Karl was caught off guard by Matthew’s blunt accusation — even more so because it was accurate. Glancing at Sheila, still hidden beneath the covers, he rose from the bed just as he was — dressed in nothing but what nature had given him.“Son, wait a second... what’s going on?” Karl asked, trying to buy time.Meanwhile, in his elegant hotel room, Matthew stood firm, his expression filled with impatience. He wasn’t in the mood for games.“Dad, please, don’t treat me like a child,” he said sharply.“Son, tell me what happened,” Karl replied, concern threading his voice.“You were the one who suggested I clear my head at the same beach where Patty just happened to be.”Feigning ignorance, Karl asked, “How was I supposed to know that?”“You didn’t know about Jackson’s photoshoot?”“Well, yes,” Karl admitted, “but it made sense for Cindy to be with him.”Matthew smirked, his voice full of irony. “Oh sure. And what a coincidence that Patty and Ron showed up too, right?”Karl exhaled slowly,

At the elegant hotel lobby, Matthew was checking out when Alessandra walked by, brushing sand from her shoulders and knees. Her gait was unsteady, catching the eye of our hero.“My, my...” Matthew muttered, amused. “All that just for behaving like a Canaanite?”Alessandra stopped, clearly offended. “I beg your pardon?”“I’ve heard from the staff that it’s not unusual for certain guests to ‘disappear’ after a party,” he said with a smirk. “Did you and your man roll around in the seaside brush all night?”“Oh, yes!” she snapped back with theatrical sarcasm. “I spent the entire night wide awake, howling and gnashing my teeth as he ravished me harder and harder!”Matthew grimaced in disgust and turned away, facing the reception desk where a visibly embarrassed clerk completed the checkout process.“Thank you for choosing us, Mr. Sterling,” the receptionist said, her voice clipped and polite.“You’re welcome,” Matthew replied with gentle sarcasm. “The hotel’s not to blame for the guests it

Inside the Sterling Mansion’s sunlit living room, Matthew, Elaine, Karl, and Sheila sat together, bathed in natural light pouring through the wide-open windows. The brightness was enough to make Elaine squint.“Wow, why are these windows wide open?” she asked, shielding her eyes.“To celebrate my son’s return,” Sheila replied. “It’s good to let some fresh air in and ventilate the room... but I guess you’re not used to homey things like this, huh?”Elaine raised an eyebrow, her tone challenging. “No, but one can always learn.”Karl didn’t waste a moment. “You still haven’t told me where you were.”“I spent the night at my best friend’s place — Nayla Camargo,” Elaine said.Matthew raised his eyebrows. Elaine turned to him, clarifying, “She’s the sister of that boy who overdosed, Kirk Camargo.”“Oh. I see,” Matthew replied.Karl smirked maliciously. “But you shared the room with HER, right?”Elaine shot him a death glare, remembering Nayla’s warning. “In your dirty mind, I would’ve been

Matthew entered the suite at the Sterling Mansion and immediately noticed Elaine sobbing uncontrollably on the couch. For a brief moment, his heart sank — he saw the suitcases near the door and thought she was leaving him. But as he stepped closer, he recognized the luggage as his own, still waiting to be unpacked. He exhaled in relief.“Elaine...?” he called gently. “Oh... I thought those were your bags.”Elaine lifted her head, her eyes red and swollen from crying.“Doesn’t mean I don’t want to leave,” she said, her voice raw.Matthew walked over and sat beside her, wrapping his arm around her to pull her close. “Hey, don’t do this to yourself. I love you, remember that.”“You don’t have to love me anymore, Matt,” she murmured bitterly. “Now that you’re no longer president of the conglomerate, I’m useless to you.”He pulled back slightly to look her in the eyes, visibly frustrated. “Okay, I’m not going to listen to that kind of nonsense anymore, got it?”“I understand,” she said wit

The sun rose over Blue Cove on the following Monday morning. From above, the peaceful streets and glistening sea suggested another serene day.Inside the grand Sterling Mansion, the dining room echoed with the clinking of cutlery and the hum of restrained tension. The family sat gathered for breakfast. Three women — Sheila, Alice, and Elaine — exchanged sharp glances, barely veiling their mutual disdain. Three generations of mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, each unable to hide how deeply they loathed one another.Meanwhile, seated in polite indifference were the three men of the household: Abner, Karl, and young Matthew. Content to focus on their pancakes slathered in raspberry syrup, they seemed detached from the cold war unfolding at the table.Abner broke the silence, attempting a tone of casual optimism. "What does the future have in store for us today?"Karl, ever direct, replied, “Either Vicente gets arrested or we’re finally cleared.”Matthew looked up, curiosity and worry