and always manage to convince the teachers to let me do my homework alone.

Dona Carmem didn't want to tell me where Iuri went, I haven't had any news from him for two years, every day my heart eats with guilt for the things I said to him, I don't even know if I will see him again, but I pray to God that I will, I really need to apologize.

Today I know that if I had valued what he felt, maybe I would be really happy next to him, yes, although he is still young, he was a real man and the only one I have ever met in my life, I have learned to fake a smile of happiness, but it is so hard to sustain him, and it gets worse every day. I know I need to get better, but inside, every day in my head I hammer how useless I am, how much I am trash, that I don't deserve anything good in life, only things that hurt me and make me cry every night.

The road is busy, throwing myself in front of a car would be very painful, and this could ruin and delay the lives of other people who have nothing to do with my unfortunate situation.

I take a deep breath, sit down on the railing of the bridge facing the river and feel the wind blowing in my face, it is calm, a pity my mind is not like that. I feel troubled, haunted, and dark. I remember my mother's words, I should be dead, or rather, I shouldn't even have been born. My chest hurts, I don't want to live anymore, I don't want to ruin anyone's life anymore.

From the small pocket of my backpack I take out a stiletto and look carefully at its sharp point, it is possible to see a glimpse of my reflection, surely everyone will be better off without me, my parents will no longer have reason to be ashamed of me and Messrs.

Yeah, I have no place in the world.

With my mind completely blank, I don't even need to gather my courage, I take the stiletto to my wrist and make a long cut right in the middle of my wrist and down to my forearm, I'm not sure how deep it is, the pain is burning, but I don't stop. I feel the warm blood running down my forearm, no more tears come out of my eyes, my legs are shaking, I stand on my body guard and watch the river flow, the wind blows making my hair dance, I open my arms and accept that finally I will have peace. The sun is setting, and with it my sadness too. Just one step... just one step, I lift my leg and close my eyes tightly, I take one last deep breath, I propel my body forward, but instead of feeling the cold water choking me and burning my lungs, what I feel is a cut opening on my forehead, I open my eyes, large male hands encircle my waist, I stand up startled and my head spins, my vision blurs and the last thing I see is a familiar face, Leandro's face.**

"What do you intend to do now?" I snap out of my reveries with Leandro's voice.

"I will start working full time at Stevens company headquarters, in the economics department of the company" I say smiling, I will now no longer be living with Messrs Stevens "And you?"

"I'm going to do a master's degree in accounting," he answers smiling.

"I'll be waiting for you at the company.

Two years ago, when he saved my life, Mr. Gustam offered him a job at Stevens as a way to thank him, he accepted, but said he would only go when he finished his studies and had the ability to perform the job as best as possible.

I didn't forgive him right away, but I only noticed that we were in the same course after these events, I was in the same class with him for four semesters and never noticed his presence. I only really started the process of forgiving him after he insisted a lot, to the point of making the heads of the professors to put us as a pair in the assignments, after this and many conversations with the psychologist, it took three months for us to become friends, and I am happy, today I no longer feel alone and not as guilty as before, I can say that I am in a new phase.

"I finally found you!" my older sister appears hugging me "I'm so proud, you've grown so much" she says with emotional eyes.

"Thank you, sis" I smile and she hugs me tight.

I contacted her a year ago, she was very happy and so was I, she is the only fragment I have left of my family, she has not told our parents that she talks to me, they will only hear about me tomorrow, when I will enter as an employee at the headquarters of the Stevens company, before I was an intern at a nearby branch office, I can't even imagine the face my parents will make when they see me there.

"Mrs. Carmen appears and greets my sister, who also hugs her.

"Every day you look younger" she says smiling.

"How nice of you" she smiles openly, "Too bad you arrived on time to leave."

It's already two thirty in the morning, from today I will no longer live at Mr. Stevens' house or use their car, I'll be independent. The money I earned from the internships I saved and bought an apartment with two bedrooms, one suite, a large living room and kitchen and service area very large. they did not let me refuse the gift and furnished the AP, it was perfect. Now I have a little place that I can call my own.

"Well, at least I will be able to see you tonight, tomorrow I will be in court all day.

