Andrade Clinic, afternoon.It was a huge sun in Blue Cove, causing the receptionists to turn up the air conditioning. The patients coming in from the street felt the comforting difference. Linda was one of the enthusiasts.“That’s right, let’s keep the environment nice and chilly so we don’t stink from sweating,” She said to her fellow receptionists.Vicente entered the lobby and felt the difference too.“WOW! It feels great to be inside here. Hey, am I going to suffer from a thermal shock?”Linda turned to the speaker and jumped when she saw who it was.“How can we help you, sir?” another receptionist asked.“I need to have a chat with Linda Alvares,” Vicente asked kindly.“That’s me, Mr. Gouveia.” Linda raised her hand hesitantly.“Good afternoon, miss!” Vicente extended his hand and she shook it. “Do you know who I am?”“You’re the famous pianist and influencer,” Linda answered shyly.“It’s a pleasure. Where can we talk privately?”“Come with me.” Linda led Vicente to the last row
At the Sterling Empire Headquarters, the gentlemen were in an uproar upon learning that Sheila had been kidnapped. Thomas asked, extremely worried, “How is Mrs. Sterling?” Matthew replied, “Lawrence Vieira, her current boyfriend and PR for Golden Letters, found her in captivity and rescued her. I strongly suspect that Vicente Gouveia wanted to give us a scare.” The gentlemen were surprised and whispered among themselves. “Is the police investigating?” “Certainly, although there’s a strange detail.” Matthew narrowed his gaze. “The police took Mr. Vieira’s call as a prank and didn’t investigate the report.” More expressions of outrage and indignation among those present. “Is Mrs. Sterling at the mansion? I will send my wife to keep her company.” “Yes, gentlemen, my mother has already given her statement to Sergeant Carvalho and is at home. I appreciate your gestures of solidarity.” Everyone stood up, showing solidarity with Matthew. Thomas patted Matthew’s right shoulder, “If
Matthew and Andreia went to his office. “Is the air conditioning to your liking, aunt?” “Let’s get straight to the point, Matt.” Andreia shook her head. “First of all, I’m somewhat upset that you thought Vicente would have anything to do with this.” “Aunt Andreia, your husband has accused me of sending a call girl to kill Nate.” Matthew frowned. “Let’s consider us even.” “I don’t want to consider such an absurdity!” Andreia exclaimed. “Matt, I’m carrying my child, Vicente’s second child. My baby needs a living and present father; it’s very important!” “That will depend on your husband, Aunt Andreia,” Matthew replied coldly. “Don’t you want to promise me that nothing will happen to Vicente? What does that mean?” Andreia was horrified. “Aunt Andreia, I sincerely hope Uncle Vicente doesn’t start a war, because I won’t sit idly by,” Matthew replied firmly. “We don’t want to start a war. We just want to be left alone,” Andreia asserted. “And that has to do with him coming here can
Matthew returned to Sterling Mansion, meeting Jarbas once again. “Hello, good afternoon, Young Sterling!” “Good afternoon, Jarbas. Is my wife here?” “Yes, she came back a bit dazed,” Jarbas replied, frowning. “What happened this time? Did she get a stressful or threatening phone call?” Matthew tensed up. “I believe it was the first option that she responded to,” Jarbas suggested, uncertain. “Okay, thanks for letting me know. Is Mr. Vieira still here?” “He has already left.” Jarbas took Matthew’s suit jacket. Matthew rushed up the stairs two at a time, eager to see Elaine. Did Vicente strike again? In the master suite, he found her coming out of the bathroom wearing a pink robe and drying her blonde hair with a similarly pink towel, probably from the same set. “Dear, Jarbas told me you were worried.” “Hi, darling, good afternoon,” Elaine replied awkwardly. “I had some little problems at work, but it’s not what you’re thinking.” “Good thing we’re on the same wavelength.” Ma
