The ripples of Sofia’s visit to Marçal Publishing were already turning into a tidal wave. Caroline arrived at Bernardo’s office after an urgent summons, only to find her "aunt" and "uncle" looking like they’d just seen a ghost, or a lawsuit.“Uncle Bernie, Aunt Maggie... what’s going on?” Caroline asked, her voice full of concern.“Sofia was here,” Bernardo replied, looking every bit the weary president of Marçal Publishing. “She’s demanding a new article on Vaztrans. One where only she is interviewed.”“THAT IS ABSURD!” Caroline’s voice echoed through the office. “Why didn’t she show up when I was there? I gave her the chance!”“Because she didn’t trust the ‘integrity’ of the interview,” Maggie added bitterly. “Apparently, now she does.”“Well, she can go find a spot in Uncle João Paulo’s column, because I am not writing an article to praise that slut!” Caroline thundered.“Sweetie, she threatened to have your father dismantle my company in a heartbeat,” Bernardo warned, his voice tr

William was trying his best to focus on Vaztrans business, but he quickly realized that Sofia was far more interested in discussing other men’s washboard abs.“My dear, after last year’s charity fashion show, nobody has any doubts that your husband is an attractive man,” William noted dryly.“Thank you,” Sofia replied, her ego inflating visibly. “He’s hot, and he’s all mine.”“That doesn’t stop other guys from having their moment in the sun, though.”“But Reuben of all people?” Sofia scoffed.“He has his own charm. Come on, it’s not like Alan feels threatened.”“No,” Sofia said firmly. “My husband and I have already started pushing back and defending our borders.”William rolled his eyes. “I have a feeling I’m going to regret asking what that means...”“Alan stood up to those symbolic ‘uncles’ of his yesterday,” Sofia explained anyway, “and I demanded that Maggiezine interview me.”William sighed. “Again?”“I’m talking about an interview where I actually participate, Will. Isn’t that

In her office at Cardozo Perfumes, Karen was feeling triumphant. She paced back and forth, boasting to her husband about the overwhelming success of her recent “expedition.”“I managed to dig up more intel on that despicable woman than the CIA could, darling!” she bragged, clutching her coffee cup like a trophy. “Now, we can finally use this to our advantage.”Kelvin raised his own cup toward the ceiling in a silent toast. “Well done, sweetheart. We didn’t even need to bother with Josias and Melissa; we already know exactly where they stand.”“Exactly. And besides, they’d actually be discreet about it,” Karen added, taking a slow, satisfied sip.“Now, about that interview...” Kelvin set his cup back on its saucer on his wife’s desk, his expression turning serious as he plotted their next move. “I think I should check in with Carol and see how it went.”Karen maintained her triumphant smirk. “How much do you want to bet the interview never even happened?”“Let’s find out.” Kelvin pulle

“You know her,” Luís said with a mischievous glint in his eye. He knew perfectly well that this guest was a last-minute addition who didn’t quite fit the vibe of the evening. He turned toward the entrance and shouted, “Come on in!”Sofia’s breath hitched as she watched Andressa Farina walk into the room. She was wearing a simple but lovely knee-length dress, nothing pretentious that screamed “I’m a television star.”Engrácia and the other servants stood by, confused by their employer's furrowed brow and heavy breathing.Andressa took her place beside Luís, offering an angelic smile. However, the sheer shock and tension radiating from her boyfriend’s cousin didn't go unnoticed.“Mrs. Vasquez Rocha, please forgive my sudden appearance,” Andressa said, assuming the late arrival was the issue. “Your cousin invited me for dinner at the last minute, and since I didn't have any filming scheduled...”“Ah, so Melissa gave you the night off,” Sofia said with a nervous smile, trying to mask a de

Sofia strutted through the corridors of Vaztrans with her head held high and a triumphant smirk plastered on her face. All around her, employees clapped or called out congratulations.“Mrs. Vasquez Rocha, you killed it!”“Congratulations, ma’am!”“Proud to work for this company, Mrs. Rocha!”“Thank you, thank you...” Sofia waved, feeling like a politician on the campaign trail. All the praise was doing wonders for her ego.When she stepped into her office, however, she jumped, finding Luís waiting for her.“Yikes! I was about to scream ‘Jesus,’ but it’s just you,” she gasped.“Could be someone worse,” Luís replied, notably devoid of his usual snickering.Sofia sensed something was off and approached her desk with caution. “Are you alright, cousin?”“It seems I owe you an apology,” Luís continued, his tone remains serious. “I brought my girlfriend over at an inopportune time.”Sofia swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond without sounding petty or rude.“I was planning a dinner to cel