Jaqui, in one of the offices with Oscar, is trying frantically to contact Coni. She reaches her just as Coni steps off the elevator and views the carnage. "How good that you've arrived Constanza... or should I say Constancia? Constancia!" He mocks. Coni looks stricken and suggest that she and Mao should talk. Alone. This draws jeers from the crowd as they pelt her with popcorn.
Beto suggests they wait to see what color the baby emerges sporting. Coni whacks the back of his head. Mauricio tells her that things are pretty much finished between them, prompting calls for divorce from our spectators, especially Gabi, who are smelling fresh blood. Mao turns to Moni, but she to is fed up. She's outta here. As she leaves we once again see that certainly no one succeeds so well in wearing clingy white slacks as our Monita. Mauricio follows her pleading "¡Por favor, Monita! ¡Por favor!" The crowd murmurs . Coni gives Beto a curiously wistful glance.
Jaque and Oscar have been watching from the safety and seclusion of their private box, peering at the action through parted blinds. Jaqui feels sympathy for Coni and the situation she has gotten into though she is not surprised. Oscar observes that Coni would have done well to listen to her wise experienced mother. Jaqui agrees but Coni has always been willful and head strong. Boy, I'll say. Oscar then works his slimy charm on Jaqui, inviting her out to dinner, then with even worse judgement than her spawn, she accepts. Well, I suppose it's the least she can do after accepting his gift of the expensive necklace.
In the 'hood, Cesar is home early, coaxes a kiss, and is ready for some lunch. Won't be right now, for Nieves was just leaving. "Where are you going?" "It's none of your business, but haven't you things to do on the street?""Nope, nothing." "So much the better. Now if you want to eat, fix it yourself." She leaves him to wonder aloud,"Who can understand women?" Don't all men wonder the same thing?
Mau, Coni, and Beto are on one side in front of Mao's office, the office crowd on the other by the reception desk. Mao orders Coni into his office and she obediently goes. He turns and grabs Beto by the shirt giving him a gratuitous shove. He tells Gabi to dismiss Beto. He doesn't want to see him around anymore. Beto weakly says that he doesn't want to work here anymore, anyway. He's clearly not in a strong position to quibble. Beto shouts to Coni that he will wait here for her. Mao enters his office... through the new entrance he recently opened up using Beto's body.
Gabi focuses on Beto telling to go by personnel to sign his resignation. He objects, he's been damaged. She says that if it were left to her he'd be out on the street without a centavo. "I'm very angry with you and disappointed in what I've just found out." He backs to the elevator and extends his arms out to the sides,
"Why not just sacrifice me like
Itzapalapa. ¡Orale!" She drags him away. Estrella tells Pau that she is leaving to check on Moni, but first the two decide to listen in on Coni and Mao. They scurry over and crouch at the open door.
This is not pretty. Coni speaks of "us" and points out that they are married, Then Mao let's her have it with both barrels. She is cynical. He has never loved her, she is the worst thing that's ever happened to him... uh, how about the tragic death of his wife and unborn child? How dare she look him in the eyes call him "mi amor?" His revulsion is turning into hate. You get the idea, lets move on to more pleasant surroundings.
Now isn't this nicer? We find ourselves in Xinena's and Rolu's bedroom where she is lovingly binding him to the bed. You will recall, she managed to convince him to stay by crashing a vase over his head. "¡Oops! ¡Ouch!" Still wrapped in a sheet, she sits astraddle his supine frame as she finishes tying his hands (the feet have been tied)
and carefully places his head comfortably on a pillow. She explains that she loves him and will not release him. "You can't imagine how difficult it was to get you up here." Soothingly she explains that they vowed to stay together until death parts them and now he will remain tied to the bed until death separates them. You've gotta love her resolve if not her method. She is clearly in control, but he asks to tell her three things. She is amused by this as she sniffs the sheets. "I'm all ears." "Uno, I didn't promise anything because I couldn't talk. Dos, I don't want to stay by your side. Tres, you can't keep me here by force." She starts to reply with three things of her own,"Uno..."but then says instead that she took care of him and loved him all the time he was in plaster, almost a year, and now he wants to walk away. So now he will remain tied until he loves her. She is sweet but firm. He implores, "I... don't... want... to... stay... with... you! Do you hear me?" Well, yes she does but here he'll stay because she's prepared to do "Todo, todo, todo, todo" to make their marriage work, and is only asking a little effort from him.
