eventually accepts Laerte's marriage proposal, leading to a wedding day that ends in tragedy when is shot and killed outside the church

The romance in Em Família is defined by "Helena's Shadow," where the past refuses to stay buried:

Em Família suggests that "pai" relationships are the bedrock upon which romantic storylines are built, but also where they are most likely to crumble. Whether through the scars of Virgílio, the omissions of Helena regarding Álvaro, or the obsessive return of Laerte, the series argues that the family unit is never truly "intact" as long as the ghosts of the past are allowed to dictate the romances of the present.

: Virgílio’s relationship with