Chapter 53

The days passed quietly and peacefully. Every morning, I woke up to visit Beethoven, who was slowly recovering. He still had anxiety about alcohol, but he was a different man. Every day, I brought him a different book, which he devoured in a single night. His hospital room looked like the tower of an old wizard with a long, scraggly white beard and equally long hair.

"Beethoven, when you’re fully recovered and out of here, where would you like us to live?" I asked, peeling an orange, which I ate before handing it to him.

"The place doesn't matter, only who we’re with," he said, adjusting his glasses without taking his eyes off the book.

"I think you're right, Grandpa."

"You've already left that house."

"No, actually… I've decided to start studying to become someone important, Beethoven, someone who can give you a nice home."

"Don't be dazzled by the beauty of money; it's cursed and taints everything in its path. You… you already shine, you're too much for those rich people."

"Why do you talk about the rich as if you knew them, Grandpa?" I asked, confused. He paused his reading and was silent, lost in thought.

"Something is slipping my mind, but I don't know what it is… I wish I had some alcohol to forget what I decided never to remember again."

"Don't say that, Grandpa! Since you've been in treatment, I see you more lucid and with clear thoughts. Besides… you promised me you'd take care of what’s left of your liver. A little more and you would have died. So please, take care of yourself, or I'll be very sad," I said as he looked at me and, smiling, caressed my cheek.

"You, you're the one in danger… the world is too harsh and cold for someone so pure."

"Maybe I'm not as pure anymore, Grandpa."

"Just because you're not the same as yesterday doesn't mean you've stopped shining. You'll lose your shine when you stop being yourself." I hugged him lovingly, and with the promise to visit him again, I headed to my private lessons.

♡

"If the market fluctuates, stock indices become disconnected since their… Miss Belle, are you listening to me?"

"What? Yes, yes… the stock market and the cardboard for recycling." Annoyed, he slammed his book on my desk and snapped.

"There's no point in teaching someone so illiterate."

"Wait, don't go, I won't fall asleep this time," I said hurriedly, trying to keep him from leaving. Joffre entered the room, and the man, offended, exclaimed.

"In my thirty years of teaching at prestigious universities, I've never taught someone so stupid," he accused, red with anger as his toupee shifted from side to side.

"Mr. Vincent, please forgive Miss Belle. She has a basic level in everything."

"I don't care, I've never been so insulted in my work, if you'll excuse me." He stormed out of the room, nervous, while Joffre looked at me, and I quickly ran to his side.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Joffre, I tried to pay attention… but his voice makes me very sleepy."

"You're not respecting Mr. Cesar's kindness. How do you think his name will be tarnished when people see he has an idiot in his ranks? You're wasting his time."

"But I'm not stupid. My grandfather used to say I was a very curious child, but intuitive and with a lot of imagination." He stopped in his tracks, causing me to bump into his back. He turned around and said.

"Imagination, of course, you have a lot of imagination if you think that if you don't prepare yourself, Mr. Cesar will let you work by his side. He needs efficient and intelligent people. So don't waste this golden opportunity, you won't get another."

"I'm trying, I swear. But… wouldn't it be better if I practiced what I have to do?"

"Practice?"

"Yes, you know… get involved in the matter. Maybe if I go to meetings with Mr. Cesar and learn from his work, see what he actually does."

"You intend to accompany Mr. Cesar to important meetings without knowing the most basic business concepts?" Sadly, I lowered my gaze, and Joffre added.

"If this is too much for you, I invite you to decline the offer and not embarrass Mr. Montenegro in the future. There’s still time."

"I understand, Mr. Joffre." With a grimace of displeasure, he left me standing there.