Inside Siren Restaurant, the midday hum of chatter filled the air as Karl quietly enjoyed his lunch, discreetly observing a group of board members deep in conversation with Fabian across the room.Their voices carried enough for Karl to overhear snippets of their discussion."I'm confident that young Matthew Sterling will be a great leader," Fabian remarked with assurance. "He even had his ex-girlfriend conduct an interview. I posed for photos and everything!"Suspicion influenced the answer from one of the directors, "I hope we're not talking about Cindy Cardoso.""That's her," Fabian confirmed casually. "Hey, do you foresee any issues?"Another director chimed in with caution. "We just hope Young Mr. Sterling remembers who he's marrying."Karl felt a twinge of irritation at the lack of faith displayed by the older men.He considered rising to defend Matthew when his phone suddenly rang, shattering his thoughts.He answered quickly, anticipating the call from Golden Letters."Hello?"
Sheila arrived at Golden Letters after lunch, poised to speak with Matthew as planned.In the lobby, Nayla greeted her warmly, smiling at the elegant madam."Good afternoon, Mrs. Sterling. It's always nice to see familiar faces around here," Nayla greeted cheerfully.Sheila maintained her poise but sensed something amiss. "I can tell something happened here. Could you fill me in? I came to speak with my son."Nayla's expression turned serious. "Yes, something did happen. Your nephew showed up here looking to talk to Mr. Sterling, but he saw Elaine and made advances towards her."Sheila's smile faded, showing her worriedness as she took a deep breath to process the news. "Please, tell me this story had a positive outcome."Nayla nodded reassuringly. "Yes, it did. Jackson was here and intervened to protect Elaine. Your son arrived shortly after, took Nathan to his office, and had a discussion with him. Then the security guards escorted him out."Nayla smiled, reminiscing about the incid
Abner and Alice buzzed with excitement in the master suite of Sterling Mansion as they packed for their upcoming trip."I've already arranged everything with the hangar staff, dear. They're taking care of the flight plan. What about our passports?" Abner confirmed, eager.Alice pointed to the dresser. "They're right there. I can't believe this is finally happening!""We're flying on one of our private jets to the Maldives!" Abner exclaimed with a grin.Alice teased him playfully. "And promise me you'll tread carefully in those muddy lagoons!"Abner chuckled, shaking his head. "The more you talk, the more curious I get about what you're referring to."Alice laughed, the couple's excitement palpable in the suite.The door swung open, and Sheila entered, finding the couple amidst their preparations."What are you guys up to? Already off on vacation?" Sheila inquired with a smile."Sorry, dear daughter-in-law! Weren't you the eager one to take charge at the conglomerate? We'll be taking s
In Andreia's office at Urbano Magazine, tension mounted as Nathan faced his parents' disappointment, exacerbated by Cindy's revelations."So it's true? Did you stir up trouble at Golden Letters?" Andreia's voice was stern, searching for answers from her son."Stir up trouble wasn't exactly what I had in mind, Mom," Nathan retorted defensively, avoiding direct eye contact, glaring at Cindy instead."Stop staring at Cindy. She did us a favor by confirming this nonsense," Vicente interjected firmly, his patience wearing thin."I still don't know why she had to get involved," Nathan muttered under his breath.Just then, Cindy entered the office and closed the door behind her."My boyfriend was here earlier, and I saw some bloodstains on his hands. That fight was intense, huh?" Cindy remarked casually, her gaze fixed on Nathan.Nathan smirked wickedly, thinking about the fight and how to use it to irritate Cindy. "Yeah, and your boyfriend gave it his all to defend Elaine."The provocation
Andreia's office at Urbano Magazine was fueled with tension as she read aloud Cindy's latest provocative article about the turmoil at Sterling Empire."And it looks like emotions are running high in the depths of the Sterling Empire. Some are not happy with the outcome of the Great Meeting and have decided to express their dissatisfaction through fights and chaos at Golden Letters. Our perennial celebrity, Jackson Borges, is always willing to fight for peace, as paradoxical as that may seem. Find out more details in Cindy Cardoso's column, here in Urbano Magazine," Andreia recited with a touch of irony.Nathan's face drained of color, clearly distressed, while Vicente wore a mocking smirk."MOM! You're not going to approve of this crappy article, are you?" Nathan protested, his voice tinged with desperation.Andreia remained composed, settling back into her chair and clicking 'forward' to send the article to the editing team."Approved," she replied coolly, her smile barely concealing
The air in Andreia's office hung heavy with unspoken tensions as Vicente grappled with his wife's startling proposal regarding Nathan."Darling, when you need to prove to Nate that you love him as a mother, you propose to me to tell the truth about his origins? Why?" Vicente's voice betrayed both confusion and concern.Andreia's response was sharp, "I can't bear it anymore, Vince. Nathan disrespects me, you, and my family."Vicente countered, trying to defend their son. "That was changing. It was those old Sterling Empire board members who brainwashed my son—""Can his brain handle our brainwashing? I don't know how much longer I can put up with this nonsense." Andreia interrupted sharply. "I'm running out of patience.""You don't have to endure this," Vicente urged gently."What do you suggest then?" Andreia's tone softened briefly, but her agitation remained palpable. "Patience? Care? Understanding?"Vicente moved to embrace her, seeking peace in physical closeness, but Andreia evad
Hours later, Cindy rapped lightly on the door frame with her expression showing concern. Andreia sat hunched over her computer, absorbed in some unseen task."Can I come in, boss?" Cindy's voice broke the silence.Andreia looked up, her brow furrowing briefly before she replied, "Of course, Cindy. What do you need?"Cindy stepped inside, shutting the door gently behind her.Her gaze darted around the room, searching for signs of the earlier tension that hung in the air like an unspoken secret."I came to ask if everything is okay here. After I left, your son called me into his office and forbade me from writing articles about him. Now he's gone," Cindy explained in a low voice.Andreia rubbed her tired eyes, sighing deeply. "He's going to be difficult for the rest of his life, it seems.""I'm sorry. What should I really do?" Cindy asked, her doubt palpable."Cindy, I approved the article, but I hope you won't make my son the frequent subject of your pieces, okay?" Andreia's tone softe
The Gibraltar Club buzzed with its usual mix of laughter, clinking glasses, and animated chatter.Nathan, however, sat seething at a corner table, showcasing his anger as he watched the video of his expulsion from Golden Letters go viral on the internet."This is complete nonsense! Who leaked this?" Nathan fumed.Alfredo, seated across from him, sighed resignedly. "If I were of any help or worked at Golden Letters...""I work at Urbano now, at least until my 'wonderful' cousin decides otherwise," Nathan interrupted bitterly."Nate, you need to stay focused for the next step. We need to be smart and never slip up," Alfredo advised calmly."Nobody's perfect," Nathan retorted sharply."I know, but that doesn't justify such a huge mistake," Alfredo replied, taking a sip of his drink. "Didn't you tell me you had a thing for Elaine?"The waiter arrived with Nathan's double whiskey, giving him a moment's respite before addressing a question he didn't want to answer."Yeah, Elaine was mine. A