In Ronaldo’s office at Silva Oil Company, Elaine began questioning him with the same awkward phrasing she once used with Karl, clearly trying to provoke. Her prying felt invasive, and Ronaldo felt his jealousy flare as she subtly stoked it.“I don’t understand the ‘finally,’” he responded coldly.Elaine gave him a faux-innocent look. “Well, I’m just worried about Patty.”Ronaldo’s voice grew bitter. “You don’t need to be. SHE is not worried about you.”Elaine smirked. “Of course, she hasn’t gotten over my victory, has she?”At that, Ronaldo pointed firmly toward the door. “If you have nothing to do, I suggest you leave immediately!”Elaine only seemed more amused. “Calm down, Ron! I just wanted to check how we’re doing, for Matt’s peace of mind.”“What does Matt have to do with this?” Ronaldo asked, narrowing his gaze.“He cares about Patricia’s future,” she replied with a touch of smugness. “They have a long history together, especially Patty, before we knew them.”Ronaldo’s expressi
In his office at Silva Oil Company, Ronaldo was intently monitoring the transport of oil through underground pipelines. As he prepared to start a videoconference with the refinery’s collection manager, who had sent a message to confirm everything was under control, his desk phone rang, interrupting him just as he was about to click on the video.Annoyed, Ronaldo muttered to himself, “Who could that be?” before answering, “Hello?”On the other end, Ernesto’s voice sounded panicked. “Mr. Silva? We need help! There’s a dockworker here who’s very unwell, shaking uncontrollably! It looks like he’s having a seizure!”Ronaldo’s face turned serious. “Oh, crap! I’m calling an ambulance!”He hung up immediately and dialed the company’s emergency services.“Go immediately to dock 07. There’s an employee who needs to go to the hospital!”Just then, Gustavo burst through the door, looking alarmed. “Mr. Silva, have you been informed about what’s happening?”“Yes, and I’m already taking action,” Ron
In the midday bustle at the employment agency, Bella strode down the hallway with a triumphant smile, joined by other candidates who seemed equally pleased to have found job openings.The recruiter, addressing Bella specifically, said, Miss Bella, the employer requires immediate feedback, so I advise you to get in touch with him today.”Bella smirked. “Good to know he’s in a hurry because I am too. I’m tired of being mistaken for a high-end escort.”The recruiter’s cheeks flushed as she stammered, “Uh... you don’t seem... good luck!” Then, she turned and headed off to call the next candidate.Bella held up a sheet with her reference printed on it, reading aloud, “Jorge Nunes, vlogger and podcast host. Yeah, I’m going to have a lot of fun with this job.”With her head held high, Bella exited the agency, feeling hopeful about her future.******The Andrade Clinic was a hive of activity as staff rushed to assist the Silva Oil Company employee who had fallen seriously ill.In the crowded
In the afternoon at Silva Oil Company, Gustavo approached Ronaldo’s office, visibly concerned.He knocked and stepped in. “Mr. Silva, can we talk for a bit?”Ronaldo, still typing at his computer, looked up. “Yes, come in, Gustavo. How is your colleague? Did he arrive safely at the Andrade clinic?”Scratching the back of his neck, Gustavo replied, “That’s what I wanted to talk about. I think he might have needed to go directly to Blue Cove General Hospital. The clinic isn’t equipped to handle such severe cases.”Ronaldo glanced over at Gustavo, calm. “I don’t think it’s that serious, Gustavo. I checked Kirk’s history. No, he doesn’t have any history of sudden seizures or epilepsy. That attack was atypical. Let’s let the clinic staff take care of him, and if they think it’s necessary, they will transfer him to a larger hospital.”“Well, let’s just hope that won’t be necessary, right?”“I also checked with his family,” Ronaldo continued. “They swear that Kirk hasn’t had anything in the
At Sterling Empire Headquarters that afternoon, Sheila walked into Matthew’s office with a look of concern. Her arrival hinted at unpleasant news. Matthew looked up, curious.“Mom, what do you mean by that? What did Elaine do?” he asked.Sheila sighed. “She’s been impossible. I’ve run into her having lunch with Liz twice, and they were rowdy.”Matthew raised an eyebrow. “Rowdy?”“Exactly! Today, I noticed a bottle of Spanish wine on their table,” she said, crossing her arms.“Oh, great... they were drunk...” Matthew muttered.“Probably. And now, can you talk to her?” Sheila urged.Evan, standing nearby, interjected carefully. “Excuse me, Mrs. Sterling... but do you think there’s something strange about Young Mrs. Sterling hanging out with Liz Silva?”Sheila’s eyes gleamed, appreciating his insight. “Exactly. I don’t know why, but those two have become friends. Very unusual for me, but I didn’t want to make harsh judgments.”Matthew’s expression shifted as he recalled something. “Mom,
That afternoon, in his office at Golden Letters, Karl watched Jorge’s podcast with a wary eye, hoping Jonah wouldn’t say anything unwise.Jonah’s voice echoed through the room. “Not quite like that. I don’t accuse Jorge Podcast of stifling my freedom of expression. I just wanted to stick to the agenda we agreed on. During our last conversation, I was under the guidance of Golden Letters; on ‘Germano News’, I only went there to talk about my personal life. Please, dear fans, don’t spread hate on social media towards Jorge Nunes, he’s a good guy.”Karl scoffed, muttering under his breath, “‘Under the guidance of Golden Letters,’ is that how you phrase the situation, man? Anyone with a keen ear will interpret that as censorship on our part. What an idiot!”At that moment, Matthew entered the room and caught Karl grumbling. “Good afternoon, Lawrence.”Karl jumped up in surprise. “Good afternoon, Matthew. I was watching the podcast where your favorite writer decided to show up — again.”Ma
The broadcast with Jonah had just ended, and Jorge and Bella were off to the side, chatting in a corner while Jonah admired Bella from across the room.“Miss Alvares—” Jorge started.“You can call me Bella,” she replied warmly.“Then you’ll have to call me Jorge,” he responded with a smile. “Your role will be to help me with the podcast. Usually, the other studio staff members handle that, but with you here, I can spare them the extra tasks.”Bella nodded. “Got it. For example, I noticed a cameraman left his post to bring you water.”“Exactly. With you here, he’ll be able to focus exclusively on his job.”“It’s not a difficult task,” Bella said, clearly excited.“And, of course, you’ll also act as my secretary — contacting guests or speaking with them when I can’t.”“Oh, this is getting more interesting.”Jorge’s face lit up. “Are you willing to take this job, Bella? Most girls your age want management positions, as if that’s always possible.”“Not me,” Bella replied. “I know that we
Elaine’s face went pale when Matthew mentioned the idea of annulling their marriage, fear flashing across her features.“Do you have to bring that up, knowing full well I don’t want it?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.“I know. I don’t want that either,” Matthew assured her. “But that’s not what I want to talk about. Can’t you see that your interactions with Aunt Liz aren’t doing you any favors?”Elaine looked horrified. “Matt, she’s your aunt! Why are you so against her?”“The embarrassments you’ve caused at fancy restaurants are reason enough.”“Oh, but there’s a more important reason,” Elaine countered, recalling her actions. “The frame of Patricia that I rightly threw into the fireplace—”Matthew’s expression darkened. “And that nearly cost you your marriage!”Stepping out from behind her desk, Elaine clung to his suit jacket. “Darling, please, let’s not bring it up again! What does it cost you to admit you were wrong to have a picture of my rival?”Matthew looked away. “