Gardener’s Daughter

Tonite’s episode was a classic of multiple confrontations.
Rigoberto vs. Luis Alejandro
Consuela vs. Heriberto
Rigoberto vs. Consuela
Jennifer vs. Vanessa
Amelia vs. Carlos/Augusto
Luisa Fernanda vs. Augusto
Vanessa vs. Luisa Fernanda
and guess who’s next?… Amelia vs. Reality

Old Rigo takes my vote for this telenovela episode tonite. She acted with alacrity and discretion in, according to her, “…destroying the web of lies” that Consuela told Luis Alejandro, about Amelia having an abortion and the “non-existent” lies of Consuela about Amelia’s daughter. With passion, courage and effontry, the old woman forced the mighty Luis Alejandro to admit his ‘crime’ of jilting Amelia and his crass 18-year irresponsibility. The old maid assured him after his repentance that she would not tell Don of this crime but he must sure find Amelia and her daughter out.

This seemingly unimportant woman may be the only true historical strand that would link and tie up all the loose ends as the drama progresses in this film. So watch out for her messiahnic role as we go on…that is another hunch from me.

Rigoberto came back home to confront Consuela to stop her evil lies and schemes. As Consuela was angrily challenging Rigo to stop nosing around and maintain the present delicate balance. The old maid waxed philosophical and prophetic saying: “That girl is going to show up, no matter what you and I do to stop it, and when she shows up, nothing would stop her from knowing that Luis Alejandro Montero is her real father; not only that, she would also know that she is the heiress of the fortune belonging to your father”. Consuela was defeated with such powerful revelations but her evil mind must have been racing to find ways of eliminating Rigo and Luisa before this uncomfortable ‘prophecy’ comes to pass.

Consuela was worried about Don’s change of will and she told him so, Don assured her that she would not suffer because her husband is making enough money to take care of her. She however pointed out that suppose heriberto her hubby marries another woman? Don replied that the man is too intelligent to marry another woman because that would mean him losing all the present perks including accomodation which he is currently enjoying. Don said he is too smart a money-monger to let all that go for another woman. Talk of the devil? at that moment of their discussion, Heriberto was truly in bed in an hotel with another woman concubine of his, called Virginia!

When Heriberto came home, after two days of ‘romping’ with his mistress, Consuela the expert in amorous games knew immidiately that her hubby smells of a cheap woman’s perfume. All his lies and excuse did not convince Consuela. What a scheming couple! Two of a kind.

Vanessa, bent on executing her plans to trap Carlos with seduction, still sought the support of Luisa Fernanda to succeed. Luisa told her that it is only women of no dignity who threw themselves at men like that. Vanessa went wild and revealed her true color to Luisa. She ‘washed’ Luisa with derogratory words saying: “I am Vanessa Sotomayor Williams, you are nobody to tell me that I have no dignity, you are just a common gardener’s daughter…” and she walked away… Luisa was hurt and devastated with this ‘blow’ from her closest friend and benefactor.

Scheming Jennifer made Andreina to call Marissa the following morning to come to her house urgently. The purpose was, of course, to manipulate Marissa to make Carlos to rescind his decision to abandon her for a ’school girl’. The plot failed because, Marissa is a believer and fighter for true love, she doesn’t believe in manipulating her son’s happiness. After she advised and consoled Jenny to take heart, she told Jenny that she is a beautiful woman and won’t lack good men who adore and would want to marry her, she kissed Jennifer goodbye and left for her office. Jenny was mad after Marissa left, she called Marissa a “…stupid old woman” for tacitly supporting Carlos decision.

That morning, Jennifer went with her sister Caroline, to her school with a view to apprehending and harrassing Carlos’ ’school girl’ lover. As Vanessa approached in the distance, Carol pointed her out as the Carlos Lover. Jennifer pounced on her, calling her the gold-digger who wanted to collect money for fake injury sustained from a minor car accident. Vanessa simply told her that it was mistaken identity and that the person she is looking for is Luisa Fernanda Perez. So she calm down and let Vanessa go.

A nun approached Jenny to ask her whom she is looking for and she replied that it is a girl called Luisa Fernanda Perez. She was told that Luisa may not come to school that day. She promised to check her next time, but not before leaving her name for the nun to pass to Luisa. When Luisa eventually changed her mind to come to school, she was told by the nun about a ‘lady of fury’ who came looking for her whoose name is Jennifer. The nun also warned Luisa that the lady looked like somebody spoiling for a fight and that Luisa should be careful.

