In the towering office of the Sterling Empire’s headquarters, Karl leaned back in a polished mahogany desk — once occupied by both Abner and Matthew — enjoying the moment. Abner stood nearby, watching his son with unmistakable pride.“My son,” Abner said with emotion, “you have no idea how much joy it brings me to see you in your rightful place.”“I know, Dad,” Karl replied, his voice thick with both gratitude and resolve. “I’m happy too. After all those years in captivity, I never thought I’d reclaim the life I deserved.”His smile faded a bit, his tone darkening.“So many wasted years... because of him,” Abner said bitterly. “He was a stumbling block from the moment he laid eyes on Andreia.”Karl waved his father over, gesturing to the other side of the desk.“Don’t worry. He’s finally getting what he deserves.”On the computer screen in front of them was a blank white page — the placeholder message where Vicente’s video channel used to be. The words were clear: the channel had been

At the Andrade Clinic, inside Dr. Maurício’s consulting room, the morning light shone gently across the impeccably tidy space. The room exuded a calm, sterile atmosphere designed to soothe the nerves of patients. Behind his polished desk, Maurício worked with methodical precision, reviewing his schedule and browsing through online medical records. As he scrolled through the profiles, one name caught his attention: Ronaldo Silva.The computer screen displayed Ronaldo’s file, with notes hinting at emotional instability.“This man’s dealing with some emotional issues,” Maurício murmured to himself. “I need to have a word with him.”Reaching for his phone to dial the number listed, he was interrupted by the soft creak of the door. A hesitant figure appeared — Linda, still unsure about how to interact with the new doctor.“Miss Alvares? Is something wrong?” Maurício asked without looking up.“There’s a patient here to see you, but... she didn’t schedule an appointment,” Linda explained, sh

Later that morning, at the Sterling Empire headquarters, Karl entered his office and was greeted warmly by Sheila, who threw her arms around him the moment he stepped through the door.“I thought my father would be here waiting for me,” Karl said with a grin.“He told me everything that happened,” Sheila replied, laughing as they pulled apart.Karl made his way to his desk, waking up the computer from standby mode. “Sergeant Carvalho called earlier, asking me to clarify why Vicente requested to have my name and Matt’s removed from the list of suspects in that so-called accident.”Sheila looked worried. “Oh, sweetheart, did it cause any trouble?”“Not at all,” Karl replied with confidence. “Vicente explained everything. Of course, the sergeant figured out that Vicente was just fulfilling a demand I made. But nothing else came of it.”“Good. I know you’re innocent,” she said, her voice filled with reassurance.“Now all that’s left is for Vicente to divorce Andreia and disappear from our

In the quiet of Andrade Clinic, inside Dr. Maurício de Paula’s office, Walter stood motionless for a beat, taken aback by the doctor's unusual question — whether Linda, Walter’s own girlfriend, was afraid of him.Maurício’s tone was disarmingly casual, but the words were sharp.“I believe you’ve misunderstood my girlfriend’s professional distance,” Walter said with a short laugh, trying to defuse the moment.But Maurício wasn’t letting go. “Oh, really? Because it seems to me she's terrified — so much so, she can’t even look me in the eye.”Walter hesitated. “She must’ve told you something to explain that.”“She did,” Maurício replied dryly. “Said she had to maintain her decorum so people wouldn’t assume she was just another slutty receptionist sleeping with the handsome doctor.”The words struck like a slap. Walter took two steps back, visibly appalled. “I’m sorry, Doctor, but I highly doubt that’s true!”“It is true. Linda has made it very clear she wants no part of my friendship.”W

At the Andrade Clinic, in the reception area, Walter and Linda returned to the front desk. With the other receptionists away on their lunch breaks, the place was unusually quiet. Walter leaned in and kissed Linda goodbye.“Good work, sweetheart,” he said, then, as if suddenly remembering, added, “By the way, how’s your family doing?”Linda shot him a look — stern, warning — urging him to lower his voice.“My mom’s visiting my grandparents,” she replied in a hushed tone.“There wasn’t really a need for that, was there?” Walter asked.“Of course not. She just wanted to avoid getting dragged into the mess.”“I’m sorry, love. And... how’s it going with Nathan?”A small, lopsided smirk curled the corner of Linda’s lips. “Would you believe my family actually wants to give him a chance?”“Not surprising,” Walter said with a shrug. “Especially your mom.”Linda’s eyes gleamed, and she leaned in conspiratorially. “Ah, but he’s precisely avoiding her.”Walter blinked, puzzled, prompting a quiet