Caray, Caray!

velvet
Monday, #21, 1 of 3
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We start with Cristina yelling at her father and demanding her inheritance that her mother left her. Alberto is there too. He can’t pay the guy the money back but offers him a share in the company. (This seems like a huge mistake). But Al does agree to marry Cris and devote himself to her happiness. (For a few more weeks anyway).
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Clara, of all people, is having a come to Jesus talk with Ana about they are living paycheck to paycheck and can only keep working hard. They don’t have the security that Al and Cris have. I don’t know why this convo started but Clara is right. Meanwhile, margo and Pedro are chatting and they are the best of friends. But just friends. (For a few more weeks anyway).
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Blana is still helping Luisa fight to get custody of her son. (Blanca can be harsh but I like her).
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Al fills in Gloria and Valeria on his handing over part of Velvet to Cris’s dad, Gerardo? But it means Gloria and Val have to sell part of their shares as well. (They say this has something to do with Ana but I don’t get it).
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Next day. Ana tells Marga it was maybe a mistake to come back from San Fran. (Just maybe?) Ana and Al meet at their super secret roof patio. She wanted to tell his why she wouldn’t have a super secret marriage with his and for some reason HE is upset? He tells her she is free of him. Then he asks if she wants to toss the ring or should he. She says nothing and he chucks the ring over the balcony! Dumb. She should have taken it to sell.
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Al fills in Mateo about the end of things with Ana and boy things are moving along with this show today!
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Ana goes back into the store, crying, and Luisa sees her. Ana tells her that she’s not good and that her relationship with Al is over. (It was over when he agreed to marry Cris). Back in the boardroom, Gloria and al agree to sell their shares and it’s a done deal with Gerardo. He is now the majority shareholder of Velvet. (Starting to think Al isn’t the best businessman- maybe he should have put Val is charge. She couldn’t do too much worse).
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Al meets up with Cris in the restaurant. She tells him she tried to find out what was going on from her father but he wouldn’t talk. She’s concerned for him. And this is when he decides to proposed with a big ole diamond ring that probably no one will be tossing off a balcony onto the street. (And if they do, I would like to be there to catch it. To sell. It’s not my style). Everyone in the restaurant claps and Cris cries from happiness. She’s been in love with him since she was 15 and he’s the perfect man for her. (Ugh). Then he lets her know he won’t have much time for her, what with work and all, but she’s ok with that. She wants to get married in the fall but he wants to wait a year. It’s the time he needs to fix Velvet and she’s ok with that. I feel so bad for her when she bits her lip and looks so very dedicated to him when we all know she’s in for a fall. She’s not evil (not yet anyway) and doesn’t deserve this.
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Cris’s brother- Eduardo? – comes into Velvet, asks who Clara is, then demands his office. He decides to take Mateo’s since Mateo is just an employee. Then Val enters and they do their flirty thing that will get them both in trouble one day. I look forward to that day.
 

velvet
Monday, #21, 2 of 3
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There is gossip in the employee break room about the Ortegui that Blanca shuts down. But she and Jen share a smile when they all leave so she’s still ok. She’ll take the side of the employees if it comes to that.
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Enrique, the brother, and having a pissing contest with Mateo about who is the more important man. Mateo. The answer is Mateo, but Enrique and his bride, who has come by the store, clearly don’t see it. I don’t like them. Val may be redeemable but these two should suffer.
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Gerardo talks to Gloria about the investment deal earlier. He asks Gloria about whether Al is having an affair but Gloria says no. Ger is going to put Velvet in order and hopes this doesn’t affect his friendship with Gloria. Then Cris calls to break the happy news. Gloria is thrilled
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Ana tells Tio Emilio about feeling guilty about Velvet. Is she blaming herself about Al selling the shares? Emilio is trying to have another come to Jesus with her, telling her to quit and go work for that other company, but she’s not going anywhere. Jesus is having no effect on her tonight.
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Marga tells Marga how she was in front of Pedro the night before but just couldn’t tell him how she really feels about him. She’ll keep being like his sister because that’s how he thinks about her (she thinks).
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Pedro is talking to Rick and doing some actual work while Rick stands there. Until Val enters when he stops pretending to work to stare at her. Then he goes back to handing stuff to Pedro. Pedro tells him that marga only likes him as a friend and then he almost electrocutes himself. (Might be safer is her were put on the sales floor too- he’s not much f a handyman right now).
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Al and Cris and family are celebrating and Gerardo questions why they are waiting a year. Someone has recorded the proposal at the restaurant and Clara watches it from her office. She and Mateo chat about it but I miss the convo.
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Now they announce the engagement to the staff and Emilio keeps his hands on Ana’s shoulders. Raul is very excited but Ana is not smiling. Everyone gets champagne.
 

