Esmeralda 31: The Drawn Battle Line

The blame of breaking the flowerpot so overwhelmed Esmeralda that she began to weep. José Armando comforted and calmed her down, re-assuring her that it was an accident.

Later in the evening, as all sat at the dinning, to have dinner, Fátima protested, saying that it was an insult and degradation for her to sit on the same table with a low class Dominga. She insisted that Dominga be sent to the kitchen to eat where servants take their meals.

Blanca agreed with the resentment of Fátima, so she sent Esmeralda and Dominga to eat elsewhere, aparet from the large family dinning table. José Armando was saddened when he later discovered that his mother, Blanca, conspired to mistreat Esmeralda and Dominga.

Dominga was infuriated by her mistreatment by Blanca and Fátima, but Crisanta begged her to hold her peace until after the the church wedding

The letter from Dr. Lazcano from the city arrived but Fátima intercepted it. on reading it, she discovered that the dr. had gotten ready his preparation for the surgical operation on esmeralda that would make her to regain her sight. Fátima hid the letter and began to plot with another Doctor to divert the plan to operate Esmeralda.

Lucio was enraged to find an empty hut when he came to check on Esmeralda. He wondered where Dominga and Esmeralda went to. Fermín revealed to Lucio that Esmeralda was the biological but unknown daughter of Rodolfo Peñarreal.

Fátima inquired from Dionisio where she could locate Lucio's house. On the other hand, Blanca was uneasy, she began to investigate the background of Esmeralda, when she was born and who her real parents were.

José Armando decided to travel to the city to buy things in preparation for the church wedding. He entrusted Adrián to take good care of Esmeralda during his absence. Fátima maliciously schemed that Graciela should escort José Armando part of the way, but was surprised to see Armando taking the two ladies, Esmeralda and Graciela, to accompany him part of the way.

Esmeralda 30: Miserable Honeymoon

After the love-making, José Armando invited Esmeralda and her gauardian, Dominga, to spend some few days with him in Casa Grande. She was reluctant because of the hostility of his parents and usurpers living in Casa Garnde with him.

Lucio, after having failed to distrupt or prevent the wedding from taking place, wept bitterly for his failutre and loss of Esmeralda to José Armando.

Fátima announced to Graciela that Esmeralda would be coming to spend some time in Casa Grande. Fátima pretended to be very happy with this development, but her real goal was to use the opportunity of closeness to Esmeralda, to perpetrate evil against her, and possibly arrange an 'accident' that would kill Esmeralda.

José Armando became relaxed because of Fátima's enthusiastic disposition, so, he requested Fátima to prepare an extra room for ailing Dominga, who would be coming to recuperate in Casa Grande, during his honey moon.

Esmeralda told Dominga about the honor done her, with her invitation to live with them in Casa Grande. She also told her that the church wedding would soon take place to seal her matrimony with José Armando.

Melesio was saddened by the departure of Esmeralda and Dominga to Casa Grande. Esmeralda took along with her, the emerald earrings to Casa Grande for her honeymoon.

On arrival, Fátima swung into action with her hypocritical plan. While 'helping' Esmeralda to go to her room, she delibrately kicked the beautiful ceramic flower pot which shattered to pieces on reaching the floor with a loud bang.

Esmeralda was frightened by the crash, but Fátima lied by accusing Esmeralda of breaking the family artifact of many decades.

Esmeralda 29: Don't Give Up The Wedding Night

José Armando marshalled all his charm to convince Esmeralda not to play along with the divisive scheme of his mother, Blanca. He told her that none of them could live without the other.

Crisanta too scolded Blanca for planning to separate Armando and Esmeralda.

Fátima watches with grieve as Armando went on with determined preparation and excitement for his wedding to Esmeralda.

Esmeralda agreed and proceeded the next day to the marriage registry, in the village to tie the nuptial cords with José Armando. Dionisio was surprised and was the first to congratulate the newly wedded couple.

Meanwhile, Lucio threatened to disrupt the wedding and prevent it from taking place. He desperately went to Dominga's hut to seek out Esmeralda and warn that he would prevent the wedding. Dominga who was still frail and recuperating was terrorized by the visit of Lucio, thinking he may hurt her again.

José Armando supported and encouraged Adrián to continue to fight for his love, Graciela, in spite of the scheming opposition of Fátima. he told him not to give up hope to marry Graciela too.

After the wedding the new happy couple went to dinner. Fermín also visited Dominga and told her that this is the right moment to tell Esmeralda the truth about her paternity, so that she could know that Rodolfo was her biological father.

Graciela, acting according to the script of her mother, Fátima, told Adrián to leave her in peace and forget about her.

After dinner, the newest couple in the village went to their favourite spot by the waterfall, at the entrance of the cave. There, that memorable night, with the stars as witnesses, they made love under the open sky, on their wedding night.

Esmeralda 28: Intrigues Multiplied

Dr. lucio and Blanca approached Esmeralda separately, asking her not to marry José Armando. Lucio had no solid reasons when Esmeralda challenged him on why he was against her proposed marriage to José Armando, after he had promised that he would pay for her sugery to make her regain her sight.

José Armando pleaded with Graciela to forgive him for breaking his engagement to her. He explained to her that he liked her like a sister and not really in love with her. José Armando told Blanca that he was traveling to the city for some few days, to the Marriage Registry in the city to arrange and apply for the formalization of his proposed marriage to Esmeralda.

Fátima was appalled to overhear the plans of Armando.

Rodolfo was worried by the rapid recovery of Dominga, whom he knew would expose him for sponsoring violence against her, as soon as she fully recovers. To avoid the impending scandal, he too announced that he would be traveling out for some days to Tijuana for some very important business meetings.

Dominga was happy with the good news of Esmeralda's impending wedding to Armando. Crisanta warned Blanca to steer clear of the love affairs between Armando and Esmeralda.

Blanca begged her to renounce her commitment to marry her son. She assured her that her eyes would be treated and other things given to her if she can sacrifice her love by renouncing her love for José Armando. Esmeralda was sad by this arm-twisting tactic of Blanca and she told Fermín about it.

José Armando was shocked and confused to learn from Esmeralda that she was no longer interested in marrying him the next day.

Esmeralda 27: Bring Home the Beauty

As part of the reconciliation terms with Rodolfo, José Armando brought Esmeralda who was anxious and afraid, to Casa Grande. Rodolfo and Fátima were stunned by the ravishing beauty of the blind girl, Esmeralda. They were speechless. Blanca also received her with tenderness and affection.

By now, it was clear to Esmeralda that Adrián and Graciela are deeply in love. Meanwhile, Fátima rebuked Graciela for making attempts to reveal to Rodolfo of her new fondness for Adrián. She warned her not to play the fool. Fátima was disappointed that her plans were falling apart with the arrival and acceptance of Esmeralda in Casa Grande.

The parental and love coast seem clear for José Armando, so, he proposed marriage to Esmeralda. Rodolfo pretended to play along with him and he advised him to enroll Esmeralda in a scholl to acquire formal education.

Adrián was almost at the precipice of mental breakdown, because of Fatima's banning him from seeing Graciela again. Florecita was worried by the anxious state Adrián.

Lucio too was overwhelmed with sadness because of the growing and seemingly irreversible love between Esmeralda and José Armando.

