The morning in Rio de Janeiro was already warm.
In Eduardo's office, the windows were open, but the air still felt heavy.
Five people occupied the room.
Luis and Augusto were seated across the table, Miguel and Adriano stood to the side… and Eduardo was at the other end.
He was the one who began.
"I'll be direct."
His voice was calm, but firm.
"As I mentioned in the letters… the situation has worsened."
He placed his hands on the table.
"Deodoro da Fonseca believed that, after a few months, the monarchists would simply accept the new order."
A brief pause.
"That is not what happened."
Luis kept his gaze fixed.
Eduardo continued:
"They do not represent a real threat."
"But they remain active."
"Small acts and provocations—a silent resistance."
Miguel crossed his arms.
"Constant nuisances."
Eduardo nodded.
"Exactly."
"Nothing serious enough to justify an immediate reaction… but enough to irritate."
His gaze grew colder.
"And the government has decided that enough is enough."
Silence.
"Soon, the monarchists will be forced to choose. Either they align… or they will be marginalized."
Luis spoke without looking away:
"And we are in the middle of it."
Eduardo confirmed with a slight nod.
"Yes."
Augusto then spoke:
"Before, you were able to contain this. I assume something else has changed."
Eduardo let out a quiet sigh.
"Before… I had room to maneuver."
"Now it's different."
He leaned back in his chair.
"The monarchists are no longer the main focus."
"And that has created another problem."
Luis tilted his head slightly.
"Internal disputes."
Eduardo looked at him.
"Exactly."
"With no real enemy, the republicans have begun to compete among themselves."
"Influence. Prestige. Space."
A pause.
"And we have become… an opportunity."
The silence grew heavier.
It was Luis who broke it.
"So someone is trying to use our family as a stepping stone."
Eduardo did not answer immediately.
He simply watched him, then nodded.
"Yes."
Luis continued, already connecting the pieces:
"Proximity to the capital… regional influence… indirect ties to the monarchists…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"A convenient target."
Augusto cast a quick glance at his son.
This time, Eduardo showed his surprise—though not entirely hiding it.
"You reached that conclusion very quickly."
Luis did not respond.
He simply waited.
Eduardo then opened a folder on the table.
"At first, it was something minor."
"A man named Henrique."
"A businessman. A landowner and exporter."
Adriano handed some documents to Augusto and Miguel.
"He had been putting pressure on your businesses," Eduardo continued, looking at Augusto.
Augusto nodded.
"I noticed."
"But nothing out of the ordinary."
"And you were holding him back," Luis added.
Eduardo nodded.
"Until recently."
Luis anticipated:
"He secured some kind of support?"
"Yes."
Eduardo turned another page.
"A deputy. Mid-level… but ambitious."
"Álvaro Bittencourt."
Miguel let out a low grunt.
"The most predictable type."
Eduardo ignored the comment.
"He saw an opportunity to rise."
"And Henrique saw a way to gain protection."
Luis rested his elbows on the table, fingers interlaced.
"One provides political legitimacy."
"The other offers resources."
"A convenient alliance."
Eduardo nodded.
"And it doesn't stop there."
He gestured toward Adriano.
Another folder was placed on the table.
"Last night, we confirmed another connection."
The atmosphere grew even more tense.
"A republican colonel—Artur Vale."
Miguel uncrossed his arms.
"Army?"
Eduardo nodded.
"As you know, that was decisive in the fall of the Empire."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Augusto spoke, more serious now:
"To what extent is he involved?"
Eduardo replied:
"That is the only point… less critical."
He paused.
"He does not seem directly interested."
"No active support, but…"
Luis finished before he could:
"He will make his position of support clear."
Eduardo looked at him.
"Exactly."
"At most, he signs documents, endorses decisions, and provides legitimacy."
Luis leaned back slightly in his chair.
"That is more than enough."
Silence returned.
This time, heavier.
Augusto frowned.
Miguel studied the documents carefully.
Adriano remained still.
Luis finally spoke:
"This is not good news."
A brief pause.
"It's just… less bad than it could have been."
No one disagreed.
The looks in the room said the same thing.
The situation was worse than it initially seemed.
And far from over.