velvet
Monday, #21, 3 of 3
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Val, currently in the “sucks” column, stops Ana as she leaving to get a dig in. Everyone else celebrates and Raul offers to design her dress. Ana gets called over by Cris who asks if she’ll design the maid fo honor dresses. She is clearly sad but agrees. Gloria and probably Val are smirking.
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Gerardo talks to Enrique about watching Al and making sure he’s faithful to Cris. He makes threats towards Al if he isn’t. Enrique smirks too. Totally sucks.
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Cris and Barbie are downstairs, or wherever the seamstresses work, and talking about the dresses. Ana again agrees to make them and Raul gives her a hug and I thought Raul called her apapacho. But this means spoiled or pampered so he must have been talking about Cris. Because if there is anyone who needs to be spoiled even more, it’s Cris.
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Gloria talks to whoever this guy is about Isabel maybe getting out of jail. He wants more money and Gloria wants to make sure Al doesn’t find out the truth. What truth? We don’t know yet. I’m also not sure what he’s going to do about this Isabel situation. She better get out fast.
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Ana is crying and trying to go to the balcony but the door is shut and locked.
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Gerardo (sucks) talks to Al about how his life is getting better thanks to Gerardo. Pffft.
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Two months later. Raul is staring at dresses, quietly stressing out. He’s worried about whether anyone will like his new collection. They encourage him but telling him they are beautiful, unique, spectacular. (I disagree but I’m not the target market). He finally cheers up and says the night will be theirs and they all clap.
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The models come into the store to get ready for the show they are having. Cris talks to Ana about it. He hair is all slicked back and it looks good. Raul puts a blindfold on her and leads her to her dress. He has been thinking about this since her engagement and this is the final design. Raul talks about all the extra detail it still needs but Cris and Barbie love it. Ana still looks sad. Where is Rodrigo when she needs him?
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K
 

velvet

Thanks so much, K, for another delightful recap. And I'm glad you're continuing with the sucks/doesn't suck ratings.

I kept agreeing with your judgments tonight. Like you, I wondered why Clara is talking with Ana about how they're living paycheck to paycheck. I'm not a big Clara fan, and I don't understand why she seems to be buddies with Ana.

In the scene between Pedro and Marga, I couldn't decide which of them was more ridiculous. Normally, Pedro wins such a contest hands down, but.... And I did like Pedro suggesting that they're like siblings, and siblings hug, so...

I loved it when you reported that Ana tells Marga that maybe it was a mistake to come back from San Francisco and you commented "(Just maybe?)". I had the same thought.

I'm glad Ana didn't keep the ring. I strongly doubt she would have sold it, and keeping it would just make it a continual reminder and source of misery.

Emilio gives Ana good advice when he urges her to quit Velvet and go to work for Alondra. But since it's good advice, she doesn't take it.

I was a bit surprised that Enrique thinks he can take Mateo's office since Mateo is "just an employee." Mateo is Velvet's CFO, one of the highest ranking people in the company. Does Enrique's being a stockholder give him the right to order the CFO around and usurp his office? (As is probably clear, I have no experience in the business world.)

I really can't decide what I think of Marga. I like her, but I wonder how she can be so...I can't think of the right word. She says, "Every man I met I compared to Pedro," the implication clearly being that Pedro was better than any of them. OMG! How could anyone have such bad luck...or was it such bad judgment?

And talk about bad luck and/or bad judgment, Ana's decision to stay at Velvet means she is going to have to design Cris's bridesmaids' dresses AND add all the tiny jewels or whatever to Cris's wedding gown.

