After kicking Germano out of Sterling Mansion, Matthew went to the dining room to have breakfast. Patricia was already halfway through, drinking skim milk coffee.“Darling, where were you?” Patricia wanted Matthew to tell her.Matthew sat next to her and began to serve himself. “Can you believe I was still with old Cardoso?”“Does he still insist on thinking his daughter is innocent?” Patricia smiled in contempt, “Look at the difference. When my father found out about me and Jackson, he scolded us as if we were ten years old. My father never stopped disciplining and guiding us.”“Is that so?” Matthew smiled lightly, choosing sweet potato bread to eat, “Congratulations to Seu Hélio.”“Darling, I’m getting worried.” Patricia wiped the smile off her face, “It seems that the Cardoso family is determined not to leave us alone.”“Why would that be a great concern?” Matthew shook his head, “They can’t do anything besides what they’re doing: whining and complaining.”“One day, someone from LC
Patricia is at the Sterling Cultural Hall talking to Zachary about the item he wants to auction for charity.“Zach, are you sure about this?” Patricia examined the item, “I don’t think anyone has a record player nowadays.”Patricia held a rare vinyl record from a 60s rock band. She noticed how well-preserved and plastic-wrapped the cover was.Zachary smiled proudly. “Yes, my dad gave the green light. It’s not that he doesn’t like the band, but as you said... we don’t have record players anymore. Maybe a collector will be present at the auction and be interested.”“Okay, thank you very much.” Patricia accepted the gift.Near her, there were other valuable items being delivered for the auction. As the host, Patricia needed to know which items were coming in order to announce them correctly to interested parties.Evan appeared holding a painting. “Miss Borges, can I have a minute of your attention?”“Yes?” Patricia turned and saw the most beautiful painting, in her opinion, “Wow, Evan! W
Ronaldo is working at his desk, but his mind occasionally wanders from the company to the conversation he had with Hélio. He frowns and scratches his forehead, uneasy with what he discovered.The door opened and Fernando appeared. “Hello, son. How is the price of a barrel of oil today?”“It’s fine, Dad.” Ronaldo’s response wanted to indicate the opposite.“What happened?” Fernando closed the door and approached his son. “Is this about the text message you sent?”Ronaldo was even more surprised. “You knew?”“Well, I saw you up there in the penthouse, and then I found out you didn’t come straight to the company.” Fernando smiled slightly, “Do you want to share with me?”“I sent a message to Mr. Hélio.” Ronaldo explains, “We met at the Gibraltar Club and talked about what I told you earlier.”Fernando looked embarrassed, “Son, did you have to tell that gentleman that his daughter was sleeping with another guy...”“Exactly. But instead of Hélio getting upset or denying it, he, very embarr
Bryce entered his father Edmund Hudson’s office. The manager of the Sterling Cultural Hall was an interesting, outgoing, responsible man who was starting to show signs of gray hair.“Hello, son! How are the preparations for the big charity auction going?”“I don’t know!” Bryce slammed the door behind him.“Do you want to pay for the cost of fixing the door?” Edmund shook his head, “Or is this your male withdrawal syndrome kicking in?”Bryce felt his blood pressure skyrocket. “Are you going to start? I came here to work, but Patty Borges is acting like a diva and dismissed me!”“That’s not true.” Edmund shook his finger, “All the employees here say that Miss Borges has been exemplary in behavior and kindness.”“Oh, believe what you want.” Bryce sat down on the avocado-colored couch, “She doesn’t like me.”“Yes, because you remind her of your man,” Edmund repeated.“DAVID ROCHA IS NOT MY MAN!” Bryce shouted in desperation.“Then when are you going to introduce me to your girlfriend?” Ed
