Germano sat at his desk, frowning as he waited on the phone to talk to Hélio. Zilda walked into the room.“For the second time, you walk in while I’m on the phone, woman,” Germano muttered, his frustration obvious.Zilda didn’t flinch. “I want to know how the conversation went.”“What exactly did you tell our daughter?” Germano demanded.“Exactly what you and Hélio agreed on,” Zilda replied calmly. “Of course, she got furious, but I couldn’t tell her the real reason.”“Neither could I,” Germano sighed. “Now she wants to leave our house and move in with Jackson!”“Maybe that’s for the best,” Zilda countered. “That way, we can all just take care of our own lives.”Germano shook his head. “It’s not that simple, Zilda—” He was interrupted by a voice on the phone. “Hello, Hélio!”Meanwhile, on the other end of the line, Hélio answered, equally agitated. “What is it, man?”“We need to update each other on our situation!” Germano insisted.Hélio sighed, irritated. “What situation? Didn’t we
Bella hurried through the parking lot, her phone pressed to her ear as she anxiously waited for Nathan to pick up.“Hello, sweetheart! Where are you?” Nathan’s voice came through the line.“Honey, I’m almost there,” she said, slightly breathless. “I’m in the parking lot!”“I’ll wait for you at the entrance!” Nathan replied.Feeling relieved, Bella hung up.Her pace suddenly slowed down as her eyes caught sight of something in the distance.She squinted and recognized two familiar figures, Linda and Walter, getting into his car. Bella’s lips curled into a mischievous smile.“So that’s why she wasn’t coming home!” she muttered, half amused.Just as she was about to call out to Linda, Walter started the car and drove toward the chestnut trees. Bella couldn’t help but laugh quietly to herself.“Linda, you naughty one! Off to the chestnut trees with your man, huh? And here I am, always being called the perverted one!”With renewed determination, she strutted toward the Happy Snack Bar, rea
Inside the bustling Happy Snack Bar, the beautiful young woman approached the counter where Clayton was working. She leaned forward slightly and spoke in a soft, curious tone.“Excuse me, sir...”Clayton, ever ready with a friendly smile, replied, “Clay Saldanha, at your service.”She pointed discreetly toward a man seated nearby. “Do you know who that man is, having a snack alone?”Clayton glanced over, recognizing Nathan fiddling with his phone. “That’s Nathan Gouveia. He’s well-known around here. He came in with the same girl he was with during the accident.”The woman looked puzzled. “I didn’t hear about that.”Clayton chuckled and leaned in conspiratorially. “No? He was driving drunk, totally out of control. Their car ended up in the ocean. If it weren’t for a few customers who jumped in to save them, they would’ve drowned.”“Wow,” she said, her eyes widening. “And they’re still seeing each other after that?”“Must be love,” Clayton mused. “Tragedy brings people together.”The wo
At the Silva Penthouse, Liz and Fernando were relaxing on the couch, watching TV.The sounds of the telenovela “Love Spins the World” filled the room as Jack Stone’s voice echoed, “My love, don’t be afraid! Together, we can face the obstacles!”Emma Carlton, the female lead, responded, “Jack, I’m scared!”Jack’s voice continued confidently, “That’s why we’re in this bar, to relax. Waitress!”Suddenly, Liz and Fernando’s eyes widened, bouncing on the couch in surprise.According to what their eyes watched on the TV screen, Jasmine, their daughter, was the waitress in the scene!The male lead, Jack Stone, was played by Othon Rios. Jasmine shot a glare at the actress playing Emma before walking away. The scene abruptly cut, indicating some last-minute editing.At that moment, Ronaldo walked in, smiling as he noticed his parents’ excitement.“What’s going on with you two?” he asked, curious.“Ron! Your sister was just on the soap opera!” Fernando exclaimed.Ronaldo blinked, shocked. “That
Nathan and Bella sat in silence at the Happy Snack Bar, unsure of what to say to each other. Or maybe they knew exactly what they wanted to say, but neither had the courage to speak. Nathan, as the man in the relationship, decided to take the lead.“I should go first,” he said, breaking the tension. “My name is Nathan Sterling Gouveia. I’m 25 years old, weigh about 185 pounds, have a degree in Business Management, and I worked at Golden Letters and Urban Magazine. Right now, I’m unemployed, but I help my dad, pianist Vicente Gouveia, with his live streams, monetizing his channel since we went through some financial setbacks last year.”Bella blinked, staring at Nathan with an intensity that spoke of the weight she felt.“Your turn,” he urged her.She hesitated, her voice choking. “Nate, I...”“It’s not that hard, Bella,” Nathan pressed. “Just tell me who you really are.”Bella wrestled with the words, the truth battling with her fear.Meanwhile, the same pretty girl sitting nearby see
Friday, sunny morning.In the quiet of Hélio’s office, he and Vanda sat together, discussing the latest turmoil surrounding their eldest son.“Everything is going wrong,” Hélio began with a deep sigh.“What happened?” Vanda asked, concerned.“I tried to keep Jackson away from Cindy, but now they’re planning to move in together,” he said bitterly.Vanda looked confused. “What do you mean? When did they decide that?”Hélio grimaced. “Cindy suggested it. Germano called me, wanting me to intervene. Jackson overheard the conversation, grabbed my phone, and told Germano he’d start apartment hunting right away.”Vanda shifted uneasily in her chair. “Maybe this is a sign that we shouldn’t interfere,” she suggested.Hélio frowned. “You’re okay with our son spending the entire week in reckless behavior?”“I’m not,” Vanda admitted. “But sometimes disciplining him means letting him learn from his mistakes. Trying to separate them will only push them closer together.”Hélio laughed. “Please, dear.
Sheila sat at the dining table in the Sterling Mansion, savoring her breakfast with a contented smile. The successful dinner from the previous night had left her in a good mood. She was alone when Evan entered the room.“Has Young Matthew and Mrs. Sterling already left?” Evan asked.“Yes, Evan. Now you can say whatever you want,” Sheila responded playfully.Evan chuckled. “I didn’t mean that, madam.”Sheila smiled. “I know.”She glanced out the window, reminiscing. “I can hardly believe I managed to get everything ready for my little one to enjoy himself in the Bahamas.”Evan sat down and served himself some brioche. “I sincerely hope Young Matthew finds happiness,” he said earnestly.Before Sheila could reply, Jarbas entered the room, looking slightly embarrassed.“What’s wrong, Jarbas?” Sheila asked, noticing his expression.“Has Young Matthew and Mrs. Sterling already gone to the Caribbean?” he inquired.“Yes, they have. Why?”Jarbas let out a sigh of relief, unable to hide it. “Mi
Cindy was fully recovered, brimming with energy as she sat at the breakfast table, ready to rush off to work. Her beige suit was crisp and neatly pressed, her hair styled into an elegant bun — she looked every bit the perfect journalist.Across the table, her parents Zilda and Germano sat in uneasy silence, hesitant to speak.“Can someone pass me the butter?” Cindy asked, pointing across the table.Germano, reaching for the butter, didn’t pass it right away. “Not until you tell us if you plan on moving out of here,” he said firmly.Cindy rolled her eyes in disbelief. “Seriously? Are we doing this again?”“We’re just worried about you,” Zilda said gently.“Worried to the point where I can’t make my own decisions?” Cindy shot back, annoyed.Germano leaned in, his tone more serious. “You don’t understand the consequences of your choices.”Cindy, now more practical, set her utensils down. “Dad, you don’t approve of me and Jackson showing any affection under your roof. I get it. It’s your