Episode 68: Banished For Love!

We have just entered the most dramatic phase of la hija del Jardinero. A phase of complicated irony. Few minutes after Luisa Fernanda swore to Sister Joaquina that she doesn't care about whoever her biological Dad is, because Pedro was the most wonderful and affectionate father in the world, this same Pedro, turned his back on Luisa Fernanda, and asked her to do him a great favour. Wonder what came out of this 'affectionate' father's mouth? "... I never want to see you again!"

I insist that Pedro is not mad. He is suffering from what I call an obsession, a loser's mentality that conditioned him to see his angelic daughter as abandoning him into his life-long defeats, as soon as she knows either L.A as her biological father or Don Fernando as her maternal grandfather. Amelia partly contributed to his loser's delusion. He was battered with words of failure throughout his 18 years "stolen marriage" by Amelia.

The only man who can help him out of that situation, the man who has a tonnage of information to transform his depressed state is emotionally compromised. Alfredo collects all the jigsaw pieces that have shattered Pedro. He assembled them together, not so much to put 'Humpty' Pedro together again, but to use as a weapon for rivalry advantage over lover boy, Carlos Eduardo.

Tonite might not be my time of critical appraisal of the drama and the dramatis personae in this telenovela, but this complexities drew my ire against injustice and stirred my passion for righteousness. I said 'stolen' because the circumstances that made Amelia to follow Pedro to the registry, to sign the dotted lines was never that of mutual consent or of mutual love. Very wrong for Pedro to turn afterwards and call Amelia his 'wife' for 18 years, when she never accepted him as husband. To visit the 'sins' of a late mother on an innocent and ignorant daughter is bad indeed.

Pedro's fears were unfounded, but who would 'unwind' him? I leave that to you.

That Girl Is Not Good Enough For Your Class!
Marissa continues in her gullible ride into deception by lashing out at her son, Carlos Eduardo, with the manipulative and wicked whips of his mortal enemies- Jenny and L.A. She told him that Luisa Fernanda has no class and would not befit his status as the future President of the Metropolitan Bank conglomerates. She lectured him on his need to marry an educated graduate with a social class befitting his future assignment. She also told him that whether he likes it or not, she would bring Luis Alejandro back as her husband into the house again.

L.A assured Andreina, who was already alarmed by the murder plot for Marissa, that As a widower, after Marissa's death, he would inherit a great fortune to be in a position to marry her and give her the best of things. Andreina began to gradually understand the mess she found herself in, that she had loved a cold-hearted and murderous monster all these years.

Alfredo positioned himself at his door, and when L.F came home, he called her and asked her why she was sad, wanting to know if his greatest wish had come to pass. He asked her if Carlos had fought her again. She said on the contrary, their love waxes stronger, but a lot of people are bothered by her recent happiness. She told him how Vanessa told her that she would never forgive nor reconcile with her. He followed her into her lonely house and sat down to drink coffee. It took the appearance of Carlos at the door to bring Alfredo back to his senses, he peacefully slid out to give the cupid couple some privacy.

Carlos broke the first vow of their reconciliation, by hiding the fact of the bitter battle he just fought with Marissa over L.F. When L.F asked him if his mother loved her, he lied to her that his mother loves her and approve of their love and reconciliation. Anytime you lie in love, you unconsciously dig a pit that would later endanger that love with unprepared burial. He gave her a gift of his mobile handset. He also insisted that she should never allow or entertain Alfredo in her house.

Consuelo is voraciously gathering data to launch her next evil scheme. She sat her father, Don, down to know the condition and state of Marissa's health. She also eavesdropped on Vanessa and L.F to ascertain the degree of conviction of Vanessa to fall in line with her evil plot to destroy L.F. Later, in the night, this evil mastermind sat Vanessa down to tutor her on how to jointly carry out their diabolical attack of vengeance against L.F.

The Allies Meeting
L.A phoned Jenny and asked her to meet him at an obscure restaurant. When she came, he fed her with stick-meat (I am surprised that these duo have not been going to bed together, they are a perfect match: comrades-in-wickedness), and also alerted her to cover for him, should in case, Armando came to ask her if she was truly the one who commissioned an investigation into his life, she should say yes. Jenny also demanded that L.A should make haste and get L.F imprisoned as he had promised her. He assured her that he was working that out soon.

