In the living room of the Silva Mansion, the fire crackled, but it did little to thaw the icy tension. Leonardo looked at his grandson with the weariness of a man watching a ship sink after he’d already tossed out the life preservers.Matthew refused to let go. He leaned forward, his gaze locking onto his cousin.“Don’t be an idiot, Ron,” Matthew said, his voice hard. “Of course people are going to point out that ‘small’ detail. And the company you claim to ‘love’ so much is going to get hit with another wave of public hate. Do you really want to torch your legacy? Do you want to ruin the company your grandfather built from scratch with his bare hands?”Ronaldo picked at a loose thread on the armchair, feigning boredom. “Spare me the melodrama. I don’t want to ruin the oil company I’m going to inherit.”“Good, then we agree!” Matthew pressed. “Stop bringing up your mother and dragging the Alvares family through the mud as if they had anything to do with it.”“But they DO!” Ronaldo sna

At the Alvares home, Linda sat glued to her phone, her thumb flicking rapidly across the screen as she refreshed the comment section of the interview. The rest of the family watched her, leaning in with bated breath, waiting for the verdict.“Well, daughter?” Paulina asked, unable to stand the suspense.“Oh, Mom,” Linda breathed out, her eyes widening. “So many people are agreeing with me! It’s incredible.”Paulina nodded, a satisfied smile settling on her face. “That’s right. That is exactly how it should be.”“Wow, I’ve gained thousands of followers on my profile already,” Linda said, watching the numbers tick upward. “I’m practically getting famous.”“See?” Ernesto pointed a finger at her, looking at the others. “That’s the kind of person we need at Silva Oil Company. Someone with public goodwill.”“Just like Patty Borges,” Bella chimed in.“Well, folks,” Linda said, setting her phone down on the table with a decisive clatter. She raised her coffee mug high. “Let’s toast to that!”

In the master suite of the Andrade Mansion, patience had officially run out. Walter stood by the bed, his fingers toying dangerously with the knot of his silk robe, signaling that this conversation was over one way or another.“How long are we going to debate this nonsense?” Walter asked, his voice flat. “I need to get dressed for work.”Charles’s eyes darted nervously to the loosening belt, realizing his son was completely starkers underneath. He took a hasty step back, averting his gaze. “Er... If we keep going like this, there won’t even be a clinic for us to work in.”“What does that mean?”“Public opinion can be ferocious,” Charles warned, sweating despite the air conditioning. “Our clinics could be canceled. Patients might drop their health plans en masse!”“Or the opposite could happen.” A slow, calculating smile spread across Walter’s face, a glint of opportunism shining in his eyes that would have made a banker proud. “Linda might actually bring more clients to the clinic.”C

Maurício de Paula, a predator by nature and a doctor by trade, possessed an uncanny ability to compartmentalize.Even amidst the chaos, his eyes tracked the movement of Emmanuelle’s legs as she wobbled, trying to regain her balance on the edge of the desk after his sudden entrance.“Maurício, watch out for my wife!” Charles snapped, stepping forward.Maurício blinked, snapping out of his immoral trance. “Ah, yes, of course... My apologies, Mrs. Andrade.”“I think I’ve asked you to cut the formalities, but fine,” Emmanuelle sighed, smoothing her skirt.“Well then,” Maurício said, closing the door and locking the world out. “Have you read the article yet?”Charles felt a familiar knot of dread tighten in his stomach. “What article?”“Cindy Cardoso interviewed Linda,” Maurício sneered, his lip curling in disgust. “The slut is whining and appealing to public sympathy. It’s pathetic.” He pitched his voice into a mocking, high falsetto. “Oh, I’m a humble little virgin, nobody likes me, I tr

Ernesto arrived at the Silva Oil Company gates breathless, his uniform slightly askew. He was late, but luck was on his side; he intercepted his daughter just as she was exiting the building, looking like she was walking on air.“Daughter, did you already secure a job here?”“How did you guess?” Linda asked, spinning on her heel.“That smile,” Ernesto beamed. “You look like a little girl who just got the best Barbie doll in the neighborhood.”Overcome with pride, Ernesto forgot his grime-streaked uniform and pulled her into a bear hug. Realization hit him a second later, and he pulled back, frantically brushing at her shoulders.“Oh, no! I’m staining your suit...”“No, Dad, it’s fine. Not a spot,” she said, her voice trembling with happy emotion. “Thank you so much for the tip.”Ernesto’s expression shifted from pride to protection. “Now, be careful. My friends on the docks are rough, unpolished men. Don’t let them make you the new company ‘muse.’ A daughter of mine demands respect, u