Vicente and Nathan thought they had heard wrong."Um... Please, repeat, Dr. Almeida," Vicente asked, stunned, "Did you say they are going to transfer my wife to the obstetrics ward? Does that mean she is pregnant?""Exactly, Mr. Gouveia! I know it seems a little late, but congratulations! You will be a father for the second time!" Dr. Almeida tried to be as upbeat as possible.But Vicente and Nathan felt like they were in a horror movie!How could this happen? Was Andreia cheating on Vicente?Suddenly, Vicente remembered how his love life and marital intimacy with Andreia had improved by 110% since they made up and canceled the divorce.Even Nathan could attest to the times he had heard moans and teeth grinding coming from his parents' room at four in the morning."Excuse me, I better attend to other patients. You can wait for more information in the lounge." Dr. Almeida left, thinking this kind of reaction was normal. She had witnessed it several times before.Nathan turned to his fa
Cindy returned to Urbano Magazine, where she found Matthew languishing from waiting too long in Nathan's office."Matt! What are you doing here?" Cindy asked, pleasantly surprised."I came for a meeting," Matthew replied with displeasure. "I was expecting to meet Aunt Andreia... and Nate...""Oh, it seems Nate hasn’t come back here," Cindy conveniently said, implying that Nathan was slacking off at work.Cindy's words had the desired effect. Matthew clenched his jaw, releasing his frustration.Today was the day to fire the idle cousin, and it turned out he wasn’t even on the company's premises for it!Smiling internally, Cindy wanted to pull Matthew's thoughts like a bucket of water from an Israeli well. "What’s wrong, Matt? Is there a problem I can help with?"Matthew looked carefully at Cindy before deciding. "OK, you work here, right? I came to fire Nathan. Aunt Andreia was aware of this."Cindy was taken aback by the announcement.Nathan wasn’t Cindy’s favorite person, but the ide
Matthew gave all his attention to listening to what Walter had to say about Jacqueline.Walter noticed this and smiled mischievously. "Hmm... Why so much attention on my little sister?""I was informed that she was feeling unwell, but I've been trying all day to come here. So many commitments." Matthew explained as if confessing a sin in a confessional."I understand. You've had many matters to deal with now that you're the president of the Sterling Empire." Walter, like Matthew, didn't suspect the real reason."Anyway, can I see her?" Matthew smiled.His phone rang, and he checked the caller. "Oh, it's Patty. I'll take it.""Take it in my office," Walter suggested.After Matthew entered, Walter smiled like a tiger and hurried to Jacqueline's room.Jacqueline had woken up and was resting peacefully. Her heart rate and blood pressure were at the ideal levels, as shown by the multi-parameter monitor."Hey, brother. What’s with that smiling face?" Jacqueline asked, curious."Can’t I have
Saturday. The day of the party Jacqueline wanted to throw for Matthew had arrived. Matthew was already descending the stairs of Sterling Mansion with Evan following behind, dressed casually."Those black jeans look good on you, Young Matthew," Evan complimented, eyeing his boss closely."Thanks, Evan. Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?" Matthew asked with an inviting smile."I need to connect with your grandfather to go over the report," Evan replied responsibly.Abner had been pestering the secretary to keep him updated on everything happening with his beloved grandson."Okay, I’ll bring you a piece of cake," Matthew joked, mentioning a habit of the residents of Lion's Den.Evan stepped aside, laughing heartily.But just before Matthew could open the door, it swung open, revealing Elaine.Elaine was taken aback to see Matthew in black jeans, a white T-shirt, and a matching black blazer, looking charming and interesting."Where do you think you're going all dressed up and at
“Matt, you actually came!” Jacqueline didn’t waste any time bringing the guest of honor closer to her.“Really?” Matthew chuckles. “I promised I’d come, didn’t I? After all, the party was thrown in my honor.”Patricia and Ronaldo stop dancing. Patricia smiles brightly upon seeing that Matthew is alone.“She didn’t come,” Patricia comments with pleasure.“Who, Elaine?” Ronaldo looks around in all directions.“I don’t see her. I bet Matt didn’t even tell her,” Patricia says mischievously and moves closer to greet him.Ronaldo heads to the drinks bar. A friend of Zachary is serving as the bartender.“Tough day, Mr. Silva?” he asks while preparing a drink.“Nah... With Patty, everything’s easier,” Ronaldo praises her, accepting the drink.Patricia approaches the 'couple'. “Hi! The party is wonderful, Jacque.”“Thanks, Patty. Have you seen our guest of honor?” Jacqueline snuggles up to Matthew, and he doesn’t stop the physical contact.Walter looks at everyone from a distance, concerned.“
Matthew smiles and stands up as if he were a politician, grinning and waving to the voting public. "That's right! We are very excited about the swearing-in of our friend. Matt was hiding in the slums, hopeless and without a future, until God was merciful and showed him the truth that sets him free!" Jacqueline continued with her enthusiastic and animated praise. Walter smiled at his younger sister. He approached her and whispered, "Let the folks have their fun, sis." "Oh, yes, I didn't want to drag this out. Let's toast and cheer for Matthew Sterling! May his future be promising!" "Here, here!" Everyone holding drinks raised their glasses high, toasting to Matthew’s future. The DJ continued playing music. Patricia approached Ronaldo again. "Fun party, huh?" "Yes, dear. Jacqueline went all out to please my cousin." Ronaldo smiled kindly, "Do you think it will be enough?" "For...?" "For your revenge." Ronaldo wrapped his arm around Patricia. Patricia wasn’t willing to see it t
Monday. Elaine left her apartment wearing sunglasses, unwilling to engage with any neighbors.As she walked down the street, she moved quickly, determined not to say "good morning" to anyone who might recognize her.The slap she received from someone who was supposed to love and protect her had left her bitter and disillusioned with life."He loves her..." Elaine murmured to herself. "I’ve never seen him defend me the way he defends her!"Her phone rang, and she suddenly stopped in her tracks, too flustered to act rationally. Checking the device, she was even more shocked.Nathan? How had he not given up yet?Elaine was further astounded to realize that she should have blocked his number but hadn’t done so yet.Remembering the slap again... Elaine answered automatically, "Hello?"On the other end, Nathan was lying in bed, propped up against the headboard, smiling, with blankets covering him from the waist down. "Hello! I thought you weren’t going to answer me!""The general rule was t
Elaine and Nathan meet at the Gibraltar Club. They are literally the first customers there.A few waiters are still cleaning the tables."Good morning. Please, have a seat!" One of them directed the couple to a table that was already clean.Elaine sat down with a somber expression while Nathan couldn’t stop smiling."Two shots of brandy, double for my friend," Nathan ordered.The waiter stepped away."I don’t know why you’re so cheerful," Elaine grumbled."Are you regretting accepting my invitation?" Nathan leaned forward."No. I just don’t quite understand why," Elaine sighed."You accepted my invitation to talk and vent," Nathan answered for her. "Tell me, Elaine: why weren’t there any photos of you with Matt at Jacqueline Andrade’s party?""I wasn’t invited, damn it!" Elaine literally spat the words."Calm down! I’m here to help," Nathan grinned."Can you contact the Bento family to get rid of Jacqueline Andrade?" Elaine asked sourly."No, but I can try something. Is she also inter
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