Cristina is distracted by leafing through the large ledger of tenant payments. She wanted to check and see if anyone was missing the monthly rent, but the memory of the conversation she had with Pamela soon distracts her. Behind her, the radio plays "Right Here, Right Now" by Jesus Jones.
Moacyr enters the lobby and finds the fiancée in this state, "Darling, what happened?"
Cristina wakes up from her reverie, "Hello, my love. I'm shocked by something terrible."
Moacyr kisses her on the cheek, "Tell me."
"Beto and Pamela intend to divorce."
Moacyr is shocked by the information. What? While he and Cristina are happy about their upcoming wedding...
"Honey, I'm so sorry!" Moacyr hugs her warmly, "I will understand perfectly if you want to postpone our wedding."
Cristina looks at her fiancé in surprise, "Moacyr... wouldn't you mind?"
"I just don't think you're going to focus enough on your special day when one of your
Bernardo is disappointed to realize that they will have to call Vernon Queiroz to receive the honors of the article he wrote."What the hell, honey!" He punches the desk, "I'm always trying to do the right thing, but it seems to be impossible!" He gets up, "If Josias Rocha knows that his father is going to be honored...""I think it's his stepfather." Maggie corrects him."Either way, Vernon will feel entitled to bargain a return to our company." Bernardo approaches her."Why don't you talk directly to Josias Rocha?" Maggie suggests it to calm her husband.Bernardo takes a deep breath, "Well, that might work. We expected the article to have repercussions, but honor the merit on the part of civil authorities?" Bernardo smiles, "That's a privilege!""We are helping women say 'no' to violence and abuse," Maggie comments satisfied."OK, honey, I'm going to ask Lindalva to call Josias Rocha right now. If he's available, we'll chat later to
Josias returns to the presidential room and finds Bernardo sitting in the visitors' seat."Mr. Marçal, how nice to meet you." Josias greets him, "Do you want us to build your mansion?""We already have a house in Europe Garden." Bernardo responds between giggles, "I came to talk about another matter."Josias sits in the presidential chair, "I'm listening.""My dear wife informed me that the City Hall wants to pay tribute to Maggiezine for the article we published on domestic violence and sexual harassment. According to the Civil Police, women in our city have become more aware of their rights and victims get more courage to seek justice.""Wow, congratulations." Josias grins."The problem is that Mayor Ibrahim wants to hold a ceremony to present the award and for that, your father is required to be present."Josias's smile disappears like magic.He crosses his fingers and adopts a 'Godfather' posture, "Mr. Marçal,
Josias is taking the whole family in his new red Fiat Tempra car to Victoria for the opening of the Melissa building. The car chosen will not be among the twenty best-selling automobile models in Brazil, but that's why Josias chose it: he doesn't like to buy what everyone else is buying.The radio is playing "The Promise of a New Day" by Paula Abdul, cheering those in the car. Josias whistles while at the steering wheel. Melissa tries to sing, hoping that one day she will be as talented as the Divas of the moment. Alan and Caroline are having fun in the backseat with packets of potato ruffles for each of them.Arriving in Victoria, they stayed at the Honey Island hotel, the same hotel as always.Uélton and his family were with them, and when they all met in the lobby, the clueless one was right away saying, "Hey son, this is where your mother got pregnant with you.""Cool!" Reuben exclaims without realizing the seriousness of the situation.
At Vernon's house, the radio played "Boy (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" by Deborah Blando, translating what Elza wanted to ask her husband."Why do you want to make me sad?" Elza crosses her arms, "You say Josias's mistress appeared as if you already knew that!""Honey, all big shots have lovers. Isn't that how it is in American movies?" Vernon scoffs."You mean your ex-boss also has a mistress?" Elsa gets upset."Well, he's on his way to joining the team if he continues to pay attention to Isabel Freire." Vernon smiles mischievously."Oh, shut up!" Elza goes to the radio and turns it off, "This can only be a misunderstanding.""Honey, Denis was there and saw it all live and in color. Josias Rocha was exposed as the most liar and hypocrite in the history of civil construction. Opening a building in honor of his wife in the same city where he hides his mistress?"Elza is trying not to slap her husband again, but it's hard, "Stop, stop s
Back from Victoria, Melissa crosses the living room as if she's just come from a funeral. The children follow her without understanding."Mommy, who was that crazy girl screaming at Daddy?" Alan asks.Melissa feels a lump in her throat, "We'll explain later, son.""Mommy, where's Daddy?" Caroline asks looking around.Ernesto takes her by the lap, "He stayed to solve some problems, princess. Let's rest in his room, the trip was long."Lilian promptly appears from the right hallway."Lilian, unpack the kids’ baggage. I'm going to lie down in my suite.""Yes, ma'am." Lillian nods obediently.Melissa withdraws with her hand on her forehead. The kids go back.Evandro turns on the radio and the song "Crazy in Love", by Kenny Rogers, sets the penthouse."Honey, it's on every radio station and tomorrow it'll be on every newspaper," Lilian whispers to her husband."Don't worry, honey, everything will work out.
Dora and Elza try to reason with Melissa on how to react in the face of this crisis.Melissa got sprawled on the bed again, crying, smearing the pillowcase with her tears."Daughter, you need to be strong and face reality," Dora speaks kindly.Melissa shifts to face her mother and mother-in-law, "What reality? The one that I'm going to be divorced?""Who says you're going to be divorced?" Elza is offended by the hypothesis."Oh, I can't go on living with a husband who doesn't love me exclusively." Melissa stares at Dora, "Mom, I always knew, I told you that in 1980, remember? Josias is a sheik, so he needs concubines!""Actually, I was the one who said that." Dora coldly responds, "And I said you don't have to worry as long as you're the official wife."Melissa sits up in bed, leaning against the headboard, "You're crazy! Eleven years have passed, times are different! I won't share my husband with any bitch! What about AIDS?"E
At Simeon's house, the gentlemen gather to discuss the future of Josias and Melissa's marriage. Josias surprises everyone by showing honesty and readiness to admit error."Yes, I was drunk and I don't remember to this day what I did." Josias tells how it was, "I just remember that I woke up with a terrible migraine and saw Angela Sousa lying next to me in just her bra and panties.""Do you know her name?" Harold questions him."Yes, because she introduced herself, after realizing I didn't remember her." Josias nods."Did she demonstrate that she was just fulfilling her service as a luxury escort?" Simeon asks, eager for more steamy details.Josias frowns slightly at his father-in-law. What is he thinking?"No, she wasn't a luxury escort." Josias finally responds, "She was hoping I was reciprocating with her, and she was so upset when she realized I was just getting carried away with drinking."Uélton snaps his fingers, "See, bu
Melissa gets upset with William accusing her baselessly of wanting to blindly forgive Josias. Meanwhile, her deranged brother continues to pack his bags."Will, your brother-in-law and I haven't even talked about it, I'm waiting for him to arrive. In the meantime, wait for the result and calm your son down.""I won't wait!" William barks, "I can't take it, I'll end up punching the bastard!""Is this how you treat the man who helped you when you were at rock bottom?" Melissa crosses her arms."Oh, see?" William zippers up one of the suitcases so fiercely that the zipper breaks, "Here you come with the emotional blackmail! Since that's the way it is, I'm leaving, so Josias doesn't rub all the goodies he's done me in my face.""Will...""Having helped me doesn't give him the right to betray you, dammit!"William, in the spurt of anger, picks up a mirror and crashes it to the floor, startling Melissa.******At Simeon's hous