Cláudio notices that the desk has no computer installed, however, the printed sheets concerning his dismissal are ready to be stamped and signed.Jacques guesses Claudio’s thinking, “Yes, I printed those forms from my computer since you destroyed my daughter’s. I wonder if you would have dealt such a blow to Nadia’s face if my future son-in-law hadn’t shown up.”“Mr. Lafayette...” Claudio tries to apologize.“Too late, Mr. Guzman.” Jacques shakes his head, “My daughter hired you after you came here unemployed, after everything that happened between you and Kate Bezerra. Josias Rocha had suggested we fire you, but we decided to keep you. And that’s how you repay us, almost assaulting my daughter, the one who gave you the job.”“I fell madly in love with her, Mr. Lafayette.”“Oh sure, her computer is proof of how much you love her!” Jacques mocks and passes the first form, “Sign, Mr. Guzman, don’t waste my time!”Defeated, Claudio takes the form and reads it carefully before signing. He
At the entrance to the Rocha Mansion, Melissa is handing out autographs to the fans who continue to cheer and congratulate her on her return.“Mrs. Melissa Rocha is more beautiful in person than in the newspapers!” The men said in amazement.Melissa positioned herself in the middle of three teenage girls for their mother to take a picture.“Ready!”“Oh, Mrs. Rocha, thank you so much!” One of them effusively shook Melissa’s hand.“You are very kind.” Melissa thanks her with a charismatic smile.Not far away, Simeon and Dora watch their daughter with blatant pride.“Look at our daughter, darling.” Dora declares, “Would you say she would have been loved and followed by so many fans in 1980, when we were all in the misery of Happiness Slum?”“No, of course not. And we owe it all to Josias.” Simeon sighs, “I will never stop thanking God for helping me make the best decision.”“Which decision?”“Having encouraged Melissa to stay with Josias instead of Fabrício,” Simeon comments in a jocular
Josias and Octavio are shocked to find the Crystal Blue’s vandalized state. The windowpane is gone, needs to be replaced with another one. Waiters clean up tomato, rotten egg, and old paint stains. Patrick is on a ladder pulling out rolls of toilet paper and a sign that reads ‘DEATH TO MOUNTAINS!’“Good morning, Pat.” Josias greets him.“Mr. Rocha, are you not ashamed to encourage something of this magnitude?” Patrick asks without looking at Josias, concentrating on his work.Octavio is offended, “Looks like you didn’t listen to the radio. Josias just apologized and asked his fans to stop vandalizing the Mountain family.”“After they burned down the circus?” Patrick does not accept the apology.Josias rolls his eyes, “Pat, don’t be a bore. Is Daryl in there?”“Mr. Mountain is inside, counting the losses. As for Mrs. Mountain, she came out with a determined face, probably to throw truths in Melissa Mountain’s face.”Octavio held out his hands to swing the ladder and make Patrick fall a
Beto and Wallace return to the Teodoro Building. They are greeted by the song “Here Without You” by Three Doors Down.Teresa and Vera were waiting for the gentlemen.“Darling, so glad you’re back from the journey!” Teresa hugs Beto, “How is Josias? Well? OK? So and so?”“He’s fine, surprised by the vandalism.” Beto responds, stroking his wife’s hair, “He didn’t know what happened at the restaurant.”Vera points to the radio, “Well, we heard Josias’s statement on the radio station. In fact, the fan base overreacted.”Wallace comments, “That’ll end up encouraging people to heat up the war between the families.”“Oh, I hope that doesn’t happen.” Vera crosses her fingers, “May we all live in peace.”“Where are Pedro and Maycon?” Beto asks.“Where else? Playing the video game as usual.” Teresa laughs, pleased by the change of subject.Beto kisses her cheek and goes to the apartment to see the children.Wallace and Vera walk to their apartment, when suddenly...“Wally...” Vera freezes her s
At General Hospital, Josias notices that Melissa is not behaving like someone who is anxious to see a friend giving birth to her child. Melissa was somber and distant, while Simeon and Dora chatted animatedly.“A pity that Teodoro couldn’t see his daughter giving him another grandchild,” Simeon comments.“Darling, even if Teodoro didn’t have the cardiac arrest in 1985, he would be dead today... He was already sixty-five.”“But he could have seen Rosemary and Pedro at least.” Simeon insists.“Well, that’s true.” Dora sees Josias, “Hello, Josias! Here we are. William and Caio had to go home because of the pizzeria. Alan stayed with the twins, and it looks like Pedro and Maycon went to see them.”“Hi, everyone. Glad Wallace is finally having his baby. A little late, I guess...”Melissa does the math, “Wally’s forty-three, but he’s still handsome. No one will think of him as a late father. He’ll probably look younger when he shows up with his son in his arms.”Josias smiles playfully, “Wo
Days later, with Vera recovered and Elton going home, Maggie provided the cover story for Maggiezine. As agreed, the photo was taken in Wallace’s apartment, but no one realized that it was a Happiness Slum residence, due to the care that Rocha Constructions had in rebuilding the Teodoro building.That edition and the edition that showed Josias and Melissa on the cover, announcing the return of the Rocha couple, proved to be the best-selling editions of 2003.Access to the same news on the website also skyrocketed. Young people who did not have the money or desire to subscribe to the magazine looked for information on the Internet and shared it with their friends of the same age.Meanwhile, Daryl and Diane felt left out again. They wanted to visit Vera to congratulate her and meet Elton, but her apartment was always full of Josias’s relatives and friends.Until, one fine day, they took courage. Upon reading yet another article about them in the LCN newspaper, Daryl threw the newspaper
Daryl, Diane, and Felipe set foot in the lobby of the Teodoro building and bumped into Patrick.“PAT!” Daryl flashed the fakest smile ever, “Hello! Have a nice day.”Patrick was startled by his boss’s exaggerated greeting, “Sir... Mr. Mountain? What are you doing here?”“What do you mean?” Diane smirks, “We came to see our second cousin, Elton.”“I didn’t know he was your relative.” Patrick narrows his eyes.Felipe explains, “Well, Wallace Freire is the son of Isabel Freire who is married to my uncle Francisco. Symbolically, he is our relative, just as we accept Isabel and Wallace.”Patrick smirks, “You can include yourself in that too, my pal.”Daryl and Diane look at each other, witnessing from the front row how Patrick always takes the opportunity to make fun of their adopted son.Beto appears in the lobby. The radio is playing “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé & Jay-Z.“Good morning, Mountain family! Have you come to visit your symbolic cousin?”Daryl smiles at Patrick, “See? Even Beto r
As soon as the Mountain family left, Wallace locked the door and ripped all the clothes off his body again. Vera laughs.“Today you don’t want to get formal, huh?”Wallace shrugs, “No, it’s hot today. Do you want me to turn the fan on for you?”“Don’t put it too strong. I don’t want to risk Elton catching a cold.” Vera tenderly looks at her son.Wallace thus turns on the fan, “You know, Patrick came by, but he didn’t tell me what he wanted, and he left without answering.”“That was really weird.” Vera frowns, “He saw his bosses here and was embarrassed?”“Looks like he was late.” Wallace chuckles, “But he got weird saying that only Daryl and Diane were his bosses. He said that by the time Felipe’s turn comes around, he’ll already be at a better job.”Vera saw no strangeness in the phrase, “Every man wants a better job.”“But he said, I don’t know... As if he had something against Felipe. Did they fight?” Wallace scratches his chin.Vera shrugs. She is only interested in taking care of