In the heart of Urban Magazine, Cindy’s office buzzed with a surprising energy. Cindy’s face showed how she’s working intently at her desk. Her fingers danced over the keyboard, typing up everything she had gleaned from Nathan’s interview. A radiant smile adorned her face, her eyes sparkling excitement and satisfaction.The door swung open, and Andreia stepped inside, her presence bringing a rough contrast to the scene. Cindy looked up, her smile widening.“Cindy, dear, how was the interview?” Cindy’s voice was filled with cheerful anticipation.“Your son is in love, Andreia!”Andreia’s expression shifted subtly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she managed to suppress a flicker of distaste. “Really? Did he mention the lucky girl’s name?”Cindy’s eyes twinkled as she nodded. “Who else could it be? He mentioned her name — Bella, the girl he was with in the car.”Andreia’s lips twisted into a sour frown. “The escort he was sleeping with—”Cindy shook her head vigorously. “No, Andreia, tha
In the heart of Sterling Empire Headquarters, Matthew’s office was thick with tension. Sheila sat across from her son, her face flushed with embarrassment and indignation. The earlier confrontation with Jonah had left her feeling humiliated, and her resolve was clear.“This is absurd!” Sheila’s voice trembled with frustration. “I think ‘taking a break’ is too little!”Matthew, ever hopeful, leaned forward, eager to understand. “What does that mean, mom?”Sheila took a deep breath, her eyes determined. “I’ll have to completely break up and look for a man who wants something serious with me!”The atmosphere shifted abruptly as Matthew and Evan erupted into applause, unable to contain their excitement.“YES! That’s it, Madam Sterling!” Evan cheered, his enthusiasm palpable.Sheila’s cheeks reddened further, feeling awkward under the exuberant reaction. “Um... Since when did my life become a soap opera to have cheerleaders?”Matthew approached his mother with a look of filial affection. “
Sterling Mansion, Matthew’s suite.Matthew and Elaine stirred awake in the soft embrace of the sheets. They both jolted slightly at the sound of their alarm clocks beeping in unison, a fitting prelude to the day ahead.“Good morning, darling! How was your sleep?” Matthew’s voice was warm, with affection as he turned to face Elaine.“Wonderful, my love,” she replied, her smile brightening the room, reflecting the gentle morning light.For a moment, they lay there, reveling in the simplicity of the morning quiet.Matthew, seemingly deep in thought, broke the spell of tranquility. “Before I went to bed, I was thinking…”Elaine perked up, curiosity flickering in her eyes. “About what?”Leaning against the plush headboard, Elaine offered him her full attention, while Matthew remained nestled under the covers, his mind racing.“To keep any rumors from leaking to the press that we’re having issues, we could meet our grandparents in the Caribbean and have our well-deserved honeymoon. What do
Sterling Mansion, dining room.Sheila had just finished her breakfast. Sipping the last of her coffee, she took a moment to savor the tranquility before her day began.Evan, the ever-reliable butler, approached with a respectful nod. "How was your breakfast, Madame Sterling?" he inquired, his tone showing genuine interest."Excellent, Evan," Sheila replied, a satisfied smile gracing her lips.There was a lightness in her demeanor that hinted at a greater source of joy."And has Young Matthew come down yet?" Evan asked, shifting his gaze toward the staircase that led to the second floor, where her son might emerge at any moment.A mischievous smile broke across Sheila's face. "If Elaine was smart, which I believe she was, she jumped on my son and is ‘treating him badly’ with his hands cuffed to the headboard!"Evan's face turned a deep shade of crimson, caught off guard by her candid remark."Er... Does that mean they’ve made up?" he stammered, curious yet cautious."Yes," she confirme
In Matthew’s suite, the scene could be described as some quiet chaos. Elaine stood by the entrance, her hand poised on the doorknob as she turned to face Sheila, who was already dressed for the day.With delicate fingers, Sheila adjusted her mother-of-pearl earrings, an elegant choice for her position at work.“Hi, Sheila! Do you want to talk to Matt?” Elaine asked, her voice casual.Sheila raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. “I think I’d better come back another time.”Elaine shrugged, her resolve unshaken. “Well, I’m off to work.”“Darling, are you sure that’s wise? Matt told me what happened,” Sheila pressed, alluding to the situation occurred at Golden Letters.“Sheila, Jonah Lopes is our best writer. He will maintain discretion.” Elaine’s determination was evident, despite the trepidation flickering in her eyes.“Still, this is all my fault. I should have gone with you to talk to him,” Sheila admitted with regret.Elaine softened. “If you think it will help... Well, I
Andrade Clinic’s reception area buzzed with activity. Andreia, Vicente, and Nathan were preparing to leave, with Vicente lending a supportive hand to help Nathan walk more steadily.Linda, engrossed in her work at her desk, barely noticed the trio approaching until their voices erupted in a barrage of accusations.“I hope you’re satisfied, Miss Andrade!” Andreia’s voice cut through the air.Linda looked up from her papers, her expression one of startled confusion. “Huh? What happened here, what did I do wrong?”Vicente’s voice was sharp and unyielding. “When were you going to tell us that you’re the sister of the escort who got my son drunk?”Linda’s eyes widened in shock. She stood frozen for a few moments, unable to process the revelation.Nathan, feeling uncomfortable, tried to intervene. “Dad, Bella isn’t an escort.”“The gossip columns say otherwise,” Vicente shot back, his tone heavy with indignation.Linda snapped back to reality, her composure returning as she addressed Vicent
Andreia sat at her desk in the Urbano Magazine office. Her face was a mask of exasperation as she listened to the static-filled conversation on her cellphone.The recent revelations about Bella and Nathan had clearly taken their toll.She was calling the Cardoso family house, where Zilda was happily humming a tune from the 70s while doing the dishes.Her cheerful demeanor contrasts to the conversation she was about to have.“I think I should tell my husband to get a walker for our dear daughter,” Zilda mused aloud. “How lucky she is to finally have a boyfriend who loves her and pounds her mercilessly all night long—”The sudden ringing of Cindy’s phone interrupted Zilda's twisted thoughts. She answered with an almost playful tone. “Hello?”“Mrs. Cardoso? I’m sorry, I dialed the wrong number,” came the voice of Andreia, clearly distressed.Zilda, still in a playful mood, responded, “No, my dear, this is my daughter’s phone.”Andreia’s voice held a note of concern. “Uh... really? Is som
Gibraltar Club. Patricia and Bryce were discussing something interesting about Karl. Patricia leans forward. “What do you mean, Bryce? Your dad, Mr. Hudson, knows Lawrence?” “Yeah, they were in the office today, chatting like old friends, catching up on gossip.” Bryce jokes, “They were talking about someone who was getting involved with his wife.” Patricia is taken aback. “Wow, someone is messing with Larry's wife? Is she going along with it?” “How would I know? I didn’t get there in time to hear that.” Bryce furrows his brow. “Well, I need to be fair and admit that Larry is charming, even though he’s older than I am. It doesn’t surprise me that he’s married; they usually are. But the wife must be very promiscuous and foolish not to appreciate what a great husband he is.” “I’m hearing a lot of praise coming from you, huh?” Bryce jokes again, sipping more of his Bellini. Patricia bursts out laughing. “Ha, ha, ha... Don’t be ridiculous, Bryce! If Ron hears me, he’ll freak out. An
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