Sterling Cultural Hall, morning.Jackson and Bryce sit across from each other at Bryce's desk, both filled with tension.“So, Bryce, time to revisit the past, huh?” Jackson breaks the silence, his tone uneasy.Bryce sighs. “I thought the nightmare of 2022 was behind us.”“In a way, it is. But old Germano Cardoso wants to use his new vlog to keep slandering my saintly sister,” Jackson replies bitterly.Bryce smirks, his tone turning ironic. “Let’s be honest, Jackson. Your sister has been a ticking time bomb ever since she became famous. But I’ve got to hand it to her — she's been able to bounce back and defeat her enemies.”Jackson shifts uncomfortably in his chair, straightening up.“And, if I recall, one of those enemies is now your girlfriend — the one who uncovered one of my secrets,” Bryce adds, his gaze sharpening.Jackson changes the subject. “Speaking of which, how’s that part of your life going?”Bryce, sounding more optimistic, says, “I’m managing to kick the addiction. I joi
Bryce asked Jackson if dating Cindy is really worth it.“Man, what are you even talking about?” Jackson responds passionately. “Without Cindy, I’m nothing!”Bryce presses on. “Why doesn’t your future father-in-law want you as a son-in-law anymore?”Jackson coughs awkwardly before admitting, “Alright, fine. Cindy and I have a pretty fiery, almost insatiable romantic relationship.”Bryce covers his mouth with both hands, stifling a laugh, which only annoys Jackson more. “You seriously overdid it with Cindy doing... ‘That’?” Bryce teases.“That’s up for debate,” Jackson says defensively.Bryce shakes his head. “Dude, no one can hang out on the playground all the time.”Jackson, undeterred, explains, “When I’m with Cindy, I lose track of time. And why is Germano acting like she’s some damsel in distress? We’re talking about Cindy, the same girl who used to juggle two boyfriends at once — one official, the other on standby. With me, she didn’t need a backup.”Bryce laughs, “Has she finally
Family Alvares “House”, morning.Inside Bella’s bedroom, Zachary stood by the doorway, watching Bella as she lay on the bed, fully dressed and freshly showered.She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.“Ready? Problem solved? Can I go back to my stuff now?” Zachary asked, impatience creeping into his voice.“Zach!” Bella called out, her tone fragile.“What is it?” he replied, his impatience growing.“Please tell me that was a joke...”Zachary frowned. “What are you talking about?”“You can’t be dating that boring girl... You just can’t!”Zachary sighed and turned to leave, but stopped at the threshold, glancing back at her. “I met her dad and older brother today.”Bella, suddenly irate despite her earlier vulnerability, shot up. “How is that even possible?”Zachary raised an eyebrow. “Since when have you ever been interested in me?”“It’s not about interest,” Bella retorted. “You were the guy I had available for fun. Who’s going to give me shopping discount coupons? Who’s going
The live broadcast has concluded, and the room is filled with a sense of relief as everyone stands up and stretches after sitting for so long. Ronaldo appears to be dancing to “Maniac,” his arms and legs flailing energetically. Meanwhile, Karl is engrossed in a conversation with the studio staff about viewership and comments.Jorge steps forward, addressing the group. “I’m really pleased with how things turned out, everyone. I apologize if anyone felt uncomfortable.”Patricia chimes in, slightly incredulous, “Over two hours of talking! Do you think your subscribers actually watch all of it?”Jorge shrugs. “Not always. The more impatient ones can just check out my ‘highlights’ section for specific excerpts.”Ronaldo mocks, “Like that part where someone commented that I looked like I was dressed as Adam in the book cover.” Jorge and Patricia burst into laughter, lightening the mood. Karl approaches them with a grin. “Okay, let’s celebrate! We’re getting tons of comments already. Patt
Andreia steps inside the Beach House and finds Nathan dismantling the live stream setup.The sounds of pots and pans clatter as Vicente busies himself in the kitchen.“Smells good, huh?” Andreia remarks.Nathan grins, “It was a fart I let out.”Andreia exclaimed as laughing, “Eww, son! I need to eat for two, but you’re trying to ruin my appetite!” she jokes.“How was work, Mom?” Nathan inquires, glancing over.Andreia feels a moment of shyness wash over her. She recalls watching Bella struggle to walk, trying to navigate her way out from behind the chestnut trees on the beach. Andreia smiles again, pushing away the memory. “Did Bella call you?”“I was the one who called her,” Nathan responds.“And is that good or bad?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.“Good, because we’re meeting tonight to clear the air,” he replies.Andreia flops onto the sofa, removing her high-heeled shoes with a sigh of relief. “Whew... Thank goodness you’re listening to your old mother’s advice.”“I need to kno
At the Borges house, the family, minus Jackson, celebrates the podcast’s success and Ronaldo’s proposal to Patrícia.Jackson enters, scowling, fists clenched in anger. Vanda notices him standing at the doorway.“JACKSON!” she exclaims, horrified.Ronaldo jumps to his feet while Patrícia quickly wipes away her tears.“What’s this?” Jackson asks sarcastically. “Why did everyone stop celebrating just because I’m here?”“You don’t seem in the mood to celebrate,” Hélio responds sternly.“Am I right?” Jackson continues, mocking the situation. “Is someone finally getting married in this family? Funny, it doesn’t look like it’s me...”Jackson strides over to where Patrícia is seated, her embarrassment palpable.“Jackson, I’m so sorry...” Patrícia begins.“You’re sorry for being happy?” Jackson retorts.“I know how much you wanted to love Cindy—” Patrícia tries to explain.Hélio interrupts sharply, “He loved her, literally and physically.”“Hélio!” Vanda scolds, appalled.“Am I lying?” Hélio s
Across town at the Cardoso family house, Cindy finishes watching the podcast, sets down her tablet, and removes her headphones, her expression dark and unsatisfied.Zilda enters the room with a tray of snacks — sandwiches, an apple, and a cup of hibiscus tea.“Sweetheart,” Zilda says gently, “I brought you a snack. What’s wrong?”Cindy remains still, waiting for her mother to place the tray on the bedside table. Zilda catches a glimpse of the podcast Cindy was watching before the screen fades.Zilda swallows, feeling the weight of what she’s about to say.“Mom,” Cindy begins gloomily, “if there’s one rule in my life, it’s that when Patricia the Bitch is happy, I am sad.”“Sweetheart, calm down,” Zilda pleads.“What happened while I was out of it, Mom?” Cindy asks, growing anxious.Zilda sits beside her daughter on the bed. “Honey, everything we do is for your own good.”Cindy, her irritation mounting, snaps, “What crap did you pull this time, thinking you were ‘protecting’ me?”Zilda
Just then, Jackson’s phone rings again. He glances at the screen: “Father-in-law.”He groans, “I really need to change this name or just block the number.” Still, he answers.“Hello, father-in-law!”On the other end, in the Cardoso family house, Germano scowls.“What the hell is this, Jackson?” he snaps.Jackson responds sarcastically, “Oh, that’s just the name saved in my contacts. Should I change it to ‘annoying old man’?”Germano’s voice sharpens. “How about ‘savior of his daughter’?”Jackson sits up, his tone incredulous. “Wow, Germano. I can’t believe you’ve sunk this low.”“What did I do?” Germano replies, his voice oozing fake innocence. “Does protecting my daughter make you nervous? Maybe I was wrong to trust you as her future husband.”Jackson’s patience snaps. “I love your daughter!”“Loved, past tense,” Germano corrects coldly. “And even if you did, all you really wanted was a carnal, immoral relationship. You got what you wanted, so why bother marrying her?”Jackson explo