The next day, Matthew walked around campus with an infectious smile. Some university students who were around the main square noticed this.“What happened to the former grill cook? Isn’t he poor anymore?”“Where are these fancy clothes coming from? It looks like he’s one of us!”“Don’t be fooled. He’s a resident of Lion’s Den.”However, when Matthew passes by the kiosk, Patricia approaches him as if she had overheard their conversation.“Matt!”“What’s wrong, Patty?” Matthew freezes his steps.Patricia approaches with a frown. “I thought we were friends.”“You’ll always be my best friend and the bridesmaid at my wedding,” Matthew responds somewhat offended.Patricia was disappointed for a few seconds with what she heard. Afterward, she recovers. “So can you answer me when you meant to tell me you had moved?”Matthew’s mouth drops open. He had completely forgotten!******At the Sterling Mansion, Abner headed to the garage with Evan in tow. Alice said goodbye to him.“Bye, darling. Tod
Matthew and Patricia feel they heard wrong. Cindy wants to invite Matthew to a party at her house.“Cindy, it seems like you forgot something.” Patricia responds on Matthew’s behalf, “You’re no longer Matt’s girlfriend. You no longer have to be in close contact with him.”Cindy glares at Patricia, “I know he’s not a boyfriend anymore. I know you two are lovers. But that doesn’t mean we’re no longer friends, right, Matt?”Patricia is horrified. “What’s this talk? Matt and I aren’t lovers!”Cindy dismissively retorts, “I know the truth. David Rocha explained everything to me. While I was feeling guilty about falling in love with Ricardo before breaking up with Matt, you two were—”“Cindy, I already told you that’s not true!” Matthew roars, “And if you prefer to continue to believe the lie, I’d better not accept your invitation.”Cindy realizes what a mistake she is making and shakes her head. “OK, forgive me, Matt! The past is the past, and I shouldn’t have brought it up. I want to prov
In the classroom, in between classes, Walter scolds Matthew for the idea of going to Cindy’s party.“Matt, have you gone completely crazy?” Walter frowns, “You’re going straight to the wolf’s den, and you want to take Patricia as an additional sacrifice!”“And who said it would be a sacrifice?” Matthew smiles mischievously, “I hope it’s something fun!”“Yes, Ricardo Montegrande is going to have fun with two poor folks ruining his girlfriend’s party. He’s going to have fun rubbing the fact that he’s Cindy’s current boyfriend in your face. And Cindy won’t miss an opportunity to humiliate Patricia. You don’t even look like you’re Patty’s friend.”“I’m her best friend, so I’m going to make sure nothing happens to her.” Matthew shakes his head, “After class, I’ll get her something interesting.”“How?” Walter is surprised, “Let me handle this.”“No, I have that store’s credit card, have you forgotten?” Matthew gestures to him.“Oh yes...”“By the way, yesterday I bought my mother some cloth
At Cindy’s house, she is cornered by her jealous boyfriend when he asks about Matthew’s improved appearance.She looks away from Ricardo to the furniture. “I think we need to move the couch to the corner.”“I’m going to push Matthew Silva out if he shows up here more stylish than me, I’m warning you!” Ricardo warns her threateningly.Cindy smiles nervously, appearing calm. “I thought you wanted to have fun.”“I’m going to have fun kicking the stupid cuckold out of here.” Ricardo smiles cruelly, “As for the waitress, we’ll see if it’s worth wasting two seconds on her.”Cindy quickly reacts jealously. “No, it’s not worth it.”“And why did you call her?” Ricardo smiles ironically.“It’s because I knew Matt wouldn’t come here without her,” Cindy responds promptly, not realizing how jealous and obvious she is.“So that means they’re dating.” Ricardo continues to tease his girlfriend, “And that means your friend David Rocha was right from the beginning.”Cindy doesn’t have eye contact with
Ricardo discovers that Cindy pestered Patricia and Matthew at college once again and hid it from him.Cindy reacts dumbfounded, caught in the act.Patricia smiles victoriously, “Looks like this was supposed to be a secret.”“Patty, don’t get involved in these matters.” Matthew states seriously, “Ricardo, good evening. Cindy invited us to this party. We heard you were successful in your investigation against Deputy Ramiro Moura. Congratulations.”Ricardo is livid, “Do you really care, imbecile?”“I just want to be polite.” Matthew holds out his hand to Patricia, “Come on, Patty. There’s blackberry pie in the kitchen.”Matthew and Patricia go to the kitchen. Cindy remains frozen.Ricardo shakes her, “CINDY! You said you invited the waitress to humiliate her, but she’s the one putting on a show around here!”Cindy regains her ability to speak. “But... I don’t believe it! Matt has never bought me anything exquisite of this level!”Ricardo becomes more and more uncomfortable. “It’s clear t
In Cindy’s bed, Matthew tells her his true identity.Matthew takes a deep breath, waits a few seconds, and says in a solemn voice, “Cindy... I’m rich. I’m Matthew Sterling, the grandson of the owner of the university where we study.”Cindy struggles to get up and lean against the headboard, covering herself with the blankets. Her gaze expresses surprise and shock.After a few seconds, Matthew is surprised when Cindy suddenly BREAKS OUT LAUGHING.“HA, HA, HA, HA! Matthew... YOU ARE HILARIOUS!”Matthew gets angry. If Cindy doesn’t believe him when he tells the truth, will she believe his lies?Disappointed, he gets out from under the blankets and gets out of bed, crouching down to look for his pieces of clothing. “OK, if you don’t believe me, forget it!”Cindy wipes away tears of laughter. From where she is standing, she has a great view of Matthew’s butt as he squats. “OK, Matt, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to offend you.”Matthew still can’t find his clothes, “You offend me when you don’t
Cindy is surprised by a completely unknown man standing at the entrance to her kitchen.“Hey, who are you and how did you get into my house?”The man, around forty years old, starting to go bald and with a beer belly, approaches her three steps. When he smiles, he displays yellowed teeth, “Take it easy. Cooperate with us, and you won’t come to any harm.”“This is a robbery?” Cindy’s eyes widen.“No. This is a warning.” The man responds, becoming serious, “Actually, we want to talk to your boyfriend.”“He is not here.” In her eagerness to defend Matthew, Cindy purposely identifies Ricardo as her boyfriend, “Ricardo Montegrande is a great journalist and goes to work early, like any responsible and hard-working man.”“Yes, I see how responsible he is!” The man puts his hand on the quartz countertop only to get leftover blackberry pie on it, “Urgh, was there a party or an animal rumpus here?”“How did you know about the party and how did you know my address?” Cindy screams in terror, “Who
At Sterling Mansion, Evan is walking through the halls until he is approached by Matthew. He returned from his internship at Golden Letters.“Hello, Mr. Sterling. Can I help you with something?”“Evan, can you get me a reservation at the Siren restaurant? I invited Cindy Cardoso, but now I’m thinking that I shouldn’t use my last name so she doesn’t get suspicious.”Evan is surprised, “Why don’t you want to use your last name?”“That’s because I still want to keep it a secret.” Matthew scratches the back of his head, “Actually, I told Cindy the truth and she didn’t believe me.”Evan laughs, “She’s going to regret laughing at you. But yes, I’ll get you a reservation. You can ask me for that and more, Mr. Sterling.”“Well, you’re my grandfather’s secretary, so...”“Perhaps you should find yourself a secretary.” Evan suggests and walks away.Matthew goes to his room thinking about this possibility.Sheila approaches Evan as he passes into the living room. “Evan, is my son home from work y
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