At the Alvares family home, dusk was settling in. Paulina saw Gustavo and Ernesto come back from work, laughing at some inside joke. “Hey, what’s so funny?” The men quickly became embarrassed, clearing their throats unnecessarily. “Uh... It’s not something decent for the lady of this house,” Ernesto hugged and kissed his wife’s cheek. Paulina smiled. “Okay, keep it between you guys. There are three ladies in this house that need to be respected.” “Guys, if the happy couple is going to talk on the sofa, I’m going to take a shower.” Gustavo winked at his parents and left. Paulina seized the opportunity and led her husband to the sofa. “Gustavo guessed incredibly well. We need to talk seriously, husband.” “What happened, dear?” Ernesto raised his eyebrows. “Oh, can you believe that Jackson Borges left our son out of the commercial they filmed at the docks?” “How absurd!” Paulina frowned. “But the issue I want to discuss is uglier: Vicente and Andreia want us to meet at their pl
At the Alvares family home, Paulina tries to convince Ernesto to go to the beach house. “Sweetheart, I’m still hesitant,” Ernesto scratched the back of his neck. “If I don’t behave, I could ruin everything. I can’t promise to hold back if Vicente—” “You men really can’t get along civilly, can you?” Paulina crossed her arms. “Is that what you’re teaching our son?” “No, my son is a gentleman even while working at the docks.” Ernesto held his chin up proudly. “He’s lucky to get along well with women, causing discomfort for the competition.” Paulina huffed, “Is Gus getting involved with a married woman again?” “Not exactly. Cindy Cardoso approached him for an interview. Of course, our son is the most eye-catching and attractive of that whole crowd. Why wouldn’t he be interviewed?” Ernesto doesn’t hide his pride in his son. “That’s right, my baby deserves all the good things,” Paulina replied like the doting mother she is. “However, Jackson Borges got jealous and blocked Gus from th
Beach House, night. Andreia and Vicente took a shower and now prepared the table with a feast. On the table, roast duck bathing in orange sauce filled the entire house with its aroma. Andreia placed other pots with interesting options. Vicente, dressed in formal attire, chuckled, “When was the last time the Alvares couple had duck à l’orange?” “Never, in their mediocre lives,” Andreia replied venomously. There were knocks at the door. Andreia and Vicente jumped. Showtime! Vicente went to the door and opened it. His eyes widened at what he saw. Paulina entered wearing a STUNNING sleeveless navy blue dress that accentuated her waist and bust, which were hidden under the horrendous housewife clothes she usually wore. Ernesto, for his part, entered wearing a crisp black suit, gray turtleneck shirt, and brand new jeans. “HEY!” Andreia exclaimed horrified. “What does this mean? Did you rob a bank to buy those clothes?” “Nah... these pieces were hidden in the wardrobe,” Ernesto rep
At the Beach House, dinner was taking place between the Alvares and Gouveia couples. The situation was still awkward, with someone occasionally making civilized comments. “The duck is delicious,” Ernesto tried. “Nothing like whatever you eat in the slum, huh?” Vicente couldn’t resist. Ernesto frowned. “What does that mean?” “You know what it means,” Vicente shrugged, looking at his plate. “I bet that in Lion’s Den, you can only eat hot dogs, salami, and other cheap processed meats. At most, a boiled chicken on Sundays.” “We’re poor, but not miserable,” Paulina defended herself. “We eat chicken and beef in the middle of the week.” Andreia shook her head. “Guys, if we’re going to start talking, this meeting isn’t about our eating habits and financial situations.” Vicente took a deep breath. “That’s right, Andreia. We need to talk about our kids.” Ernesto defended himself, “I’ve talked, shouted, slapped, and forbidden my daughter more than two hundred times, but she insists on d
Gustavo had just finished driving and maneuvering a forklift. When he stepped out, he noticed a commotion of workers not far away. It seemed they were congratulating someone.“Hmm... Is it someone’s birthday?” Gustavo smiled and walked over to them.Gustavo realized that Kirk was the center of attention and stopped in his tracks.Kirk, for his part, smiled at Gustavo - mockingly? “Hey, Gus! Come hear the big news!”Gustavo approached with disbelief in his eyes. “Are you going to keep working here?”“Your dream has come true!” Kirk exclaimed so loudly that even those who weren’t close could hear. “I’m going to work somewhere else!”The phrase made a few heads turn toward Gustavo. What? He was hoping Kirk would get fired?Gustavo noticed that those who turned to him did not have friendly expressions.“Hey, take it easy! I didn’t mean to dig Kirk’s grave.”“What did you want with our friend then?” someone asked.“I wanted to know, at my father’s request, if Kirk would be staying with us
