wonder out loud, as I spill half of my coffee on the kitchen counter. That dark stain, now spread across the white counter, seems like the perfect metaphor for the chaos that has been my life lately. Thirty minutes ago, my alarm went off and I ignored it. Fifteen minutes later, my phone's alarm went off again, and what did I do? I hit snooze. Of course. And now here I am, late for another day at the office and feeling like the universe is conspiring to keep me in bed. "Come on, Isabella!" I take a deep breath, grabbing a rag to clean up the coffee mess. "You can do this. And just one more day." As I try to balance my coffee in my other hand (this time without spilling it), my thoughts wander to what awaits me at work. As an executive assistant for a large corporation, my life basically revolves around solving other people's problems. And if I'm being honest, I love the control it gives me. I mean, it's what I do best: keeping everything in order. My job is predictable, methodical, and without surprises. Exactly how I like it. But, of course, there's always that "but". Or, in my case, Clara, my best friend, building and work colleague. Clara is the burst of life I didn't know I needed, and the reason I get myself into absurd situations... like the Ferraz party a few weeks ago. Ah, the blessed party. As I put on my black pumps - which, by the way, need a good polish -, my thoughts go back to that night. Did I really need to drink so much? No, of course not. And did I need to flirt with the supposed "perfect guy"? Definitely not. But who am I to resist a charming smile, especially after a few glasses of wine? - Isabella, focus! - I say to myself in the mirror as I give my hair one last fix. - Today is a day like any other, no parties, no playboys. Just you, your coffee, and a ton of emails to answer. I rush out of the house, struggling to keep my coffee cup intact in my bag and hoping that today won't be one of those days where everything goes wrong. But of course, deep down, something tells me that things are about to get a little more complicated than I planned. I arrive at the office exhausted as if I've already run a marathon-and all before nine in the morning. The office is as busy as ever, and the sound of keyboards being frantically hammered by secretaries reminds me that I'm late. Great, Isabella. Congratulations on today's performance. On my way to my desk, I give a quick wave to the receptionist, who smiles with that "I'm the most efficient person in the universe" smile. How she manages to always look impeccable, with a Colgate smile at eight in the morning, I'll never understand. "Hey, Isa! How was your weekend?" Clara's voice interrupts me as I barely start typing in my computer password. Of course she's already here. Clara appears with a glass of green juice that looks like it was made with fresh grass and the energy of someone who ran a marathon before coming to work. How is that possible? I haven't even had my second coffee yet. - Oh, the usual... - I try to change the subject, already knowing where this is going. - The usual? Really? Because what I remember was you at the Ferraz party, laughing at everything and drinking like there was no tomorrow! And, by the way, where did you end up after that? - She leans over my desk with a curious look, waiting for details. The party. Yes, the damn party. I take a deep breath as I open my inbox and see an alarming number of emails piling up. Focus on the emails, Isabella. Clara won't settle for vague answers forever. - I left, that's all - I lie, praying that she buys the story. - "That's all," okay - she rolls her eyes, clearly not convinced. - So, when are you going to tell me who the guy was? The guy. I can't believe I'm stuck in this situation, trying to forget something that I'm not even sure happened the way I remember it. Clara is my best friend, but she doesn't need to know that the next morning I woke up with more questions than answers. And she definitely doesn't need to know that I'm starting to think that the "Dante" I met might not be who I thought. - What guy? - I try to play dumb, but the blush on my cheeks ha