Thing are now calmer at the Sermeño Group offices as Jaqui and Oscar stroll past a bemused Gabi who asks where they've been. Oscar explains that they took refuge in the empty office during the earlier unpleasantness. She notes Jaqui's recent acquisition and he tells her that they are off to dinner. Gabi then spies Pau and Estre, themselves spying on Coni and Mao. She startles them from their concentration. She scolds them and they invite her to join them. She leads them away. They look pouty. Right now Mao is putting Coni in her place.
We, however, join Mao and Coni. Wow! Coni is not defeated She has important announcements of her own. She asks that he listen to her with the same grace and courtesy with which she listened to him. Uh oh. Mauricio scowls. He is definitely no match for Coni. She admits that she and Beto are lovers who have spent interminable nights in the throes of passion and later would laugh uncontrollably at he and Moni as they plotted to split them up. Now he will have to stay married to her for as long as she wishes unless he wants to lose the kids and all his money. Wow! I hate these little talks with Mauricio , but Coni is certainly a more spellbinding speaker than either Moni or Mao.
Nieves is in church on her knees. Make it short Nieves. God is busy. Somehow her plush lion purse which she clutches to her bosom detracts slightly from the sacred mood.
She crosses herself and proceeds to fill the Holy Virgin in on recent events, namely that Beto has impregnated the flute, er, ah, perdón, Señora Constanza. She explains that even though Coni is a viper and Beto has a few flaws, he, and she should be permitted to be with the baby who is innocent and after all, carries their blood as well. Tears... next!
Meintras tanto, Gabi, Pau, Ivan, and Estre are in the outer office. Gabi is trying to restore a semblance of order. She orders Pau to clean up the debris, sends Ivan on an errand with Sal. Now... She invites Estrella to join her for coffee, cookies, and... talk. Pau is feeling left out.
Now Mao's turn. "I hate with all my being!" Wow! Is that the best you've got Goldilocks? You poor pitiful dolt. Time to shut up and get a lawyer if that's all you can come up with. He tells her that her heart is incapable of love. She looks amused, puts her feet up on his desk and tells him that she has the tools to make his life even more miserable than it is. If she wishes, she can make things so bad that it will make his present life seem like a children's game. Right now she's getting bored and doesn't want to keep her lover waiting... oh, and by the way, "the previous rules still apply... you have to stay away from the monkey, while I can be with, sleep with my lover whenever the mood strike. One more thing you need must understand, I am a woman with...um... needs which Beto takes care of nicely. He is much more of a man than you. You are a pusillanimous puppet that I enjoy playing with." As Judy might say, "This lady has a pair and a spare." Wow!
Rolu is expertly tied spread-eagled on the bed with a gag in his mouth. Ximi is dressed in black with a red band across her hair which eerily matches her flaming red lipstick. She looks sweetly dangerous.
She is going out to work on plans for the marvelous fiesta she and Lalo are planning. She starts looking for something. Rolu, through the gag garbles "What are you looking for?" She smiles lovingly, "Your sense of humor." As she leaves she instructs him to behave. He weeps.
Oh Jeez! I thought Coni was leaving. Mao tells her that he will tell the judge about her and Beto. "Do it. You don't have videos or photos... no proof." "But there are witnesses." "Hey, do it. I'll just tell the judge I turned to another man because of your affair with Monita. Who do you think he'll believe?" Who indeed since she bought the judge. Give it up Mao. You're out of your league. Get a good lawyer.