Elaine and Liz continued to discuss their plan. “Did you expect to achieve something after falling onto the coffee table?” Liz asked. Elaine stood up and went to a table where a thermos was placed. While pouring two cups, she replied, “I need to confess something. The whole thing was my idea.” Liz’s eyes widened. “You... planned to fall onto my coffee table?” “It all happened so fast, more of an impulse than a plan,” Elaine responded, approaching her friend with the cups. Liz picked one of the cups, replying, “You were being pulled by the hair by Patricia, caught a glimpse of the coffee table, and decided to throw yourself onto it so that I would think it was Patricia who maliciously threw you onto it. That way, my reaction of horror and outrage would be genuine.” “Exactly, girl. That’s why I winked at you to calm down.” Elaine sat back down, balancing her cup in her left hand. “Elaine, you took a huge risk!” Liz was flabbergasted. “You could have hurt yourself badly, bleed to
Liz visits Golden Letters and opens Elaine’s office door. “Elaine, can I have a word with you?” “Liz! Come in, my friend!” Elaine smiled and gestured. Liz hurriedly closed the door as if it were necessary. Elaine continued, “I’ve called you several times.” “Sorry, friend. I wanted to visit you on Sunday, but I was busy.” Liz pulled out a chair and sat down. “That’s alright. I was discharged; it wasn’t anything serious.” Elaine winked. “Are you sure, friend?” Liz decided to take a chance and asked, “It seemed like I saw you wink at me...” “Yes, I was fine. You were so desperate, thinking I was going to bleed to death.” Elaine was carefree. “That’s what I thought.” Liz calmed down. “Still, I made sure to cause the biggest scene in the clinic’s lobby, blaming Patty for everything.” “And did it work?” Elaine’s eyes sparkled. “Not exactly.” Liz shook her head. “Our husbands showed up and killed my buzz.” Elaine’s excitement faded. “As always, Matt defending that shameless trou
Silva Oil Company, Ronaldo’s office, around ten in the morning. Jackson explains to Ronaldo why Gustavo might not be suitable to be a model. “Gustavo is trying too hard, insisting too much, being inappropriate. That’s not how things work,” Jackson said with authority. “Take my case: I NEVER thought about being famous. All I wanted was to stay in my corner, posting my routine on social media. The thing is, people who make things happen discovered me, prepared me, and the rest you already know.” “I get it. When it’s meant to happen, it will happen. No rush, no anxiety – and without being a pain in the neck,” Ronaldo laughed. “Did he happen to approach you again?” “Patty ended up talking about Vasconcelos Fabrics, and he had that gleam in his eyes as if we had already made plans!” Jackson exclaimed, exasperated. Ronaldo lost some of his excitement. “Jackson, do you suspect that this Gustavo is getting too close to my fiancée?” “The guy really thinks he’s the best thing since sliced
At Silva Oil Company, Kirk appeared in Leonardo’s office. Fernando and Marta had already left. “KIRK!” Leonardo abruptly stood up from his desk. “How are you, my young man!” “Mr. Silva?” Kirk was surprised by such reverence. “I didn’t know you cared so much about me...” “Cut the small talk! You just had a seizure and looked like you were going to die in my company,” Leonardo gestured for the employee to sit down. “Now I want to know all the details. Don’t hide anything from this curious old man.” Kirk smiled and sat down. “Well, sir, there’s not much to tell. I was stupid enough to fall for the siren’s song.” “In this case, the cocaine song, right?” Leonardo leaned forward. “What do you intend to do from here on out?” “Obviously, I promised myself and my family that I wouldn’t use that cr*p anymore. It wasn’t worth all the drama and suffering,” Kirk replied honestly. “That’s good. Then you can continue from where you left off,” Leonardo smiled, relieved. “That’s about what I w
