"Dear, how about we head to the second floor?" "I want to see a bit more down here!" Briana's voice echoed through the kitchen. Mark, smiling and finding it amusing, signaled for the pilots to take their bags upstairs. Stopping in the middle of the foyer and observing the L-shaped staircase, Mark nodded in approval. Maybe he should sell or keep his home in Sunset Village on standby and stay here. His original plan was to reveal his identity to Celia and both return to Lagoon City. Celia was equally poor and didn't have many roots in Braspolis. She could start her life anew in Lagoon City. But Briana was different. She had a traditional family, business, friends, roots... It wouldn't be easy for her to leave all that behind. In fact, numerous circumstances forced Mark to stay in Braspolis, caring for his wife. Briana approached him with flushed cheeks. "Mark, did you see the garage outside? It's amazing; there's space for at least ten cars! You could collect—" Mark interrupte
Monday, workday. Briana's cell phone alarm went off, and she managed to stretch her arm to silence it, grumbling sleepily. "Urgh... Sleep was so good..." Briana looked to the side and saw her sly husband still sleeping on his back, wearing an almost imperceptible smile. With the blankets covering from his belly down, Briana admired her lord's face and chest with a smile of approval. However, fearing he would wake up and repeat their Saturday marathon, she quickly got up, transforming from fiery to shy and modest wife. On Saturday, she had been on the balcony admiring the landscape when two hands grabbed her by the waist and led her to the bed. Only on Sunday did her mischievous husband give her time to rest, while he left the suite as if he wasn't the least bit tired! Was that a benefit of the military training Mark said he had? Anyway, those thoughts were shoved to the back of Briana's mind as she picked out a formal outfit for work. Being alone in the mansion, Briana went
"Of course not!" Briana's downcast expression turned resolute in a matter of seconds. "They made me sign a family relations cessation agreement, right? Hundreds of guests served as witnesses." Luana reacts with relief, placing her hand on her chest. "Phew, thank goodness! Be strong and unshakable, dear friend. Count on me for whatever comes your way. You look like you were heading out to work." "Yes, I need to know about my 'project.'" Briana and Luana exchange three kisses on each other's cheeks. After Luana leaves, Briana immediately heads upstairs, determined to wake her mischievous husband. She thought about waking him, but to her surprise, Mark was already awake, putting on his clothes. It was the same simple outfit he wore when they traveled. "Mark, you're wearing last week's outfit." "My stuff is at your apartment," Mark replied with a smile. "Did you sleep well?" "Yes, and I'd like to keep sleeping. Reality is too cruel." Briana looks at one of the desks, "My laptop wa
Briana breaks the hug. "Phew, thank God. Now we have to face another problem." Mark furrows his brow slightly. "What?" To Mark, 'problem' doesn't exist in his wife's vocabulary! "We're going to have to go to my parents' apartment to get our things, especially my laptop." Briana sighs disheartened. "Dear, why don't we leave the old things behind and buy everything new?" Mark suggests, wanting to spare his wife any headaches. But Briana interpreted Mark's question differently. "Are you afraid of what they're going to say? Mark, if I didn't want to divorce you when we were at our worst, how much more now that things are starting to fall into place?" Mark smiled ironically. No, dear, I'm not afraid of facing your horrible and useless family! I just fear that you'll develop gray hairs because of those losers. After the report he received, if the bitter and resentful Vasconcelos family finds a happy and radiant Briana, would they spare her? People who live in the dark hate those i
The family meeting in Sandro and Nadia's apartment remained tense among them. Briana patted Mark's shoulder. "Darling, let me speak. Don't expose yourself." "Briana, why do you always take the hits?" Nadir brayed in disbelief. "Ever since you introduced Mark to us at our house, he positions himself behind you as if he's afraid." "Mother, your anger isn't with Mark; it's with me," Briana retorted bravely. "We don't want to be angry, daughter," Sandro tried to calm the situation. "We don't want to, but that's what we have," Nadir replied sourly. "Tell me, you two: what are you going to do moving forward? A little party at the Aurelia Cathedral isn't enough."The wedding party is just the beginning. You obviously had a crazy time on that isolated island, but now you're back to reality." Briana turned red with anger. "Mother, don't disrespect me! Are you envious of what I've accomplished thanks to Mark?" "Thanks to Mark?" Nadir sneered, staring at the impassive son-in-law. "You hav
Mark, finishing packing his and Briana's bags, heard Nadir's scandalous question and frowned in outrage. NO! They're not going to live in his house! Grabbing Briana's laptop, Mark noticed there was some dirt between the keys. Did someone drop cookie crumbs? Did Sandro or Nadir try to mess with their daughter's laptop after learning of her victory with the LCN Group? Resolute, Mark picked up the bags and returned to the living room. Before Briana could agree or disagree to bring her parents with them, Mark announced loudly, "Dear, here's your laptop. We can go." Nadir turned to Mark with bulging eyes. "We demand to know where you two are going to live!" "Dear mother-in-law, that's none of your business," Mark replied with an elegant smile, but the words burned like acid on Nadir's face. She gaped, unable to contain her outrage. "Is that how you treat your elders, you insolent? Who do you think you are? You're nothing but a pauper relying on the money and influence of others!"
Briana and Mark returned to Ferro House. In the suite, Mark puts his clothes in the closet he chose. Briana's voice reaches him. "You really didn't want them to come here, did you? I was considering it." "Exactly, that's why I wanted to stop you from doing this madness," Mark joked. "Maybe they'd settle down living in an environment that suits their lifestyle," Briana suggested thoughtfully. Mark shook his head and went to her closet. "Dear, people like your parents don't deserve to be in a beautiful mansion in an upscale, exclusive neighborhood. They don't know how to thrive; they don't have the gift." Briana was surprised by this. "How do you know that, dear? You talk like you're a born entrepreneur." Mark, feeling he had said too much, cleared his throat unnecessarily. "Uh... I can see these things, my dear. Tell me: who is the current president of the Vasconcelos Company?" "My uncle, Gilson, has always been at the helm of the business as long as I remember. Now he's taken
Glamour had been notified in advance that Briana would return after lunch. All the employees were on edge, eagerly anticipating the arrival of Briana and Mark. Speculation about Mark's future was rampant. The general manager of this company, who had caused quite a stir by marrying in style at the most sought-after venue in the city, wouldn't have her husband working as a janitor, right? There was someone who was not pleased with that: Celia. Since then, Celia had been weighing the pros and cons of having divorced Mark. While idly chatting at Mary Ellen's desk, she asked, "So, how's Mark's new role here at the company?" Mary Ellen rolled her eyes. "The world is so unfair. We, the good citizens, work hard at this company and don't get the recognition we deserve."Yet Mark, a mere janitor who would do us a favor by disappearing off the face of the earth, has been appointed interim manager while Miss Vasconcelos is still being hired." Celia asked further, "And now that they're bot