By some planned coincidence Pedro invited his divorce lawyer- Augusto and also Carlos to dinner in his home so they could be aquainted with his ‘temperamental’ wife. As the guest were sitting down, Amelia arrived from work and she queried the visitation of this two young men. Pedro asked the young men to excuse him and his wife by waiting outside, so he can clear up the matter with his ‘gbagbati’ wife.

Amelia insisted that it was wrong for the men to visit her house and she angrily overeacted by rushing out to ‘disgrace’ the young men and sending them packing from her house. She forbade them never to come to her house again. Just before that happened, Augusto, in the presence of Carlos, told Luisa Fernanda that he is madly in love with her and wanted her to be his girlfriend. Luisa empathised with him, but firmly told him that she is already in love with another man, so no show.

Next day at work, Amelia was instructed by her new boss- Marissa to get her husband on phone and transfer the call to her office. Amelia was at a loss, because she didn’t know the man’s name nor how to get the man’s phone number. Odonez came to her rescue, by telling her which diary she would find the man’s phone number, and even helped her further by calling the name of the man to her: LUIS ALEJANDRO MONTERO! Amelia froze like a statue, at the mention of that name. I am sure if she could faint for a few seconds, she would have opted for that. Now, faced with the reality of the circumstances of her new job, would she quit? Would she stay, hoping to avoid scandal? Would she confess to Lic Ordonez, her teenage ‘fling’ with a man, who now turned out to be the husband of her new boss- Marissa, 18 years ago? I am interested in how Amelia would react; Would she embrace reality and opportunity or despise the circumstances and put in her resignation? next episode would tell.

I am also interested in what would be Amelia’s reaction, when she finds out that the man she has been hounding and and harassing from following after or loving her daughter, is the son to her boss and heir-apparent to the throne of the banking empire to which she just got a job as office/clerical assistant.

They call her the most classy, georgeous and glamorous lady in town. Marissa, the Empress of the Metropolitan Bank empire even made us to know in tonite’s show of shame that, Jennifer de la Vega was the former Miss Universe. With all that high and impeccable profile of a beautiful lady, she could not resist the plunge into the polluted and dirty rivers of emotional blackmail of Luis Alejandro Montero- Marissa’s husband. She threw virtue and caution to the winds in desperate bid, seeking to destroy her perceived rival and young innocent school girl- Luisa Fernanda Perez, the girlfriend of Carlos.

What an explosive confrontational note that tonite’s episode ended. It was the climax of the whole week of cupid clashes, terrific seductions and high profile infidelities. Consuela had her share when she almost caught her husband in the arms of his secretary cum mistress- Virginia. Having found a string of contraditions that pointed to the truth that her hubby- Heriberto Sotomayor, is having an extra-marital affairs, calling him a big fat LIAR, she sought for divorce. This jolted Heriberto, and next week would reveal what becomes of this scheming phony couple.

Vanessa too had her share. Though she pounced on Carlos with kisses and nipple-touch, Carlos made her realise that he was not moved nor aroused by her advances. He assured her, with all soberity saying: “…I’m sorry to inform you that we would never be together”. She was emotionally crushed and devastated, she staggered out of Carlos’ office like a punch-drunk boxer, with tears and pains that cannot be assuaged easily.

Augusto Prieto had his share too. Vanessa poured the venom of her overwhelming pain on him at the gate of the hospital. She trashed him with her cold tongue for deceiving her and making her a huge joke with his pre-meditated lies that Carlos was in love with her.

Irrepressible and aggressive Amelia had her share of confrontations too. She met more than her match in elegant Marissa. Marissa told her to clean up and “tunsh” up from her rags to match the status and standard befitting her office. She even told Lic Ordonez to pay her salary in advance, so she could have money to buy decent corporate wears that befits her new status. Amelia blushed with shame on hearing this.

