Tonio gets a shock

Chucho defends Meche, insisting her friend Julia had approached her in the first place.  Tonio is tired of the lies and demands that Meche tell him the whole truth or he will turn her over to the police. 

Martha was surprised when Raquel told her she wasn’t going to tell Tonio about their baby and she must not tell their father either. Too late, because Daniel came in and expressed his joy over her pregnancy, the doctor had told him downstairs and unfortunately, Evil Max was there. Martha wasn’t pleased that Raquel wasn’t going to use this development to either get Tonio back or a huge settlement from him.

Evil Max  buys food for Raquel  and makes her eat it. However, she makes it clear to him nothing was going to come out of it; she’d stopped loving him a long time ago. Max, still  bent on breaking Tonio and Raquel for good, tells her Tonio hired Roberto Aguirre to harm her, so as to find an excuse to divorce her. When Raquel accuses him of lying to her again, he said he was going to present her with proof. 

Maura comes to the house and persuades Tonio to go out with her to a bar, where he paid her little attention.  

 At Meche’s house, over their simple dinner,  Meche told Chucho that Roberto Aguirre was at the mansion and  had threatened her  life and her brother’s, much to his amazement. How could he be at Tonio's house? Meche baffled him more when she told him she had seen also  him at Raquel's hotel and was introduced as Max Albeniz. Roberto and Max were the same man! Meche is horrified to learn that Max was Tonio's step brother. However, she was far too scared to tell Raquel and Tonio the truth, not with his threats. Chucho asked her to find out how Julia came to be acquainted with him in the first place. 

Raquel and the family discuss on the next line of action; going home. Daniel said the last time he’d paid the rent was before he left Guadalajara with Raquel and Tonio so at least they’ll still have the apartment and Raquel was sure her boss, who’s always been kind to her would give her old job back. Only Martha is pissed off at the whole thing but Raquel wasn't going to let Tonio take her child from her and refused to remain married to a man who didn't trust her. Martha suggested they use the Lombardo name to get jobs but Raquel refuses to use a name they have no right to use.  Their experience may have been a fun  vacation to her and their father, while she is pregnant and about to be divorced. 

Breakfast at the mansion, Tonio and Andres discuss Alejandra's shady car racer boyfriend she refuses to dump. Tonio remarked that love made a person blind, like he was with Raquel. He suggested that Andres offers the man money, if he can't convince Alejandra to forget about him. 

 Alejandra went out, accompanied by Chucho, to see Raquel. 

Raquel tells the doctor she understands what he's telling her but she would have to work soon. The  doctor pointed out   that her health wasn't so good, if she stressed herself with a job, she could lose the baby or her own life.

 Tonio tells Ramon that one of his check books was missing and Ramon promised to check with the servants.

Meche asks Julia how she had met Roberto Aguirre in the first place and Julia tells her, her husband (the man who had pretended to be knocked down by Martha) had done some work for him, but didn't know what. Julia needed to find him, she wanted her money he promised. 

 Alejandra and Chucho are told by Martha at the hotel that Raquel was pregnant and had gone to the doctor's. Max meets with Julia with her balance and asked her to do him one more favour.

Raquel is very pleased to see Alejandra again. Alejandra again brings up Raphael, whom she's still anxious to marry. Raquel points out she hardly knows him, hence her opinion in the matter does not hold weight. Alejandra pleads with her, she had no one else to help her. She also reminded Raquel that despite the allegations against her, she always believed in her innocence. And people were wrong about her Raphael the same way. Was she not her friend then? Raquel affirmed it, and advised her to convince her parents of Raphael's sincerity if he's really the one for her. Alejandra proposed that she stayed with Raquel until the wedding was settled, she was old school enough to not want to live with her boyfriend until they were man and wife. Raquel is not certain Alejandra's parents would approve of that, but her young friend is optimistic, as she is still Tonio's wife. Raquel tells her of her impending return to Guadalajara, but Alejandra is undaunted, she will go with her. 

 Alejandra is surprised when Max entered the room briefly but believed Raquel after she said it wasn't what it looked like. Chucho and Daniel meanwhile go for a drink. 

 Max brings Julia to Raquel along with a check supposedly signed by Tonio, paying Roberto Aguirre to help  lie about Martha being the one who ran Gabriel down, as an excuse to divorce Raquel.

 Raquel couldn't believe Tonio would do such a thing to her but Julia, egged on by Max insisted it was true.  On getting back to the house, Alejandra called her father in Miami and asked him to wire a huge sum of money to her as soon as possible; she wanted to buy a whole new wardrobe. Not true, the money was actually for Raquel because Raquel had told her she was still waiting for Humberto to come home and assist her. Andres overheard her phone conversation.

