Chapter 22: The Rooftop Tragedy

A cold wind whipped through the broken railing, sending chills down Mariana's spine. Below, the city lights twinkled like a million distant stars. Taking a deep breath, she locked eyes with Claire, her voice trembling slightly but firm. "Claire," she began, "please listen to me. This isn't what you think. My marriage to Tiago… it's not a love story." Claire scoffed, but a flicker of uncertainty danced in her eyes. "Don't lie to me, Mariana," she spat. "You have everything a woman could want. Everything I wanted…” Mariana shook her head, her voice tinged with a bitter honesty. "It's not wealth that keeps me here, Claire. It's debt. Crippling debt." ." Claire's brow furrowed. A sliver of doubt began to crack through the facade of rage. Mariana pressed on, her voice a low whisper. "My mother… she was sick. Medical bills piled up, a mountain that threatened to bury me. Tiago offered a way out, a way to pay for her treatment. Love wasn't part of the equation. It was a b