In Urbano Magazine, Cindy returned with the printed sheet, extending it to Andreia. “Read this not-so-pretentious article, my friend,” Cindy declared. Andreia took the paper and read it. A smile formed at the right corner of her mouth. “Cool... nothing so blatantly accusatory, but clear enough for any semi-literate person to understand that Elaine knocked over that pyramid of champagne glasses, causing a scene at the book signing.” “Of course, I won’t say she did it because the honored author was her enemy’s mother,” Cindy replied mischievously. “You don’t want to risk Matt’s wrath.” Andreia stood up, a bit slowly due to her pregnancy. “Speaking of which, how did he react after your dad’s video?” “I didn’t bring it up with him,” Cindy shook her head. “If I mention it, people will say I still love him.” “And you don’t want to do anything to ruin your relationship with Jackson,” Andreia repeated. “Cindy, it’s commendable that you’re more committed and focused on having someone in
Fernando appeared in the kitchen wearing gray sweatpants. Liz, who was sour and bitter, smiled pathetically with her gaze fixed on her husband’s pants. “Good morning, son. What’s new?” Ronaldo replied rudely, “The news is seeing my mother still able to walk!” “RON!” Liz was startled. Fernando shook his head. “Son, don’t be disrespectful. Your mother and I are trying to be as discreet as possible.” Ronaldo shot back, “Just missing discretion when discussing my fiancée, huh? Can we talk about that now?” Liz pursed her lips. “I was so happy when I woke up, but you made sure to ruin my day.” “Mom, we can’t avoid the obvious!” Ronaldo turned to Fernando. “Matt told me that Elaine was reprimanded.” “And I will never agree to that!” Liz shouted. “Elaine was a victim of that tough girl from the slums! She could have died from a cut to her jugular!” “But Elaine provoked Patty’s wrath by saying those nasty things,” Fernando reasoned as he served himself breakfast. “Couldn’t Patricia a
Silva Penthouse, Monday morning. Ronaldo was walking down the hallway to the kitchen in just his boxer shorts when the suite door opened. Liz was smiling a little too much, looking like she was about to dance ballet. “Mom! Long time no see!” “Yes, son, I had a wonderful time with your father!” Liz replied suggestively. Ronaldo blushed to the roots of his hair. “Is breakfast ready?” she asked casually. “I was about to check,” Ronaldo said, heading to the kitchen. There, the coffee maker was already brewing coffee. “Nando must have prepared it in advance.” Liz took bread and butter from the fridge. Ronaldo, cautious, sat down at the table. He noticed a tear in Liz’s nightgown. “Mom, did you and Dad make up this Sunday?” “We can say he’s no longer in love with your fiancée,” Liz replied with a mischievous smile. “Mom, stop talking about that disgusting stuff!” Ronaldo frowned. “This is all your sick imagination.” Liz simply shrugged, sitting down at the table as well. “You’r
Elaine arrived stumbling with fear and bewilderment. The truth about Bella and Nathan’s relationship was something horrifying and incredible for her to digest. “Oh my God... how did these two families let this issue intertwine like this?” Nayla was at the reception desk, smiling, waiting for Elaine to approach. But when she realized Elaine was going to walk past her, Nayla called out loudly, “ELAINE?” Elaine stopped suddenly and looked at her friend. “Oh, Nayla, I’m sorry...” “Don’t worry. I know you must be going through a lot of pressure.” Nayla stood up. “I really am. But I always have time for my friends.” Elaine smiled and approached, trying to distract her mind. “I wanted to know if there are any openings here at Golden Letters for my brother.” Nayla asked respectfully. Elaine’s smile vanished with the wind. As Nayla’s boss, she knew who the brother was. “Nayla, we’re friends, but you know I have a strong opinion against drug use and sales.” Elaine replied in a boss t