The afternoon sun filtered softly through the blinds of Karl's office, casting stripes of light and shadow across the room.Vanda opened the door cautiously, her eyes catching sight of Karl, who was engrossed in the screen of a laptop he'd brought from his apartment. With a gentle click, she closed the door behind her.“Mr. Vieira, may I have a word with you?” Vanda’s voice was steady, though her tone carried a hint of curiosity.Karl looked up from his laptop, his expression shifting from focused to surprised. “Yes, Mrs. Borges. Any questions about our action plan?”Vanda hesitated, her fingers fiddling with the edges of her folder. “Actually, I wanted to ask you something a bit personal…”Karl’s demeanor softened as he adjusted his glasses, a smile creeping across his face. “Well, besides being business partners, I consider you a friend, Mrs. Borges. One of these days, invite me to dinner with your family.”A flicker of excitement danced in Vanda’s eyes. “That would be nice. My ques

In Andreia’s office at Urbano Magazine, the calm outside was a rough contrast to the chaos within.Andreia sat at her desk, her phone ringing incessantly. Each call seemed to demand more of her attention than the last, adding to the mounting stress she was struggling to manage.“I know, I KNOW!” Andreia’s voice was strained as she spoke into the phone. “But unfortunately, my son no longer works here; that’s a reality we have to accept. I’ll send you everything by email because he left here without resolving almost anything…”As the call ended, Andreia sighed deeply, trying to regain her composure.She barely noticed Vicente entering the room until he moved directly to her side and gently took the phone from her hand.“Dear, hello… I didn’t see you come in,” Andreia said, a mix of surprise and exhaustion in her voice.“That’s the problem,” Vicente replied, his tone more serious than usual. “You’re working too much.”Andreia’s face softened as she looked up at him. “Aww, the hubby came

Matthew and Evan entered the Sterling Mansion foyer with irritated expressions.Jarbas, looking concerned, extended his hand to take Matthew’s coat.“Good evening, gentlemen! What happened?” Jarbas asked.“You wouldn’t believe it, Jarbas,” Evan replied, shaking his head.Jarbas responded with a knowing look, “I’ve been at the Sterling Mansion long enough to believe any madness, Secretary Evan.”“Alfredo Dantas got up to something again,” Matthew’s voice was cold and dangerous. “I gave it some time so his dismissal wouldn’t be too obvious.”“It seems like you should have fired him even if it caused a stir on social media,” Evan suggested.Matthew’s irritation was palpable. “That’s what I don’t understand. The Bento boys refused to get rid of Nate because, according to them, it would backfire on me. So, how come—”Jarbas put his hand to his right ear, nodding as he listened to the message through his earpiece. “I understand,” he said, then turned to Matthew. “Young Matthew, shareholder

Matthew and Thomas continued their conversation in Abner’s office, the awkwardness between them palpable.“It looks like I’ve touched on a sensitive topic,” Thomas observed.Matthew looked embarrassed. “It’s something, isn’t it? It wasn’t supposed to be a sensitive issue. The wedding day is approaching, but for some strange reason, I keep making my fiancée handle her work matters instead of focusing on the wedding preparations.”“Have you sent out the invitations?” Thomas asked gently.“No,” Matthew admitted.Thomas jolted. “Has she chosen the wedding dress?”“No.”“Did you have your bachelor party?” Thomas pressed further.Matthew, now extremely embarrassed, spoke softly, “No... No...”Thomas looked worried, thinking about what to say next. “My dear, it seems like you don’t really want to get married.”Matthew’s desperation showed. “But I should get married! I NEED to! Look at the huge problem Alfredo Dantas STILL causes me, even though I’m the president of the conglomerate!”“Cheer

At the opulent Sterling Mansion, in the dimly lit study, Matthew stood with an air of anxious tension, his cell phone pressed firmly against his ear.His face was etched with confusion and frustration, the silence on the other end only heightening his unease.Across town, in the more modest yet still refined Andrade Mansion, the ringing of Walter’s cell phone cut through the quiet of the night.Walter, disheveled and in nothing but his boxer shorts, fumbled hurriedly to grab the phone from his bedside.His voice was tinged with anxiety as he answered, “Hello?”“Walt, I need to have a quick chat with you,” Matthew’s voice came through, sharp and urgent.Walter’s tone softened, “Take your time, I’m not in a hurry.”Without missing a beat, Matthew pressed on, “Did Elaine come by causing trouble?”Walter sighed deeply, collapsing onto his bed with a sense of weariness. “The news spread quickly. Jacque is doing her thing.”Matthew’s voice was terse, “No, it wasn’t Jacque who told me. It wa