A heavy shadow seemed to cling to Briana as she sat at the lunch table."Hello, Mother," Briana began, her voice tight. "We need to have a serious conversation about Dad."Nadir flashed a smile that bordered on the immoral. "Okay..." she purred.From Nadir’s point of view, her plate was piled high with an odd assortment: carrots, eggplant, cucumber, quail eggs, and other foods that, to a certain mind, resembled a very specific male appendage."Are you satisfied with my father?" Briana pressed, cutting through the silence.Nadir startled as if emerging from a daydream. "Huh? What kind of question is that, daughter? Satisfied in what sense?"Briana's expression remained firm, unwavering. "Are you satisfied with my father in the INTIMACY department?"Nadir’s face flushed crimson. "Daughter, why are you asking me this?""I received a complaint," Briana stated simply. "And, come to think of it, your stress the last time you were here makes perfect sense now.""Daughter, just this morning,

Gilson shook his head, closing his eyes, momentarily disgusted. But he still didn’t release Celia; his hand seemed super-glued to her arm.With his left hand, he reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, wiping his face. He stared back at Celia, a cruel smile spreading across his lips.The proximity of the two seemed to calm Celia. Out of nowhere, she leaned in further and kissed Gilson with a desperate, all-consuming passion.Gilson didn’t waste a moment — after all, this was exactly what he wanted.******While Gilson and Celia began another marathon of love, in Rodolfo’s apartment, Claudia was ending hers.Poor Rodolfo lay triturated and mercilessly violated by the older woman. Not only his feet but his hands were also handcuffed.Rodolfo had failed to provide Addie Coleman’s phone number, and Claudia had punished him with a wild, insane session that left him completely spent.When the bed finally stopped rocking, Claudia climbed off her lover, smiling and satiate

Christopher held up his phone screen for Sandro and Gilson to see, and both men responded with approving nods. Althea sat in her regal armchair, attended by Dalila.Gilson, however, struggled to suppress a wince of pain in his back, a consequence of spending the afternoon entangled with Celia in her less-than-comfortable car.“My congratulations, son!” Gilson managed, attempting to look composed. “Miss D’Arveil is a wonderful girl.”“So, I have everyone’s approval?” Christopher asked, looking around.“Why wouldn’t you?” Dalila replied simply.“It seems my mother has some objection.”Althea scowled. Always Claudia!“Chris, don't listen to your problematic mother,” Althea commanded. “You need to marry and continue the family lineage.”“We’ll see if Miss D’Arveil agrees to that,” Christopher said, his voice hopeful.Gilson chuckled and then joked, “When she sees you without a shirt, she’ll want to bear ten children for you, big man!”The men erupted in a roar of laughter, typical masculi

Gilson showed everyone his cellphone, displaying the selfie of Christopher and Elara taken before dinner. When the phone reached Claudia, she refused to take it.Nadir smiled maliciously and rose from the other side of the table to retrieve the device.“Let me see,” she said, taking the phone with a deliberate tone. “Ah, what a LOVELY young woman!”“Perfect,” Althea stated proudly. “If Christopher chooses her, she will have my blessing.”“You don't give your blessing on anything around here, you cranky old hag!” Claudia exploded.Gilson lashed Claudia with a look that silenced her instantly. She swallowed the insults that would not be spoken.Nadir just smirked at her hateful sister-in-law.“You should be proud of your son’s potential girlfriend,” Nadir said, passing the phone to Sandro. “Did you want him to choose an unqualified girl?”“He is still too young to marry,” Claudia insisted.“And you want the Vasconcelos family to vanish?!” Gilson countered, exasperated.“I don’t know if

“Who is the snitch?” Adalberto demanded.“It’s my best friend’s sister-in-law,” Addie explained. “Nadir is always speaking ill of that viper. Well, it seems she proved herself right!”Adalberto became even more concerned because he recognized the origin of the photo. He frowned deeply.“Where did she get this picture?” he asked.“How should I know? But she’ll certainly tell me tomorrow.”“Tomorrow?” Adalberto raised his eyebrows.“Sweet Aroma Café, 9:00 AM.” Addie pursed her lips.“Near the Glamour Studios. Be careful, Queen.”Adalberto got suspicious, thinking about the risk of Addie meeting someone they knew in an uncommon place.“Aw,” Addie smiled, touched. “Are you worried about me?”“Someone needs to be the man when yours is away, leaving you unprotected,” Adalberto said seductively.Addie and Adalberto exchanged caresses. When Adalberto least expected it, Addie shoved him, dragging him back toward his bedroom, slamming the door shut with a resounding thud.******Claudia, please