I don't know who the guy is that reports to Gloria about the possibility of Isabel's being released from prison after 25 years, but he and Gloria are clearly in the "sucks" category. Gloria wants to make sure that Alberto doesn't find out about this, since, although he doesn't know this, Isabel is his biological mother. Morever, I think that Isabel was wrongly convicted of someone's murder (I'm not sure who), and it wouldn't surprise me if Gloria turns out to have had something to do with that.

Again, thanks VERY much, K, for this helpful and enjoyable recap.
 

Velvet

K, I always love your commentaries. So Ana thinks it was a mistake to return from San Francisco, then turns around and refuses to take tio's advice and go work for the other lady. She is a glutton for punishment.

I think Gerardo put his foot down about the year long engagement and told Al it would happen after the new collection debut. So I'm thinking a few more months as there are matron of honor dress and bridesmaids dresses to be designed and made.

Looks like Gerardo and Emilio are in shipping. The perfect background for a fashion house, right. But we do know they are successful business men and as you pointed out, Al is not. Of course he is portrayed as a 20 something so how he has had the time to acquire business skills when his background is design is beyond me. Of course he does no designing in the company so perhaps his time in Spain was spent on the business side. The patio has noted he has a Spanish accent. I'm learning to differentiate a bit. I find his "lisp" difficult to understand. Thank goodness for captions when he speaks..

Looks like Mateo and Emilio went to school(college) together. There was some strutting and puffing of the chest going on between the two of them.

About the bald guy and Gloria. I'm pretty sure in a previous episode Gloria admitted to killing whoever Isabel has been framed for killing. Bald guy didn't seem to ask for more money. He says political influence is what is needed now and he doesn't have that sway. He says Isabel's first order of business will be to find Al and tell him the truth about the murder I think

No Rodrigo this episode. He's not likely the guy for Ana. I noticed Jenifer in an early scene, then poof, she's gone. Seems strange Rick is helping Pedro when he is on a learn the salesman job probationary period. I'm sure it as just to set up the silly scene of Pedro and Margarita both (not) thinking of each other as siblings.
 

Fantastic, funny recap, K. I would love to comment more but my internet is out. Typing with one finger is time consuming!
 

velvet

One more thing about that wedding. I get that pops wants to get Cris hitched before she loses it, but one year is perfectly reasonable to plan a wedding. Especially the kind of high-falutin’ shindig this kind of society folk have. And especially when you’re having custom dresses designed. Ger could chill out a bit and let Cris plan something grand in a reasonable amount of time so she doesn’t have to get wed in the store. That would mess up the telenovela timeline, of course, but still. One year would be fine.

K
 

velvet Ep. #22 1 of 3

Upon hearing that Cris may be married very soon, Barbie congratulates her and tells her, "It's three weeks until you become Señora Márquez!" Raúl adds "You will be the happiest bride on the planet." Not surprisingly Ana, who is also present, looks very unhappy.

Emilio talks with Alberto. He congratulates him on his presidency of Velvet and tells him, "Your father would have been very proud of you." Alberto says, "I hope so." Emilio looks up and sees Ana on the balcony. Alberto also looks up. Ana looks at him for a few seconds and then moves away.

Well, Rodrigo isn't out of the picture yet. Ana meets him outside. They agree that they are friends. He gives her a plant and tells her that the plant is said to bring good luck, especially if it is given as a gift. He asks how she is. She tells him that she's tired and eager for tomorrow, when she'll be able to find out how people feel about Velvet's new collection. Rodrigo tells her, "one day you'll have your own collection, and you'll wow people with your talent."

Mateo and Clara are hugging and talking. I found it hard to understand them. I think Clara is unhappy that they haven't progressed in their relationship. She breaks away and walks out of the office.

Barbie comes by Mateo's office, looking for Enrique. She told where Enrique's office is. She goes off, thinking to herself, "I knew that couldn't be Enrique's. It's too ordinary."

Max and Blanca talk. They're apparently on good terms. He asks how Jennifer is doing. Blanca tells him she's doing well. He asks Blanca whether he can talk with her privately in 10 minutes. She agrees. When they meet, he gives her back the necklace she had given her infant son. Max talks about how close he and her son were. He and Blanca hug, and then he kisses her. Oops, bad decision. Blanca is furious. She slaps him and asks him, "What kind of woman do you think I am? Don't ever cross the line again!"