Esmeralda 26: The back off

Crisanta found José Armando the next day at Dominga's hut. She was surprised to find Dominga seriously ill as a result of Ofelia's assault allegedly commissioned by Rodolfo. She pleaded with Dominga to keep calm while she investigate the assault and also with José Armando to follow her back home.

Crisanta confronted Rodolfo, asking him to confirm if he was the one that orchestrated the deadly assault on Dominga. José Armando too launched inquiry asking from Dionisio, the foreman, if he had any information linking his Dad with the attempted murder of Dominga.

Fátima warned Adrián never to come near her daughter, Graciela, again, threatening that she would report his amorous ambition towards her daughter to Rodolfo, if he dared to disregard her warnings.The consequence of which would be that Rodolfo would sent him packing from the Casa Grande.

Blanca was happy but surprised by the new attitude of Crisanta who went to bring her son, José Armando, back home and mediating to bring peace and harmony to the family, particularly when it seems to be pointed in favor of Graciela, whom she was not favorably disposed to, in the recent past. She did not know that Graciela had confessed Adrián as her love, and reconciled with Crisanta.

Graciela decided to tell the truth of her romance to Rodolfo, who had been fighting on her behalf that his son, may marry her. Just before she opened her mouth, Fátima came and interrupted her and blocked off any further attempt by Gracielza to tell Rodolfo the truth.

Florecita was confused when Dominga out of desperation in her illness made weak but unsuccessful efforts to reveal to Esmeralda that Rodolfo was her biological father. Her stammering and shaky voice could not be comprehended, both by Esmeralda and Florecita.

Esmeralda 25: Assigned to Kill!

Lucio calmed down Esmeralda and examined unconscious Dominga, seeing that she had concussion as a result of a heavy blow on her head. When Melesio returned, Lucio threatened and chase him away. He took advantage of the situation, knowing that Esmeralda could not see what he was doing, he began to strangulate an unconscious Dominga, almost to death, until the miraculous arrival of Florecita at the hut, which interrupted his evil plans. He therefore quickly withdrew his deathly grip from Dominga's neck. Florecita later told her father and brother, Adrián, about the attempted murder of Dominga by Lucio.

Fátima counseled Rodolfo to change from his strong-arm and arm-twisting of tactics on his son over Esmeralda. So, he agreed and approached Lucio with a proposal to to kill Dominga, who had become a thorn in his flesh. Scheming Fátima also approached José Armando, asking him not to leave his inheritance, and should go and discuss with his father again, because she felt that Rodolfo may have changed his mind about the ultimatum he gave him. José Armando ignored the hypocritical mediation of Fátima and left Casa Grande.

As Lucio returned and was about to carry out Rodolfo's order, through injecting Dominga with a deadly and poisonous substance, José Armando arrived, and knew immediately, as a medical doctor, that Lucio was about to inject this poor woman to murder her. He became furious and threw Lucio out of Dominga's hut.

José Armando took care of Dominga and Esmeralda and attended to their medical needs, all night, and even passed the night in the hut with them. He assured Esmeralda that she would very soon be wedded to him, and become lady Esmeralda Peñarreal.

Esmeralda 24: Only One Choice!

Ofelia became frightened when Dominga could not breath or move, he thought that she had died, so he quickly left the scene undiscovered. When Esmeralda returned home, she was frightened when she touched an unconscious Dominga lying still on the floor of her hut. She sent Melesio immediately to fetch José Armando who also, as we already know from Snippet 2, as a medical doctor.

Rodolfo continued in his blind desperation to fight against the destiny of Esmeralda by giving ultimatum to José Armando to choose between living in his house as his heir, or pack out and leave Casa Grande for ever, if he would nor forgo his romantic adventure with the blind poor girl. José Armando boldly choose to leave his heritage and packed out of the Casa Grande. Blanca was horrified by his decision and made desperate pleas to him to change his mind, but he refused her entreaties.

Graciela chose to confess to Blanca that her true love was for Adrián, justas she was opening her mouth to talk, Fátima burst in and angrily shut her up.

Ofelio reported back to Rodolfo that the task was abruptly aborted because she resisted him violently and he struck Dominga who fainted, this made him to hurriedly leave the scene.

Esmeralda was distressed by the vents and she heard movement of footsteps, so, she thought it was José Armando. Alas! it was Lucio who quietly walked in with the aim of finishing the uncompleted assignment of Ofelia.

Esmeralda 23: Reprisals

As the battle line became sharpened, Rodolfo became desperate and paid a surprised visit to Lucio, and both men conspired together to separate José Armando from Esmeralda. Lucio told Rodolfo that Dominga was the gold-digger that was inspiring Esmeralda to go after his son, José Armando. He enthusiastically advised Rodolfo to take a retaliatory action against Dominga, if he truly wants to separate the two lovers.

José Armando confronted Fátima, telling her that the 'arrangee' marriage of convenience which she was scheming to spring on him and Graciela would not work. Crisanta met Esmeralda and reassured her that she was in full surpport of the love affair between her and José Armando. Ironically, Fátima too was reassuring Graciela that outside of her marriage to Armando is economic misery, and she should therefore continue to lure Armando to love and marry her.

Ofelio, who exposed Graciela and Adrian to Fátima has gotten another evil assignment, but this time, from Rodolfo. He was commissioned by Rodolfo to go and demolish the hut of Dominga and make her homeless, so that the midwife can migrate out of the village to another village.

As ofelio started his evil mission, he met a surprising and fiery resistance from Dominga. She fought back like a mad lion to defend her property and hut from the sponsored demolition exercise. In the process, Ofelio reacted violently by throwing Dominga against a rock and she fainted..

Specialist Doctor Lazcano cannot help but be secretly dazzled by the natural beauty of Esmeralda. Graciela became wearied of being used as a tool in her mother's handsays that better they return to the city.

Esmeralda 22: Rebellion

Crisanta supported and encouraged Graciela in her love adventures (which she had confided earlier in Crisanta), with Adrián. She told her not to give up or be disuaded by her scheming mother from pursuing her hapiness with Adrián to a logical conclusion of marriage. She told Adrián to fight to defend his love for Graciela. Crisanta seemed to me in alliance with Dominga in plotting a family and matrimonial 'coup' against Rodolfo and Fátima's counter moves.

José Armando demanded of Lucio to change his hostile and jealous attitude towards him because of Esmeralda.

Dominga was stirred up by the kindness of José Armando, particularly when Esmeralda shared the good tidings that the specialist doctor confirmed that she would see again after the surgery.

Graciela came to the conclusive truth that, what José Armando felt for her was not love, but brotherly affection. She compared the few weeks of explosive passions with Adrián and the years of friendship with José Armando. She knew that the true love was from Adrián.

When Fermín, heard the story of the simultaneous and peculiar births of José Armando and Esmeralda, he drew independent conclusions that Dominga's secret must have been in the suspected barter on that day, so he went and confronted her with that suspected secret. Dominga did not deny it.

Esmeralda's attempt to unravel that secret through Fermín was delayed, as he told her that it was still premature to reveal.

Blanca's attempt to force José Armando to abandon Esmeralda, and face his future with Graciela failed woefully, as he told Graciela to give him more time, to review his marriage proposal to her.

This latest delay only served to infuriate Fátima the more, as she began to despise and curse Esmeralda for being the reason for this matrimonial stalemate between Graciela and José Armando.