Still talking about Amelia, Oooh, she was tempted by fate, a temptation too powerful to resist, thank God she overcame the first phase. After she discovered that the husband of her boss is Luis Alejandro, her emotions bursted at the seams, she ran out to meet Lupe, her friend, begging her to make the call on her behalf. She could’t bear to hear the voice of L.A, the man who jilted her 18 years ago, and did not even recognise her again today. With emotional pains wracking her body and with a trembling voice, she said: “…It can’t be! I find it so hard to believe that I am employed by a woman who took the love of my life from me, 18 years ago. So this is the woman Luis Alejandro Montero left me for 18 years ago? Before she fires me, I would resign now”

It took the wise counsel of Lupe, to prevail on her not to throw her opportunity and destiny away with this humiliation waters. Lupe made her to see reason that this obvious and inescapable misfortune, can be converted to strength, if she stayed behind to monitor and put L.A under obscured observation from her vantage position as the Personal Assistant to Marissa, per chance this would give her opportunity to fill the gaps, and really know the true character of Luis Alejandro Montero. She agreed and calm down.

Pedro had his own share of the confrontations too when Marissa stormed him with questions of “Is it true that your daughter is going out with my son?” Pedro declared the truth and even told her that: “… I was scared when I first heard, but your son told me that you harbour no prejudice against such relationship.” Marissa’s eyes were red with indignatioin, she replied: “…my son told you that?” She stormed out of Pedro’s presence to confront Carlos in his room.

Marissa challenged Carlos with the million-Dollar question: “…how can you replace Jennifer, a classy former Miss Universe and beautiful lady with a gardener’s daughter?…she is not your class and can’t match your class”. At this junture, old sage Rosario called Marissa aside and injected her with the ’syringe of eternal and home truths’, saying: “…mam, you are confronting something that is beyond social class, love is a strong feeling that has no respect for class,…have you forgotten so soon, when you fell in love with a young man who was not in your age bracket and class, some 18 years ago? You fought everybody to marry Luis Alejandro, would you stop your son from loving whom he has strong feelings of love for?”

“Jennifer de la Cunning” exhibited the serpentine flair in her by luring her friend, confidant and Assistant- Andreina into disclosing who her real boyfriend is. Adreina extracted a promise from Jenny that she would not disclose the info to anybody ever. Jenny concured, but that same day, she went to L.A.’s office soliciting his support for a joint destruction of the schoolgirl whom she lost her fiance to. When L.A. told her that there is no common ground for the joint action, because her reasons were different from his, this beautiful ‘lady of class’ bore her ugly fang of blackmail by threatening L.A. with exposure of his sordid relationship with Andreina, to his wife- Marissa. L.A. was paralysed with shock at this disclosure and threat. Next week would unfold how he copes with this ’stab in the back’.

Don visited L.A again to urge him to persist in finding out his daughter Amelia, and grand daughter. When L.A. asked for a photograph that would help the investigators on this Mexican trail, Don regretfully told him that there is no single picture of Amelia at home to lay hold of, REASON: he had destroyed every trace of Amelia in his life 18 years ago, in a fit of unbriddled anger!

Luisa Fernanda and Carlos Eduardo came together in a love garden and they shared their encounters of the day. Luisa told him that someone named jennifer came to look for her in school but did not meet her. he too told her of the Vanessa debacle in the hospital that morning. Luisa concluded with her feelings saying “…You are the only happiness I have now.”

Amelia came home to meet Augusto Prieto and Pedro, as she challenged Augusto again, Pedro told her that he is his divorce lawyer. After much enquiry and clarifications, Augusto told them both that since there is no case of acrimony between them, unlike many other enstranged couple, the settlement would would be fast and the marriage would dissolve in about 6 months after all the paper works, then the divorce certificate would be issued by the court.

If Jennifer de la Vega thought she was a smart cookie, she met a master of ingenius crookedness in Luis Alejandro Montero. L.A showed her that he is biggger than petty blackmail. What he wanted from Jennifer is a strong ally-in-hate-and-vengeance, to ‘nail’ their common enemy, his mortal enemy- Carlos Eduardo Gomez! He found that perfect match in his ‘unholy alliance’ with a yielded and disarmed Jenny, to sink the destiny of Carlos. Would they succeed?

L.A. was practically at ease and at home with Jenny’s uncanny mission, he simply told her to sheath her sword and dagger of blackmail, and not to go looking for Luisa Fernanda Perez, he promised her that he would personally see to Luisa’s destruction. He tutored and instructed Jenny to pretend that she is pregnant, that he would find an experienced and reputable doctor to give her ultra scan and other fabricated medical evidences to make the pregnancy appear real. With that in the kitty, Alejandro told her how that could be used to force Carlos hand into an irresistible marriage to Jenny.