Pedro and Marga are trying to carry a full-size mannequin without dropping it. At times, their faces get close. They succeed in getting the mannequin where it should be. Pedro's phone rings. It's Susan. Thinking she might be calling because something happened to Peter, Pedro answers. We see his face suddenly light up. "Yes, I'd love to," he says. When he gets off the phone, he tells Marga that Susan has invited him to come to Philadelphia to spend a few days with Peter. He runs off to try to get some vacation days.

A guy comes over to Clara, introduces himself as Oliver, and asks whether she speaks Spanish. Clara introduces herself as Clara Hernández and tells him she speaks Spanish. He's a photographer, and he takes some photos of Clara. Mateo comes by and tells Oliver that his job is to photograph the models, not the staff. Oliver leaves.
 

velvet Ep. 22 2 of 3

A very nervous Raúl is pacing back and forth, telling himself to take deep breaths. Someone comes up and tells him that Katia is sick and can't come.
Raúl is panicked. Who can possibly replace Katia? He lists her attributes--long dark hair, dark eyes, etc. etc. He stares at Ana, who has appeared. "You!" he exclaims with delight. "You will replace Katia!"

Finally the fashion show begins. All the models have rather, um, unusual dresses, some of which I rather liked, and they all wore rather bizarre masks that matched their dresses. There was rather tame applause for each of them. And then out came the last model, the only one not wearing a mask: Ana, looking fantastic in a gorgeous white dress. And this time, there was loud applause from the audience.

Cris is seated in the audience next to Alberto. She whispers to him, "I didn't know that Ana was part of the show. She's very pretty, isn't she?" Yes, replies Alberto.

This being the Age of Social Media, people's responses to Velvet's new collection were instantaneous. And mostly negative. Gloria, rather pleased at the lack of enthusiasm, says "I warned Alberto, but he's very stubborn. The collection is too avant-garde for Velvet's customers. Raúl is more interested in showing off how weird he is." Cris defends Raúl's dresses, but Gloria says "They may appeal to someone your age, but not to Velvet's customers." (She may be right.)

Meanwhile, Alberto is thanking everyone involved with the show. He especially thanks Raúl for "making my dream come true." However, it looks as if that dream may be turning into a nightmare. Alberto is told the critics are not happy. He replies, "Our customers will let us know if they liked the show, not the critics." (Yes, but Alberto was at the show, and surely he was aware of the audience's lack of enthusiasm for most of the dresses. And surely some of the audience were Velvet customers.)

It's possible that right after the show, Alberto could still be optimistic because he hoped that the British representatives who were present would agree to buy Velvet's new line to sell in England. He meets with at least one of the representatives, who tells him "You are visionary, not afraid to take risks." Alberto says, "So, that means we have a deal?" "I'm afraid not," says the representative. He explains that Velvet is a family business. If something goes wrong, it stays in the family. "I,on the other hand, work for a large company. I need proof. Sales. If it does really well, we'll have a deal."

Gloria sees Ana and says she was surprised to see her in the show. Ana explains how that happened. It's possible Gloria doesn't believe her, or it's also possible she just wants to be nasty. She tells Ana, "Strivers have only one chance in life to escape poverty. Yours was Alberto. But no matter what you do, Alberto is going to marry Cris. You'll at best be nothing more than a woman he can come to when he feels like it, until he gets tired of you."
 

velvet Ep. 22 3 of 3

At this point, Emilio comes up to Gloria and tells her not to talk to his niece like that. Gloria asks indignantly, "How dare you defend her after what you did to me?" Emilio replies, "I don't know what you're talking about, but I beg you to stop." "Don't play dumb," insists Gloria. "You had a hand in my misfortune. You and that woman I hate with a passion tried to ruin my life." (I think she may be referring to Isabel.) Emilio asks Ana to let them talk alone. Ana leaves. Gloria then continues, "It's not going to happen, Emilio. It didn't happen before, and it won't happen now." Gloria leaves.

Emilio and Ana talk. Ana wants to know what Gloria was talking about. "How did you try to ruin her life?" Emilio doesn't answer her question. Instead, he merely says "People are entitled to their private life." He also warns her to stay out of that family's business." (I'm not sure, but I think he may be referring to the Otegui family, though it's also quite possible that he's referring to the Márquez family. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I think it's the latter.)

