Bewildered by the bizarre situation, Reginaldo doesn't think of anything else: he goes down the stairs and runs out of the mansion under Laura and Eduardo's malicious laughter.
Outside, Reginaldo finds his car. The year is 2021, but his Celta is 2010. Unlike his wife and family, Reginaldo is not into material goods.
Upon entering and starting the engine, Reginaldo leaves with the car at high speed, unable to bear the three years of humiliation he has been through.
Leaving Sunset Village for the urban area of Lagoon City, the Carlos Campos Highway was still between uninhabited spaces, except for the occasional bordered neighborhood. In the past, Sunset Village was isolated from the rest of the city as an exclusive place for rich and powerful people.
The maximum speed allowed was 80 km, but Reginaldo's car was well above that.
Inside the car, Reginaldo was almost crying with rage and was holding the steering wheel tight as if he were strangling Eduardo.
"Who do these two think they are? Why do these people think they can do whatever they want? Will they put me in jail if I get divorced? They'll have to catch me first!"
Reginaldo stomps on the accelerator as if he were stepping on Laura's head.
Before he met her at the club, his life was quiet and peaceful.
Reginaldo moved to Lagoon City without his family. He was only friends with the roommate he shared the rent.
He wanted to try his luck in this promising city as well as among countless capixaba citizens.
Selling popsicles on the beach was the only option he could find, but Reggie wasn't shy about the role. On the contrary, he managed to make good money because Sunset Villagers paid dearly for popsicles.
He never defrauded his friend on the rent and had no debts.
It was because he had money left over that Reginaldo decided to go with his friend to the Night Lagoon nightclub to celebrate. And that's when his life took a turn for the worse.
When meditating on how different Reginaldo's life could have been if it weren't for his drunkenness and for having crossed Laura Ferreira's path, he punches the steering wheel, exploding with fury.
"Bloody hell! They can put me in jail, but Lagoon City will first find out who the respectable Miss Ferreira is, the daughter of the richest hotelier in the state!"
However, it seems that Fate was in store for Reginaldo something else. Because he was disoriented and emotionally shaken, Reginaldo didn't pay much attention when a truck came in the opposite direction and made a dangerous overtake.
Caught by surprise and not knowing how to avoid two trucks, Reginaldo swerves the car off the highway. The action causes the car to go out of control and overturn in some vacant lot.
******
The next day, Laura woke up in the master suite's double bed, still wearing her red dress above her knees.
She and Eduardo drank more champagne and laughed at Reginaldo's outburst. Then she blacked out, being completely drunk.
Laura tries to get up, but the classic hangover doesn't let her perform the act properly. The headache is so bad that Laura moves her mouth to make sure she isn't having a stroke.
She looks around and realizes that she is alone. Neither Eduardo stayed, nor Reginaldo returned home.
Laura staggers out onto the balcony and takes a look at the pool. No, Reginaldo is not swimming.
There were days when she would find him swimming early in the day or sunbathing on one of the lounge chairs. It was the moment when Laura appreciated her husband's ripped body.
However, the moment of appreciation was quick. Laura soon remembered that while Reggie spent time at the pool or the gym they owned, the other husbands left home to work and toil for their daily bread.
Laura goes to the bathroom and discovers the sink is dry and the shower stall is empty. In other words, Eduardo didn't even take a shower before going. Why the rush?
After she had bathed, washed her face, and brushed her teeth, Laura went downstairs to the kitchen to find that nothing was ready, not even stale coffee in the coffee pot.
Where is her useless husband?
"Don't tell me you went early to sell popsicles, Reggie." She says to herself with disdain, "You really were swayed by the truths spoken by us."
Laura decided to make herself a quick breakfast, not caring what might have happened to her husband.
Reginaldo woke up in Lagoon City's famous General Hospital. After his car flipped over, he blacked out and couldn't remember anything else.Now, when he opens his eyes, he finds himself wearing his blue hospital gown and quite comfortable in a hospital bed.Very comfortable is the right word. Reginaldo wasn't on one of those hard gurneys or with those uncomfortable pillows. The blankets were warm and the room he was in was squeaky clean and smelled pleasantly of disinfectant.It was then that the penny dropped.Reginaldo was in the private wing!But how did this happen? Did Mr. and Mrs. Ferreira feel sorry for their son-in-law and decided to give him the best treatment? Didn't they want journalists to discover their son-in-law among the poor patients?Reginaldo didn't know. He just smiled and closed his eyes, wanting to rest as much as possible.A few hours later, Reginaldo reopened his eyes when he heard footsteps. He thought a good-looking female nurse was coming to bring lunch.How
Reginaldo is offended when the Fabrey family secretary mocks his eldest son. Where is the respect for those in charge?"My father gives you a lot of freedom, Anestor.""Believe me, master: when you return to who you were, I will be your faithful dog." Anestor stops laughing.Reginaldo sinks into the pillows, "I will never go back to Victoria and my father's business. How boring, being a realtor."Anestor says ironically, "Yes, it's very boring to be the son of the owner of the largest real estate network in Espírito Santo."Reginaldo wrinkles his nose, "You know very well that's not what keeps me away from this world. Fabrey Real Estate has become a nest of snakes. Envy and greed have become essential qualities among my family, especially among my cousins who feel entitled to take my place. Before they pour me a glass of arsenic wine, I let them fight each other like 'Game of Thrones'."Anestor adopts a serious tone again, "If you don't return, it will be your father who will drink