L.A. justified his plot with the fact that what goes round comes round. If Carlos could fabricate a medical report for Luisa Fernanda which ultimately humiliated him in the court of law, it’s pay-back time, as he too would show Carlos of his immense and legendary ability and reputation for greater fabrications. He assured Jenny saying: “…leave all the dirty work to me”.

Consuela has finally gotten her alibi for her amorous plot against Luis Alejandro Montero. She is threatening her hubby with divorce, because of his extra marital affairs. She told him never to come near her again and should sleep on the sofa instead of their matrimonial bed. She reeled out the conditions for “co-habitation”, if Heriberto is afraid of divorce. “…I don’t want you to come near nor touch me again because i don’t want to smell you. Our marriage has been a disaster because you see me as your cash register and not as your loving wife. You have no time for me. But from now on, I want you to continue to “live” your life and allow me to “live” mine too as I choose.

Ordonez came to Marisa’s house to inform her of the good news: the bank’s branch in Spain has finally gotten offer to merge with a big deposit bank, and there is a need for the President to be present for the final negotiation and signing of the memoradum. Marissa was happy with this good news but expressed her inability to proceed to Spain for a 15-day negotiantion because Jennifer’s fashion show starts the next day, and she doesn’t want to be seen by Jennifer as not keeping her words. At that moment, L.A interrupted with an offer to help saying: “…I can stand in for you in Spain, Just give me the power of attorney to negotiate on your behalf”.

Ordonez had to explain why the L.A.’s offer of help is against the statue of the bank, that L.A. being Marissa’s hubby cannot have anything to do with the business of the bank, and that L.A. has signed this agreement just before marrying Marissa. L.A. was mad at this clause and rose up saying, it is human beings that made the statue and it can be changed or reversed also by human beings. He walked out on them…Marisa was meditative of the eagerness and over-eaction of L.A. to these issues

She went straight to Carlos’ hospital to convince him to become active and go to Spain to represent the bank. She reminded him that he is the majority shareholder which he inherited from his father at his death. Being a director therefore of the bank, according to the statue, the other directors are ready to give him the power of attorney to represent the bank in the Spanish merger negotiations. Carlos was suspicious, thinking that his mom wants to use the spanish trip to seperate him further away from Luisa Fernanda. When he said he doesn’t know how to negotiate a banking merger she assured him that Lic Ordonez would go with him as an adviser during the trip.

Carlos went to Jenny’s boutique and gym to warn her to stop going to Luisa’s school to harass her. Jennifer, who is now calm and no longer hysteric because of the master plot deviced by L.A. simply confronted Carlos and told him to walk out of her office and her life.

L.A. succeeded in booking an ‘appointment’ with Andreina to ‘iron out’ their differences. At the reconcilliation meeting, in the ‘carbuncle’ which he rented for his lover, he challenged Andreina for revealing thier well-kept secret love-affair to Jenny. Andreina denied all the allegations with a shock. They “reconciled” with a re-union toast. After the romantic ‘reconciliation meeting’, Andreina brought out the Tigress in her again, as she stormed and pounced on her friend and confidant- Jennifer, for breaking their “oath of secrecy” to L.A.

Augusto Prieto came bursting with joy on Luisa with the Compensation Cheque paid by L.A. through the court as ruled by the judge last week. He suggested to her that they should go and cash it in the bank and then go to celebrate it. Luisa was so happy as she confessed that she had never in her life seen such a large amount of money. She agreed to go and cash the cheque, but found all manner of excuses to turn down the offer of ‘celebrating’ it, perhaps because Carlos had forewarned her that, Augusto has not given up the pursuit of making her his girlfriend.

She went straight from the bank to meet Carlos at their usual love nest, at the love garden. She told him all about the cheque and Carlos also told her all about is sudden Spanish trip to represent ‘his’ bank there. Luisa almost didn’t believe that her boyfriend is a ‘banker’ when all along, she was contented and proud to have him as a medical doctor. She cried because, unknowingly to both lovers, fate is about to submit their true love to test in the hands of villains and cupid assassins. This 15-day trip would be enough to ‘manufacture’ the ‘pregnancy bomb’ that would tear them assunder when Carlos returns from his trip.