Rodrigo and Ana are together in a bar. I think a Velvet party is going on in the background. Ana tells Rodrigo that while she was in the show, she started thinking about her mother. "I felt as if she was there." Rod says to her, "You've been very honest with me. Now let me be part of your life."

Clara and Marga want their father to go back to his own house (he's apparently been staying with them for a couple of months). He tells them that he shut his restaurant down. Their mother enters. She looks less than pleased to see him. He tells her that no one came to the restaurant after she left. Clara and Marga go out, leaving their parents to figure out what they want to do. It's not impossible they'll get back together.

Gloria and Alberto talk. Gloria tells him, "No one's going to buy the new collection, and it's all your fault." She also claims, "I loved your father in spite of his company." Alberto replies, "There''s a reason he didn't name you president. He knew what kind of person you are."

I think it's now the next morning. Alberto is sitting at his desk. He pulls out an envelope that contain cards Ana had sent him over the years for their anniversary, or just for love. He looks at the cards, and then, somewhat reluctantly, tosses them in the waste basket.

Luisa comes by and tells Ana, "The only good thing they [the critics] had to say was about you."

Cris comes to Alberto's office looking for him. She enters, sits down at his desk, looks with amusement at the video he has on his computer of the Velvet show. She happens to glance down and sees cards in the waste basket. Oops. She retrieves them and is stunned by what she sees. And with that, the episode ends.
 

Velvet

Juanita, excellent recap. I may not have to actually watch it before tonight. I have to choose which I watch between this and Karsu, and Karsu won last night. I'll comment later if I get a chance to watch it before showtime.
 

"JEFA"
Novelera, Kat in SC & Niecie: Any new updates on Crazy Luisa plotting more chaos ?

 

velvet

Alberto is about to learn a very important lesson- if you want to delete stuff, delete it all the way. Empty the trash (or the trash file) or it doesn't count as gone.

I'm hoping word will get out to the non-Velvet-customer influencers who will love what Raul did and come to buy ALL the dresses. But not holding my breathe. And too busy wondering what Emilio did to Gloria and how he's managed to stick around the store for so long with her there.

K
 

Velvet

Watching it now with delayed captions. I was not a fan of the collection. Ana's dress was especially weird, imo. The red in the center looked like a cage of sorts. And those red glasses the models wore were plain stupid!


 

Velvet #23 part 1

Christina is shattered after reading the anniversary cards and love notes. It appears only one was signed Ana, but that is all it takes. She leaves the office, running into Mateo and Clara in the outer reception area. She tells them she wasn't there as she leaves in tears. Clara wonders what's up. Mateo tells her Christina has idd humors at times. He then invited Clara in a date at there secret place which pisses her off. She's been angling to go to his place.

Raul is on the floor of the atelier also emotionally destroyed but without tears. He made the mistake of reading the reviews. Ana and Margarita try to bolster his confidence. Al comes in next telling him everything is fine, we're ready to offer your collection to the public. Val is next to arrive with an idea!

In someone's office Raul, Mateo, Val and Al discuss her bright idea.Gloria Trevi (are we getting another plug for the beauty contest?). I guess maybe she is an influencer, Val went to pre-school (and beyond,I assume) with her and they have been friends for 19 years. She has a connection with the youth set. If we give her a dress from the collection... I guess she also has an alias, doctor psquiatra. Raul is familiar with the song from 1989. Mateo is clueless as am I. Enrique comes in demanding to speak with Al, now. I'm surprised he's not in this meeting as he is now in charge. Enrique tells Al his collection is a flop, time to cut costs and recoup his dad's investment. Al says the public will decide about the collection, not the Internet.

Christina is drinking at a bar. Barbie has been summoned. Barbie looks at the cards and letters that al tossed ( none were signed after all). Barb points out this is when he was a teenager, it's an old relationship. Chris is sure this is why Al has been frigid with her, it is not in the part and she will discover who the other woman is.

Val is on the sales floor and loses a button from her bodice. She goes into a dressing room, Enrique on her heels. I lost a button, can you help me find it. Val closes the curtains. They make out, as Rick finds her button outside the dressing room and discusses it with the gal training him. VA comes out and thanks him, she had been looking for it. He suggests she go to the atelier to have them see it back on. Thank you Rick. He's flattered she knows his name. They walk away. She whispers to Enrique, you can come out in 2 minutes.

