Caray, Caray!

Much as I love this novela, I confess to being a tiny bit frustrated as we went through all the poisoning stuff only to be left back at square one.

Hugo tells Soledad that she was poisoned but he assures her that she's not going to die. She just has to hold on until the antidote comes. Soledad wants to see her baby.

At the House of Sad*sm, Beatriz finally gets Dr. Pablo to go away and says that she's tied up (heh heh) and won't be at work for a few days. But Alcides overhears the name of 'Hugo de Medina' and that it was Hugo's brother who abused Beatriz. I never thought Beatriz would let herself be chained up again but she does and Alcides dozes off and has a memory of when he was a child and of when he and Hugo were in the mine.

At the laboratory, Elena threatens to destroy the vial of Aurora's blood unless Dr. Max makes the antidote. He agrees but he needs a mushroom with the active element of the poison and Enrico and Elena go out into the woods to find it.

Eloisa tells Hugo that he has changed. He never cared about Soledad before and now he is suffering because she is dying. Hugo basically pays no attention to her and repeats to himself that what is happening is not fair .

Paquito sends off an article to his paper that says that Soledad was murdered by Arturo. Paquito thanks Soledad for being the opportunity to start a war between Arturo and Alcides. Eloisa overhears and says to herself that she warned him not to mess with Alcides and now Paquito will find out what happens to traitors.

A despairing Hugo tells Boris that Soledad is going to die and he can't do anything to help her. Boris says that Dr. Max will produce the antidote. Hugo says that it hurts him so much to see her like that - so defenseless. Even though Soledad was so cruel to him, played with his feelings and betrayed him with his own brother, Soledad is the only woman he has ever really loved. She can't die. We get some flashbacks to happier times for Soledad and Hugo.

Soledad is making some deathbed wishes. She wants her parents to get back together and take care of Aurora. Then she asks to speak to Ursula alone. Naturally, Antonia (notice that Soledad has nothing to say to her!) tries to prevent this but Soledad insists. Soledad tells Ursula that she has been like a sister to her and she hopes that someday Ursula will find a nice guy and have babies of her own. Soledad asks her to take care of Aurora and be her godmother. She should tell Aurora about her parents and make sure that she knows that Hugo is her real father. (Soledad doesn't appear to have a deathbed wish to tell Alcides about her lie.)

Eloisa comes to warn Hugo about Paquito. She tells him that Paquito has sent off an article to the paper that probably says that Arturo poisoned Soledad. Hugo sends Boris off to take of Paquito. Eloisa sidles up to Hugo but he is oblivious to her. Boris brings Paquito in to Hugo's study. Paquito says that he has to get his article to the paper first so he's assuming that Soledad will die and that as a gentleman, Hugo will want to avenge himself on Arturo. Hugo says that Arturo did not poison Soledad and this article isn't going to be published. Someone else is behind all this and it might be him, Paquito. Paquito pretends to be shocked. Boris roughs him up a little bit and Hugo tells Paquito that he knows he has been pretending to be effeminate to get people to tell him their secrets and that he has destroyed several marriages. Faced with these accusations, Paquito capitulates and slicks back his hair. Hugo tells him that from now on Paquito works for him or he will destroy his career. Hugo tells him not to publish the article and to stay away from his house until he is called. He leaves.

Marina feels it is necessary to tell Ursula that Soledad is a bad person who betrayed Hugo. (I'm beginning to be worried about Marina's sanity. Only a complete nutcase would say what she does to Ursula while Soledad is dying.) Naturally, Ursula objects to what Marina says and they get in a fight and Boris has to separate them. He says that Soledad is Ursula's boss and she is grieving for her. Can't Marina understand that? Marina says that if Ursula is suffering, Boris should go console her. (Yes, do that Boris and find a nice lady.)

Paquito believes that Eloisa betrayed his secrets to Hugo. Eloisa denies it and they both threaten each other not to mess up the other's plans. Paquito goes home and tells Rebeca that Eloisa betrayed him. Rebeca curses the stupid people like Hercu-less that are messing up her plans. Paquito says that Hercu-less must have been good for something. Rebeca says that he was good in bed. Paquito suggests that Rebeca look for another man to make her happy. She says that maybe it's time for both of them to find new partners and that they could work together well. They hop into bed. Rebeca is very passionate but Paquito knows that she's not giving it away. She wants something in return. She admits that she wants Paquito to be her partner in finding Jeremias' treasure. She needs someone intelligent to help her (well, that leaves Hercu-less out). Paquito agrees to help Rebeca for a share of the treasure. (I'd get that in writing if I were you Paquito. Pillow talk is not admissible in court.) Later, Rebeca tells Paquito that Soledad is somehow connected to the treasure. She also tells him about Aurora's medallion. Paquito says that he will use his contacts to get information. Rebeca lays it on about how intelligent he is and how they will have a great partnership. "Of course," says Paquito.

Silly things happen at Dr. Max's.

Antonia comes to get Hugo. Soledad is very ill. Hugo tells Boris that he is going to tell her that he is really Hugo. She has to know everything. Hugo asks Ester, Lucas and Antonia to leave him alone with Soledad who is still fully dressed. She thinks that it is still dark outside even though dawn has broken (a sure sign of approaching death). Hugo sits down and tells Soledad, without looking at her, that he has deceived her. He is Hugo, not Alcides and he has taken his brother's place. He hopes she can forgive him. He looks back at Soledad and she has fallen asleep or gone into a coma or something. She didn't hear his confession. Hugo tries to get Soledad to wake up and listen to him. At that moment, the diminutive trio arrive with the antidote. Eloisa makes a last-ditch effort and says they don't know where the stuff in the syringe came from but Elena swears it is from Dr. Max and to trust her. Hugo gives Soledad the injection and she is saved. Everybody is happy except Eloisa.