At the airport the next day, Luisa Fernanda appeared just before Carlos boarded the plane. The two lovers in defiance of Marissa and oblivious of any public observation, embraced and engaged in deeep kissing. Marissa was dismayed but helpless to prevent the consumation of these young destinies that fate had brought together and villains are struggling to put assunder; while people like Marissa seem to be playing the neutral card…

As Carlos goes to embrace the coming trial of fate, I remember the popular romance song of the ’70s which goes something like this: “I’m leaving…On a jet plane, I hate to say goodbyeee….Darling, tell me that you’d wait for mee…Ooh I don’t know when I’d be back again….darling don’t you worry, I’d be back againnnn….”

After L.A. called the detective, to tell him to turn his searchlight for Amelia and daughter into Mexican Federal territory, the detective went to meet a friend to assisst in the search. While he was making his request in front of an office, Consuela, the consumate architect of evil in this telenovela, stumbled into them on the stairs and heared L.A.’s name being mentioned, so she pretended to be receiving a call from her gsm, while actually listening to the two detectives.

After the two departed, Consuela approached the first detective, telling him that: “…the person you are looking for is my sister, Her name is Amelia Alcantara, and her Hubby is Pedro Perez”. This accuracy staggered the detective and he followed her invitation to a nearby restaurant to talk over the matter. Consuela demanded that the detective should not look for Amelia and daughter and she is ready to pay the detective more than whatever L.A. is offering him to search for Amelia. She left her complimentary card for the man, if he is interested in more money to call her anytime. Would she succeed in this plan to abort the search for the true inheritors of the Don Fernanda Alcantara’s fortune? Only time will tell.

Consuela, Consuela, Consuela…the more this woman dares to foray into her dangerous schemes, the more enemies she created, and the more her deal seem to blow up in her face. I am convinced that the star villain in this telenovela would be Consuela. She is fast assuming a notoriety that effectively competes with ‘Mr. Fix It’ of the “Cuando Seas Mia” (When You are Mine) - “Fabian Sanchez Serrano”. Tonite’s episode saw her trapped in a web of intricate blackmail. Her pet project to banish her sister, Amelia, from the father’s heritage seems to be blowing up.

The private detective she hijacked for her dirty pet project seem to have wisened up. He must have found out who she really is, and knowing that she is the daughter of a billionaire, he has turned his fleece weapon on her. He is now blackmailing her with the purpose of fleecing her for easy money for his needs. He wants her to make a deal with him by regularly supplying his financial needs and he would make sure that Amelia is never found out. He warned her that: “…If you don’t make a deal with me, I would sink you!”. He can no longer be satisfied with a one-time payment, he wants regular ’servicing’ from Consuela. I forsee these two villains killing each other in the nearest future. The detective seems to be interested beyond the monetary, he seems to be also interested in Consuela’s body. The way he held Consuela’s wrist tonite seem to suggest sending amorous signals to her. Consuela is not interested in any man but Luis Alejandro Montero, let’s enjoy and wait for the drama that would ensue from these mutual traitors.

Marissa came to chat with Pedro Perez, telling him with hidden indignation that she saw his daughter, Luisa Fernanda, at the airport, when she came to bade Carlos farewell. Thanks to a proud father with dignity, Pedro looked her straight in the eye with an affectionate fire that can melt any indignation, and told her that her son is lucky to have Luisa fall in love with him. (i.e. his eyes seems to be saying: ‘…we don’t beg beg for love, it cannot be swindled, it is by mutual consent’). Marissa was surprised when Pedro told her that Luisa Fernanda is the best graduating student in her school and would study Journalism in the University. Marissa, being an elegant lady of style and taste too, was able to quickly detect a good taste in Pedro, particularly the Rich Children’s school that Luisa Fernanda attends.

She later confessed to her old maid, Rosario that Luisa is such a lovely girl and doesn’t carry the stigma of poverty nor appear to be from a poor home. “…She is just like any other classy girl, she doesn’t look like a gardener’s daughter…” She even said she could perceive “…that Luisa is madly in love with Carlos“. Her comparative mind did not fail to register and reveal to Rosario, that, “…I have never seen my son being so affectionately tender with any woman, as he was with Luisa today, no, not even with Jennifer.”

“Pains cannot be healed by food”, so said Don Fernanda Alcantara to old Rigoberto, when she brought him his breakfast, having not eaten throughout the previous day. He was in a mourning mood, mourning and regreting his indescretion of 18 years ago, afraid that when Amelia is found, she may never forgive him for being too harsh with her. He was worried that L.A. is taking too long in finding Amelia and daughter. Not knowing that the prolongation is being ‘engineered’ by his other daughter Consuela.