Matthew never felt as enraged at Cindy as he did on this day.Is this Cindy Cardoso, his first girlfriend, the sweet girl who loved him when he was a fry cook?Has Matthew been in a relationship with an alternative version of Cindy?Who is this hysterical woman airing all the dirty laundry and secrets to people who weren’t even involved?This needs to stop!But before Matthew could do anything, he watched in apprehension as Evan lost his temper and pulled out his revolver, shooting Cindy.“AHHH!” Jacqueline screamed as Zachary covered her eyes.Patricia felt a mix of relief seeing her rival being shot and concern about how this would affect her boyfriend.Cindy collapsed to the ground, blood starting to seep through her blouse.“Someone, quick, call an ambulance!” Matthew ordered.Evan realized he had gone too far. “Young Matthew... I’m sorry. I got carried away.”“Is she...?” Zachary felt his heart in his throat.“I didn’t hit any vital organs,” Evan replied knowingly.Still, blood w
Cindy was admitted to the headquarters of Clinic Andrade.Charles appeared very worried after a text message from his wife. He was anxious even knowing that his daughter was not in danger.“Darling, where is our daughter?”“Calm down, husband. She is safe with Zachary Loss.” Emmanuelle kisses him on the cheek.“I was in a meeting with the board members.” Charles continues, “We need to introduce Walt to them, now that his graduation is coming.”“I’m sorry for the interruption.” Emmanuelle lowers her voice.“No, you didn’t bother me at all.” Charles winks, “I managed to finish the meeting without losing it.”Zachary and Jacqueline turn the corner and meet her parents.“DAUGHTER!” Emmanuelle runs and hugs her, “How are you doing?”“I’m fine, Mom.” Jacqueline was still fragile and scared.“Mr. Loss, thank you very much for taking care of my daughter.” Charles addresses Zachary.“You’re welcome, Mr. Andrade. Jacque is my friend.”Jacqueline smiled mysteriously. Just a friend?“Well, how di
Cindy was moved from the intensive care center to a private wing room.The operation was a success. Now, all that was left was for her to rest and wake up.But deep down, Cindy wished to remain in eternal coma just so she wouldn’t have to wake up and face the consequences of her actions.Once she wakes up, she’ll have to explain herself to her parents and Matthew about her irrational and irascible behavior.Germano and Zilda appeared and stayed by her side for a few hours.“And now, husband?” Zilda asks in a low tone.“I don’t know what to do, wife,” Germano complained, “As much as I want revenge, Matthew has a point. Our daughter needed to confront that damn Patty Borges, but not the way she did.”“Spilling the secret in front of others...” Zilda shakes her head, “I should have been with her. But I got carried away and wanted to act alone too.”“Now Matthew will be all righteous and protect Patty Borges even more.” Germano sighs discontentedly.“Let’s give it time. First, our daughte
At the Borges House, Vanda and Patricia receive a visit from Alice.“Guys, I’m really sorry. We heard about what happened. How are you?”“We’re more concerned about the repercussions this will cause among you than with the health of that girl,” Patricia replied honestly.Vanda pointed to the sofa in the lobby for Alice to sit.“Well, I didn’t expect things to escalate like this.” Alice sighs, “Don’t worry, Patty. Probably all this happened for a greater good.”“How so?” Patricia widened her eyes.“Well, now with Cindy out of the picture, we can focus 100% on the auction preparations.” Alice reasoned, “And if Cindy’s parents try any scandal, we’ll kindly remind them that it was their daughter who showed up on our property, embarrassing people who had nothing to do with the issues between you two.”“I think I’m starting to understand your point of view.” Patricia relaxed a bit.“You don’t need to worry.” Alice turned to Vanda, “Right, friend?”“Certainly. I even put a chicken pie in the
