At the Rocha Mansion, Josias looked spectacular in black Speedos and sunbathing in the Sunset Village sun. Alan practiced strokes in the pool. Reuben, Pedro, and Henrique were with him, frolicking around.“Go, Alan! So you win the next Olympics!” Reuben screams.“Help Brazil win more medals in 2004!” Pedro laughs.Alan stops his strokes and takes off his swimming goggles, “You nags! Aren’t you satisfied with the Brazilian team having become the five-time champion?”“YES!” All the boys vibrate. They’re lovers of the national sport.Hector appears and smiles as he sees the youth having fun. He has a silver tray in his hand with a cell phone vibrating.“Mr. Rocha, someone is calling you.”Josias smiles slightly, “It must be Everaldo. Time for my blessing.”Josias sits on the deckchair and answers the cell phone, but he gets the creeps when he sees Daryl’s number on the caller ID.“Hello, Daryl? What do you want now?”In Crystal Blue, Daryl is in his office frowning and standing.“Jeez, y
Daryl, still trying something out, made his way to his family at Café Montanha. Diane, Francisco, Isabel, and Rodrigo were listening attentively.“And poor Kelvin thinks that by making love to Melissa more consistently and wildly, he’ll convince her not to leave him.” Daryl narrates his younger brother’s lament, “But that’s not the problem. Melissa doesn’t want to leave Kelvin due to their lack of marital intimacy. Melissa DOESN’T WANT TO LEAVE HIM, that’s the point.”Isabel scratches her forehead, “Daryl, we’ve been hearing this since Melissa left for Victoria. By the way, we thought this was to solve this problem.”“Looks like it just got worse.” Daryl swallows hard, “Looks like the distance only made Josias crave Melissa even more.”“Like Mr. Darcy?” Isabel asks without mocking.“I don’t know.” Daryl leans over the bench and buries his hands in his head.Francisco clears his throat, “Well, I won’t be the one to step in front of Josias and stop him from getting Melissa back. Of cour
William, not caring about Daryl, butts into the conversation.“None of that, Rodrigo, let’s be pragmatic! Daryl is reaping what he sowed. Why did your cousin get into where he didn’t belong? Why did he fall into Katherine’s trap, spreading the word that Josias was going to dethrone Alan? Why did he get into a fight with Octavio, almost getting barred from Jack and Veronica’s wedding? Why did he enlist Gabriela Alves, an inexperienced journalist, to try to be the next Mrs. Rock when Josias didn’t even know her?”Everaldo listened to all of William’s questions as if he didn’t know about it.The ambulance pulled up and parked on the sidewalk. Paramedics quickly appeared.“Excuse me, guys! Do not crowd on top of the patient, he needs to breathe.”“I hope no one has moved him.”“Just to check the pulses.” Rodrigo admits, “He’s still alive.”“OK, let’s take him.” Paramedics perform the procedure.Rodrigo glares at William, “You never liked Daryl. By the way, you never liked us as a whole! S
2003Mayor Tobias is, along with the people of Sunset Village and more of today's celebrities, opening the Lagoon City Marina. The place promises to be the point for rich people to have and store their sailboats and yachts.Josias, as always, is there, wearing sunglasses, a light T-shirt, and knee-length shorts. Not even Tobias dared to wear a suit. The day was especially hot, and around the inauguration, countless bathers in skimpy clothes accompanied the event.After posing and effusive applause, the Lagoon City Marina was ready to receive the first recreational craft.Josias approaches Tobias, "Do you realize that with each passing year, Lagoon City is looking more and more like Miami?""Thank God for that!" Tobias jokes, "And you know we're growing. With the new residential subdivisions that I approved in the East Zone of the city, we passed 300,000 thousand inhabitants, and I hope to reach the mark of 400,000 when we are in the next decade.Josias nods admirably, "The Exact Scien
The next day, Josias and Melissa woke up cuddling together in the double bed as if they were the old Rocha couple. At least, in Josias’s mind, that certainty was stronger.Melissa looked around Josias’s equally luxurious bedroom and felt like she was in a dream. After years in the penthouse master suite, this suite that looked more like a VIP room in a European hotel took her breath away.“Josias, I must admit that you have good taste,” Melissa comments.Josias smiles, spooning Melissa into his arms, afraid of losing her again, “Say I’m dreaming.”“You aren’t dreaming, Josias.” Melissa looks around and finds some bags from the expensive stores she used to frequent, “Which bags are those?”Josias lets go of Melissa and leans against the headboard, showing off his muscular torso. He smiles, “I needed to get you some new clothes.”Melissa gets still under the covers, “Sorry, Josias. I didn’t even bring a nightgown.”Josias goes back to stroking Melissa’s shoulders, “Hey, calm down... I’m
Josias and Melissa are now at the dining table, having a sumptuous breakfast. The maids serving breakfast can barely hide their admiration for being in front of the Lady of Lagoon City.“Anything else, ma’am?”“No, thank you.” Melissa thanks them with a charismatic smile.The maids leave.Josias is pleased with what he saw, “They admire you, Melissa. Little do they know that they are serving the mistress and owner of this mansion.”Melissa smiles awkwardly, “Josias...”“No discussion.” Josias takes her right hand, “Yesterday I claimed you. You are mine, Melissa, and I am yours.”Melissa glares at Josias. Is this really happening?Between ricotta cheese and cubed pieces of ham, Melissa decides to tell him what’s going on.“Josias, I need to remind you... Under the law, I’m still married to Kelvin.”“Damascene Lawyers are now available.” Josias states, “I called them while you were upstairs getting dressed.”Melissa smiles slightly, “Thank you, Josias, but is this truly necessary?”“Abs
The next day, Daryl gathered the Mountain family together to discuss the urgent matter. Everyone interested was in sofas. Daryl kept his foot in a cast, sitting in the armchair.“I think I should buy a new armchair.” He suggests through clenched teeth.“Daryl, we’re all here.” Bernardo says, “What happened this time?”“Turns out, family, that Melissa moved out of Kelvin’s apartment. She probably came here.”Everyone is stunned by the information.“Daryl...” Maggie feels her voice shaky, “Kelvin didn’t call me.”“He didn’t say anything to me either,” Francisco says.“Well, he’s probably too embarrassed to admit defeat.” Daryl asserts with a frown, “How sorry I am to be in this situation. My little brother is in pain and needs comforting.”“Did he tell you why?” Isabel asks, worried.“No, he doesn’t know.” Daryl responds, “Melissa left with just cash and a few credit cards. Clothes, jewelry, the twins, all that was left behind.”“The twins too?” Rodrigo is startled.“Exactly.” Daryl nod
Josias was at Rocha Constructions, imposing in his pinstripe suit, huddled in the conference room with Tiago, Alfred, and Octavio.“Guys, I called you and left Lorraine out because we need to touch on something that doesn’t concern the company.”“We’re listening, master.” Tiago sharpens his ear.“Since yesterday, Melissa showed up at my mansion, desperate, disheveled, and with the clothes on her back. No suitcases, and most interestingly, without the twins.”The gentlemen who hear such a bombshell gape in shock.Alfred is the first to break the silence, “But... But what happened?”Josias has a gloomy face as he answers, “Melissa overheard a conversation behind Kelvin where her husband complains to Daryl about everything that has gone wrong since 1999. It was evident to Melissa that everything they’d done, especially the opening of the franchise of Crystal Blue in Victoria, was just to get her away from me because she attempted to confess the truth to me about Gabriela and that whole f