At that point, old Rigo suggested to him that he should consider using alternative means to search them out. “Why not advertise in all newspapers in all countries to look for them”, she said. This idea struck a joyful light in Don and he accepted to place adverts, only in Mexican national dailies. The “enemy-at-home”, Consuela listened and watched all these with envy from a safe distance, she turned back unnoticed, and disappeared back into the building.

Andreina is now wiser, when she discovered that Jenny was brazenly disregarding her feelings for L.A. by threatening her that she should be happy it was not Marissa she disclosed the news to. She lied to Jenny that it is finally over between her and Luis Alejandro. She was however disappointed when, later in the night, after dinner with L.A., at their love nest, L.A. told her he cannot sleep the night there because Marissa is no longer travelling to Spain, having sent her son to represent her there.

Heriberto, having been granted his amorous freedom by Consuela, went further in his adulterous drive to rent a new apartment for Virginia, his secretary-turned-mistress, this would be their love nest from now on. Virginia was disappointed because she preferred a bought apartment, instead of a rented apartment. The stakes are getting higher for all schemers and the schemed in this telenovela.

The chicken has finally come home to roost, Vanessa has come to her senses, knowing there is no way for her to graduate without Luisa Fernanda’s brilliant academic assistance. She went to Luisa’s home to ask for forgiveness and for friendship reconcilliation. Innocent Luisa, who is incapable of holding grudges for long, accepted Vanessa back into friendship.

Carlos had a very successful 15-day business trip to Madrid, Espana. There is virtually no day he doesn’t call Marissa and his love- Luisa. just before his return, L.A. visited Jenny to give her all the documentary evidence for her phony pregnancy. He also warned her never to threaten him with blackmail again. He said if she tries that kind of trick on him again, he would expose her and her phony pregnancy to Marissa and Carlos. Jenny assured him not to worry again, because, as she said: “…You and I are even now”.

In the euphoria that greeted the successful trip and Spanish negotiations of Carlos, Jennifer visited Carlos in the midst of his family members, and told him that she needed to talk to him in private. He initially resisted any private talk with this lady of easy virtues, but later yielded to reason, to hear her out. Then the villains’ Bomb was detonated by Jennifer, saying: “…yesterday, I found out that I am pregnant!” Carlos was stunned with the news, he looked at Jennifer as if she was from another planet!

Every time a coincidence occurs, don’t take it for granted, and don’t take it for a free ride. Tonite’s episode has supprisingly produced a string of coincidental links that would prove to be the chain of salvation for the victory of the heiress-to-be: Luisa Fernanda Perez. The evil plotters like Consuela, saw this coincidence as a free ride and they did rode on it; but which destination do they think this ride would arrive at?

As Pedro finished his contract and collected his pay from Marissa. The news of Don’s heart-attack broke on him, and he reasoned that it must be the same Fernando Alcantara - his former boss and father of Amelia, grand father of his daughter, Luisa Fernanda; so he called Carlos aside to asked after Don’s health. Carlos was surprised, because he could not see the link between Pedro-Luisa(his girlfriend) and Don yet.

Augusto walked into Don’s house to pay homage and honor his god-mother, Rigoberto. As he was giving Rigo the first fruit of his legal victory over Luis Alejandro, and Rigo querying him where he had won a lottery from, Don Fernando Alcantara staggered down the stairs crying for help as he felt his head was exploding. He slumped and crashed down the staircase. Augusto and Rigo rushed to the rescue of a Don that was already going on a death trip. The rescue team were able to get Don’s Personal physician- Dr. Carlos Eduardo Gomez alerted (he was esconded in a kiss with Luisa that moment when his phone rang), and also quickly in Augusto’s car, rushed him to the emergency section of Carlos’ hospital.

When all search efforts for Amelia and Luisa seem to have been successfully frustrated by Consuela, these inocunous links of a Pedro through Carlos (the personal physician to the ‘chief searcher’- Don); and that of an Augusto (personal lawyer to both Amelia/Pedro and ‘boyfriend aspirant’ to Luisa Fernanda), through Rigoberto, would prove to be vital to the discovery and enthronement of Luisa Fernanda . They would be vital parts to complete the ‘Fernandorial’ jigsaw puzzle that was shattered at the begining by Consuelito.