Crisanta could not bear the curses and frustration being poured on Esmeralda, she stood up to Fátima, and looked her straight in the eye, warning her not to insult that good girl(Esmeralda). Blanca was stunned by the strange and bold defense of Esmeralda against Fátima.

Adrián and Graciela secretly met in the mechanic garage and fell into each other's arms, they were almost about to make love in the dark recess of the garage when Fátima stormed the place, after being tipped off by one of the servants.

Fátima slapped Adrián and accused him of seducing her daughter. Graciela told her that she loved Adrián. Fátima dragged a terrified Graciela back to the main house.

Esmeralda 21: Stirring the Wrath of Jealousy

Dr. Lucio Malaver has never hid his hatred for José Armando who represents a threat to his monopoly of knowledge over Esmeralda. José Armando had stirred up his jealousy with the rod of compassion and mercy by taking Esmeralda to the city for a specialist diagnosis of her blindness.

He showed his displeasure with Dominga for permitting Esmeralda to go on that medical trip with José Armando. He feared that his age-old lies to Esmeralda that she would never see with her eyes would be exposed and that, this rich boy is capable of paying for the surgery which might restore Esmeralda's eyes and would also automatically reveal his badly burnt and ugly face to Esmeralda. He was tormented by envious thoughts that José Armando may gain romantic advantage and even made love to Esmeralda during the trip.

Specialist Dr. Jorge Luis Lazcano examined, diagnosed and confirmed that it is possible to restore Esmeralda's sight by surgery. Later in the evening, José Armando took Esmeralda out to dinner to celebrate the good news. He told her how beautiful the the firmament , with the stars and moon was, she was fascinated and said she couldn't wait for her eyes to open so she could behold the fairy beauty of the galaxy with her own eyes.

Dominga and Melesio waited with anxiety for the arrival of, and good tidings from Esmeralda and José Armando. When they returned, Dominga warned José Armando that jealous Lucio may cause grave injury or harm toesmeralda for following him (José Armando), on the trip to Mexico city.

José Armando went to Lucio's house to question his anger at the possible restoration of Esmeralda's sight. Lucio insulted and warned him to stay clear of his girl.

Meet The Actors/Actresses of La Heredera (The Heiress)

1. Silvia Navarro as "María Claudia". We already know this screen prodigy. She was the star actress of this telenovela, in fact, she was the heiress. After five years of studying abroad and graduating as an Architect, she returned back to Mexico to face a series of destiny trials that tested her moral fibre to assume the heritage to a great fortune. An upright woman of strong moral character. She ended up becoming one of the 50 richest and most powerful women in the world.

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2. Sergio Basañez as "Juan Antonio". He is also a popular telenovela icon. Trained as a pilot but worked as the best and one of the top officers of the Mexican Government's Drug Law Enforcement Agency. Living with his grandfather and also ran a tourist company. Inherited a great wealth which brought him into the same social class and encounter with Maria Claudia. His friendship and later, passionate love, changed the life of Maria Claudia dramatically. He acted as "Diego" in Cuando Seas Mia (When You Are Mine), which took the Nigerian screen with a storm for 11 months in 2005 to 2006. He is back in a big way in La Heredera. I can't wait to start posting the snippets.

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3. Guillermo Murray (Don Julián Madero Grimaldi), is the 75-year old wealthy Patriarch and Philanthropist. He was the Life President of the Madero Conglomerates. With four heirs to his throne, he shared out the running of his empire among his four children, with a close supervisory eyes. He made a costly mistake that caused incalculable tragedy for his life and wealthy family.

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4. Margarita Gralia- (Ana Gabriela Madero), She was the faithful, elegant and beautiful wife of Don Julian. She never ceases to worry about the fearful monster she had raised to maturity ... an impeding doom ... popularly known as "Angela", the mother of Fabian and leader of the 'three witches' including 'Babara' and 'Berenice' in "Cuando Seas Mia" (When You are Mine).

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5. Ángela Fuste (Brenda), is a popular face too from the Gardener's daughter (La Hija del Jardinero). she acted the role of the mother of Luisa Fernanda, she was known then as Amelia Alcantara, but she would be known in La Heredera as BRENDA.

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6. Evangelina Elizondo: 77-year old mother of the screen has over 68 telenovelas to her credit. popularly known as "Inez", in Cuando seas Mia. She was the Matriarch of the Sanchez Serrano heritage in that novela. She would be gracing La Heredera, even in her twilight as an actress. Hold your breath.

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7. Fernando Sarfatti is also another character from When You Are Mine, they call him Giancarlo, he was "Paloma's" mentor and he later became her stepfather when he married 'Soledad', Paloma's mother.

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8. Sergio de Bustamante know as 'Juan Francisco', the father of 'Fabian' and husband of 'Angela' in Cuando Seas Mia.

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9. Juan Manuel Bernal "Dionisio Torres Corrales" (left), was the homosexual son of the wealthy Torres Corrales family. Spoilt by his mother, Dulce. Lauro Madero preferred him to his elder brother, Santiago, and schemed unsuccessfully to make him marry his younger sister, Maria Claudia. He is always throwing large parties and when drunken to stupor, threw away the mask of finesse to transform into a monstrous homo. (10.) Víctor Huggo Martín "Lauro Enrique Madero" (right), First born and natural heir to the Don Julian Madero fortune. Trained as a brilliant economist with post-graduate degree in finance. He was also a multi-linguist like his father. He was the handsome dream groom of most single ladies in Mexico. He was the villain of this telenovela. He expertly organized the murder of his father, Julian Madero. He hates his upright younger sister Maria Claudia (Paloma), with passion. A talented conman, proud and unscrupulous.

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11. Aylin Mujica "Lorena Madero" (left), she was the second daughter in the Madero family, trained as a fashion designer from Italy. She was in charge of the family's chain of departmental stores. The fear of obesity drove her to be compulsive tennis player. Ruthless and highly ambitious, she sought to dethrone her father. (12.) Andrea Noli "Kauris Guzmán" (right). Brilliant and intelligent Criminologist, an expert fighter, trained in martial arts. She was the immediate boss of Antonio "Diego" at the Drug Law Enforcement Agency. She had more than an official interest in Antonio, she was emotionally interested in him, so, she deployed all her manipulative skills to con him into a love trap.

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13. Fabián Corres "Solomon Mayorca" He was the right-hand, hatchet man and 'Mr. Fix It' for Lauro Madero. An astute accountant, he was the figurehead of some of Lauro's shady businesses.
14. Bruno Bichir "Santiago Daniel Torres Corrales". He was the first son and handsome heir of the Corrales Torres family. Managing the family's international business empire from abroad. When he returned to Mexico, he fell in love with Maria Claudia. he went all-out in a decent manner to fight every obstacle on his path of love of Maria Claudia. Would he win the emotional battles?

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15. Julieta Egurrola "Doña Dulce Regina Corrales Astorga" Wife of Don Paschal. She was a super schemer even on the stock exchange. A cold, calculating and cruel. Full of pride and prejudice for poor people. She buys scrap companies and resells them triple the value to unsuspecting clients.

When Dionisio's homosexual case became rotten, she was moved by passion for her morally decadent son to a battle to rehabilitate him. She hides under the facade of environmental activism to perpetrate her evil schemes.

