Leonardo and Reynaldo are having their first dinner in their new house. “So, bro? Thumbs up?” Leonardo gestures toward the kitchen. “Yes, the dinner and our residence get a thumbs up.” Reynaldo nods while chewing. “Didn’t our mom teach you it’s rude to talk with your mouth full?” Leonardo asks, laughing, raising a glass of soda. “Cheers!” Reynaldo swallows and grabs his cup. “Cheers!” They clink their glasses together. Someone claps outside. “Oh, thank goodness I finished. But who could it be at this hour?” Leonardo gets up. He walks to the living room window and sees Caio waiting outside. Leonardo is surprised. He is shirtless, showcasing a physique not quite as toned as Caio’s. When he opens the door, Leonardo smiles. “Caio! Come in, come see how the house looks... for now.” “No need, I just came to check on you guys.” Caio steps closer to the threshold. “I still don’t know who your younger brother is.” Reynaldo appears, wearing a white t-shirt and shorts. “Hello...” “R

Olivia woke up with a headache so intense that, for a moment, she thought she might be having a stroke. She managed a faint smile, furrowed her brow, and pressed her fingers to her neck, feeling reassured when everything seemed normal.No, it wasn’t a stroke — just a brutal hangover from the previous night. As she became more aware, she noticed a new ache, particularly from her waist down.Pulling the blankets away, Olivia’s heart sank as she realized she wasn’t wearing a nightgown. Her eyes darted around the unfamiliar room, her confusion growing when she saw Luis lying beside her. He was completely naked, face-down with his head buried in the pillow.“Calm down, Olivia,” she muttered to herself. “Let’s try to remember what happened last night...”But as she tried to piece the evening together, the pounding in her temples only intensified.She could only recall fragments: a different, attractive man, leading her toward a secluded corner of the club meant for private encounters. But t

Erasmo was furiously typing a notice on his computer, addressing an unexpected issue with his employees.“With this,” he muttered, reading aloud as he typed, “I urge you, my dear collaborators, to refrain from bringing girls or your wives to engage in intimate activities inside the buses while they are in the garage—”Suddenly, Daryl burst into the room. “So, your workers really go that far, huh? They say employees reflect their boss’s character.”Startled, Erasmo clutched his chest, feeling a sharp pain. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” he grimaced, his hand pressing his left side. Daryl just chuckled.“If I took a picture of this...” Daryl teased.“I’m on the verge of kicking the bucket here, and you’re MAKING JOKES? Call an ambulance!” Erasmo demanded.Daryl ignored him, calmly closing the office door. “Come on. You’re not going to die of a heart attack like old man Reis.”“The ‘old Reis’ died in 1985, sixteen years before I came to this city,” Erasmo replied, somewhat collected. “Though

At Café Montanha, Rodrigo was having a quick chat with Neilton about the conditions of the place. Rodrigo was wearing a tie and formal clothing, contrasting with Neilton’s more eclectic style and that of the other employees. “We’re missing instant coffee, milk, cheese, ham... what else?” “Baking powder for the cakes,” Neilton replied, adding to the list. “OK...” Rodrigo noted it in an electronic organizer. “I’ll bring everything from the supermarket.” “And will we get a discount?” Neilton joked, “I have some coupons...” “No, we won’t be getting discounts; I’m not charging you, you clown.” Rodrigo laughed as well. Diane and Daryl entered, talking and heading straight to a table. “You should have seen Helen’s shock when I revealed that Karen will be taking care of the Cardozo stores, darling,” Diane said as they sat down. “It’s always like this. These people don’t forgive or forget,” Daryl pulled out a chair for Diane to sit like a lady. Diane, melting from the gesture, smiled

At the Rocha Hotel, the kitchen was ‘burning’ with activity. Benjamin was sampling dishes from the cooks with his critical and analytical sense, frowning when he sensed something was off—particularly with Sybil’s dishes.“Sybil, I keep getting rubbery or bland shrimp.” Benjamin warned her with the typical tone of voice that a chef uses.“Chef Teixeira, I’m doing my best!” Sybil retorted, slumped at the appetizer station.Benjamin pointed to the chef next to Sybil. “Let me see your dish.”Benjamin tasted it. The shrimp was delicious and perfectly seasoned.“Send this to table 12.”“Yes, chef!”Sybil reacted in disbelief, feeling unjustly treated. “What’s wrong with my dish?”“Come with me!” Benjamin took Sybil and led her out of the kitchen into the hallway.“What’s the problem?” Sybil grumbled.“I should be the one asking you that question.” Benjamin complained. “Did anything happen while I was gone?”“David Rocha insulted me, and I insulted him back,” Sybil chose to reveal.“What? Sy