The Former BOPE Police Oficcer

The days passed, but Gigi Hadid simply could not get Rafael Valente out of her head. Everything about him seemed to stand out, his calm demeanor, his direct manner, and above all, the mystery that surrounded him. He was so different from the people she was used to, especially in the world of fame and appearances in which she lived.

It was a sunny but cold morning, and Gigi was in her penthouse, trying to concentrate on reviewing a contract with her manager, Olivia. However, her mind constantly wandered to Rafael.

"Gigi? Are you paying attention?" Olivia asked, frowning.

"Huh? Sorry, what did you say?" Gigi replied, blinking rapidly and returning her eyes to the papers in front of her.

"You've been distant today. Is it because of that guy you mentioned the other day? Rafael?"

Gigi blushed slightly, but didn't deny it.

"Maybe."

Olivia smiled, shaking her head.

— I've seen you interested before, but this feels different.

— That's because it's different, Olivia. He… He didn't know who I was. He wasn't trying to impress me or gain anything from me. He's just… him.

— And what are you going to do? — Olivia asked, crossing her arms.

— I don't know. He's so private. I found his Instagram, but it's all so… private, you know? He's not like the people who show off all the time. It just makes me more curious.

Olivia shrugged.

— Then find out more about him. Ask him out. Or, if you want, I'll have someone investigate.

— Olivia! — Gigi exclaimed, horrified.

— Just kidding. But only a little.

Gigi laughed, but the idea of ​​investigating Rafael felt too invasive. She knew the right thing to do was to let him decide what to share, in his own time. But that didn't stop her from thinking about him constantly.

That afternoon, Gigi decided to clear her head and went to one of her favorite cafes in Soho. She chose a table in the corner, overlooking the busy street, and ordered a cappuccino.

While she waited, she took out her phone and hesitantly opened Rafael's Instagram account again. He hadn't posted anything new, but she found a photo that she had previously overlooked.

It was a simple image: a military-looking medal on a wooden table. The caption was just a shield emoji and one word: "Honor."

"He really is military or ex-military…" Gigi muttered to herself, biting her lip.

Her concentration was broken when her cappuccino arrived. The waitress smiled as she placed it on the table.

"Anything else, Miss Hadid?"

"No, thank you." Gigi smiled and tried to focus on her coffee, but her thoughts kept returning to Rafael. He was a puzzle she couldn't help but want to piece together. "Should I text him?" — she wondered quietly.

Pulling up her courage, she opened the Instagram chat. The cursor blinked in the text box as she tried to formulate something. Nothing seemed good enough. After a few seconds of hesitation, she finally typed:

Hi, Rafael. How are you? I thought I'd thank you again for the other day. That was very kind of you.

She hit "Send" before she could change her mind. Now, all she could do was wait.

Later that night, as Gigi lay on the couch watching a movie, her phone vibrated. Her heart raced as she saw the notification: Rafael Valente had replied.

She quickly opened the message.

Hi, Gigi. No need to thank me, really. I just did what anyone would do.

She smiled, shaking her head. He clearly didn't understand the impact he had made. Wasting no time, she replied:

Not everyone would do what you did. I couldn't have gotten my bag back by myself. Can I at least ask you out for coffee again? This time, on my own.

The response took a while, and Gigi began to wonder if she had been too direct. But then, the notification popped up.

Okay. Let me know the place and time.

She couldn't help but smile.

The next morning, Gigi chose a low-key café in Tribeca and sent Rafael the location. She arrived a little before the agreed time and chose a table in the corner, near the window. She was nervous, something she rarely did.

When Rafael walked in, she recognized him immediately. He was dressed simply, in a black jacket and jeans, but he still looked imposing. He saw her and walked toward the table with firm steps.

"Good morning," he greeted, sitting down.

"Good morning. I'm glad you came." Gigi smiled.

Rafael looked around, assessing the room before focusing on her.

"It's a nice place."

"It's one of my favorites," she said, gesturing to the waiter. "What would you like?"

— Black coffee, no sugar. — He answered, the same way he had last time.

She laughed.

— You really don't change, do you?

— Why would you change? — He asked, arching an eyebrow.

— Good question. — Gigi smiled again.

They both ordered, and the coffee arrived quickly. During the conversation, Gigi subtly tried to find out more about his past.

"So, Rafael, you didn't talk much about what you did before you came to New York."

He took a sip of coffee before answering.

"I've done a lot of things. But now I'm focused on living a more peaceful life."

"A lot of things?" She repeated, leaning in slightly. "Like what?"

He smiled slightly, but didn't reveal much.

"Let's just say I've had an interesting career."

Gigi huffed, frustrated.

"You're the most private person I've ever met."

"Is that a bad thing?" He asked, his tone amused.

"No, it's… intriguing." She admitted, looking directly at him.

His eyes met hers, and for a moment there was silence. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was filled with something she couldn't describe.

"And you?" Rafael finally asked. — What's it like living in the spotlight all the time?

"It's exhausting sometimes," Gigi confessed. "Sometimes I feel like everyone wants something from me, but no one really wants to know me."

"I get you," he said simply.

She looked at him, surprised.

"You understand?"

"I've been in positions where everything you do is watched, analyzed, criticized. It's not easy."

It was the first time Rafael had offered a real glimpse into his life, and Gigi felt like she was starting to unravel the mystery.

"And how do you deal with it?" she asked.

He shrugged.

"Focus on what really matters. The rest is noise."

The answer made her smile. There was something about Rafael that was so solid, so sure, that it made Gigi want to be around him.

When they finished their coffee, she didn't want the date to end, but she knew she couldn't pressure him.

"Thank you for coming." — She said, as they left the café together.

— Thank you for the invitation. It was nice talking to you.

The two said goodbye on the sidewalk, but Gigi felt that this would not be their last meeting. Something in her told her that Rafael Valente still had much more to reveal.

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