Esmeralda 36: The seed of Revenge

Rodolfo assured Fátima and Graciela that they would not be abandoned by his family, despite the twist of fate that reveal that José Armando was not his biological son. Fátima was not assuaged by this devastating blow that has shattered her plans to hijack the fortunes of the Peñarreals, she continued to hope for a loophole that would make her to change this unpleasant twist. Her implacable anguish brews the seed of revenge against Esmeralda.

Blanca made futile efforts to reconcile Rodolfo and his daughter, Esmeralda, but the burden of guilt on the wicked man, made him uneasy and uncomfortable in her prersence.

José Armando told the reality of his humble birth and tragic exchange with that of Esmeralda, to his friend, Adrián. Dionisio also forbade his son, Adrián, from dating Graciela, to avoid trouble from meddlesome Fátima. Graciela too assured her scheming mother that she would no longer date Adrián.

José Arming tried to convince Esmeralda follow him to mexico to live together as husband and wife, since he no longer had anything to do with Rodolfo Peñarreal and his Casa Grande.

Esmeralda's sorrow remained unpacified, Dominga and Crisanta began to suspect that something strange must have happened to her when she slept the night in Lucio's house.

Melesio brought a gift of honeycomb to Esmeralda to eat, but she rejected it because, she was suddenly overwhelmed by feelings of nausea, at the smell of the honeycomb. This was a sure sign of prenatal sickness, and blanca wondered what was wrong with her daughter.

Esmeralda 35: Irrefutable Proofs

Esmeralda was scared by the consequences of Blanca's confession. As Crisanta further shed light on how the child-exchange tragedy happened on the night of their birth, 23 years ago, Rodolfo listens to the mysterious story again and expressed his doubts, when Blanca pleaded for forgiveness for deceiving him for 23 years over the paternity of José Armando. At that point, Dominga brought out the Emerald earrings as irrefutable proof of how the exchange was sealed 23 years ago.

José Armando, who was equally shocked had to begin to console a weeping Esmeralda, as he sympathized with her over the tragic revelation. She was sad when she considered the circumstances of their 'criminal' exchange at birth.

After the realization of this truth by Rodolfo, he begged José Armando to keep this revelation secret and still pretend in public as if he were his biological son. José Armando rejected his facade, and told him to go and ask for Esmeralda's forgiveness, for all the evil he had done to his own daughter.

In the midst of this drama, Adrián went to talk to Graciela, declaring to her that it was impossible for him to stop loving her. The two agreed to ride on a horse out of town to re-examine their love life. As they were riding away, Fátima was shocked to see these two recalcitrant lovers together again, after all the much warnings she had issued against their love relationship. Fátima was deeply distressed by this sight, while the two lovers reunited and gave free rein to their unquenchable passions for each other.

Fermín came to advise Esmeralda, telling her not to let her anguish at discovery overwhelmed her love life. José Armando decided to forget about his past life of opulence and falsehood and was moving out of Casa Grande, to Mexico city. Blanca assured him that she would always treasure him like a true son she never had.

This new situation have only succeeded in strengthening the love bond between José Armando and Esmeralda. Esmeralda assured him of her love for him in spite of discovery.

Rodolfo went to talk to an already distressed Fátima.

Esmeralda 34: Shock and Disbelief

Everyone who heard the outburst of Crisanta was shocked. Dominga stood up to corroborate Crisanta's embarrassing confession. She told the truth of the child-exchange that took place on the cold night when José Armando and Esmeralda were born, 23 years ago.

Meanwhile, Esmeralda, in desperation, tried to escape the hellish captivity of Lucio's house. Lucio came in at that moment and declared to her that all avenue of escape has been blocked, and she would remain his captive prey for ever.

Rodolfo told all the eager ears in the house that he had driven and dropped Esmeralda into Lucio Malaver's house. Dominga was terrified by this news, she warned that Lucio was evil and could murder Esmeralda if nobody rescues her quickly from his house.

Blanca was disappointed and chastised Crisanta for keeping Esmeralda's paternity secret from her, all this while. José Armando went with rage and violence, to the house of Lucio to rescue his wife from him. He took Esmeralda back to Casa Grande.

Rodolfo was traumatized in the secrecy of his room when he remembered how he had always hated and maltreated Esmeralda. it was a huge burden for him to realize that Esmeralda was his true biological daughter.

When the couple returned to Casa Grande from Lucio's house, they were greeted by a strange silence and the 'hush-hush' attitude of all that were at home.

Blanca took it upon herself to reveal the truth of their paternity exchange to them. Dominga watched as Esmeralda was astonished with disbelieve by the revelation of Blanca that, she was the heiress and daughter of Rodolfo and Blanca.

Esmeralda 33: She Is Your Daughter!

Esmeralda was frightened by the approaching footsteps. When she queried who the person was, Rodolfo was furious so see a wet Esmeralda, drooping all over with waters from his swimming pool. By the time Blanca arrived, she was distressed by the embarrassment.

Rodolfo went into a rage and insulted Esmeralda. He angrily drove her to the house of the scarred-faced man who had confessed love for her- Dr. Lucio.

Meanwhile, Juana, Lucio's housemaid had noticed the change and of love-turned-raging-hatred of her boss for Esmeralda and was frightened, what this could result into whenever the man should lay his hands on Esmeralda anytime soon.

That time was not long in coming, Rodolfo arrived with Esmeralda and delivered her into the hungry and amorous hands of a surprised but grateful Lucio. What happened afterwards became a matter of controversial conjectures.

Lucio first thoroughly rebuked poor Esmeralda for 'abandoning' him for José Armando. That night, the wicked and cowardly doctor sedated her and somehow sexually abused her, in her drowsy state.

Dominga, Crisanta and Blanca wondered where Rodolfo had driven the poor blind girl to that day. When José Armando from Mexico city heard that Rodolfo had come back to Casa Grande, and knowing his unbridled hostility for Esmeralda, he returned immediately, hoping to protect his wife against possible aggression of his father.

When Esmeralda woke up the next day from her sedated sleep, she felt bruises and pains all over her body, she suspected that she must have been 'ravaged' by the beast-turned-doctor, but had no proof. She was depressed, because she thought that Lucio had taken sexual advantage of her.

José Armando confronted Rodolfo for disgracing Esmeralda, and driving her out of Casa Grande. Rodolfo was also angry and sent him packing out of the house for the second time tin two weeks.

The scandal was too much for Crisanta to stomach, she bursted out her long-delayed confession and accuse Rodolfo of being inhuman and mistreating his biological daughter- ESMERALDA!