Welcome From the Xmas Holiday

This is to welcome our friends and fans from the Xmas Holiday. I noticed this morning a surge of traffic which to indicated that our fellow gardeners are returning back from the holidays. Same with me here, all work and no play makes jack a dull boy. I hope you enjoyed the Yuletide, just as I did mine.

The only sad moment was the tragic loss of over a hundred lives that were scooping 'free' petroleum products from a vandalized pipeline in Abule-Egba area of Lagos metropolis, in Nigeria. The 'free' oil, led to their free deaths. It suddenly cast a shadow as the Xmas festive eclipsed yesterday. After the 'big boys' criminals took their two tanker loads worth several millions of Naira, and left unhurt, the 'small boys', street urchins took over to scavenge for a few liters costing between 1,000-3,000 Naira only. The result was the ugly calamity of deaths.

It was a horrific site to watch the remains of fellow humans burnt to ashes, because of greed and governmental negligence. Safety wasn't the concern of our leadership because their greatest Xmas preoccupation was the dog-fight in the Presidency, between the President and his Vice, about how to upstage each other. We must not relent in prayers for Nigeria as we approach another transition year, 2007.

Welcome, once again from the holidays. A longer one awaits us in the first three work-free day next week, next month and next year. Festivities unlimited! Happy New 2007 in advance.

Gists About Lorenzo's Wife

Many of the times when people ask me to do some posts on the episodes of the Lorenzo's Wife, I always choose to ignore it. The reason for me was obvious, writing is all about passion, and the first episode of Lorenzo's wife that I watched was not motivating sufficiently, to do anything about. It was nothing but the glorification of infidelity. The woman slept with three different men in the first episode. I was pissed off. That was the end of it for me.

Yester-night, while I was waiting endlessly for "All About Camilla" on TV, I stumbled on Lorenzo's wife again at those 'ungodly' hours of 23:00Hrs. For want of something to do, I watched it again and ... WOW! I now understand why the AIT stopped airing it at some point and why, when they resumed, it was at those wee hours, when the whole house (particularly the children), would have gone to sleep. It was 60% adult content. The Films & Censors Board must have warned them to reduce the 'adult content' of the novela.

Now I also understand why many people crave for the Lorenzo's wife. For those of you who are fans of that novela, I am happy to disappoint you, that I would not post anything of it. It was explosive, high-octane sexual orgy. A celebration of infidelity and matrimonial defilement of the highest order.

I may be wrong, but the two episodes I have watched so far could drive the libido of any adult to amoral levels. What do you think? Am I such a 'crude' and perhaps, a 'prude' housewife that my estimation of it was just sheer exaggeration? Let me know your views.

I Need You, Pls, Don't Break Me!

This is My Christmas Wish to All 'Gardeners' and loyal supporters of this blog. You may have noticed that I have stopped posting either snippets or episodes summaries in the last 4 days. It was because of the strident protests and conflicting signals I was getting from many of our telenovela fans. I needed a break to comprehend your real purpose and my pursuit.

At the end of the full story (Snippets) of La hija del Jardinero (The Gardener's Daughter- TGD), last weekend. I told you that, I was going to start with Esmeralda (ESM) and Amor sin Condiciones (Love Without Conditions- LWC). I also promised to resume the posting of the daily Episode summaries of TGD.

My experience however, in the last 8 days has not been a palatable one. Why?

1. Many complaints came from our Ghanaian friends. The were bored and angry with us for posting the snippets of Esmeralda. They told us that they have watched it, and that I should resume posting La hija del Jardinero.

2. On the other hand, another group of fans were full of praise and prayers for the daily Esmeralda snippets.

3. While a third group were completely confused about how to navigate through the different strands of stories without breaking the flow.

Coupled with all this conflicting signals, was the good news that our blog here was rated and ranked by the lovable giant Google as No. 1, for the key phrase La hija del Jardinero, out of 153,000 search results! What that meant for us was that a fresh surge of new telenovela fans found our site, for the first time, and traffic increased to this blog immeasurably during this period. It also meant that we are being considered as N0.1 Site with the best available information on this telenovela.

My Xmas Resolution

Resolution 1. If we should stop the snippets of Esmeralda, we would have inadvertently hurt the entertainment opportunities of other fans who have never watched or heard about Esmeralda. So, I choose to quickly finish the story, since it was just some 60 episodes which I could round up in a week, or thereabout.

Resolution 2. In order to keep our 'telenovela family' together, we need a unifying factor that could spur on, and thrill our common entertainment interests. Some 35 fans have unsubscribed in the last 4 days. While over 125 new subscribers have joined us within the same period, to take us to the 1,007 mark, signaling for me a good omen for the coming year 2007! (We may not have noticed it, because the loss was swallowed by the influx of new members).

So, I am bringing on board, the latest telenovela La Heredera (The Heiress) (2005), of Sergio Basanez and Sylvia Navarro ('Diego' and 'Paloma' of Cuando Seas Mia- When You Are Mine Fame).

Every one of us love this marvelous couple. It would be great to read and watch them in their latest novela, La Heredera, (The Heiress), produced last year, and which may not get to our watching opportunity, as usual, until 3 years later, i.e 2008 at the earliest. This would bring all of us together again in the new year 2007.

Resolution 3. This blog succeeded because of that sweet angel called Mariana Ochoa, the gardener's daughter. We all fell in love with her talent on screen. I have, and would begin to post snippets of her latest work launched earlier this year and called Amor sin Condiciones, Love Without Conditions- LWC. That also would unify our entertainment interests as we celebrate this yuletide and cross-over into a more prosperous year 2007, for all of us.

Resolution 4. Principally because of all our new fans that just found this site and were unable to navigate around this blog, due to the many stories that would be crisscrossing our blog here on a daily basis, I have placed the CATEGORIES link above by the sideboard on the right side. If you must enjoy the flow of any story, that should be your first point of call. From there, you would make your choice of what you want to read, whether, The Gardener's Daughter TGD or Esmeralda ESM or Love Without Conditions LWC or La Heredera or any other label you want to read. That is the best way to navigate, otherwise you may be going round in circles, God forbid.

Resolution 5. given my new enlarged responsibilities, I cannot assure you of posting daily summaries of TGD which I have done and completed with the TGD Snippets. While not exactly a 100% repetition, it would amount to 65 -70% of what we already have in the snippets. My goal is to maximize our entertainment value from the novelas, not to bore us with partial repetitions.

With this FIVE Xmas resolutions of mine, I plead for your tolerance and understanding. I confess that I need you, that was why the Ghanaians' condemnation of my Esmeralda snippets hurt me so much. Once again, I beg you not to break me with the rod of condemnations. I know you love me much as I have loved and would continue to love you all.

Let met express my deepest gratitude to all of you that have sent Xmas greetings, either by commentaries or to my mailbox. Even to those who have not done so yet, I appreciate you too. All of you have propelled me to a significant level of web relevance that I never dreamt of achieving in 2 years to come. Thank you all.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007 & IN ADVANCE!!!

Esmeralda 20: Fátima Fights Fate!

To every schemer in world history, they are always drunk of their initial successes and confident at a point in their schema, of swindling destiny, just like they have been with many of their gullible victims.

Fátima is one unfortunate fellow who believed that every member of the Penarreal family are in the palms of her hands.