At Silva Oil Company, Kirk appeared in Leonardo’s office. Fernando and Marta had already left. “KIRK!” Leonardo abruptly stood up from his desk. “How are you, my young man!” “Mr. Silva?” Kirk was surprised by such reverence. “I didn’t know you cared so much about me...” “Cut the small talk! You just had a seizure and looked like you were going to die in my company,” Leonardo gestured for the employee to sit down. “Now I want to know all the details. Don’t hide anything from this curious old man.” Kirk smiled and sat down. “Well, sir, there’s not much to tell. I was stupid enough to fall for the siren’s song.” “In this case, the cocaine song, right?” Leonardo leaned forward. “What do you intend to do from here on out?” “Obviously, I promised myself and my family that I wouldn’t use that cr*p anymore. It wasn’t worth all the drama and suffering,” Kirk replied honestly. “That’s good. Then you can continue from where you left off,” Leonardo smiled, relieved. “That’s about what I w
In Urbano Magazine, Cindy returned with the printed sheet, extending it to Andreia. “Read this not-so-pretentious article, my friend,” Cindy declared. Andreia took the paper and read it. A smile formed at the right corner of her mouth. “Cool... nothing so blatantly accusatory, but clear enough for any semi-literate person to understand that Elaine knocked over that pyramid of champagne glasses, causing a scene at the book signing.” “Of course, I won’t say she did it because the honored author was her enemy’s mother,” Cindy replied mischievously. “You don’t want to risk Matt’s wrath.” Andreia stood up, a bit slowly due to her pregnancy. “Speaking of which, how did he react after your dad’s video?” “I didn’t bring it up with him,” Cindy shook her head. “If I mention it, people will say I still love him.” “And you don’t want to do anything to ruin your relationship with Jackson,” Andreia repeated. “Cindy, it’s commendable that you’re more committed and focused on having someone in
Fernando appeared in the kitchen wearing gray sweatpants. Liz, who was sour and bitter, smiled pathetically with her gaze fixed on her husband’s pants. “Good morning, son. What’s new?” Ronaldo replied rudely, “The news is seeing my mother still able to walk!” “RON!” Liz was startled. Fernando shook his head. “Son, don’t be disrespectful. Your mother and I are trying to be as discreet as possible.” Ronaldo shot back, “Just missing discretion when discussing my fiancée, huh? Can we talk about that now?” Liz pursed her lips. “I was so happy when I woke up, but you made sure to ruin my day.” “Mom, we can’t avoid the obvious!” Ronaldo turned to Fernando. “Matt told me that Elaine was reprimanded.” “And I will never agree to that!” Liz shouted. “Elaine was a victim of that tough girl from the slums! She could have died from a cut to her jugular!” “But Elaine provoked Patty’s wrath by saying those nasty things,” Fernando reasoned as he served himself breakfast. “Couldn’t Patricia a
Silva Penthouse, Monday morning. Ronaldo was walking down the hallway to the kitchen in just his boxer shorts when the suite door opened. Liz was smiling a little too much, looking like she was about to dance ballet. “Mom! Long time no see!” “Yes, son, I had a wonderful time with your father!” Liz replied suggestively. Ronaldo blushed to the roots of his hair. “Is breakfast ready?” she asked casually. “I was about to check,” Ronaldo said, heading to the kitchen. There, the coffee maker was already brewing coffee. “Nando must have prepared it in advance.” Liz took bread and butter from the fridge. Ronaldo, cautious, sat down at the table. He noticed a tear in Liz’s nightgown. “Mom, did you and Dad make up this Sunday?” “We can say he’s no longer in love with your fiancée,” Liz replied with a mischievous smile. “Mom, stop talking about that disgusting stuff!” Ronaldo frowned. “This is all your sick imagination.” Liz simply shrugged, sitting down at the table as well. “You’r
Elaine arrived stumbling with fear and bewilderment. The truth about Bella and Nathan’s relationship was something horrifying and incredible for her to digest. “Oh my God... how did these two families let this issue intertwine like this?” Nayla was at the reception desk, smiling, waiting for Elaine to approach. But when she realized Elaine was going to walk past her, Nayla called out loudly, “ELAINE?” Elaine stopped suddenly and looked at her friend. “Oh, Nayla, I’m sorry...” “Don’t worry. I know you must be going through a lot of pressure.” Nayla stood up. “I really am. But I always have time for my friends.” Elaine smiled and approached, trying to distract her mind. “I wanted to know if there are any openings here at Golden Letters for my brother.” Nayla asked respectfully. Elaine’s smile vanished with the wind. As Nayla’s boss, she knew who the brother was. “Nayla, we’re friends, but you know I have a strong opinion against drug use and sales.” Elaine replied in a boss t