"I hope you win, as always," he smiled at her and hugged her once more as a way of saying goodbye.

"We will give you one last ride," Mr. Gustam speaks smiling proudly.

I agree and we leave the college. I can't wait for the time to come and show that I have value.

************

The glass doors open, it is exactly seven thirty in the morning, in half an hour the company goes into full swing, I know that all the managers are already gathered to meet the new employee in the president's office, I take a deep breath. With firm steps I enter the metal box and press the button for the top floor, in less than five minutes the doors open and I take the first step into another new phase.

I didn't want any position that I had to be in, and because I'm just a simple employee I shouldn't be introduced to the entire management of the company, but Mr. Gustam insisted, he wants to show what his rejected daughter has become.

I feel my heart beating hard, as if it were about to burst out of my chest, I need to stay cool and centered, I can't falter. Sucking in a deep breath one last time, I open the big smoked glass door. I enter with my head down, I am wearing a black pencil skirt and an ice-colored social blouse, black stiletto heels, and loose hair that bangs against my butt. Raising my head, I note with satisfaction the wide-eyed, disbelieving eyes of my parents.

7/26/2026 - Cambridge, Massachusetts.

[ Iuri Stevens' Vision]

"Will you call me again?" asks the green-eyed brunette I didn't even make a point of asking her name.

Last night was my last night here, in half an hour I will travel back home and take over the presidency of the company, my parents will have their dream retirement. It's already seven years away, has anything changed there?

"I think your friend told you that I don't stay with anyone more than once," I say in a cold way while I fish my clothes spread on the floor.

Whenever one of them comes to ask me if I will call or meet them again, I remember when I was twelve years old. I thought that was the age when everyone finally kissed for the first time. There was a girl in my class, her name was Marina, she was the prettiest girl in the sixth grade, she had curly hair and blue eyes. One day she came to talk to me, she said she thought I was very cute and smart, I found it strange, but she kept talking to me and then I started thinking that maybe it was true. Early in the morning she said that she wanted to be with me, this was on a Friday - if I am not mistaken - she said that I was to meet her behind the school when classes were over. I remember how excited I was, I was going to have my first kiss. Ah... what an illusion.

When I arrived at the place, everyone from my class was there, this made me even more gloomy, my youthful mind couldn't understand what was actually happening, it only said that I should run out of there. Those guys had already played several tricks on me, and if they saw me reaching for the books in the closet they would pull at my underwear, once they did it so hard that I needed an ointment for a rash. But there they were, all looking at me and laughing. Until she appeared, and in a completely different tone than she used to talk to me, without a shred of compassion she spoke:

** "Did you really think that someone like me would be with someone like YOU?" they all laughed and I cringed, grabbing the strap of my backpack, "Look in the mirror monster, look at those pimples on your face that look like volcanoes, that awful messy hair," at that moment I remember her touching my hair and saying how soft it was, liar! "You stink like a pissing nerd. I would never put my mouth in your mouthpiece! I'm disgusted just thinking about it."

And look how I am today, they try to win me over, they get me, and then they want a second round. Only now I'm the one who dismisses them.

I still remember that after that speech I tried to leave the circle, but the gang stopped me. Devid appeared and kissed Marina right there in front of me, a kiss that you could see the drool dripping off. When they stopped, they turned to me and started throwing eggs in my face, the ones holding me back moved away and joined them in throwing eggs at me and called me an ugly virgin. Thankfully, at that time my parents were not home during the day, and I always sneaked in through the back door so Mrs. Lueni would not see me. Ah... bad memories, how I wanted to get you out of my mind.

But these memories don't hurt as much as Aya's words.

During these seven years, Aya kept coming and going in my mind, thanks to the truths she threw in my face seven years ago, I am today a very different person from what she knew. She managed to destroy me in a way that no other person could. I didn't want to hear from her, but I know that my parents took care of her and that today she must be able to support herself, our story hasn't even begun but has already come to an end; I don't want to feel anything for her anymore. Since I am only twenty-five years old, at the age of thirty I will get anyone to have children. I never want to love anyone the way I loved her again. I know that no woman but my mother loves me, and her love alone is enough for me. I don't delude myself with the sweet words that the women I stay with speak, they know who I am and they only want the money and status they would get from having a relationship with me.