After L.A left, Alfredo, who was also in the bar, saw her and invited her to dine with him. Jenny renewed her offer of partnership with him to split Carlos and L.F. She asked him if he was ready to fight for Luisa Fernanda's love? He politely declined, saying he didn't want to hurt L.F because she is currently happy with Carlos.

Believe This Lie; You'll Believe Anything!
L.A visited his victim again, (sorry, I don't want to call Marissa his wife again. His decision to murder her has nullified her as his wife, but now, his foolish victim). When she asked him why he abruptly left the previous day, he lied, saying he saw Carlos' girlfriend in the garden and decided to throw out the 'swindler' out of the house, but the 'little thief' claimed that her boyfriend is the owner of the house and he cannot send her out. He continued his manipulated lies by saying, that Carlos humiliated him and threw him out in the presence of all the servants. He said since he doesn't want a fight, he left peacefully.

Though this schemer had begun by saying that he did not want to give her any bad news that would upset her, he succeeded in rubbing in the distorted and manipulative story into Marissa's subconsciousness. She was boiling with anger by the time he completed that dirty assignment. He had succeeded in seting a solid stage to disinherit Carlos Eduardo.

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The case for adoption of Salvador reached fever pitch because it has turned around to backfire on Pedro. He was now being accused of having kidnapped Salvador. The judge found Pedro a culpable suspect, and asked that, he be remanded in prison with option of bail until the next adjournment.

Based on Ceasar's alert, that L.F would marry Alfredo, that same day, as Carlos, Carlos Eduardo decided to go see L.F 'for the last time' before their respective weddings, per chance, she would change her mind at the 11th hour, and agree to marry him. When he got there, he asked her why she was in such an unusual hurry to wed Alfredo. While they were talking, Joaquina called her on phone that Pedro has been remanded in prison as suspect, in the twisted case of Salvador's adoption.

L.F was upset by this news, Carlos offered to support and drive her to the court to see Pedro. By the time Alfedo arrived, he was furious to see Carlos in the company of L.F. and protested his presence around his wife-to-be. A confrontation was inevitable between the two. Meanwhile, the Judge from the marriage registry that would join Jenny and Carlos together in 'holy wedlock' arrived in Marissa's house. Jenny was so desperate because Carlos was not around. She phoned the hospital and was told by Nurse Graziela that, Carlos had not come to the hospital that day. Jenny was heartbroken to learn that Carlos had lied to her in order to escape and avoid the wedding ceremony. She later found out that he had gone to L.f's house. The wedding had to be postponed indefinitely. When Carlos got back, he told her that he has confirmed that Pedrito was truly his child by L.F.

The judge imposed a surety of very huge sum of money to guarantee that Pedro, would not jump bail. L.f had to submit the house and business assets of Pedro to stand surety before he could be released. After they all came out of the court premises, Alfredo reminded L.F that their wedding was that day, L.F told him that she is no longer interested in marrying him.

L.A strolled to the Metropolitan Bank's head office and continued to pose as the president. Ordonez suspected that he must have had a hidden agenda, to show up in the bank, right after he was discharged from the hospital. So, he phoned Marissa to alert her that her ailing husband has resumed in the bank as the president. Marissa assured Ordonez not to worry. L.A challenged and accused him of stealing bank documents and keeping them in private houses.

Since Marissa sack Armando and since Jenny threw them out of her apartment, he and Carol had been swimming in an ocean of debts. Armando told her that he was living on the threshold of jail.

Don Fernando, in spite of Heriberto's opposition, has endorsed the relationship of Vanessa and Chante, and has asked him to move in, and live in the house with the family.

Snippets 94

Carlos Eduardo later asked Ordóñez about who invited LF to his wedding. Marissa's grieve was multiplied when the conditional bail of Carlos was withdrawn and he was arrested and detained in police cell awaiting trial.

Jennifer was hysterical, she accused alfredo of loosing control of his 'wife' by letting her run freely after carlos eduardo and subsequently disrupting her wedding.

