Alan walked into Crystal Blue, spotting Jake at the maître d’ station. Alan was too engrossed in his cell phone conversation, frowning as he listened.“I don’t understand,” Alan said into his phone, confusion clear in his voice. “Are you apologizing if I was offended in some way?”Jake waited politely for the Rocha Constructions heir to finish his call, all while he prepared the system to reserve a table.“Yes, Olivia Vasquez — my mother-in-law,” Alan continued. “Was she disrespected?”Jake covered his mouth with his right hand, hiding a mischievous smile as he listened in.“Okay, apologies accepted,” Alan concluded. “She likes to have fun with her friends and needs peace. The last thing I need is Uncle João Paulo making a scene about this. Thank you.” He ended the call and turned to Jake.“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Alan said. “I need a table for two, please.”Jake nodded. “No problem, sir. Trouble with your mother-in-law?”Alan shot him a suspicious look. “And why would that intere
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
Suzy catches Luís trying to share explosive news. She walks into the office and closes the door. “Come on, Luís, spill it! Who did you sleep with this time? Your cousin Sofia?” Luís’ eyes widen to their maximum, and he shakes his head vehemently. “No, you crazy! Sofia is, as you said, my cousin!” “So it was your aunt Olivia then?” “SHUT UP!” Luís’ voice echoed like thunder. Suzy purses her lips, trying to understand better. “For sure, you slept with someone you shouldn’t have, which is why you’re in such a panic. And it’s someone close to you, since you said ‘my’.” “Did you marry Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot?” Luís asks her sourly, squinting in annoyance. Suzy flashes a slight smile. “No, I’m just enjoying seeing you uncomfortable.” “And all of this is revenge because we’re not dating? We can fix that.” Luís tries to get closer to her. Suzy, on her part, takes two steps back. “No, thanks! I don’t want Jake to show up here hearing you all desperate, lamenting that you sl
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 Crystal Blue, Benjamin and Jake return to the lounge. Felipe is pouring himself a shot of brandy to calm his nerves. “I think I’ll want a shot too,” Jake jokes, not eliciting any laughter from anyone. “Your uncle just left,” Felipe announces grimly. “And what did he say? Does he want you to fire me?” Jake’s eyes widen. “No, he came to apologize for having a quarrelsome maître,” Felipe shoots him a reproachful look. “Well, it’s not like I do this every day,” Jake gestures dismissively. “I was just angry at the possibility that Luís Vasquez deflowered my sister.” Felipe raises his eyebrows. “Is it still just a possibility?” “Exactly,” Jake confirms, embarrassed. “Well, I’m off to my duties,” Benjamin pats Felipe on the shoulder and walks away. Daryl and Diane pass by Benjamin and greet him. They approach Felipe, sensing the gloomy atmosphere. “What happened here? Jake, did you fight a thief?” Daryl asks. “No, I fought with Luís Vasquez.” Daryl and Diane exchange ironic gl
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
The Mountain family celebrated the fireworks in the living room of the Mountain Penthouse, where they could observe the famous balcony through the access door. Tony watched closely from the balcony, filming the spectacle for posterity, as he said. Daryl poured champagne for everyone. Diane grabbed her glass, and they both clinked, smiling, confident that everything would turn out well. Kelvin and Karen were on the sofa, taking care of Anthony, who, surprisingly, was not bothered by the fireworks. The baby, about to turn one, looked around with bright eyes as if he were aware of everything happening. “It’s his first New Year’s Eve, dear.” Kelvin kissed Karen’s cheek. Daryl raised his glass to the ceiling. “Guys, it’s time to share something that will excite everyone! Hey, Tony, come here for a moment!” Tony returned to the living room. “I managed to capture a good angle of the show.” Felipe came in from the kitchen holding a platter of fried snacks. “Here’s more cheese balls and
At Vaztrans, Olivia was pacing back and forth, as if she were suffering from withdrawal syndrome, so to speak.Withdrawal from her nephew.“Luís went to Spain and hasn’t come back, HASN’T COME BACK! When will he return?”Olivia shoved her hand into the pocket of her business dress and pulled out her cell phone.But her hands and fingers trembled so much that she couldn’t finish dialing Luís’s parents’ number.The electronic voice told her with each attempt that the number was wrong, preventing her from making the international call.“How is that possible? I typed it right— oh, I missed the number ‘5’.” Olivia shook her head.The door opened, and Sofia walked in. “Mom, good morning! You left the mansion early. What happened?”Olivia turned to her daughter, revealing bloodshot eyes.“Mom, you look extremely worried! How can I help you?”“I wanted to know when your cousin is coming back.” Olivia replied as if it were no big deal.This did not go unnoticed by Sofia. “Huh? Is that why you