Katrina turned to Patricio, grateful for the support he gave her, even though she caught him off guard.“Patricio, thank you so much. I know we didn’t plan this before, but...”“Hey, what’s there to plan?” Patricio smiled to soothe her. “You need to communicate more with me before making decisions. However, I’ve always thought about formalizing our union.”“You swear?” Katrina’s eyes sparkled like an infatuated teenager.“Yes. Out of everything your family says, at least that makes sense.” Patricio hugged Katrina. “After seeing how your uncle despises and ignores family ties, I want to marry you more than ever and get you out of Vasconcelos Mansion. Our child won’t be born into a toxic home with crazy people.”“My parents aren’t crazy, dear,” Katrina raised an eyebrow.“You understand me. From what it looks, it’s your uncle who calls the shots in the family,” Patricio released her.“That wasn’t how it was before!” Katrina crossed her arms in defiance. “My father was the boss. But beca

Briana got up from her desk, not knowing how to dodge this eternal war. “Karl, you need to understand that I am pregnant.” Karl wagged his finger. “Don’t your use pregnancy as an excuse to avoid doing what needs to be done.” “Why is it so imperative that I fire Celia?” Briana hesitated, hoping Karl would give up out of exhaustion. “Why is it so imperative that Celia REMAINS at the company?” Karl still had a fierce expression. “Do you want to wait for that shameless woman to focus her attention on Mark?” “NO!” Briana yelled, terrified. “That will never happen.” “It will, if you keep around such a treacherous person,” Karl replied sincerely. Briana narrowed her eyes at him. “You seem to speak from experience. Before, you were a defender.” “What’s the point of defending Celia when she keeps getting herself into trouble and misunderstandings all the time?” Karl cleverly hides his own part in this mess. “People are talking that I had an affair with Celia after the incident with the

Katrina and Patricio appeared before Gilson in his office. Gilson was excited, eager for what Claudia might be preparing for them tonight.“Daughter, why do you look so sad? You don’t need to worry about me; I’m fine!”“How’s that?” Katrina felt lost with the conflicting information.“I just came from Dr. Vargas’s office, and he said my condition remains stable,” Gilson said, changing his tone to something more joking. “He even said I can go back to an active love life with your mom!”Katrina smiled, forgetting her own problems for a moment. “That’s great, Dad! If I know my mom well, she probably ordered THAT lingerie to charm you tonight. Get ready for some exciting moments, huh?”Patricio blushed like a teenager. He felt like an intruder.Gilson noticed. “Heh, your boyfriend is embarrassed.”“I don’t know if I should hear these details, guys,” Patricio said, scratching the back of his neck.Katrina decided to complain about what happened earlier, but she was less angry. “Dad, I intr

Mark arrived in the capital of Aurelia as it was getting dark. It wasn’t a long trip — about an hour by car. Now, they were heading to the Régio Hotel. As is common in many monarchical capitals, the overall architecture of the city’s buildings was European, reminiscent of classic cities like Vienna, Paris, or Amsterdam. A few modern structures stood out on the city skyline, but they didn’t clash much with the overall scenery. The suite Mark had booked was presidential — almost the size of an apartment — with all the functionalities someone of his caliber needed. Upon entering, Mark reacted as if it was usual for him to be in luxurious, expensive environments. No expression of awe or “Oh, what a beautiful suite!”. Vargas entered behind, holding his tablet. “Lord Ferro, we have notified your presence to the Parliament. Someone will come to see you tomorrow morning.” “Will Clayton come?” Mark smiled slightly, preparing for what was to come. “Hopefully. Or someone who truly has th

“Brie, I really didn’t want you to be influenced by Karl’s whinings,” Mark spoke in a calm, almost paternal tone. “Remember that Karl is emotionally upset because of the separation. That’s why I advised Luana to make peace with him as quickly as possible.”“And did she leave the house because of that?” Briana raised her eyebrows, almost laughing.“She came up with an idea to keep you company,” Mark frowned. “But I figured out she was using your pregnancy as an excuse to delay what needed to be done.”“I see. Good for her for making up with her fiancé,” Briana said more firmly. “That’s yet another reason to fire Celia.”“Darling...” Mark tried to dissuade her.“No, Mark, the decision is made,” Briana said firmly, planting her foot. “Celia no longer deserves my trust. She disappointed me. Why did she pretend to refuse the invitation if she wanted all along to attend the engagement party? She didn’t consider my feelings. And the worst part is, she didn’t show up to work today, avoiding h