What really happened? Why the sudden heart-attack of Don Alcantara? Ask Consuela- the evil architect, who confronted Rigo, chastizing her for suggesting newspaper adverts as an alternative means of searching for Amelia and daughter. Rigo has no time for schemers, she countered and knocked-out Consuelito’s aggression, declaring that it is the best option, and why Consela opposed it was because, she does not want her sister, Amelia, to come back home!

Defeated Consuela turned angrily from Rigo and headed for her father’s room. She warned Don that she would not allow such adverts to be placed in newspapers because it would ridicle the family’s name and reputation. She said she could not stand such public ridicle. She devilishly provoked a high-tempered arguement with Don, knowing fully well that the old man’s frail health could not tolerate that. The old man, with grinding teeth, told her off, saying that no public mockery is enough a compesation for the 18-year wilderness which he sent his daughter, Amelia, and his innocent grand daughter. He said he is ready to bear the ridicle (as punishment for his ’sins’), and that the reason for Consuela’s opposition is because she doesn’t want her sister, Amelia and daughter back to inherit his fortune. This paternal indictment was too much for Consuela, she rose up in anger, lifted up her hand and advanced in a rush upon the old man to strike him…then, she stopped mid-air, just before the blow landed on Don. She declared with satanic anointing that her father would end up consigned into a mad house.

The shock of this evil action by Consuela was what triggered the rising of Don’s blood pressure and subsequent collapse. Oooh I wept…even though I am not a Yoruba person, but my husband is. There is this powerful Yoruba song…“Omo to mo ya re looju oo, Oshi yo t’omona pa…” meaning Any child that despised his mother, would pay with a curse of calamitious poverty and death. Oooh, I wept again…Consuela lifted up her hands against her father!!! She actually struck the old man in her mind, she definitely would not escape the harvest of curses for her evil action.

Amelia was in high spirits and she told her friends Lupe and Lic Ordonez that the reason is that her divorce papers are almost ready and she is in celebrating mood for riddance of the Pedro imprisonment. Lic gave her a beautiful earring from his Spanish trip and asked her out to dinner to celebrate the new freedom and happy moments. She came back home late from dinner and tipsy from alcoholic drinks in her veins, like a prodigal wife. When worried Pedro told her how she made him worry by her late coming; she bluntly told him that she is coming from celebrating his riddance saying “…I went to celebrate because, I would be rid of you very soon”.

Now that the villains’ bomb have been detonated by Jenny, Would it explode? Would somebody appear, to diffuse and stop the tick…,tick…,tick…, of the bomb’s timer from exploding? If it explodes, would Carlos escape with minor and repairable injury? or be consumed by the bomb? Would the bomb consume the inglorious partners-in-fraud-and-fabrication: Jennifer de la Cunning and Luis Alejandro Montero?

Meeting in L.A.’s office to review the progress of their evil plot, Jennifer became worried that what would happen if in a few months time, when her tummy does not bulge with real pregnancy? The master schemer, Luis Alejandro told her not to worry, that before that time, she would have been safely married to Carlos Eduardo Gomez and ‘a tragic miscarriage’ could also be fabricated then.

I have always maintained that Carlos Eduardo Gomez is a conscientious lover, that is, a lover with a conscience, just like ‘Diego’ of “Cuando Seas Mia” (When You Are Mine) telenovela TV series. This his ’strength’ is what Jennifer and L.A are capitalizing on. When he met with Luisa that afternoon at their usual love garden, the weight of guilt had overwhelming presence on his visage. Luisa cannot but noticed it. She asked him if he was hiding something from her, but he didn’t have enough courage to raise or open the subject of Jennifer’s “pregnancy” with Luisa Fernanda, at least not tonite .

Susanna, Pedro’s occasional lover for the past ten years showed up at the bar where Pancho and Pedro were sipping drinks. She accused Pedro of abandoning her. Pedro denied it, and told her that his divorce is almost perfected. Susanna was happy with the news, saying, she had waited for 10 years for this day to become real, when she would have Pedro, all to herself. Pedro does not seem to be interested in another marriage to Susanna, he voiced his fear that all his properties and money would be used to settle Amelia in the divorce, so there would be nothing left to take care of any woman or another marriage. He stood up after kissing Suzzy, telling her that he cannot afford to bring a beautiful lady as her into suffering in any marriage, that she should go and ‘find her level’.