The next day, Reginaldo is wearing an outfit left by Anestor to go away. He is already better and willing.As he returns home, Reginaldo does not hear a soul. He wiggles and leaves.******Laura stands before Mr. Antonio Ferreira, her father, in the management of the Hotel Ferreira. Gray, serious and focused on business, shows he only wants to spare a few minutes for his daughter."Dad, I want to divorce Reggie.""What kind of talk is that, daughter? There's never been a divorce in the history of the Ferreira Family."Laura asks being ironic, "Has there been in the history of the Ferreira Family a forced marriage because the bride was sexually forced?"Antonio doesn't flinch, "No, back then we were conservative and didn't mix with the scum of society in fifth-rate nightclubs."Laura gets the clue, "Dad, Night Lagoon is an excellent establishment, only the upper crust of society frequents that place.""And they keep behaving beastly? Daughter, we can't let Lagoon City call you a failed
Reginaldo visits his father-in-law at the hotel. Antonio is wearing a serious and intimidating expression."Reggie, how nice of you to come. Today before lunch Laura came saying she wants to divorce you. What have you done to hurt my daughter?"Reginaldo is upset at how quickly Antonio blames him for this."I didn't do anything, sir."Antonio adds wryly, "Exactly, that's the problem. You don't do anything.""Selling popsicles on the beach is a worthy profession.""I wouldn't use the word 'profession', young man."Reginaldo uses the same sarcastic tone, "You never offered me a job here at the hotel. What else can I do?""A man always gets his way, Reggie. Anyway, explain to me why my daughter wants to divorce you?"Reginaldo decides not to talk about her lover when he sees that Antonio is unwilling to believe him."Well... that's what happens when there is a marriage by force. There is no love."Antonio rages, "And what happened at the nightclub? You admit that you simply acted like an
In the master suite, Reginaldo is changing clothes even though he hasn't showered to get the sand out of the sea. He does it pretty hurriedly."It's six in the evening still, there must be a store around here that's open!"He almost falls as he puts on a pair of jeans in such a hurry.As he goes down to the foyer, Reginaldo goes on tiptoe, looking toward the kitchen door, but Laura and Eduardo don't see him leave. They are too busy talking to each other. Reginaldo leaves and carefully closes the door.In the commercial part of Sunset Village, Reginaldo enters the bank and goes straight to one of the ATMs. He takes his wallet out of his pocket, takes his bank card, and sticks it in the machine. After entering the password and a few commands...The screen confirms that R$100,000.00 have been deposited for him!"It had to be my father." He concludes smiling, "The old man really wants to re-establish family ties. I already gave Anestor my answer... however... this money comes in handy..."
At the men's store, Reginaldo has already tried on the tuxedo and is at the checkout paying for his purchase. The credit card has been swiped, and the purchase has been approved.Reginaldo smiles satisfied, the credit is real.The awful seller approaches with extreme surprise, "What happened here? The purchase was approved?"The intern replies with debauchery, "The terminal beeped approving it, are you deaf?""But how is that possible? Marcio, a credit card has to belong to the holder with ID!"Reginaldo interrupts him sternly, "Shut up, you idiot! You tried to belittle me for my looks, but now you've lost a sale! And I'm very happy about the commission Marcio will get. Now get out of my way, I won't call the manager to complain."The salesman takes the hint and walks away.The lady clerk carefully puts the suit away in a large bag."Thank you very much, young lady. Marcio, in the future I want to reward you for this kindness." Reginaldo affirms like a sovereign.Marcio is surprised,
Laura and Eduardo enter the ballroom and are flooded by flashes. Laura tries to pull away, but Eduardo entangles his arm around her waist like octopus tentacles."Where do you think you're going, honey?" He asks whispering menacingly in her ear.Laura doesn't answer, she just reacts agonized at the photographers thinking the beautiful couple is posing romantically for them.Marianne sees the commotion at the entrance and smiles as she sees her daughter. She walks over to her."Daughter? Who is this handsome young man?"Laura responds in distress, "Mom, this is Eduardo Casemiro, the famous author from Marçal Publishing.""How is he famous if I don't have one of his books in our library?" Still, she smiles gently, "Nice to meet you, young man."Eduardo replies in admiration, "Likewise, madam."Marianne replies suggestively, "If what I hope is happening, you will be calling me Marianne shortly.""Mother!" Laura shrieks in shock.But Marianne only laughs, "Calm down, child! We're at a par
Reginaldo was startled by the rock 'n' roll playing inside the ballroom and was in doubt whether to call or not."Oh, damn, the party must be from a rebellious pre-teen. But now that I'm here..."Someone answers on the other end."Hello, this is Reginaldo Fabray!"On the other end, Anestor was properly dressed as a butler with a lithe expression on his face."Master! You remembered us...""Anestor, I don't have time for nostalgia. I don't want to have anything with Fabray real estate yet, I just want to prove my identity."Anestor frowned, "What? They didn't let you in somewhere?""After three years of hiding, my father-in-law invited me to a party at the Ferreira Hotel, but the security guards won't let me in. I'm not on the list.""But this is outrageous! Sir, this only confirms my thesis that you should stop staying in the shadows and act like who you are!"Reginaldo doesn't get so excited, "I'll think about it later. I just want to get into this stupid party because Laura doesn't