José Armando returned home to bid his household goodbye for a short trip with Esmeralda to the city. Fátima too rushed to pack her luggages with the intention of accompanying him on the trip. He told her to apply her breaks as he does not need her company.

Fátima was filled with rage and she called her daughter aside, and incited her to begin to plot to destroy Esmeralda before the blind usurper destroys her matrimonial joy.

José Armando had succeeded in convincing Dominga to let him take Esmeralda to the city to meet with a specialist optician for the possible surgery to solve her blindness. Dominga agreed, and off they went together to Mexico city.

Fátima and Rodolfo were compelled by this dramatic twist, to set a compulsory date of wedding for Armando and Graciela without consulting with them.

Lady Blanca was so distressed by the prevailing circumstances that she missed an opportunity to know the truth, when she harshly interrupted Crisanta's attempt to confess to her that Esmeralda was her biological daughter.

Graciela could no longer keep her secret love affair with Adrian to herself. She had to confide in Crisanta that she had fallen in love with the foreman's son, Adrian.

Despite the non-approval by Blanca, José Armando bought a beautiful dress and a pair of shoes for Esmeralda. He took her to dinner in a classy restaurant in the city. While at dinner he told Esmeralda that he was going to break his engagement with Graciela as soon as he returned back to Casa Grande.

Esmeralda 19: Confrontations and Contradictions!

Crisanta launched the first phase of her redemption battle by confronting her master, Rodolfo, asking him to repent of his harsh and rude behaviour of throwing Esmeralda out of Casa Grande during the carnival. Everybody were shocked by the sympathy and solidarity of Crinsanta for a blind village girl, who was a 'stranger' to the family.

Fátima confronted her daughter with the truth of her financial doom, if she(Graciela), refuse to mary a rich boy like José Armando. Grciela went to confront José Armando, demanding of him to remaim faithful to his promise and commitment to marry her.

Adrián confronted Esmeralda and asked her to confirm the truth circulating in the village that José Armando and her have falling in love with each other. She confirmed it saying, YES to her romantic dreams!

Melesio confronted Esmeralda with the fact that Dr. Lucio was a horrible monster, waiting for a right time to srtike at her vulnerabilty. He warned her to henceforth be wary of Lucio.

Blanca confronted José Armando, pleading with him to stop seeing Esmeralda again because the blind girl has caused so much pain and emotional injury to the Rodolfo Penarreal family.

Lucio confronted and threatened Esmeralda to stop seeing José Armando, and if she refuses, he would stop his efforts to operate on her eyes to make her see. [don't forget that this same Lucio had tyold her before that she would never see again].

José Armando launched into investigations and found out the tragic story of how Lucio sustained burnt in the inferno that made his face an ugly site to look at. Much as José Armando sympathize withlucio, he however vowed that he would fight for the love ofesmeralda because he now knows that Lucio is his bitterest rival.

José Armando confronted Esmeralda and challenged her to have faith, because he would take her to visit a specialist optician in Mexico city to consider surgery that would open her eyes. He also assured her that gradually, his parents would accept her with time and even care for her as if she was their daughter.

Fermín took note of the promise of José Armando to cure Esmeralda's blindness.

Esmeralda 18: Speak The Truth

José Armando's decision to stay back in the village was an emotional coup de tat, designed to overthrow Fátima and Graciela in their bid to trap him into a wedlock that would lock up his matrimonial future in the manipulative hands of Fátima.

She was obviously sad by this dramatic twist, but her daughter, Graciela was happy because it would give her more days to get to know and be closer to her heartthrob, Adrián. Esmeralda came to visit Adrián in the hospital and she pretended that she did not know the love affair going on between Graciela and Adrián becuase Adrián had warned Florecita not to tell anybody about his secret love.

At the hospital next day, Graciela apologized profusely to Emeralda for insulting her at the carnival the other day. There is reason for this because Graciela was no longer interested in José Armando. She no longer sees Esmeralda as a threat or rival to fight, for the love of José Armando. She used the opportunity to break the 'good news' that she was no longer going to Mexico city because José Armando too has decided to stay back.

Crisanta, burdened with guilt of Esmeralda's paternity, went to the church to confess to Rev. Father Gabriel. He counseled her to speak the truth and open up to Blanca and Rodolfo about their biological daughter Esmeralda.

Rodolfo's reaction to the emotional coup is to mandate Dionisio to monitor José Armando, and report back if he was seeing Esmeralda. Dionisio secretly disobeyed this order. The real victim of this coup was Esmeralda. Fatima and Rodolfo blamed her for being the inspiration behind the matrimonial set back and emotional rebellion of José Armando. He reassured Fatima that he would throw Esmeralda out of the estate anytime she comes there.

José Armando reassured Esmeralda that though Graciela was his city girlfriend, what he felt for her was not sensual love but a brotherly love as if Graciela was his little sister.

Dominga came to Casa Grande to pressurize a fearful and reluctant Crisanta to disclose to Blanca that Esmeralda was her biological daughter and did not die as she had thought for over 23 years now.

Esmeralda 17: Two Affections

Blanca was nostalgic about her ‘dead’ daughter, born 23 years ago in Casa Grande. The burden of not knowing her ‘grave’ was weighing heavily on her. Crisanta shared her pain, particularly now that she knows the truth, but was afraid of revealing it, so that it would not trigger another crisis.

Afraid of an inevitable conflict between Rodolfo and Armando, Blanca pleaded with José Armando not to tell his 'father' that he does not want to marry Graciela again because of his new-found love- Esmeralda.

When Rodolfo returned, he announced to his household that Adrián has been wounded by a bull and had been rushed to the hospital. Graciela was restless with fear at this news of her heart-throb. She quietly left the house without the knowledge of anybody, and went to visit Adrián at the hospital. On getting there she met Dionisio and Florecita. They left the room for her to be alone with Adrián. Later when Florecita peeped through the curtains, she saw Graciela and her brother Adrián in a full-blown kissing session, and she gasped with shock. her noise distracted the two lovers who broke up from each other's romantic embrace.

Dr. Lucio was very sad to hear Esmeralda confess to him that her affection for him was filial, while her affection for Armando was romantic. She explained to him that she sees him more like a caring father and not a romantic mate.

Dominga sent Melesio on errand to Crisanta, that she should not delay further about telling the truth of Esmeralda paternity to Blanca and Rodolfo.

Meanwhile, Fátima was troubled as she discovered that her daughter, Graciela, was jeopardizing her schemes by going to visit a common servant, Adrián at the hospital. Rodolfo too was furious by the announcement of 'his' son, José Armando, that he was not going back to Mexico city, as he wanted to stay back to think over, and review if he could still marry Graciela.

Florecita told her friend, Esmeralda, about the romantic scene which she saw at the hospital when her elder brother Adrian, was kissing Graciela.

Esmeralda 16: The Horrifying Truth

José Armando began his love journey by investigating the cause and cure of Esmeralda’s blindness. He naturally ended up in the house of the only medical doctor in the village- Dr. Lucio, for his enquiry. The resentment of Lucio for this intruder and potential rival was too obvious. He told José Armando to steer clear and leave Esmeralda alone.

