The sound of a knock echoed through the Beach House, followed by the creak of the door as Nathan opened it. He stepped aside and let Karl in, his face cold, guarded. Karl entered hesitantly, noting the younger man’s stony expression.“Nathan...” he began.“I know,” Nathan snapped, cutting him off. “You’re here to say you’re sorry, that you didn’t want any of this to happen, blah, blah, blah. Spare me the crap and get to the point — why?”Karl recoiled at the outburst, stunned by Nathan’s raw emotion. “How can I even begin to answer that?”“Why did you all let the lies go on for so long?” Nathan demanded, his voice tight with betrayal.Karl exhaled heavily and crossed the room, choosing Vicente’s armchair as his seat. He looked older than usual, tired.“You have every right to be upset,” he began. “But you need to understand... there’s the Sterling side of this, too.”Nathan dropped onto the sofa, arms crossed, his posture bristling like a teenager resisting authority.“Your father cam

Not far away, in the secluded Beach House, Karl sat with Nathan, who was visibly shaken — his world having come undone under the weight of lifelong secrets and lies. Nathan paced slowly, then stopped, his tone dipped in bitter irony.“I think I’m having one of those identity crises,” he said mockingly. “I don’t know who I am anymore... or where I’m supposed to go.”Karl watched him with quiet empathy. “You’re Nathan Gouveia, son of Vicente Gouveia and Paulina Alvares. My sister took pity on you and adopted you. When you were born, she claimed you as her own — and that was that.”Nathan rejected the explanation, his voice rising. “That’s wrong. You should’ve left me with my real mother.”Karl’s voice was calm but firm. “And give up the life you had? Would you really have preferred to grow up in poverty, in a favela?”“It’s better to live in a favela and know who you are than be rich and lied to your whole life!” Nathan snapped, shaking his head.Then his gaze drifted toward the TV stan

At the Silva Oil Company that morning, Leonardo remained seated at his desk, a sly grin on his lips as he continued his phone call with Matthew.“If I tell you over the phone, the offer won’t sound as serious,” he teased, his tone light but purposeful.At the newly remodeled office of the Sterling Empire Headquarters, Matthew chuckled quietly at Leonardo’s words. His amusement was visibly irritating Abner, who sat nearby, bristling.“All right, you win,” Matthew said, suppressing another laugh. “I’ll come over.”“Is your grandfather listening in?” Leonardo asked, half-joking.Matthew turned in his feet, casting a glance toward Abner.From Matthew’s point of view, Abner was visibly fuming, his face a portrait of silent rage.“He looks like he guessed the conversation,” Matthew murmured, bewildered.“One day he’ll learn how to lose,” Leonardo said, a mocking lilt in his voice. “Tell him we’re not in high school anymore. Bye!”Matthew ended the call and set the phone down. The humor of t

That afternoon, inside the Silva Oil Company’s office, Leonardo and Marta welcomed Matthew with thinly veiled excitement and barely-contained fanfare.“Our long-awaited grandson has arrived!” Leonardo exclaimed.“Hurrah!” added Marta with bright enthusiasm.Matthew stood still, blinking at them in confusion. He didn’t quite understand what all the fuss was about.“Come on, Matt,” Leonardo gestured wildly. “Come in and close the door.”“I hope I don’t end up regretting this,” Matthew muttered, but he stepped in and moved closer to the desk.Leonardo was grinning so widely, it looked like he was at a dentist appointment.“My boy,” Leonardo said, “I think you already know the proposal I’m about to make.”“Didn’t you feel something special walking through this place?” Marta asked eagerly.Matthew gave a polite smile, not wanting to disappoint. “I did.”“It’s your blood calling,” Leonardo said. “You have everything it takes to be a great leader. We Silvas are ready to give you a real oppor

At the Silva Oil Company, inside Leonardo’s office, the room fell into stunned silence upon learning that Ernesto had nearly caused an accident at the docks due to a moment of distraction. Leonardo’s brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of it.“What is going through his head?” he asked.Ronaldo, just having brought the news, shrugged slightly. “He wasn’t very clear. He mentioned something about his wife’s parents being sick. She even called to say she was going to visit them.”Marta nodded in sympathy. “I can imagine how tough that must be.”Leonardo’s eyes narrowed in thought. “Do Mrs. Alvares’s parents live around here?”Ronaldo shook his head. “From the way Ernesto put it, I don’t think so.”Matthew shifted slightly, a flicker of surprise flashing across his face, unnoticed by the others.Is Mrs. Alvares trying to escape the emotional whirlwind stirred up by the video of my father? he wondered silently. Then, aloud, he said, “Well, everyone, I don’t really have anything else to