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
In Walter’s office at the Andrade Clinic, the atmosphere was cloudy.It was a Monday morning, and Walter was pacing back and forth, deep in thought, clearly troubled.He muttered to himself, “I need to clear up this nonsense about the photograph. What was all that about?”The door creaked open, and Zachary cautiously entered the room.“Here I am, future brother-in-law,” Zachary greeted nervously.Walter didn’t return the smile. “Let’s see if we’ll still be brothers-in-law after this conversation.”Zachary swallowed hard and closed the door behind him.******At the Alvares family house, the kitchen was alive with the sound of breakfast preparations. Paulina stood by the stove, stirring something in the fryer, when Gustavo appeared, rubbing his eyes and looking drowsy, dressed in sweatpants and shirtless.Hugging his mother from behind, he greeted, “Good morning, mom!”“Good morning, beloved son,” she replied, a smile touching her lips.Gustavo let go of the hug and sat down at the tab
Inside the Álvarez family home, Paulina was busy sweeping the living room when Gustavo and Ernesto appeared, both dressed in their Silva Oil Company uniforms.“I checked Bella’s room,” Paulina said. “She’s still sleeping.”Gustavo glanced at her with a smirk. “Did you check for any traces of other guys?”Paulina, taken aback, looked flustered. “No, son, gross! I’m not going to smell your sister’s sheets; I’ll just throw them straight into the washing machine.”Ernesto chuckled, planting a quick kiss on her cheek. “That’s the way to do it, dear. Come on, son, let’s go.”Before they left, Paulina hesitated for a moment. “Ernie, were you serious about wanting to meet Young Mr. Andrade up close?”“Why not?” Ernesto replied nonchalantly. “They’re dating, aren’t they? She’s already stayed in his sister’s room, like they’re great friends.”“Yes, that’s happened twice,” Paulina nodded, then added, “But Marilza Peres mentioned in her column that Miss Andrade is dating Zach Loss. They hosted a
At the Silva Oil Company docks, a crowd had gathered in the early morning. Ronaldo stood on a stack of crates used for transporting oil drums, holding a megaphone. Patricia, wearing a dark green pantsuit, stood beside him, smiling.“Everyone!” Ronaldo called out, his voice amplified by the megaphone. “It is my immense pleasure to introduce you to the future Mrs. Silva and your potential boss: Patricia Borges!”The employees responded with enthusiastic applause, clearly impressed.Ronaldo continued, “We don’t yet know what Patricia will be doing here, but she will be more present from now on. Please cooperate with her and show her respect!”“Yes, Mr. Silva!” the employees shouted back in unison.Handing the megaphone to Patricia, Ronaldo stepped back as she addressed the crowd. “I am very honored,” she began, her voice filled with warmth. “My father, Hélio Borges, worked hard on these docks and is now happily retired. I know many of you are my former neighbors from Lion’s Den. Silva Oi
Inside the Andrade Clinic reception, the morning sun cast a soft glow across the room. Linda leaned toward Jacqueline, her voice low with frustration.“Has Walter been avoiding me because of what Bella did to Zachary and me?”Jacqueline hesitated, clearly unsure of how to respond. “Linda,” she began carefully, “Walt doesn’t blame you for that.”Linda’s eyes narrowed. “Really? Then why hasn’t he called me? Did he come in early today just to avoid seeing me?”“Don’t think like that,” Jacqueline reassured her. “Maybe he plans to talk to you today.”Linda’s gaze sharpened, probing for the truth. “But that’s it, isn’t it...?”Jacqueline sighed, unable to keep it in any longer. “Okay, fine, but don’t get mad. Walt’s discouraged because of the photo.”Linda’s voice rose in disbelief. “That’s absurd! I can’t be held responsible for what Bella did when I didn’t even know about it!”Jacqueline tried to comfort her. “He loves me, Linda. I’m his little sister, his beloved.”Linda scoffed. “But no
Inside Walter's office at the Andrade Clinic, Linda and Walter stepped in, both with serious expressions. Walter closed the door behind them and gestured towards a seat.“Make yourself comfortable,” he said calmly.Linda, restless, shook her head. “I don’t know if I can sit still.”Walter, trying to maintain his composure, replied, “This conversation might take some time.”“I don’t see what could take so long to explain your disappearance,” Linda shot back, her voice sharp.Walter hesitated and then sighed. “It’s not that simple…”Linda, growing impatient, decided to cut through the awkwardness. “I’ll spare you the details, Walt. Jacqueline told me what my sister did.”Walter swallowed hard and took a step closer to her. “Do you understand why I was upset?”Linda crossed her arms, still frustrated. “Not really. I wasn’t involved in that photo stunt.”Walter’s voice softened. “But it was the night we were having dinner for the Loss family, celebrating Jacque and Zach’s relationship. Wh
In Walter’s office at the Andrade Clinic, the expectation between him and Linda was palpable. He had her by the shoulders, his hands slowly sliding down her arms, pulling her closer.The intensity in their eyes seemed to soften as the moment stretched.“Walter, what do you want from me?” Linda asked, her voice barely above a whisper.“Your forgiveness,” he replied, searching her face, “and your love.”Linda hesitated. “Do you really love me, Walt?”Walter, a bit taken aback, tried to lighten the mood. “Hey, did you really think I treated you like a prostitute that day?”Linda averted her eyes, her voice quieter now. “I shouldn’t have given in to my impulses so easily.”Flashing a playful smile, Walter leaned in. “You sure enjoyed crying and moaning in my car for hours, admit it.”She blushed, but there was still pain in her tone. “That’s why I thought we were going to have something lasting...”He took her hands in his, sincerity evident in his voice. “If you forgive me, we will. And