Esmeralda 57: Because I Love Armando!

Jose Armando went into jealous rage when he was told by Rodolfo that Alvaro is around to see him. Rodolfo assured him that Alvaro came as a specialist to examine his condition and determine if he could regain his sight.

After medically examining Armando, Alvaro revealed that the state of depression in which Armando was going through currently, has worsened his sight. He concluded that Armando needed either an urgent ventilation of refreshing joy which would make him to regain his sight or immediate surgical operation, otherwise he would go blind permanently.

Nobody is left in doubt as to the real cause of Armando's depression and the solution that can bring the so-called 'ventilation of refreshing joy'. The fingers of this medical examination points to ESMERALDA!

Armando being a medical doctor himself testily replied that he already knew the diagnosis. At that point, Alvaro got angry, he lambasted Armando and accused him of exaggerating his state, in order to obtain pity of Esmeralda and thereby abort his own wedding. Armando hotly denied the accusation, saying that if he wanted to disrupt their wedding, he would have stayed back in Mexico city,, and not have come back to the village in Casa Grande, to avoid confrontation.

Just before their hot exchanges degenerated into a brawl, Rodolfo and Blanca intervened to separate them and calm down tension. Rodolfo blamed Alvaro for taking his rivalry with Armando to ridiculous extent, of wanting to disrupt his (Alvaro's) wedding to Esmeralda.

Esmeralda was devastated to learn from Alvaro about the danger of permanent blindness facing Jose Armando. Alvaro for once summoned courage to tell her the blunt truth saying: " ... the only drug that can cure Jose Armando is You! ... " This made her to be bewildered because she lacked courage to approach Armando, having spurned and rejected him recently.

Other well wishers led by a crusading Dominga and Florecita, told and advised Esmeralda to cancel her impending church wedding with Alvaro, because she would be a sad victim and hostage in a marriage where her true heart beats cannot be found.

Melesio had the traditional job of always leading blind Armando around the village to the side of the waterfall, just like he did for Esmeralda. Melesio became his best friend and companion, just like in the case of Esmeralda in the past.

While Jose Armando languished in self-pity and sorrow in the village, bemoaning the loss of Esmeralda's love, Esmeralda too was weeping all days in the city, as she prepared for her unhappy wedding to Alvaro. Then, two days before the wedding, Alvaro caught Esmeralda inside a sea of sorrowful tears. He felt guilty because it was obvious that Esmeralda was not in love with him, but with Armando. He knew that he had lost the love battle.

When later Dominga challenged her to ask her the reasons for her tears, she confirmed to Dominga saying: " ... because I love Jose Armando! ... ".