Aurora: The Billionaire's Heaven On Earth

Luke Fagundes

I was driving down a busy avenue in Rio de Janeiro, watching the car in front of me, so I wouldn’t let it out of my sight. Sweat was running down my forehead. I looked at the clock on the dashboard, and it was only eight in the morning. I accelerated when I realized that the car in front had established a great distance. Inside that car is Gonzalo Fagundes, my father.

The night before, I saw my mother come home from the church with a heavy face. Maybe it was fate. I was at home that day, which was very rare, since I was always wandering the streets of Rio de Janeiro, spending my father’s fortune. I went to the bedroom and, with the door ajar, I saw my mother take an envelope from one of the drawers, open it and take what I supposed to be a letter. A tear rolled down her face, as if she were reading it for the first time. Closing her eyes, she shoved the paper back into the envelope and placed it in the third drawer of her dresser. He got up and walked towards the bathroom. I stood there, thinking about how serious it would have been to write on that paper to make Helena so distressed. In the dim light, with the window still open, I heard the sound of the shower turning on and decided not to talk to her that night. But I needed to read what was in that letter. I also knew that I should not invade Helena’s privacy, but my curiosity exceeded common sense and when I wondered who would write a letter, in times of social networks, I realized that time was passing. Hurriedly, without much thought, I took the envelope hidden in the bottom of the drawer and opened it. My heart skipped a thousand beats while reading the first paragraph. I objected to the information contained. I was full of anger. Besides, I’m sorry about that. The noise coming from the bathroom has ceased. With trembling hands, I put the envelope exactly where I had found it and left the room without Helena realizing it was there. The hours that passed after that were long and thoughtful. I found out what everyone in that house already suspected: Gonzalo was cheating on my mother.

The next morning, I woke up very early and waited for Gonzalo to leave the company. Now I’m here, chasing you through the streets of Rio de Janeiro to find any proof of your betrayal. I noticed, as we crossed the main avenue, that it was going in another direction, toward the suburban area of the city. I knew that place well because I had been there several times to meet women for a night of fun. He parked his car in front of a building. He came down, straightened his jacket, looked around, making sure he wasn’t being watched, and walked into the room. I got out of the car immediately. I was wearing a black hooded jacket. It wasn’t that cold. I put my hands in my pockets and walked towards the same spot. The place was old. There were cracks and dirt marks on the walls. There was a man smoking a cigar in the lobby. He had aged, or his skin was worn out over time.

“Hello, good morning,” I said, but the old man did not look at me. “Did you see a man in a jacket coming in here?”

He caught another drag on his cigar, silent.

“Could you tell me which apartment he went to?”

“Second floor, number 13.”

He was silent and, by the expression on his face, the old man was short of friends.

I ran up the stairs and walked down the hall. The place smelled bad. It even looked like a brothel, with scant women coming in and out of the rooms. A drunk man staggered past me, and I was wondering what Gonzalo, the fifth-richest man in this country, would be doing in a place like that. I walked to room thirteen, and the door was ajar. How careless, rich, business and stupid. That wasn’t in my father’s way. Go around leaving clues. I opened the door slowly. Apparently, the place was clean, and the smell inside was nicer than the rest of the building. I walked across the room and heard a noise coming from the back of the room. It was a small room, it also had dirty walls. I noticed that you had thrown your jacket over the couch. I walked cautiously toward the noise and almost fell back when I saw him kissing another woman. It took me a while to absorb the event. The woman had blond hair up to her waist. She was wearing a red dress and looked very comfortable in my father’s arms. I took my phone out of my coat pocket and pointed them both out to take a picture. They were so involved; they didn’t even notice my presence. But the flash, turned on by the cell phone camera, accused me and both of us looked at me.

“Luke? Your mouth was red, eyes wide,” what are you doing here?

I swallowed it hard before I answered. I looked him right in the eye, thinking about running away. Likewise, I already had the evidence, but my legs just locked up.

“I’m collecting evidence.” I put my phone in my pocket. “Now everyone will know who Gonzalo Fagundes is”.

His expression changed from surprise to anger in a matter of seconds. He ran towards me and grabbed my arm, taking me out of the room.

“What do you think you’re doing? We stopped in the hallway. Your face was too close to mine,” how did you find me here?

“I followed you,” I confessed, defying him. I loved challenging my father. "You should know that the bitch you betrayed my mother sent you a letter telling you everything”.

He let go of my arm, and now his expression was one of fear.

“Give me your cell,” he commanded.

 “Fuck the hell,” I answered, as I held the device hard in my pocket.

“Don’t make me lose my temper with you, Luke.” He leaned even closer, talking with his teeth clenched".

“Or what? I took a step back” will you cut my allowance?"

He laughed, a broad mocking smile.

“Don’t underestimate me.” He reached out, waiting for me to give you his cell phone. “What are you going to do with it? Show your mother.”

“She already knows,” I continued adamantly. I will show it to those who have not yet seen it".