The morning sun reflected off the glass windows and windshields, making the place even hotter.Rodolfo felt like Julian was about to shove him into one of those fancy cars and kidnap him."Hey, what's going on here?" Rodolfo asked with a hint of panic."Here's the deal, you idiot!" Julian roared. "Who gave you the right to tell Mrs. Nadir Vasconcelos that I was her lover?"Rodolfo instantly lost his fear of being kidnapped.So that's what this is about!Gathering his courage, he yanked himself free from Julian and stared him down defiantly."Mrs. Nadir Vasconcelos thinks she has the right to criticize her sister-in-law, while at the same time she had her eye on you. Don't you think that's a bit hypocritical?"Julian's eyes blazed with anger as he shot back, "I'm not a gigolo, boy toy, or whatever you guys call it for Mrs. Nadir Vasconcelos. Yeah, she had a temporary attraction to me, but nothing happened! All of that has already been resolved.""Okay, I'm happy for you. Now, if you'll

Elara walked up to Christopher, feeling a slight soreness as she moved."What's this talk about an engagement party?" she asked.Christopher turned to her with the straightest face imaginable, grinning wickedly."Didn't I tell you? Mark and Brie want to throw an engagement party for us!"Elara stayed serious as if this wasn't a good idea at all.Christopher picked up on her lack of enthusiasm. "What's wrong, baby?""I don't think it's a good idea," Elara replied mysteriously."Baby, Mark and Briana are our biggest supporters." Christopher gently caressed her face. "Don't worry, Katrina is strictly forbidden from showing up.""She'll make a scene anyway. And I get the feeling your mom doesn't approve of me." Elara twisted her fingers anxiously."Grandma Althea approved, my dad approved. That's all we need." Christopher's naughty fingers were already pushing her clothes aside again.His voice, tender and sexy at the same time, sent waves of arousal coursing through her body.All Elara w

Mark quickly grabbed the hand Briana was using to make the silly gesture. "Don't be so hard on yourself. It was just a slip-up. It happens.""It shouldn't happen!" Briana pouted like a little girl. "I forgot that our parents still don't know who you really are. I was about to ask Vargas to investigate Aunt Claudia's lover!"Mark released Briana's hand, finding the topic intriguing."Claudia really has a lover? It wasn't just Althea being spiteful?""I think Grandma always knew." Briana commented, impressed by Althea's clairvoyance. "Grandma is one of those old-school matrons who know everything about everyone. Aunt Claudia must have dropped hints that only Grandma managed to pick up on.""Well, I guess the fact that your aunt is always accusing your uncle Gilson of having lovers is a big clue, right? She accuses others of being exactly what she is." Mark picked up a piece of toast and drizzled honey over it."That's true. And now she wants to oppose Chris and Elara's engagement. How a

Althea took control of the discussion. "Katrina, how many times do I have to tell you that insisting against reality will only bring problems and drama to all of you?""As many times as you want, I don't care!""And then you expect me to keep supporting you the way I used to?" Althea rolled her eyes. "Back then, you were an exemplary young woman, hardworking, with a beautiful and perfect relationship with James. But ever since Briana showed up at your father's birthday party with Mark, everything changed.""But that's exactly what I've been talking about this whole time!" Katrina stood up abruptly, dramatizing just like Claudia had done at the Ferro House. "Briana was never satisfied with my happiness and married the first slum rat who r*ped her. She came to my father's birthday party on purpose to introduce the slum rat, causing her own ruin and her parents'. She always loved James and never accepted that he loved me more than her. She used Mark to make James jealous and then cheated

Meanwhile, Katrina was whining to Celia in her office.Celia was in an uncomfortable spot. She wanted to work, to make sure The Untamed kept running smoothly, but Katrina was wasting her time, treating her like a wailing wall."Now my cousin lied to the police and got them to issue a protective order against me. AGAINST ME!" Katrina bugged her eyes out and dramatized to the max. "I'M the one who should've been asking for something like that from the police! Briana has always been a danger to me, never the other way around!""Katrina, as far as I remember, you always had a peaceful, blessed life with James." Celia mentally rolled her eyes, but on the outside, she played the patient, supportive friend.Celia stretched her neck a little and spotted the script for the next episode of The Untamed completely untouched and sealed. That meant Katrina hadn't even read the teaser scenes.Indignant, Celia stood up quickly. "Well, now that you've vented, we really need to get back to work—""What