Back into Abner’s office in the Sterling Mansion, Matthew and Elaine stood facing each other, the weight of their argument hanging heavy in the air. Elaine, summoning her courage, rose from her chair. Her posture was defiant, but her heart raced.She felt the blame for everything would soon be thrust upon her shoulders, something she was unwilling to accept. Matthew stared at her, his eyes cold and unrecognizing. The woman before him seemed like a stranger. “Matt,” Elaine began, her voice firm despite her inner turmoil, “before you start, I want to tell you that you have a part in this.” Matthew’s jaw tightened and his eyes flared with anger. Her words were a provocation he could hardly bear. “With what nerve do you dare to put the blame on me?” he shot back. “Part of what?” Elaine straightened, refusing to flinch under his glare. “You always put Patricia’s interests above mine.” “That’s not true!” Matthew countered sharply. “You are my wife, the chosen one!” He quickly added,

The doorbell echoed through the quiet space across the Borges House lobby. From the kitchen, Vanda emerged, her expression weary and her posture heavy with worry. She moved to the intercom, picking it up with trembling hands.“Hello, who is it?” she asked, her voice subdued.“It’s Sheila!” came the familiar voice on the other end. “Can I come in, dear?”Vanda unlocked the electronic gate, and moments later, Sheila entered the house, her arms wide open for her friend.“I came as soon as I could, dear!” Sheila exclaimed as they embraced. “How are you all doing?”The warmth of the embrace did little to lift Vanda’s spirits. She stepped back, shaking her head. “The question is: how is Jackson?”Sheila ended the embrace, taking a seat on the couch while Vanda remained standing, her arms crossed tightly against her chest.“He’s still resting after the surgery,” Vanda said. “The accident was serious.”Sheila leaned forward, concern etched on her face. “Is there any risk of complications?”Va

At the quiet beach house, Nathan opened the door to find Elaine standing there, her smile polite and measured.There was no warmth in her expression, no trace of the past that had once bound them together. For Nathan, whatever obsession he had once harbored for her was long gone. What remained now was curiosity.“I hope I can help you with something, friend,” Nathan said, stepping aside to let her in.“How about a glass of water?” Elaine replied as she walked into the living room and took a seat on the couch.Nathan smirked at the request, finding it mildly amusing. “Water” seemed far too simple for someone as complicated as Elaine.He retreated to the kitchen and returned moments later, carrying two glasses of chilled pineapple juice.Elaine glanced at the glasses, about to protest, but something in the sight of the juice stirred her thirst. Her faint smile betrayed a flicker of gratitude as she reached for a glass. She took a sip—and then another, the juice refreshing her dry throat

Across town, the Sterling Mansion was quiet except for the soft crackle of the living room fireplace.Elaine sat on the couch, her gaze locked on the flames as they licked at the wood. The warmth of the fire filled the room, an odd choice given the heat outside, but for Elaine, the sound was soothing. Jarbas passed by, casting a sideways glance at her. Though he said nothing, his expression betrayed his thoughts — Mrs. Sterling’s fixation on the fireplace was unusual, even for her. Elaine barely noticed him. Her mind was far away, replaying the conversation she’d had with Nathan that morning. The memory of announcing that Matthew had already drafted a divorce agreement lingered like an unshakable shadow. That morning at Nathan’s beach house, Elaine’s revelation had hit him like a thunderclap. “Since when is Matt a lawyer?” Nathan had asked, his tone showing his disbelief. Elaine shrugged, frustration seeping into her voice. “I don’t know. He said he could make the document legal

Inside the podcast studio, Jorge Nunes was wrapping up an interview with Evan. The discussion had been tense, revolving around the incident caused by Elaine Sterling. Bella, ever the efficient assistant, moved discreetly around the studio. She wasn’t just carrying out her tasks—she was listening intently, her curiosity burning beneath her composed demeanor.Taking the opportunity to refill the water bottles for both Evan and Jorge, Bella kept her movements subtle. Anyone watching would see nothing unusual, just a dutiful assistant tending to her responsibilities.Jorge leaned forward, his tone pointed. “So, Secretary Evan, the burning question: will there be a divorce?”Evan, ever composed, replied with measured seriousness. “My boss, Mr. Matthew Sterling, does not treat marriage as something disposable, Mr. Nunes. As of now, the marriage stands; but there will certainly be a serious conversation between him and Mrs. Sterling to ensure scenes like this do not happen again.”Jorge nodd