Well Max is in love with Blanca and she is unnerved by him. He's just a kid. If he continues to hound her she will have to go to HR. In a later scene she dreams about the stolen kiss though, so she is not indifferent to him. Jenifer calls her from Miami. Here's our 2 locations we've been waiting for. Jeni wonders how the new collection show went. Blanca says, no idea, today's the first day of sales. We notice she is wearing the longevity necklace (max returned it to her earlier). Mother and daughter have a conversation about Blanca looking for a new live. Jeni is all for it and gives her great advice.
 

Velvet #23 part 2 of 3

Looks like the dress Ana wore will be the gift to Gloria Trevi ( not an influencer, she's a singer we learn from Pedro). Pedro is to deliver the dress to her at her hotel, directly to her, no go between, I think. What could go wrong here?

Al walks into outer office and asks Clara if the cleaning staff had been there. Mateo tells him it was Christina that was in your office this morning and she was very upset when she left. The 2 go into the office. Al tells Mateo he had tossed the cards, letters and photos in the trash. No faces were in the photos to protect their secret. Mateo asks why didn't you burn them (or lock your door when you left). Mateo is always full of good advice. Too bad Al is such an idiot.

Al goes to the Ortegie mansion to see Christina, who is not there. Gerardo and Al talk about the collection as Al explains the fashion world to Gerardo. He asks for 2 weeks to see how things go before doing anything drastic like Enrique wants. A dejected Chris arrives. Gerardo leaves them. She wants an explanation. You said there was no other woman. He says he was cleaning out his desk. It was his past and not the present. She wants a name then starts hitting herself and him , I hate you. He calms her down. He promises to love her forever, she's the woman he is going to marry.

In the atelier Ana and others are working on the wedding gown. Val comes in showing the photo if the belt from the dress (that I hate) that arrived to Gloria. Excitement all around.

Mateo and Al are at a bar discussing the situation. Al says I've never seen her so full of fear and anger. Mateo says if she ever finds out Ana was your great love...

Chris tracks down Val at the store. She needs to know who the other woman is. Val gulps, Ana overhears. Val tells her that she must be a love from his past but the family never met her so she must not have been important to him. Chris makes her swear she knows nothing. Val swears, you can believe in me. Chris leaves as Val rolls her eyes, likely thinking how stupid her brother is.

Emilio is having a sales meeting on the sales floor asking how business has been. Pretty awful, never has a new collection sold this poorly. Enrique approaches and chastises them for discussing things on the sales floor while clients are being neglected. He notices a gentleman that has arrived. He tells Rick to make a sale or your fired...

Luisa needs time off to attend to her son, Blanca begrudgingly allows it but warns her to get his care straightened out. As she gets ready to leave Enrique comes in. No leaving early on his watch. You are needed on the sales floor. The guy Rick is trying to sell some to wants a jacket or something for his wife and would like to see it modeled. Luisa is a similar figure...

Barbie and Chris talk about the hunt for the other woman at the mansion. Chris says it's not going well. Barbie asks about a high school sweetheart. Nada. Chris doesn't believe Al nor Val. Barbie advises her that millionaires like her brother and Al will have women hitting on them, even if they are married or engaged. I guess when she finds out that Enrique is unfaithful it will be no surprise.


 

Velvet #23 part 3

Mateo tracks Ana down to warn her that Chris discovered her letters and photos. You need to keep your distance from Al or it will be disastrous for the entire crew.

Oliver, the photographer, brings flowers to Clara. Sneeze...Oliver recalls her saying she would like to be a model. He can help her. He has his own studio and contacts (is this on the up and up or another bad character out to take nude photos of her or something?). She agrees, because Mateo arrives on the elevator. They will meet tonight. Mateo finds out he is taking some photos and he is thinking the same way I am .

Francisco, the client, is delighted with the red dress Luisa models and wants to buy it and 2 others for his wife for their anniversary. Luisa goes in the dressing room to change and he's a peeping Tom!

Rick tears him away from his peeping with the dresses he wants to buy. Luisa and Rick are next seen in the atelier telling Blanca that thanks to Luisa 3 dresses from the new collection sold. Raul here's and is over the moon with happiness.