In the coffee room Estre is filling Gabi in on the finer details of Mao's conversation with Coni. Too bad she missed Coni's rebuttal. Gabi wonders about the chances for Mao and Moni. They are interrupted by Aldo. Estre's always glad to see Aldo and welcomes him with a passionate kiss which mildly shocks Gabi. She starts to scold but Aldo tells her not to worry. His dad knows and is cool with it. Estre confirms this. Gabi is delighted. Aldo tells them he is here to see his dad and Gabi informs him that his dad is tied up at the moment. Aldo'll wait. Gabi gushes about how happy she is for them in spite of the vast difference in their ages. Heck, Salvador has twenty, maybe twenty-five years on her.
Moni strolls into the courtyard and Nieves is glad to see her. Nieves is almost giddy and shares with Moni... Then Moni tells Nieves that the bomb exploded giving details. Nieves is impactada.
As Pau sweeps up the debris, Jero strolls in and surveys the damage. "An earthquake?" She notes that he is late, but he informs her that as an owner, he comes and goes as he sees fit. "I'll be in my office. Bing me a coffee." Gabi then takes perverse pleasure in informing Jero that Jaqui has gone for dinner...with Oscar. He doesn't seem pleased.
Well, Coni has pretty well won this round and even pushes her luck. "I don't know if the child I'm expecting is his or yours. But that doesn't matter to you, does it?" She tells him it might make him feel better thinking it's his. Forget DNA testing, she'll not put her child at risk. As for whose name the kid'll have... later. She does promise not to flaunt her relationship with Beto... in front of the others. He feebly says he'll not give up till he's free of her. She leaves, and as she does, she blows a cynical kiss.
Mao grabs up the phone to call Salvador. Gee, that certainly went well.
Coni, invigorated by her chat with Mao, is shocked to see Estre and Aldo embracing openly in the outer office. Feeling her oats, she begins scolding them. Aldo tells her that Mao gave them permission to be together. "¡Hah! Mauricio no es nadie." Coni is the mommy and she forbids this ridiculous relationship. Gabi offers support for the young lovers to no avail. Mao is no more successful as he walks up. Coni exits. Her work here is done... everyone is miserable. Nevertheless he tries to reassure the young and not so young lovers, though he cautions them about PDA here. He reminds Aldo that they have a dinner date.
Moni and Nieves are sitting at the Ochoa dining table. Nieves wants to know how bad a beating pretty-boy gave her child. Moni is fed up with both. Nieves ends up giving Moni sales pitch on the value of both lads. Beto is like a brother and Mao adores her. Yeah, well, it's gonna take awhile for Moni to forgive either.
Downstairs Coni and Beto reunite. Permit me to say how attractive she looks in her little black dress and black patterned stockings. He was worried about her. "Did he hit you?" She finds his concern charming. She tells him that every thing is cool but they will have to take precautions. She gently kisses his battered face. Awww.
In his office Mao and Aldo confer. Aldo and Katia suspected the liaison between Beto and Coni but had no proof. Mao is more concerned about Moni. He's never seen her so angry. Aldo reminds him that she loves him, then he steers the conversation to a subject more dear to him... Aldo and Estrella. Mao says don't worry, just keep it secret. "Like the secret we share about Furia?" Uh, yeah. About work, Aldo will work in the record room. "Better'n Ivan?" "Uh... different."
"Jero is fit to be tied. "Where could that filthy rat have taken her?" He spots them returning. "Oscar, we need to talk." "Not now, I've gotta talk to Mao. He asks Gabi if Mao's in. Jero is deflated and Gabi can't resist bringing out the needle. She doesn't want to throw more wood on the fire but if she were Jaqui, who would she choose? He's not amused. "Of course I would choose... Oscar." He's already walking.
In Mao's office Oscar welcomes Aldo and offers help if he needs anything. Mao buzzes Gabi and asks her to take Aldo to the record room. OK, and she tells him the guys are coming to install the new glass. Oscar cautions Mao about hiring minors, then flatters Mao by saying the world would be a better place if all dads were like Mao. Gack. He then tells Mao he's sorry about things with Coni and warns him that Coni could make his life a nightmare. Ya think? Mao reminds him that he was the one who drew up the prenup. "Just doin' my job. Nothing personal." Then he brings this gripping episode to a close. "Trust me and I'll help you make the divorce a reality."
Carlos
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