Crisanta pursued her curiosity with fresh burst of energy, she located and went visiting Dominga in her hut. Dominga told her the truth, that the supposedly dead girl of 23 years ago was ESMERALDA and that she sneezed and came alive, just before she could bury her and that was how she began to nurture her from that time, 23 years ago till date. She told Crisanta how she had raised her with moral fortitude and imparted a good character in her and that she was the most noble and virtuous girl in the village.

Crisanta was horrified by the probable consequences of this truth on the marriage of Blanca and Rodolfo Peñarreal if the should know that Esmeralda was their only true child and biological daughter, she wept profusely at this discovery. She was confused and paralyzed with consequential fear, as she did not know what to do.

José Armando nursed an unpacified bitterness towards Graciela for her rude behavior towards Esmeralda. Everyone including Rodolfo knew that the relationship between them had gone sour. Graciela too was worried by her fiancé cold and distant attitude.

Dionisio got the rudest shock of his life when his stubborn and ambitious son, Adrián, confessed to him that he was in love with Graciela the fiancée of Armando, who is the heir to the Rodolfo fortune. That desire if exposed to Rodolfo could end his career and sent him and his family back into the abyss of poverty from his esteemed position of a proud foreman of a large Estate like Casa Grande.

Lady Blanca was paranoid because of the impending but inevitable clash Rodolfo and José Armando over his frozen relationship with Graciela and his unashamed love for Esmeralda. Crisanta returned home and kept sealed lips over Esmeralda. She was afraid of triggering a crisis of monumental proportion in Casa Grande because of the truth told her by Dominga.

Florecita observed and told Esmeralda of the strange resemblance between her and Lady Blanca. Jacinta warned Adrián to feasting his love-hungry eyes on Graciela since she belonged to another man, who happened to be his master.

AGLOCO Speaks!

It is a rare thing to receive a personal letter from AGLOCO. The reason being that this is her peak period. The buzz of registrations may prevent it from responding to personal queries of members in a personal manner.

AGLOCO is hitting the hundred thousand (100,000) membership in less than 4 weeks since it started. Going by internet pundits estimates, using internet valuation metrics, the company would grow from her current estimated value of $4.0 million Dollars to an estimated value of $400 million Dollars by 1st July, 2007 (about 6 months time), when she hits her targeted 10 million membership, through the efforts of you and I, as we continue to recruit more members.

The reason why I fervently believe in this projection is because, they have done it before, some 6 years ago with ALL-Advantage(dot)com. They hit that same target in 18 months between 1999 t0 2000.

Finally let me thank all of you who have registered through my blog with the AGLOCO. You have made our little group of almost 60 people to have a voice that AGLOCO would always listen and personally attend to, any time we call on them through our collective voice on this blog.

If you have not yet join the AGLOCO train, please, jump into the boat now, before the release of the Viewbar in seven weeks time (i.e. early February, 2007). Even my husband, a typical Nigerian 'big man' who doesn't have time for these type of things, have suddenly changed his mind and is jumping here to join us too. I am sure, as a witty investor, he had seen some things that laymen and women like us, may not yet see in the future of AGLOCO. Register her now!

I received this letter (edited and published below) today, thanks to you all, from AGLOCO, Read on and hear from the horse's mouth:


"Dear Philomena,

First - Thank you for becoming an AGLOCO Member during our beta phase.
And second – Thank you for referring new Members to AGLOCO and helping to build the company.

Here is what you, the Membership, have accomplished:

AGLOCO is four weeks old and it has already signed up tens of thousands of Members, created enormous 'buzz' (over 700,000 pages in Google's search results talk about AGLOCO) and established a website more popular than Toyota's or Ford's or Bloomingdales or Kmart's (it took YouTube 8 months to do that). (emphasis mine- Philomena).

In addition to building the AGLOCO network, we have been working on the AGLOCO Viewbar which is now scheduled for release in seven to ten weeks.

You may know that we started a campaign to sign up 10,000,000 Members by July 1st, 2007.

While we know this is an ambitious goal, we also know the power of an Internet based network (several Members already have over a 1000 referrals - See below for examples):

So here is what you as a Member can do right now to help AGLOCO (and help yourself):

Recruit at least 5 more new Members in the next thirty days
- if each new Member does this, we will reach our goal of 10,000,000 Members by May

For every five new referrals you get (direct or extended) doubles your AGLOCO income
- over 90 percent of our Membership joins through a referral email from an existing Member so we have provided a new sample at the end of this update.
************

Two successful recruiters:
http://mccallsnotes.spaces.live.com/blog/ (over 6,000 referrals)
http://www.johnchow.com/the-agloco-viewbar/ (over 1,700 referrals)

Two'fun AGLOCO sites'
http://aglocovideo.blogspot.com/ (a Malaysian video in English)
http://www.aglocotest.com/ (A newbie diary)

Sample referral emaill:

"I am a member of AGLOCO. It has a goal of reaching 10,000,000 Members by July 1st.

Here is why I would like you to consider joining:

1. AGLOCO pays you, as an Internet user, your fair share of the value created while you surf.
2. The AGLOCO's free software puts you in control of what arrives on your screen and what data you allow outsiders to collect.
3. AGLOCO is a 100% Member owned company which rewards the Members who help build the company. It never costs anything to be a Member

AGLOCO is only four weeks old and it has already signed up tens of thousands of Members and has created enormous Internet 'buzz' (over 700,000 pages in Google's search talk about AGLOCO).

AGLOCO is not a 'get rich' quick scheme. Every additional Member raises the value of all the Members, so we all get more if you join

It is free to join and Membership never costs anything. Click here to read more and sign up now.
Thanks"

Philomena

Esmeralda 15: Crisanta: The Brewing Crisis

Crisanta, unable to fully recover from the shock of the controversial emerald earrings, became cautious and queried Esmeralda where she got the earrings on her ears, saying that she was sure the earrings were not hers but belong to someone else.

Fátima incited and warned her daughter, Graciela, not to play the fool during the carnival because Jose Armando has fallen in love with the blind girl. She incited her to go and fight for her love before the village illiterate, blind girl snatches her fiancé from her. Graciela, energized by the fuel of manipulation by Fátima, moved into action and harassed, heckled and mocked Esmeralda from the procession.

Being a lady of noble comportment, Esmeralda was embarrassed and she quietly withdrew from the procession. Rodolfo too rubbed salt into Esmeralda’s emotional injury by humiliating her, asking her to be shoved out of his Casa Grande and that she should never step unto his property again.

José Armando was uncomfortable with and could not stomach Esmeralda’s humiliation; he went to angrily confront Rodolfo and Graciela, telling them that he loves Esmeralda and would not tolerate anybody to humiliate her in his presence. Graciela backed off and apologized with a lame excuse for her strange behaviour. José Armando ignored her excuses.

Humiliated Esmeralda came home weeping. She told Dominga of her awful experience in the hands of Rodolfo and Graciela. She also queried Dominga about the true source and ownership of the emerald earrings, wondering aloud if they belong to the Peñarreals, due to the boldness of Crisanta who demanded from her where she got it from.

Crisanta trembled at the possibility of Esmeralda being the unknown and supposedly ‘dead’ daughter of Lady Blanca and Don Rodolfo Peñarreal, 23 years ago. She knew that a crisis is being brewed for the Peñarreal family if this is true. The coincidence of her name “ESMERALDA” and the Emerald earring was too much. She made up her mind to dig further into the mysterious young blind lady called Esmeralda, she planned to visit Dominga to enquire the truth from her.