Oops, looks like Margarita is picking up Luisa's son. But either she is late or someone got him. Yup, he's not at the school she tells Luisa when she calls her. Luisa rushes off

Enrique has a new position in the company. Vice president of public relations, and Val, after a successful "interview" gets the job. Is this another demotion for Al? What is his position currently? Well I guess he is still president. He complains that Enrique shouldn't make the decisions without consulting him. Enrique points out it was Val that suggested the Gloria Trevi idea. She is wasted on the sales floor. Al agrees sulkily.

Val follows Al to his office, justifiably angry with him for trying to keep her from rising in the company till she's old and gray ...she tells him she covered his a*s about Ana. Christina asked me who the other woman is. Her advice is he needs to fire Ana. She leaves. Al gets a call from Emilio. There is some crisis on the sales floor. Were they robbed? Anyhow Al and Enrique argue loudly. Emilio tells them to lower the volume, we have customers.

Pilar and Gloria meet for drinks. Some jabs are taken. Pilar wants a truce. Not sure where this is going.

Al goes to his office hyper ventilating. Ana arrives, apologizing for her letters being found (not her fault, she has nothing to apologize for). Al falls to the ground, the back of his head hitting the ground with a thunk. Ana calls for help.
 

velvet

Thanks VERY much, Kat, for this super rapid recap.

I find myself going back and forth about Valeria. Even in this one episode, she doesn't reveal Ana's identity as Alfredo's "woman" to Cris (brava), but then she makes out with the married Enrique (boo, hiss).

As for Enrique, I think he's replaced Gloria as the person I hate most. He's mean, self-important, and a philanderer. I liked K's categories of "sucks" and "doesn't suck," but I don't think "sucks" is strong enough to describe Enrique.

So Cristina has a total meltdown when she confronts Alberto. He says later that he had never seen her like that before, but apparently she has had mental/emotional problems in the past. My guess is that this may be the first of several such meltdowns Alberto will confront.

When Pedro was chosen to deliver the dress part to Gloria Trevi, I almost yelled aloud "What? Pedro???" So, needless to say, I burst out laughing when I read your tongue-in-cheek "What could go wrong here?" What's astonishing, of course, is that nothing went wrong. Pedro didn't give the package to the wrong person, nor did he trip and fall into a puddle while carrying the package.

Who is the actor who plays Señor Francisco, the guy who buys the dresses for his wife? He looks so familiar, but I can't come up with a name.

I'm hoping that Luisa's child has simply been picked up by Ramon, who does seem to care for him. As flawed as Ramon is, at least he's unlikely to hurt his son. What's sad is how easy it is to imagine other things that could happen to Michael.

I also hope that Alberto's collapse doesn't signal that he's got a serious health problem. But I don't think it's common or trivial for a seemingly healthy young man in his 20s to suddenly collapse and fall. (Sigh)

Again, many thanks, Kat.
 

"JEFA"
Howdy from the Alamo City CarayCaray Family. Since we're in Ultumas Semanas, here's my personal thoughts on last night's episode.
*Whacky Luisa gets only 3 percent of the vote in the gubernatorial election LOL 😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃

*Nutjob Nacho still obsessed with Gloria.

*Over at DEA HQ: Scumbag Mauricio concocting more sinister methods in taking down Gloria, etc.,

*Over at the fancy hotel: Yadira & Whatever-Her-Face get into a fight in front of law enforcement. Yadira sucker-punched Whatever-Her-Face.

*Gloria gets shot in the left shoulder.

*Nacho & his thugs sneak into the hospital & Nacho has sinister devious plans for Gloria.
 

Velvet

The actor playing the guy buying his wife three dresses while leering at Luisa is Roberto Escobar (not to be confused with the Escobar cartel). He is Cuban and was in El señor de los cielos, Bajo el mismo cielo, and Silvana sin lana among many others.

Babachita
 

jefa

Steve, super bullet highlights.

A shame that Yadira's plan didn't fool Duque.
 

velvet

Thanks very much, Babachita, for identifying the dress buyer as Roberto Escobar. No wonder he looked familiar--I've seen him in at least two of the novelas you cited, perhaps all three.