On the trial day, the weak verbal evidences of solozarno and armando who testified against him were used to refuse him bail. Marissa was crushed and devastated by this 'betrayal' of L.A, she confronted L.A and called him a liar, because of his false assurance that, Armando would not stand to witness against Carlos in court, and that he would withdraw his charges, all of which did not happen.

L.A denied Marissa's accusation. He said he told Armando withdraw from the case, but was equally surprised that the "stubbornly" refused to listen to him.

L.F visited Carlos in detention for the second time to show solidarity with him.

Rigo went to tell Don that Consuelo had some things she wanted to confess to him, that, he should give her an audience.

Marissa got so angry that she confronted Armando and dismissed him as an employee of the bank. L.A later assured Armando that he would set him up in his own legal chambers to practice law.

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Now that the truth has been revealed, L.F knew from Carlos' account that Jenny sprung a scheme to keep her apart from Carlos, by hiding the fact that she (Jenny), knew about L.F's imprisonment. L.F regretted jumping into courtship with Alfredo, based on the wrong assumption that Carlos Eduardo did not love her and had gone romping to Baltimore with Jenny.

Carlos confronted Jenny with her pretentious lies and emotional trap, which she sprung to keep him apart from L.F. He accused her of answering L.F's phone-call and pretended that she, Jenny, was living with him in his hotel room when it was not yet so. Jenny lied by denying that she never received any phone-call from L.F. (when she called Carlos from prison cell, in her hour of desperate need). She morally blackmailed him into going ahead with his matrimonial commitment to her and the planned wedding, in spite of the fact that Pedrito is now confirmed as Carlos' son.

Nana Rosario was downcast that Carlos, in spite of the truth, was bent on plunging headlong with jenny into a compromise relationship and unhappy marriage. She planned with her goddaughter, Clarita, to abort the wedding.

On the wedding day, just before they were joined together, Clarita went to bring L.F with Pedrito on the pretext of visiting nana Rosario, to bless Pedrito, (being her first time of meeting the little boy). Clarita did not tell L.F that it was Carlos' wedding day with Jeniffer.

When L.F appeared suddenly at the historic point of joining the couple, with Carlos' son in her hands, the whole place was frozen with shock. L.F too was shocked, to see the wedding about to be consummated. All eyes were on her, and on Carlos. She ran back, with disappointment written all over her face.

Carlos could not bear to see the pain and disappointment written all over L.F's face as she ran out of the ceremony's venue. He stood up and desperately ran after her. The wedding ceremony of Jennifer to Carlos Eduardo was thereby effectively aborted that day. All hell broke loose!

Ordonez and others present, tried to call him back but he ignored all and went out in search of L.F and Pedrito.

Because of Carlos' disappearance from the house on the supposed date of his wedding to Jenny. Marissa and Jenny were devastated, and Marissa had a nervous breakdown. It was Alfredo who attended to her medically.

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Carlos Eduardo confronted L.F and asked her why she hid the identity and truth of his son from him. Pedro was angry that Carlos stormed his house, he wanted to retaliate by sending Carlos out of his house, just as Carlos did to him, the last time he(Pedro) visited Marissa. Pedro also accused Joaquina of postponing the wedding of L.F and Alfredo in order to give Carlos Eduardo an opportunity to reconcile and marry L.F Joaquina denied his accusation.

Carlos also confronted Alfredo, he accused him of planning to hijack his son by making attempt to adopt him and even change his name to bear Alfredo's surname. He called him a coward. Alfredo justified his reason for his actions. When the argument became very hot between them, L.F was upset and angry, she sided with Carlos against Alfredo. So, Alfredo was angry and left for his own house. When he got home, he told Xóchil how Carlos humiliated him and L.F sided with Carlos. She reminded him that she had warned him that his marriage to L.F would not work. Alfrdo accused Xochil of being against his love for L.F She broke down and wept.

After Alfredo left, L.F apologize to Carlos for the secrecy over Pedrito's paternity. He closed in on her and kissed her. When she protested the kiss, Carlos swore to her that she is the only one his heart is capable of loving. he begged her to marry him, but L.F said he should justify his living with Jenny for two years now. She left him and walked away. Pedro asked her what Carlos came for. She confessed to him that Carlos wanted to marry her. Pedro objected to it, but L.F told him that she was still in love with Carlos.