When Blanca inquired from Crisanta what she discussed with Esmeralda on the carnival procession, Crisanta could not look straight into Blanca’s eyes, she was fidgety.

Graciela was emotionally torn apart, she wanted to terminate her romantic adventures with Adrián, before it boomeranged on her, but she lacked the courage and will power to do so. Adrián confronted her on how she maltreated Esmeralda, as if she was fighting for Armando’s love. He asked her if she was just toying with his feelings for her, she was confused and burst out weeping, knowing not what to say.

José Armando dreamt that he was alone with Esmeralda during the carnival and that he kissed her with passionate love.

ESM Snippet 14: Same Day, Same Earrings!

The jigsaw pieces of Esmeralda's destiny began to fall gradually into place. After José Armando left she questioned Dominga again about the double coincidence of being born on the same day with José Armando. Dominga affirmed the verity of her claim to her.

Esmeralda was inclined to turned down the invitation of José Armando to the birthday carnival of Graciela. She was afraid of the irresistible love magnet that always pull and put them in each other's arms anytime they were together.

José Armando got home and told Blanca that he has fallen in love with the blind Esmeralda lady. Blanca reminded him of this matrimonial commitment to Graciela. He explained to her that his feeling for Esmeralda was genuinely real, true and stronger than anything he had ever felt for Graciela.

As the birthday carnival started, all the damsels in the village prepared a traditional procession in honor of Graciela. Esmeralda, ably assisted by her best friend, Florecita, and supported by old Melesio, was most prominent in the ladies' procession. Lucio was most angry and frustrated, that his threat to Dominga, to separate Esmeralda from Armando and his family had fallen on deaf ears. He was depressed to know that Esmeralda was actively involved in the ladies carnival for Graciela.

Fátima, Graciela's mother, was the first to notice Esmeralda in the girl's procession. She alerted Blanca that the usurper had come again. Crisanta was mandated to go and dismiss Esmeralda from the carnival. On getting there, she was stunned to see the controversial emerald earrings that she gave in exchange to Dominga 23 years ago on Esmeralda's ears. The same earrings!!!

Adrián and Graciela were having the fun of their lives at the carnival.

ESM Snippet 13: What True Love Has Joined Together ...

The sudden appearance of Armando interrupted a romantic session between Adrián and Graciela. José Armando used the opportunity to give his engagement ring to Graciela. Adrián was very sad with this development and he sought to leave the Casa Grande, having sought the permission of the foreman, Dionisio.

Graciela became restless at the news of the impending departure of Adrián from the Estate. She ran to Dionisio's house to beg Adrián not to leave. Adrián told her that he had to because he his love for her, could not bear to see her engaged, much less married to another man. Florecita listened to and watched this love drama between Graciela and Adrián, and she went to relate the story to Esmeralda, assuring her that her chances with José Armando would be brightened, if Graciela should elope with Adrián.

Fermín went to confront Lucio Malaver to leave Esmeralda alone and should stop harassing her with his love advances. Fermín also told Florecita to counsel her best friend, Esmeralda to steer clear Lucio because he was evil. He also advised her not to trust José Armando because he may disappoint her love for him. This good man of the cemetery also went to alert Dominga about his fears for Esmeralda, because Lucio may cause her great harm.

José Armando too pursued his true love for Esmeralda by offering to lift her home in his jeep. She accepted, and when they got home, Dominga was plesantly surprised to see them together. She seized the opportunity to felicitate with him and told him that she was the midwife who delivered him and Esmeralda at birth. José Armando said he had always felt that somethings which he could not explain united him with Esmeralda, now he appreciated that Dominga was that uniting factor. He used the opportunity to invite Esmeralda to Graciela's birthday ceremony which would take place at the Casa Grande next day.

Based on Graciela's persuasion, Adrián annouced his change of mind, not to leave the Casa Grande again.

ESM Snippet 12: The Hurting Love

Rodolfo was full of fury when he saw his daughter-in-law-to-be, in great pains due to the injury she sustained while horse-riding. While Rodolfo blamed Adrián (picture right), for the accident, Graciela staunchly defended Adrián, telling him not to blame Adrián.

Blanca was in a meditative mood, occasioned by her memorable encounter with Esmeralda in church. She suspected that the young lady resembled her so much. Meanwhile, Esmeralda was by her favorite waterfall where her best friend, Florecita was telling her about the ankle injury of Graciela and her forthcoming birthday cum engagement ceremony.

José Armando went to meet Adrián in Dionisio's quarters, to invite him to come and play as musician to mark Graciela's birthday and engagement ceremony. He was surprised to see Esmeralda happily chatting away with Florecita in Dionisio's house. Esmeralda was disappointed and sad to know that this fellow who gave her, her first kiss, is getting engaged to his city girlfriend.

Lucio too was weeping because he just learnt that José Armando was iterested in Esmeralda and he knew he does not have the money to match him, in the contest for Esmeralda's love. Rodolfo was worried by the nonchalant attitude of his 'son' towards his forthcoming engagement to Graciela.

As Adrián began to sing unto Graciela by her bedroom's window, she was emotionally stirred with his romantic songs, until José Armando appeared suddenly from the blues.

ESM Snippet 11: Learning To Love

Blanca too was enraptured by the angelic beauty of Esmeralda. During the candle-lighting session in church, she practically ran to help blind Esmeralda, her unknown daughter, to light her candle.

Graciela (picture, right) began her journey to re-define her love life, as she took lessons of how to mount and ride horses from her tutor-turned-lover, Adrián. She was emotionally unsettled by the adorably penetrating stare of Adrián. He began to showcase his singing talents to the admiration of Graciela. His songs triggered romantic memories in her, of Adrián's warm embrace earlier in the day.

Lucio sent Juana on errand to threaten Dominga never to tell Esmeralda that his face was disfigured or anything about his past. Despite Lucio's tricks to prevent Esmeralda from wearing the emerald earrings, given her by Dominga, to the church, he failed to convince her. That earring caused no small stir at the church.

Crisanta, Jacinta and even Blanca later saw it and it provoke questions that she could never answer, because she (Esmeralda), did not know what significance that the earring carry for her destiny. Even José Armando delibrately disappeared from the midst of his family in the church to trail Esmeralda, in order to know where she lives.

On their way back from the horse riding lesson, Adrián, while carrying Graciela to mount the horse, kissed her. It was a tingling experience in true love for her, she liked it, but pretended anger and slapped him. Immediately, the horse threw her off its back and she fell injuringt her ankle. Adrián had to tenderly carry her back to Casa Grande.

Snippet 10: Countdown To Showdown

Dominga confessed to Esmeralda that a mysterious story was tied to the emerald earrings, but she would reveal it to her at a later date, when she is ready for it.

Meanwhile, Fermín came to tell Dominga that Crisanta had come to the cemetery to inquire abount the grave of a babygirl buried 23 years ago. and how he told her there was no such record 23 years ago.

Esmeralda too began to flex her emotional muscle by asking her old friend, Melesio, how Graciela looked, was she pretty? Melesio told her that there was no lady or woman (including Graciela), in the village that was as beautiful as her (Esmeralda).

Scheming and desperate Fátima insisted that Armando must give an engagement ring to her daughter, Graciela, to signify his matrimonial commitment to Graciela. She also told him that this must be done on her birthday, as a token gift, which would be next day.