Hugo (isn't it kind of early to start drinking?) in gratitude for saving Soledad offers Guille, Elena and Enrico "techo y comida," literally "a roof and food," that is, a place to live and eat and an honorable employment. Guille is grateful but Elena says that she has a prior commitment to Dr. Max who is waiting for her.

Soledad (she is still dressed in her gown from the previous night) is having breakfast with Ursula. Outside in the hall, Boris addresses Hugo by name, oblivious to the possibility of being overheard and Hugo's order that he not do so. Boris asks if Hugo told Soledad of his true identity. Hugo says that he did but she didn't hear because she had fainted. "What are you going to do now?" asks Boris. Hugo says that he needs to get Soledad out of his house. He has too many enemies and look what happened to Soledad because of it. He still wants revenge for what she did to him but he doesn't want her to die.

Hugo goes into Soledad's room and asks if they can talk. He asks Soledad how she feels and she says that she is better. She thanks him for what he did for her last night. If he hadn't been there, she wouldn't be alive right now. (If she hadn't been there, she wouldn't have gotten poisoned in the first place.) Hugo looks at her with such a sweet smile and says that he is happy she is better. Soledad says that she remembers that when she was ill, she heard him say that he loved her. Is that true? Hugo hesitates but finally says that he loves her with all his heart but then says, "Why are you suprised? We were lovers. Wasn't that so?" Soledad doesn't answer his question and has a flashback to Ester advising her to lie about her relationship with Alcides. Soledad says that she is a little surprised to her him say that he loves her since he was always such a serious person. Hugo responds that maybe he didn't appreciate her in the past but now it is different. They have a daughter. He wants to have a family. Now there is nothing that can come between our relationship. Then he twists the knife and says, "Besides, now we have Hugo's fortune." Soledad responds that they can never have a relationship, not now, not ever. She tells him that he was a very difficult person and treated her badly, like an animal, from the moment they were married. Hugo says that he has changed. The person she sees is another Alcides, a different Alcides. He kisses on the forehead and says that he will prove it. Leaving the room, he looks back at Soledad with his vengeance-is-mine expression. We're back to square one.

The real Alcides appears to have left Beatriz chained up in the House of Sad*sm. He hobbles to a river and is accosted by a robber. He tells the robber that he doesn't have anything (which is pretty obvious) but the robber won't take no for an answer, pulls a knife and attacks him. Alcides kills the robber in the ensuing struggle. He takes the robber's horse and clothes and rides off. Alcides comes to a town and is directed to the hospital. Meanwhile, one the detectives Boris has hired spots Alcides.

Back at the Hacienda, Hugo is psychically aware of Alcides again. He asks Boris about the progress of the search for his brother. Boris says that they are searching in the southern reaches of the river but have had no success yet. Boris asks if the search should be intensified and Hugo reminds him unnecessarily that they have to be discrete. No one can know that he is impersonating his brother. Then Hugo asks Boris about the progress of the mine scam. Boris reports that the tunnels are almost finished and that the mine has been salted with gold nuggets.

At this point, Eloisa asks to speak to Hugo. She is still in the pink dress she wore to the baptism so I guess she never went home.

At Dr. Max's, Elena tries to find out why he needs Aurora's blood. He won't tell her and she says that she can't permit him to continue. She tries to run away but falls down (and it's a miracle that her breasts don't pop out of the front of her gown) and Dr. Max injects her with a sedative. When she is unconscious, Dr. Max says that she is a good soul. Sometimes, when he sees her, he could swear he is seeing his dead wife. He says that Elena is pretty and innocent but so imprudent. What can he do with her? For a start, he will keep her asleep a long time. In his lab, Dr. Max finds the same substance in Aurora's blood that he found in Hugo's. Luckily, he has kept a sample of Hugo's blood (he appears to be using dry ice to refrigerate it). He will compare the two samples.

At the tavern, Arturo asks where everyone is. Omar, the tavernkeeper, says that most of the men are at the mine working on the tunnels. Arturo says that the mine played out years ago. There's no gold there. People are stupid and don't remember. At this moment, some men return from the mine and show the gold that they found there. Arturo's greed is awakened and it looks like he is going to fall for one of the oldest cons in the book.

Soledad tells Ursula that she is a little worried because she believes that Alcides really loves her. "Get that idea right out of your head," says Ursula, "Alcides is not trustworthy." Soledad says that he seems to care about her and Aurora. He worries. She says that Hugo/Alcides has such suffering in his expression when he looks at her. Sometimes she thinks that it has something to do with her. But that isn't what is worrying her. When he says that he loves her, she could swear that she is looking at Hugo. Ursula tries the 'but they are identical twins' response. Soledad says that it isn't a physical thing, it's his soul, his words. As Hugo stands in the doorway listening, Soledad says that Alcides looks at her the same way Hugo did. Back in his room, Hugo swears that he will make Soledad fall in love with him the same way he fell in love with her. He takes the ring (that Hugo gave to Soledad and Soledad gave to Marina and Hugo bought from Marina) off the chain he wears around his neck and puts it in a box on his desk saying that he doesn't need it to remember what she did to him. She will pay for her betrayal. The credits roll.

Tomorrow: Soledad discovers the ring. Will she figure out Hugo is alive? Not bloody likely.

Labels: la traicion