Jenny also went to confront L.F warning her that she should steer clear of her fiancee Carlos Eduardo. When she went to convince Carlos to let them proceed with their wedding arrangements, Carlos told her to forget it because that was no wedding but a trap set for him by her and his mom.

Because of the tension build-up between Carlos and L.A, which makes it uneasy for L.A. to return to Marissa's house, Jenny and Marissa arranged for him to live in Jenny's house, which is vacant for now. Marissa warned Caesar not to tell Carlos where that L.A is now living in Jenny's house. Jennifer pleaded with Marissa to lie to Carlos that Pedrito is not his son and also that he should go ahead and marry Jenny.

Pressure was mounted on Armando by Jenny, Carol and Marissa, so that he could withdraw his charges of attempted assassination against Carlos. He refused to 'play ball'. So Marissa told L.A to advise his son to withdraw his charges against Carlos. L.A gave Marissa deceptive assurance that Armando would withdraw the charges. On the contrary he told Amando privily never to withdraw the charges. He gave him a huge some of money to bribe the judge, so that Carlos would be imprisoned.

Solozarno and Armando paid the robbers and gave them direction to Lupe's house where Ordonez kept all the bank documents that implicated L.A in shady deals. The stormed the house and held Caesar and Lupe hostage while they carted away all the boxes containing the incriminating documents. They tied up and gaged both Lupe and Caesar.

Leopoldo protested to the two hired assassins because L.A survived the rain of bullets. Consuela asked Vanessa what was the outcome of their visit to L.F's house. She told her the details.

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Ordonez released another 'bomb', telling Carlos that Alfredo and L.F are also just about to marry in less than two weeks time. He told him that his mom and Jennifer had decided to hide the info about Pedrito's paternity from him, until after his marriage (I call it, "Matrimonial Trap") to Jenny. Carlos was boiling over with anger and he practically ran home, spoiling for a fight.

Just before Carlos got home, Rosario was indicting Marissa for forcing her son, Carlos, into an "arrangee" marriage in which he does not love his partner, Jennifer.

From his sick bed, L.A directed operations, led by Armando to recover all the documents that contains the shady deals of L.A when he was the bank's president. He commanded that the boxes containing the documents be stolen in a commando fashion led by Armando.

Alfredo enlisted the legal services of his friend once again, to help Pedro in the adoption of Salvador, whom Pedro picked from the streets.

Don Fernando's first wish after the gradual recovery of his memory, to meet again with Luicito was fulfilled, as Vanessa and Rigoberto took him to L.F's house. Don carried Pedrito. As they were chatting with L.F, Pedro came in, he felt jealous and threatened by Don's presence in his house, he became furious that they came unannounced. He chased all of them out of his house.

Carlos stormed his mother's room to accuse her of manipulating his proposed wedding to Jennifer by hiding the truth of his Paternity of Pedrito. Jennifer also returned from a shopping spree with Carol for her wedding gown and other ceremonial needs. Carlos accused both his mom and Jenny, for scheming against him, by hiding the truth of Pedrito being his son to him. He announced the shocker to them as retaliation. Tomorrow's Wedding Canceled. No more wedding! He told Jenny to forget about getting him to marry her again.

Jennifer lied by denying her complicity in the scandal. She employed bold-face tactics to tell him that Pedrito was not his son. He replied that he would go right away to L.F's house to confirm the truth.

L.A was discharged and Marissa went to bring him home from the hospital. Armando asked him to fulfill his promise of renting an apartment for him and Carol since Jenny has thrown them out of her house. Jenny came to lo0bby L.A to insist to Marissa to force Carlos to marry her.

Marissa confessed to Nana Rosario that it was Jenny who forced her to play game by hiding the truth of Pedrito's Paternity from Carlos.

Reluctant Alfredo and L.F met Carlos Eduardo at the door, just as they were about setting out to go to his house, with the mission to go and confess to Carlos that Pedrito was his son. As soon as he met, them, Carlos asked L.F, saying: "... Where is my son, I would love to meet him." They were surprised that he already knew about Pedrito as his son.