Rodolfo remembered and reminded his wife, Blanca, about her emerald earrings that disappeared some 23 years ago, when they last visited Casa Grande. Blanca was uncomfortable with this shameful reminder of her sins and that of Crisanta.

José Armando asked Florecita not to tell Esmeralda that he saw her in the departmental store in the town, since Esmeralda did not see him.

Countdown to showdown, Esmeralda was in church again, but this time, she wore her provocative emerald earrings. Crisanta saw her at the church and more importantly, the emerald earrings in her ears, and she recognized them.

Lucio confessed his utter and burning hatred of Dominga to Juana, obviously because Dominga was not playing ball with him over his ambition foe Esmeralda.

Snippet 9: Ripples of Emotional Crack

The ripples of the emotional cracks between José Armando and Graciela has begun to spread, and in a very bad taste too. Rodolfo could not stand the breakdown of the 'arrangee marriage' between his 'son' and Graciela. He went to warn Esmeralda not to come near his José Armando again.

Armando and Adrián also fought a bitter and jealous lovers' battle over Esmeralda. Lucio mounted a ferocious threat on Dominga that she should give Esmeralda out in marriage to him immediately. Rodolfo was furious that an employee in his Ranch Adrián, fought with his heir, over a woman's love, so, he told Blanca and Fátima that he would sack Adrián, from the Estate. Blanca asked him to investigate if it was true, so that he would not unjustly fire a poor employee.

Graciela went around town parading herself alongside José Armando, until they both arrived at the the departmental store in town, where they accidentally stumbled on Esmeralda. Even though she was blind, she felt that José Armando was in the store with her. She looked intensely at his direction until Armando left the store.

Esmeralda went home to recount her sad experience to Dominga, about how Rodolfo contemptuously lambasted her and warned her not to come and see his 'son' again. Rodolfo later changed his mind about firing Adrián from his employment.

Lucio made desperate efforts to convince Esmeralda that he was the best man that can take care of her if she marries him. Esmeralda asked him that if he was so concerned for her, why hasn't he been able to heal her eyes, since he was a doctor. Lucio lied that, she could never see again, and that her case was that of permanent blindness.

Esmeralda got home crying, because of the sad news that Lucio gave her, that she would never be able to regain her sight. Dominga comforted her and made her wear that mysterious emerald earrings.

Snippet 8: After The First Kiss

When José Armando learnt that He was the first man to ever kiss Esmeralda, he was moved with tender affection for her, but all hell broke loose because of this. Graciela noticed the sudden change of attitude and affection towards her by José Armando. Even, Lucio was mad when he learnt that Esmeralda went to dinner and dancing party in Casa Grande.

Fermín was not only a bosom friend of Esmeralda, he was also her confidant, whom she shared the few known secrets of her life with. When she told him about her romantic encounter with José Armando, he was happy for her. He however told her that he as a person was not cut out for it because it carried a component called suffering, which he could not handle.

Lucio told Juana the root cause of his disfigured facial looks. It was several years ago when Dominga's hut caught fire, Domnga ran out leaving poor baby Esmeralda in the inferno. Lucio went into the fire to save Esmeralda from being burnt. That was how he got burnt and his face disfigured. Since then, he had held Dominga to ransom and blackmail. He demanded as compensation that Dominga pay him back with Esmeralda as his wife, for saving the poor girl. That is why he boasts every time that Esmeralda is his property.

Graciela would not mount nor learn how to ride horses. Her trip to the village was a disaster, their was no iota of affection from José Armando towards her. It was a dry vacation for her. She was exceedingly unhappy by the new twist of strange attitude exhibited by José Armando.

Crisanta inquired from Dionisio about where Dominga lives. When Crisanta got there and asked for the gr4ave of Blanca's 'dead' daughter of 23 years ago, Dominga lied by saying that she buried her in some unknown mountains in the suburb of the village.

Lucio forbade Esmeralda from seeing José Armando again, because he was jealous when she told him of her romantic encounter with him.

Snippet 7: Cloaked & Crooked

While the merry, dancing and feasting continued. Lucio (Right), the masked one, was in deep sorrow for his disfigured facial look. He remembered how Esmeralda sought to touch his face and how he forbade her. It was an expression of kindness that touched him, even in his crookedness. Juana advised him to do something to treat his face, so that he could live a normal life like any other person.

Esmeralda was exceedingly happy at the party. Adrián and Graciela were aggrieved with the closeness of José Armando and Esmeralda at the party. Graciela felt threatened by Esmeralda's disarming beauty, knowing that José Armando may easily fall in love with her. Adrián was secretly in love with Esmeralda and he was uncomfortable throughout the duration of the party because of the closeness and dancing together of Esmeralda and José Armando. Oblivious Esmeralda later shared her joy with Fermín and Dominga.

Graciela developed a great inferiority complex after the party, next day she demanded that reluctant José Armando should let them leave for the city, away from the beautiful peasant usurper. Rodolfo saved the tensed atmosphere by proposing to Graciela to spend some more time with them in the countryside. When it seems Graciela was not convinced, Fátima had to intervene to advise her to stick by her man. She also counseled her to use the opportunity of her stay to learn how to ride horses, and also never let Armando out of her sight for one second.

As old Melesio came to decorate Esmeralda with flowers, at that moment Armando arrived and the old strawberry thief, Melesio took to his heels. Armando asked her to dance again with him, just like before, she agreed. While they were dancing, he became raptured with her beauty, and impulsively opened his mouth to swallow her yielding lips, in what was destined to be Esmeralda's first kiss.

Snippet 6: Captured on the Dancing Floor

The love thunderbolt that struck Armando in the church propelled him into the beginning of friendships with Esmeralda. He promised not to pursue her, or call her a strawberry thief again. As a sign of reconciliation, he invited her to his mansion, Casa Grande, for a dinner to seal their friendship. When Esmeralda got home and in excitement, announced her new friendship with José Armando, Dominga smiled because of the success of phase one of her patiently planned emotional coup de tat.

The scheming desperadoes Fátima and her daughter, Graciela arrived from the city unto Casa Grande. The first anxious question Fátima threw at Blanca was about the peasant village girl that seems to have captured the heart of Armando. Blanca told her that she did not know anything about her.

The marriage proposal and the impending preparations for it, was a news of pride for both Fátima and Rodolfo, though for different reasons. Because of the constant romantic harassment of Esmeralda by that old fox called Lucio, she tried to investigate how he looked physically, but Lucio forbade her from touching his disfigured face.

Florecita and her friend went to watch the traditional cock-fight in the village center. Esmeralda dragged her friend from the scene because, she felt it was an abuse of the birds. They both went to savor the waterfall.

Later in the night, she dressed up for the dinner at Casa Grande, Dominga did not permit her to wear the controversial and historic emerald earrings. She knew that it would be the tell tale sign that could abort her coup against Blanca and José Armando. During the dancing session, musician Adrián sang a song that pissed off Graciela, so she went to sit down.

The floor was left for José Armando to invite, and dance with Esmeralda. While dancing, blind Esmeralda tripped and would have fallen, but for the waiting and supportive arms of José Armando. He caught her and drew her close to him, savouring her stunning natural beauty which already sent his heart racing. This also provoked the envy of Graciela and Fátima.