He hadn’t eaten properly in two days, and hunger gnawed at him like a knife in his stomach.

Through the glass, he saw an elegant woman sitting alone in a wheelchair.
Her eyes were glazed, and the plate in front of her was almost untouched.

João recognized her immediately—  Helena Vasconcelos , a famous businesswoman who had lost her husband in a car accident five years earlier…the same accident that left her paraplegic.
Her name was known to everyone, but few knew of her pain.

When the waiter threw away the remains of his meal, something inside João rebelled.
He took a deep breath, entered the restaurant, and walked straight to the table, ignoring the disdainful looks around him.

“Madam,” he said in a low voice, “can I cure your pain in exchange for that leftover food?”

The entire restaurant fell silent.
Helena looked up, surprised—and almost smiled.

“Cure my pain? Are you a doctor, kid?”

“No, ma’am,” João replied honestly.
“I can’t fix your legs… but I know what it’s like to feel pain.
Maybe I can heal a little piece of your heart.”

His simple words pierced the air like a hug.
No one had spoken to him like that for years—without pity, without self-interest.
Just as one person to another.

Helena signaled to the waiter, who brought a plate.
“Sit down and eat, dear,” she said in a trembling voice.

As he ate quickly, João told him about life on the streets—the freezing nights, the days without food, and how people walked past him pretending he didn’t exist.
Helena listened silently, her eyes glazed over.

For the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel alone.

When the restaurant closed, he asked:
“João, where do you live?”

He looked down.
“Nowhere, Mrs. Helena.”

She took a deep breath and gently replied,
“Then come with me. Today you have earned more than a meal.”

João’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Helena smiled—perhaps for the first time in years.
“And who knows,” she added, “maybe you’ll heal my pain… just as I’m going to help you heal yours.”

That night, two broken lives found a new beginning.
And without realizing it, they were starting a story together that they would never forget