The next day, Josias met with Tiago and Octavio at his mansion. Katherine is serving breakfast instead of letting the maid do it.Josias raises an eyebrow, “Honey, don't think you'll be able to join the conversation.”“I don't think, I will.” Katherine sets the tray of bread and cheese and ham in front of him. J.J. starts laughing.“The matter is too dangerous for you.” Josias starts again. Yesterday he sweated to keep Katherine out of the presidential office.The maid who was supposed to serve breakfast appeared in the dining room, “Mr. Rocha, the gentlemen Bento and Motta appeared.”“Ask them to have coffee with us.” Josias gestures with a warm smile.But when the maid left, he returned to the serious face, “Honey, please, stay out of this matter.”Katherine, on the contrary, pulls up a chair and sits down, “I already know that you had the loan shark killed and I am on your side.”“I didn't kill the bastard!” Josias pummels the table, scaring J.J.“Are you going to behave like that
At the Rocha Mansion, Josias is forced to agree to Katherine's presence at the dinner table with Octavio and Tiago.Octavio asks, “How did you find out, Kate?”“I figured it out by intuition.” Katherine proudly responds, “Everyone refused to answer me, so silence was the answer I needed.”“Sweetheart, this is all very irregular—” Josias tries to warn her.But Tiago loses his temper, “Master, please, it's useless to stop the young madam.” He turns to Katherine, “I was the one who ordered the loan shark's death. Your fiancé doesn't have blood on his hands, but it was the moneylender or him.”“I prefer my darling a million times over.” Katherine responds passionately, “I can't imagine what would happen if the loan shark were still alive.”“He swears he didn't want to kill me, just collect my biological father's debt.” Josias comments sarcastically, “But I always refused to pay a debt that wasn't mine. I doubt that a violent guy full of henchmen would remain ‘peaceful’ and unpaid.”“Furth
Diane enters her husband's office and finds him watching a sheet being printed by the computer. She closes the door and finds his closed expression strange.“Are you printing out the financial report for the restaurant, dear?”“No.” Daryl responds dryly, “I'm printing out a rude letter to answer my mother's insult. If we have kids, she'll ask if you slept with another guy!”Diane shakes her head, “Impossible, my love. She doesn't know any other guys, and you were my first boyfriend.”“I know. And she knows it. But she will certainly dare. Before she bothers, I'm already answering.”The printer finishes the command and Diane pulls out the sheet to read, “Dear Mother: If you ask if my wife Diane got pregnant by another guy, she'll take your guesswork and stick it in the—”Diane turns pale at the typed curse word. Will Daryl have the courage to send this letter?******At the Rocha Mansion, Ivan Moraes is taken to the dining room. He is surprised by Octavio and Tiago.“Am I being invited
At Crystal Blue, noon service is being held. Kelvin is as usual in his post as maître d', much to the delight of the ladies.“I made a reservation for four.” A lady patron mischievously requests the reserved table by curling her hair with a finger and winking suggestively.“Table 05,” Kelvin responds curtly, not paying attention to the shameless customer's flirting. She gives up and is ushered in by the waiter with a sour face. Her three friends follow them, equally disappointed.Melissa enters the restaurant, and Kelvin's icy face instantly changes: a wide smile appears in seconds and the atmosphere around him seems to bloom like a garden.“Good morning, darling!” Kelvin greets her gallantly, making the previous patrons burn with envy, “Did you reserve a table?”“I'm going to drown my sorrows at the bar with Diane's cocktails!” Melissa responds coldly.“What happened?” Kelvin comes out from behind the counter, “Honey, when you're in trouble, look for your hubby and not a glass of whi
In the canteen at the Teodoro Building, Vera is confronted by Teresa over a controversial issue.She clears her throat and picks up the silverware she dropped, “Tess, why do you associate joy with making love?”“I don't know why, every woman who is loved in bed by a gentleman feels happier,” Teresa answers dreamily.Vera wrinkles her nose, “Do you speak from experience?”Teresa giggles, “Vera, I don't think it's a secret or surprise to you that your brother and I...”Vera quickly takes the utensils to the sink, “I know, I know, I don't need you to top it up. My brother always thought with his lower head.”“And what a head...” Teresa shakes her head, feeling like a harlot, “Ehr... let's change the subject. So Wally keeps treating you like a princess?”“Yes.” Vera smiles like a teenager and carelessly drops the kitchen utensils into the sink, “He doesn’t treat me like Renan’s customers.”“Ugh, skip this part.” Teresa makes a face.“I think the big issue is that Wallace, in a way, is sti
Josias disagrees with Octavio's idea. Confess the truth?He sits in the presidential chair with a defeated expression, “Octavio, you heard me earlier. I am seriously considering confessing.”“Josias, do you know all the details of the loan shark’s death?” Octavio asks.“No. Tiago took care of everything. That's why I say I didn't kill the bastard. I didn't pull the trigger on any gun. I don't even know how it happened or who actually fired that revolver with such precision.”Octavio insists, “But I can see how this is eating you up inside.”Josias smiles slightly, “That's why I want to come up with a solution. Even if I am convicted of the moneylender's death, that mustn’t alleviate Renan Vasconcelos' crimes. The smart guy is trying to use me as a diversion, and that Sergeant Moraes is playing his game.”“Then good luck with tomorrow's lawyer.” Octavio shrugs. He still thinks that Josias should clear his conscience, but he decides to end the conversation and leave.Josias nods his hea
The secretary who occupied Pamela's post smiles when she recognizes the visitor, “You must be Josias Rocha, correct?”“Yes. Did you recognize me, miss?”“I'm not a miss anymore, thank goodness.” The secretary holds out her hand showing a wedding ring, then gestures to a framed picture on her desk. The portrait showed her, an extremely handsome and burly guy and two children, a boy and a girl who is the secretary's spitting image. Everyone was having fun on the beach.“That means your boss leaves you alone.” Josias jokes.The secretary laughs, amused, “I'll call him.” She picks up the phone and dials an extension, “Sir, Mr. Rocha came as scheduled... OK.” She hangs up, “Go through, sir.”“Thanks.” Josias nods and opens the office's varnished double doors......and finds Miguel Damascene.Miguel gets up and extends a manly hand to shake Josias’s hand. Josias always feels smaller compared to this big man.“Josias! What a pleasure to see you! How are things?”“They’re not doing very well,
“We need to focus on supporting our mom's next book signing.” Wallace determines.“For sure. All on account of Marçal Publishing. Hopefully, Vernon Queiroz will help us with the publicity.” Uélton, again, wants to scratch his head, but he scratches his orange helmet.“Mother told me how you and he fought in the early 90s. Just you, huh, Uélton.” Wallace laughs again.Uélton shrugs. At the time, it was a matter of honor to defend the dear wife from Elza and Elisa's attacks. But now, Elisa was far away, and Elza regenerated.******At Damascene Lawyers, the conversation between Josias and Miguel continues.Miguel has his chin resting on one hand, and his elbow resting on the desk. His expression is one of someone who wants to understand the subject deeply.“Josias, for me to defend you, I need to know all the details. You can count on my discretion.”“Are we going to have a doctor-patient style trust relationship?” Josias asks jokingly.“We can say that.” Miguel narrows his eyes, “Did y