Matthew and Elaine stepped into the grand foyer of the Sterling Mansion, their faces bright with laughter as they shared a joke from their honeymoon. Jarbas followed close behind, carrying their luggage.As they crossed the threshold, Sheila descended the stairs, her expression a mix of relief and tension.“I’m glad we’re all happy here,” Sheila said, exhaling sharply.Matthew beamed at his mother. “Hi, Mom! How are the preparations going?”Sheila hesitated, her uncertainty evident. “Are you sure you don’t want to rest after the trip? The time zones can be exhausting.”Elaine, sensing something was wrong, asked, “Is something the matter, Sheila?”Sheila stood before them, her face now serious. “Nando texted me. Liz isn’t going.”Matthew and Elaine exchanged confused glances. “What did I miss?” Matthew asked, his tone growing cautious.Sheila sighed. “Son, don’t get upset. This will all be sorted out.”“Mom...” Matthew prompted, his concern deepening.“Liz has decided to echo Jasmine’s
Outside the Sterling Cultural Hall, Edmund walks briskly, his phone pressed to his ear as he talks to Karl.“Karl, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know my son would be so curious!”Karl’s voice comes through the speaker, calm yet firm. “Sometimes I think it would be better to tell him the truth, man. Or he’ll find out another way.”Edmund frowns, glancing around to make sure no one is listening. “How would he find out who you are?”“Talking to Patty, or Vanda, or anyone who works here at Golden Letters,” Karl replies.“That’s crazy; I need to put a stop to this,” Edmund says, his voice low and hurried.“If there’s no other way, you can say it, buddy,” Karl responds, his tone resigned.Edmund sighs. “You still need to keep the secret. Bye for now.”“Bye for now,” Karl echoes.Edmund ends the call and heads toward the parking lot, where Bryce is already approaching.“Oh, are you leaving already? Can I get a ride home?” Bryce asks, his expression casual but his eyes sharp.Edmund narrows his gaze
The engagement party at the Borges house was in full swing. Guests had been momentarily surprised by Patricia’s choice of dress but quickly relaxed into the festivities.“Patty, congratulations!” Jacqueline greeted warmly.“Hey, Jacque,” Patricia smiled, “I should be congratulating you on your relationship, right?”“Oh yes, thank you. I’m very happy with Zach,” Jacqueline replied, and the two women hugged.Zachary, standing nearby, extended his hand to Ronaldo. “Congratulations, Ron. I hope everything goes well this time.”Ronaldo shook his hand with a confident grin. “I don’t even consider the first time, buddy. Thank you.”Zachary smiled cautiously, “Soon you guys will be invited to my engagement party too.”“Consider it my congratulations in advance. Jacque is an excellent girl to marry,” Ronaldo said.“And what about...?” Zachary hesitated.“Matt? He should be arriving soon,” Ronaldo assured him.Just then, Matthew arrived at the entrance, accompanied by Elaine and Sheila.From Ma
Vanda had arranged for the French doors to be opened, allowing guests to step out onto the wooden balcony and enjoy the sunset. Jazz music filled the air, adding a sophisticated touch to the evening. Ronaldo and Patricia moved about, capturing moments with their phones.The party had evolved, with snacks and canapés giving way to chicken pie and chocolate cake, while juice and soda had been replaced by wine and cocktails.Cindy approached Elaine with a sly grin, her voice dripping with mischief. “Elaine, are you satisfied with this arrangement?” she asked, her tone as tempting as the serpent in the Garden of Eden.Elaine responded cautiously, “Cindy, it’s not appropriate for the two of us to talk.”“Why not? We’re friends now!” Cindy declared with feigned innocence.Elaine raised an eyebrow. “Since when?”“Since I stopped loving Matt and fell for Jackson. Didn’t you know? We’re living here now.”Elaine’s shock was evident. “Mr. and Mrs. Borges are letting you live here without being m
Andreia and Vicente were sitting closely together on the couch, watching TV in the cozy living room of their beach house. The peaceful moment was interrupted by the sound of a notification from Andreia’s cell phone. She checked it and smiled with satisfaction.“That’s our girl,” she said, her eyes still on the screen.“Who?” Vicente asked, glancing over at her.“Cindy,” Andreia replied, smiling.“What did she do this time?” he asked, curious.“She didn’t do anything wrong. On the contrary, she did a really great job.” Andreia turned to face him.“Does that mean...?” Vicente started, a hint of excitement in his voice.“That we’ll have an awesome piece for the website tomorrow and for the print version on Monday,” Andreia announced proudly.Vicente smiled affectionately. “I’m happy for you, dear.”Andreia leaned back, content. “The week’s big gossip is Patricia and Ronaldo’s engagement.”“Finally, it happened, huh?” Vicente chuckled.“And there’s more... Matt was there and didn’t cause
Inside the beach house, Andreia got up from the couch, oblivious to the fact that Vicente had become pensive after Matthew was mentioned.Stretching, Andreia sighed, “Urgh... I’m not really in the mood for dinner tonight, how about you?”Vicente, still distracted, replied, “Thinking about a late-night snack?”“The snack bar must be super crowded... It’s Saturday night,” Andreia said, already dismissing the idea.“You could order by phone and wait for delivery,” Vicente suggested.With a mischievous grin, Andreia announced, “Here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to Happy Snack Bar.”Vicente raised an eyebrow. “All this just to see the kid, huh?”Andreia laughed. “Darling, it may sound crazy, but I’m really starting to accept Nate more and more as my true son.”“I’m really glad to hear that,” Vicente said, a small smile forming.“Maybe... a lot of things could have been avoided. A lot of pain,” Andreia added, her voice softening.Vicente, not wanting to dwell on the past, said, “Don’t
At the Happy Snack Bar, the Alvares family was taken aback when they spotted Nathan working the register.“Good thing Bella didn’t want to come with us,” Linda muttered, grateful their younger daughter wasn’t there.“I’ll handle the order,” Gustavo said, standing up. He felt his mother’s hand gently clasp his, and glanced at her.“Don’t be too hard on him, son,” Paulina urged softly.“Okay, Mom,” Gustavo reassured her. “I won’t make a scene.”With that, he approached the counter where Nathan was busy taking an order.“Excuse me! I want to place an order,” Gustavo said, leaning in.Nathan, who was looking down at the register, responded without glancing up. “Why don’t you wait for one of the waiters...” Then, suddenly recognizing Gustavo, his eyes widened. “HEY!”“Shh! No need for a scene,” Gustavo warned.“What are you doing here? I haven’t seen your sister in days!” Nathan blurted out.“Thanks, I know that,” Gustavo replied dryly.“So, what’s this all about?” Nathan asked, suspicion
Inside the Happy Snack Bar, Gustavo, Linda, and Paulina sat at a table, already snacking on their orders.“So, son? How was it with Nathan?” Paulina asked, her tone curious.Gustavo, mid-chew, shrugged. “He was overly cautious. I really scared him off last time.”Linda chimed in, her eyes glinting with interest. “Did he say anything about Bella?”Gustavo shook his head. “He just said he hasn’t seen her.”“Thank goodness,” Paulina muttered, relief evident in her voice as she glanced intently over at Nathan before returning to her sandwich.At that moment, Andreia walked in, heading straight for the counter.Nathan, seeing her approach, sighed. “Mom! You didn’t need to come here.”Laughing, Andreia replied, “I wanted to, son.”Paulina continued to watch Nathan, her gaze intense enough that Linda noticed.“Mom, what’s wrong?” Linda asked, frowning.Paulina shook her head, trying to dismiss the question. “It’s nothing. Your cheese is stretching nicely, huh?”Linda, still chewing, held up