Matthew refused to let the accusations stand. He sighed, masking his irritation with a veneer of brotherly patience, and stepped closer to his cousin.“Ronaldo, let me explain what is actually happening here,” Matthew said, his voice steady and condescending. “You feel remorse for sleeping with Alessandra Fraga, so you’ve decided to believe this fairy tale to soothe your own conscience. But that isn’t how the world works. You will only find peace when you accept reality.”Ronaldo remained on the floor for a beat longer, then realized the futility of his prostration.He stood up slowly, dusting the lint from the knees of his trousers with deliberate, rhythmic swipes. When he looked up, the desperation was gone, replaced by a sharp, lucid glare.“You are the one who hasn’t accepted reality, Matt. You are the one who conveniently decided to believe I would purposely cheat on Patty.” Ronaldo stepped forward, counting off points on his fingers. “You saw how drunk I was. You ignored how Pat

Charles stumbled to the right, his balance betraying him as if he’d downed a double whiskey. But it wasn’t alcohol; it was the sheer force of the slap Linda had delivered in defense of her honor.“ARGH!” he bellowed, clutching his cheek. “What is this? Slapped by the two whore sisters?”“Cut the ‘whore’ talk!” Linda snapped, her eyes blazing.“I include your sister for sleeping with your brother!”SMACK.Another slap, this time connecting with the other cheek. Charles’s face was now a uniform, throbbing red, resembling a tourist who had fallen asleep on the beach without sunscreen.Walter let out a stifled PFFT, clapping both hands over his mouth to contain his amusement.“Don’t just stand there laughing, son!” Charles shouted, humiliation vibrating in his voice. “Call security!”“How many times do we have to say that Bella and Nathan didn’t know they were half-siblings?” Linda’s voice cracked with emotion. “I didn’t know either!”“I already know that sob story!” Charles sneered, rubb

Vanda was halfway to the stairs when the intercom buzzed, a harsh, electric sound cutting through the rhythmic drumming of the rain against the roof. She froze, gripping the banister. Who would be out in this deluge?“Hello?” she answered, pressing the button.“Vanda, it’s me. Is Patty awake?” Matthew’s voice echoed.“Patty is buried under the covers after drinking hot chocolate, Matt!” Vanda exclaimed, glancing toward the window where water sluiced down the glass. “What are you doing out in this storm?”“I need to speak with her. It’s urgent.”Vanda buzzed the gate open immediately, unwilling to leave him standing in the downpour. As she turned, she saw Patricia descending the stairs, wrapped in gray sweatpants and a thick sweater, looking cozy and confused.“Mom, who is it? Matt?”“Were you expecting him?” Vanda raised her eyebrows.“He wanted to come, and I couldn’t stop him.”A moment later, the front door opened. Matthew stepped inside, collapsing a dripping black umbrella. Despi

The morning silence in the Andrade dining room was a luxury Walter rarely could afford. He sat at the head of the table, nursing a cup of skim milk, enjoying the absence of tension.“Are my parents awake yet, Gumercindo?”“Not yet, sir.”“Good.” Walter exhaled, his shoulders dropping an inch.Gumercindo retreated toward the kitchen, his expression tinged with a respectful pity for the rift between the young master and his parents. He brightened, however, as Jacqueline breezed into the room.“Welcome, Miss Andrade. Ah, pardon me, Mrs. Loss.”“Thank you, Gumercindo,” she smiled, waving away the silver service he offered. “Don’t worry about serving me. I’m just going to steal one of these ham and cheese brioches. They look too good to resist.”“Make yourself at home.”As the butler vanished, Jacqueline slid into the chair next to her brother, tearing into the pastry.“Delicious,” she murmured between bites, then dropped her voice. “I called the police.”“And?” Walter paused, his cup hove

Matthew gripped his teacup, the china rattling softly against the saucer as Sheila made her entrance. She didn’t just walk into the room; she swept in like a storm front, displacing the air with a palpable tension.“Mom,” Matthew started, his voice tight. “I didn’t see you at breakfast.”“I was busy having a ferocious argument with your father,” she replied, her eyes scanning him with maternal intensity. “I also heard you went to Patty’s house in this weather.”“I needed to talk to her about yesterday.” Matthew set the cup down, abandoning the pretense of drinking. “Have you... have you finished thinking?”Sheila stopped pacing. She smoothed her skirt and looked him dead in the eye. “I thought, I processed, and I reached a conclusion.”Matthew felt a cold knot tighten in his stomach. “Mom, Patty told me that if she finds out Ronaldo was framed, she will break up with me. She’ll go back to him.”“That is the minimum one would expect, isn’t it, darling?” Sheila sat down opposite him, he