Sterling Mansion, night.Elaine enters Matthew's suite. He is now dressed in a t-shirt to go along with his chino pants and casual shoes, a homely look for someone who wants to be comfortable.She picks up her clothes. "I better get dressed. Too bad Patty didn't leave any clothes behind. And I wouldn't fit into Alice's clothes either.""My grandmother's clothes would be too big on you," Matthew remarks, intrigued by the mention."I know, but I didn't want to call her fat." Elaine shakes her head.Matthew laughs heartily, moving closer to her.However, he notices Elaine is forcing a smile."What's wrong?" He asks gently."I was coming down like this when I had the incredible coincidence of running into visitors." Elaine looks up, fearful of Matthew's reaction.Matthew raises his eyebrows. "That's not like you, Elaine. What happened?""The visitors are the Borges family, minus Jackson," Elaine answers, carefully analyzing Matthew's body language.Matthew shivers upon receiving this info
Cindy is tired of quarrelling among grown men.She takes a deep breath and continues to reason, "Jackson, there's nothing to fear. Nate will be staying here for a few days while he looks for accommodation.""Why doesn't he just stay with his parents?" Jackson smirks mockingly."You just answered your own question," Nathan states with a furrowed brow, "It's my parents' beach house. I want to have my space again, like before Matt came into my life."Cindy rolls her eyes. "I hope during your stay here, you'll forget this 'everything was perfect before Matt showed up' narrative, otherwise, my parents will kick you out due to sheer boredom."Nathan swallows his pride for a moment. "Okay, Cindy. I promise. You and your parents aren't to blame."Cindy turns to her boyfriend. "And as for you, dear, remember Nate is my boss, and I have a good friendship with his parents.""Then I won't be submitting my resume to Urbano. Don't want those meddling bosses anyway," Jackson remarks humorously.Howe
At Sterling Mansion, Matthew felt slightly offended by how quickly Ronaldo appeared to take Patricia away."Ron, good evening. Glad you could join us for dinner."Ronaldo chuckles confidently, smiling as he approaches Patricia without showing desperation to pull her away from her cousin. "You misunderstood, Matt. Patty called me, asking to take her to the penthouse."Matthew, however, can't hide his anxiety. "That's not necessary. Patty is always welcome at the mansion. If Elaine has made her feel otherwise, I'm deeply sorry."Patricia swallows hard. "Matt, maybe another time we can have dinner together. I think Elaine was upset because we arrived last minute without notice."Hélio interjects, "But what does Elaine have to be upset about? She doesn't live here, according to Matt!"Ronaldo continues good-naturedly, understanding Elaine is acting jealous without reason."Come on, dear. Let's stick to your original plan. Matt will have to coordinate with his fiancée next time to avoid th
Matthew manages to have dinner with Elaine, Hélio, and Vanda.Elaine had returned to being her usual friendly self solely because Patricia had left."And so, folks, how's your lasagna?" Matthew asked, taking Abner's seat."It's very good, Matt. Thank you very much," Hélio smiled gently, dabbing his lips with a napkin.Elaine, seated in Alice's chair, took a sip of wine. "It's a shame Patricia couldn't stay. As I was coming down the stairs, I saw her with Ron Silva. I thought they were going to stay."Hélio's smile vanished. Vanda preferred to speak on Patricia's behalf."My daughter thought it best to leave.""Nonsense," Matthew quickly retorted, "I repeat: Patty is welcome anytime.""MATT!" Elaine was taken aback, her wine glass still in the air.Hélio lowered his head, suppressing a laugh."Elaine, I'll send you the first drafts of my second novel to your email," Vanda tried to change the subject.Elaine looked uneasy. "Vanda, I've been thinking... I don't think it will be right for
The next day. Karl wakes up, stretching in bed with a confident smile. Today is the day he will be interviewed at Golden Letters for the PR position.He looks up at the ceiling, satisfied that Jonah and Sheila have kept their promise to be more discreet about their conjugal intimacy."Except they're not spouses yet," Karl mutters under his breath.He throws off the blankets and retrieves his boxers from the floor.As he dresses, his cell phone rings."Hello, Edmund?"On the other end, Edmund is at home, still in his brown robe, having breakfast at the dining table."Hello, Karl! Ready to knock 'em dead?""I just woke up. It's still early," Karl smiles."Better not be late," Edmund jokes with a grin."Never. I need to impress my son," Karl's eyes gleam. "You won't believe it, Edmund: I came out to my parents!"Edmund makes sure not to shout and alarm Bryce. "Really? You did... How did they react? Well, I can imagine! Mrs. Sterling must have cried her eyes out, huh?""Mothers always cry
The lobby of Golden Letters was packed with employees swiping in.Among them was Elaine, looking different from the last time.She was smiling, confident, walking with her head held high, greeting everyone with a melodious voice.Nayla sensed the change and smiled at her friend."Now we're seeing the future Mrs. Sterling!""You bet we are, girl!" Elaine stopped at the front desk. "How was your night?""A disaster." Nayla shook her head, refusing to elaborate, "I want to hear about YOU.""Well, I visited Matt as soon as I heard about his grandparents' trip, celebrating his Sterling Empire's ownership." Elaine smirked mischievously, "And can you believe I did the right thing, even if it meant bending my principles a bit?""What do you mean?" Nayla widened her eyes with curiosity."After making love to my fiancé, lo and behold, Patty the Shameless showed up with her parents in tow, disguising her real intentions!" Elaine's smile faded into irritation."What a nutcase! Couldn't she be any
Jacqueline enters Walter's office, finding her father still there."Dad, Walt, so good to see you!" Jacqueline vibrates like a little girl, "I want to know if you guys have free time tonight.""Yes, we do," Charles answers, already knowing what it's about."Great!" Jacqueline beams, "We need to be very supportive tonight so Matt feels surrounded by people who care about him.""Does that include his fiancée?" Walter tries once more."I'm thinking of inviting the Borges family. Ron has to come, obviously." Jacqueline grabs her tablet and starts making notes.Walter and Charles exchange glances. There's no way around it; Jacqueline refuses to admit that Elaine is engaged to Matthew. It's something mental, worthy of a psychiatrist's analysis!Charles hugs his daughter from behind. "Sweetheart, you know Matt is engaged and getting married next month, right?""Do you guys know where Sheila is living? We need to invite her too. I don't know where Jonah Lopes's penthouse building is." Jacquel
Elaine conducts Karl's interview at Golden Letters.The editor, along with Matthew, is astounded by 'Lawrence Vieira's' impeccable resume."Mr. Vieira, you have a spectacular resume. My fiancé is looking for a professional like you to represent the Sterling conglomerate's golden girl," Elaine declares with a satisfied smile. "Do you have any questions?""No, Miss Prates," Karl smiles charmingly."Then consider yourself hired, Mr. Vieira. When can you start?" Elaine extends her hand."Today?" Karl jokes, shaking Elaine's hand and sealing the deal."Ha, ha, ha..." Elaine can't help but laugh joyfully. She likes the new PR. "Please accompany Brennon to HR to formalize your hiring. We can't waste any time! I feel we'll have a great story at the company with you.""You won't regret it, Miss Prates," Karl assures."Oh, I won't, though I won't be around," Elaine shouldn't but decides to explain, "When I marry Matthew Sterling, I'll step back from the company and focus on Sterling Empire matt
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