Episode 52: The Next Door Rival

Birds of the same feather, they say, flock together. Alfredo, the scheming Psychiatrist, yesterday got an opportunity to practice his cunning ambition to befriend Luisa Fernanda. He got a ready and vacant platform from a lonely and bitter GuadaLupe. As soon as Lupe mentioned that she had a vacant room in her house, and Pedro confirmed that she was his next door neighbour, he latched on to the opportunity because he taught, it would bring him closer to actualising his love ambition for L.F.

The camp of the hateful schemers is swelling by the day. Lupe is on a plunge into that camp. She is bitter and disappointed that Marissa wont support her crusade to abort the wedding plans of Caesar and Clarita. This would spill-over in the nearest future, into conspiracy with her "new tenant"- Alfredo, against Marissa's son, Carlos Eduardo. She would seek vengeance by colluding with Alfredo to thwart Carlos-L.F relationship. In this contest, I doubt very much if the 'conspiratorial schemers' could win against the cupid goddess.

She Is Amelia's Daughter!
Consuela didn't waste time to prevent L.F. from introducing her full name to Don. She desperately does not want the "FERNANDA" aspect of it to be mentioned, so that Don and Rigo would not draw, or jump into conclusion about L.F's true identity. She introduced L.F. as Luisa Perez. Don hit it off right from the very first minute with L.F. He even choose to call her a pet name, 'LUICITO' as a mark of his instant fondness for his unknown grand daughter. L.F. later acknowledge and recalled that indeed he had met the old man before. She related the incident of when Don was lost and wandering on the streets and how she found him and handed him over to the police. At that point, ever-poignant Rigoberto chipped in a piercing observation that: "... it must be destiny that made both of you to certainly bumped into each other again"

Consu was very uncomfortable, particularly when Don replied L.F's question about the job offer, he said that the job is already approved as hers. This is contrary to the tortuous delay tactics of Consuela. She quickly administered the sleeping tablets which she disguised as Alzheimer-delaying drug to Don. Immediately, Don began to yawn of for sleep. As soon a Don was led to his bedroom, Consuela came back to have a private session with L.F. She told her that she (Consuela) shall be the only one to handle her father's 'medications', and because of a recent heart-attack that the man suffered, "... you should not tell him any sad news about your father or mother." This obviously is to prevent any intimacy between L.F and Don, that may lead to the true identity of L.F as the grand daughter of Don.

Rigoberto became o agitated with this new girl, he kept spying on her until he rose up with conviction, saying to herself: "... that girl is a splitting image of Amelia when she was a young girl. She could be Consuela's daughter, but Consuela told me that Amelia and her daughter died in a car accident." She prepared her food and wisely interacted with her. She had a hunch that the girl is Amelia's daughter. This was further confirmed when Camilla told her that she saw Consuela in deep amorous kissing session with Luis Alejandro.

Rigoberto hijacked Consuela as soon as she returned and took her straight to her room. She first confronted her with the report card of her amorous affairs with L.A. and warned her not to even think of sacking Camilla for it. A Consu was angrily marching out, Rigo grabbed her and delivered the second "lethal punch", saying "... how could you lie to me, Amelia is not dead, I know you better than yourself, you are twisted and envious... I know for a fact that girl ... she is Amelia's daughter!" Consuela looked shocked with the bold declaration of the old Rigo. She looked like someone who wished that the ground would open and swallow her shame up.

The Primary Suspect
The noose seem to be tightening around the wicked neck of Consuela. The detectives have zeroed down on her strange fingerprints on the Safe where 200,000 thousand dollars was stolen recently. In a second interrogation, they wondered what her prints were doing on a Safe she does not have the combination to? She told them that she comes to the office everyday and often times cleaned the body of the Safe. They were obviously not satisfied with her lame excuse, o they told her that they were be investigating her personal bank accounts. She flew into a rage and insulted the detective saying that they were intimidating her, and that she would call her lawyers to sue them for defamation and abuse of authority.

Later, after the detectives have gone, she told Heriberto that they would not meet any money in her account, as she had cleared her account after paying the blackmail ransom to Solozano. What a folly! The past withdrawals are enough to point out that she was involved in a racket with Solozano.

Playing "Hide & Seek" With Destiny
Carlos Eduardo walked into a surprised reception in Don Fernando's house. He looked up and saw L.F, so he expressed his surprise by asking her: "... What are you doing here, sweetheart?" L.F. was lost for words. Rigoberto helped her to announce to Carlos that the young lady is going to be working here. At that point, the old man Don woke up and came downstairs, saying "... my boy, good to see you again". Carlos announced to the old man that he came to break the good news to him that, he has passed his final examinations today and has become a full-fledged medical doctor.

Rigo and Don embraced him and rejoiced with him. Don aid proudly: "... You did it, son! congratulations". As L.F. congratulated him, the observant old man asked if they knew each other, L.F. did not allow Carlos to answer, she said it was Vanessa who introduced Dr. Gomez to her. She took excuse to close for the day at 6 p.m. and Carlos also abruptly took his leave, offering to carry L.F home and promising the old man to come and see him tomorrow.

After they had left, Don suspected that Carlos had taken a liking for L.F. Rigo also confirmed it by saying that as soon as Carlos came in, he called her 'My Sweetheart'.

Carlos pleaded with L.F. to come out to a dinner with him to celebrate his examination success, but L.F seems to be turning down the offer. He also told her to top pretending in public that she had no relationship with him, saying: "... how long are you going to hide from Vanessa that you have a relationship with me?" He made her realize that Fernando was his confidant and has been eager to know his girlfriend whom he (Carlos), had told all that has been happening between them.

Marissa did what was noble tonite by telling Dr. Alfredo that she would have to reconsider being his patient because of the animosity between him and her son, Carlos Eduardo.

L.A was angry when Andreina came back from Cancun. He called her a whore and asked what she was doing in his apartment.

Pedro went into another state of violence when he discovered through Lupe that L.F. has stopped going to the university but has started working to sustain his hospital bill. He demanded to be discharged from "... this expensive hospital"