"I thought I was different..." she says, pouting.

"Why did you think that?" I ask, turning my back to her and putting on the top of my suit.

"You treated me like a princess, just calling me kitten, such an affectionate nickname..." I only called her that because I didn't know her name.

"Don't confuse things, I'm a man, not a boy. Now get dressed, I will leave the motel bill paid, if you want to eat before you leave just ask, I will leave it paid too."

I finish the knot of my tie and leave the room, leaving her alone, I go downstairs and the car is already waiting for me at the hotel entrance.

I am returning home.

[ New York, Manhattan, Upper East Side - View by Aya Millenis]

"What do you say we go out drinking?" Leandro suggests, "We haven't done that in over a year" he comments as he tidies up the papers on his desk.

It's been more than a year since we all went out together on a program, Leandro keeps calling, but both my sister and I are busy, she because of her work, and I?

"I'll go to the orphanage," I reply, smiling.

"I understand, you can't stay too long away from her.

"No" I agree with his statement, "I like her so much.... I will go with my sister today."

"Well, then I will take the opportunity to take my cat on a walk. Oh no... She is also at the orphanage, it seems that now you exclude me from your programs. I feel lonely!" oh drama, I hold back the urge to laugh.

"Don't be so melodramatic, that's not your strong suit."

"You are right, I will wait for her to come back, I guess a movie at eight is not a bad idea."

"It is a good idea, and it does a lot of good, keeping romance in marriage is very healthy."

"Yes, it is. So, see you tomorrow Aya."

" Bye" I wave goodbye to him and go back to organizing the papers.

After putting everything away, I take my bag and leave the room and walk to the company's parking lot, time has really flown by, I have been working here for three years. Leandro is one and a half years old, but he already holds the position of director of the economic development sector, and now I am his secretary.

I have been visiting the Zion orphanage for two years now, Luana is the director there, but to everyone's misfortune, when she joined, the orphanage started to go through many difficulties, the government turned its back and the social parties for donations were not working anymore, nobody wanted to help an orphanage that has no positive prestige, the former director embezzled money and mistreated the children. Two years ago, a baby girl was abandoned in the orphanage, she will be two years old today, I really wish I could adopt her, but I can't because I'm is single.

I get out of the metal box and drive to the company's parking lot, get into my silver Audi A4 and drive to my sister's house, the drive takes about ten minutes.

"I thought I would never leave the company again" she speaks as she gets into the car and throws a huge bag on the back seat.

"And miss my little one's birthday? Never!" I say, and as soon as she closes the car door, I start the car.

I won't bring anything like cake or party stuff, there are many children there and it wouldn't be fair to do it for only one, so I'll just bring a small gift. My sister brought gifts for everyone yesterday, just to give me the excuse that today she'll only get one.

"What did you buy?"

"A barbie doll, from that movie diamond castle."

"I love that movie, it was one of the best."

"I agree, I also bought the DVD and am taking it to the kids there to watch."

"What a coincidence, I'm bringing popcorn and soda, we can already simulate a movie theater for them."

"It's going to be a really cool one."

"Yes, and tomorrow we'll go to a party, you need to find a husband soon, Luana said there were some couples with their eye on the little one," she pauses and we both sigh, "Too bad Leandro's friends gave up at the last minute."

At this moment I cringe, they gave up because after a month I didn't want to go to the next phase. For a year and a half I've been trying to get a husband so that I could adopt Heloysie, but with every man I meet, failure always comes within a month. I didn't tell anyone why they gave up, and I am thankful that they didn't either, I couldn't even stand it when they touched my arms. I felt that those hands didn't belong on me, I can't explain it, I don't have any trauma, but I don't understand why I can't do it, I don't have the ideal of marrying a virgin like my parents always wanted, but I think that deep down I feel that I haven't found the right person and that must be what is holding me back.

I remember how the conversation with the first suitor went:

** "Do you want to go to my place or yours?" Luan asks me already inside the car, we were in the restaurant talking about his visit to the child on Monday.