At Andrade Clinic, Charles was leading a meeting with the receptionists and security guards. Walter and Emmanuelle were present. “So, everyone, the next time Liz Silva or anyone else causes a scene at the clinic entrance, security or even the police must be called in immediately. Don’t hesitate just because the troublemaker is someone from an important family. This is a hospital clinic, not a zoo, so I demand order in the lobby. A disturbance can jeopardize the patients who are waiting for care, and I don’t want to compromise anyone’s safety, understood?” “Yes, Mr. Andrade!” everyone responded in unison. “Okay, everyone can return to your posts.” The staff went back to work. Linda gave Walter a brief kiss before leaving. “Linda, I need to ask you a quick question,” Emmanuelle called her back. Linda paused, closing the door after the last person left. “Did you check with your parents if it’s safe to go home?” “No, Emmanuelle. The conversation with Gus was so good that I forgot
In Matthew’s suite, he was now buttoning the cuffs of his genuine cotton dress shirt. Elaine had also gotten out of the bathtub, unable to continue relaxing, and was now putting on her work suit.The memory of the Golden Letters prompted Matthew to strike up a conversation. “Did you remove a glass from the base of the pyramid?” Elaine stared at Matthew as if he were the devil. “What? How can you throw a question like that out of nowhere?” “I just asked a question, woman, answer me.” Elaine shook her head as she walked to the sofa to put on her high heels. “This is inconceivable. Your mind is always revolving around Patricia’s issues. You never forget her, and then tell me I don’t need to worry.” “Was the champagne glass pyramid made for an occasion involving Patricia?” Matthew countered logically. “No, but it was her mother’s book signing.” Elaine angrily slipped on her shoes. “Well, I remembered that many claimed the embarrassment happened because someone removed a glass from
Monday. Elaine was relaxing in the bathtub of her husband’s suite. Matthew stepped out of the shower stall, drying his hair with a white towel as he walked to the double sink. The sight of Matthew’s exposed body startled Elaine for a few seconds, but then she took advantage of the beautiful view, smiling mischievously. “It hardly feels like it’s Monday,” she commented casually. Matthew was washing his face as he said, “Yes, it’s Monday, the day to take care of important things after we relax our nerves on Sunday.” Elaine pursed her lips and retorted, “If I relaxed my nerves, it’s because they were in shambles. It’s not like me to live in constant stress, darling. I might not get the chance to calm down in the future.” Matthew turned off the faucet and grabbed a face towel. “Are you saying you would be willing to reduce your contact with Aunt Liz?” Elaine could no longer relax. “What does that mean?” Matthew tossed the towel onto the sink and turned to his wife. “I don’t like t
In the Silva Penthouse, Liz took advantage of the wreckage of the coffee table to create more drama. “Here we have it, darling! The COFFEE TABLE is SHATTERED with Elaine’s body thanks to Patty—” “SHUT UP!” Fernando slammed the door shut. Liz trembled in panic, staring wide-eyed at her furious husband. “But what is this? Why are you angry with me, darling, when you should be furious with Patty—” “I command silence, and you keep babbling even more!” Fernando went to the utility room to grab a broom. Liz quickly grabbed her phone and took a picture of the shattered coffee table. Maybe this will come in handy for her in the future... “So, what are we going to do about this?” Liz shouted for Fernando to hear. Fernando returned with a broom and a dustpan in hand. “Don’t tell me you’re going to sweep this up!” Liz reacted horrified. “Let the maid clean it up on Monday!” “I won’t have a living room full of glass shards until Monday. I want to watch TV tomorrow!” Fernando’s ferocity