Ramón complained to Tonio that Chucho was constantly going out and neglecting his duties and he'd just returned, rather drunk. Tonio broke up a fight between him and Ramon and  summoned him to the living room  to straighten the matter out. Chucho explained that Alejandra had asked him to escort her to see Raquel.

 Tonio lied that Alejandra had already told him; he wanted to hear his own version or he'll fire him.  Chucho then told him and Andres that Mrs. Raquel looked very pale and ill; they had met her just returning from the doctor’s. Concerned, Tonio asked what was wrong with her. Chucho thought Alejandra had told him so with a shrug he said, ‘Well... a child...’

Tonio is shocked. 'Raquel, is pregnant?' he asked.

Chucho nodded. Andres looked at his friend's stunned face.

What would Tonio do now? Raquel was carrying his child and he's already asked her for a divorce!!! 

An unexpected development... VERY UNEXPECTED!

Terrified, Meche tells Max what Tonio and Raquel wanted from her. Max darkly warned her he would have her and her brother killed if she dared open her mouth to Tonio about the identity of Roberto Aguirre.

While Tonio is talking with  Victoria, still very angry about Raquel and Max, Chucho knocked on the door to inform him that Meche was waiting to see him. 

Frightened by Max, Meche is very evasive when Tonio questions her in his study. He asked why Raquel was in her house, and Meche told him Raquel needed her help to find Roberto Aguirre. Tonio asked her how Roberto Aguirre knew about Martha's accident.  She claimed she met Roberto Aguirre at a bar, and when he heard about her brother's issue, he came up with the plan to pretend Martha had caused his accident.  She pleaded for Tonio's forgiveness,   insisting Gabriel disapproved of the plan the whole time.

Considering the number of times Tonio has been lied to and taken advantage of, I would call this a case of Meche pushing her luck and trying his patience! 

 Tonio, however, found out something important: that Raquel had just learnt of the farce the day he'd confronted her.  When Tonio asks her about Julia's involvement,  she lies that she wasn't involved. Tonio informed her that Julia had called Roberto Aguirre to ask for the rest of her money, to her horror. Now she had to ask Julia for Aguirre's address. 

Victoria and Claudio are amazed to hear from Andres that the prank caller, Roberto Aguirre, had paid Meche to lie about Martha causing Gabrielle's accident. 

 Daniel and Martha find Raquel lying down and looking even paler; Raquel is anxious for her plan to work and go back to Guadalajara. Daniel tells Martha about Raquel's suspicions about Max being Roberto. 

After Meche leaves, Alejandra asks Chucho to take her to see Raquel. 

Max is concerned that Raquel is ill, urging them to get a doctor. He is horrified when Meche enters the room. Raquel introduced them both, watching their faces. After he left, Meche said that Max wasn't Roberto Aguirre. Raquel is very disappointed. 

Chucho tells Tonio Raquel had called his office the day she left to inform him about the scam, confirming further that Raquel didn't know about the matter or that Roberto Aguirre had hired Meche. 

A doctor is summoned, and he examines Raquel thoroughly, giving her some medication to take and advising her to rest. Martha asks for the diagnosis. Raquel said, high blood pressure and also... she's pregnant. Martha gasped, 'My God...'

Raquel nodded. 'This time I'm sure.'

 What happens next???

Tonio asks Raquel for a divorce

Ramon is surprised when Raquel hangs up all of a sudden. Vicky asked him what Raquel wanted and was outraged to hear she'd asked for Max's address. Evil Max urged Raquel to let him help her out financially, even if she was angry with him. Raquel flatly turned him down, preferring to wait for Humberto. However, to carry out her trap, she asked him to meet her at a nearby bar for drinks later. Max was very pleased, thinking things were heading his way at last (yeah, SURE...)
Vicky angrily told Camilla what Raquel had asked for, wondering how she had the nerve to ask for it. While Tonio is still discussing the divorce and possible financial settlement, Camilla calls to tell and tells Raquel's call.  Tonio was silent, but his expression said it all.  

 Daniel feels Raquel is wasting her time and they should just go home instead, but Raquel is adamant about clearing her name with Tonio first. She was going to prove that Max was Roberto Aguirre. 

 There's a knock on the door; it's Rodrigo, he wanted to see how she was and take her out, but she claimed tiredness. Max interrupted their conversation and jealously asked her what Rod wanted. 

Raquel went back to the hospital and obtained Meche's address from Gabriel. Max, angry that Raquel refused to let him help her, spitefully told Oscar that Raquel was planning on asking Humberto for money. Raquel got to Meche's house and told her of the plan. Max was going to meet with her that evening, and Meche would hide at the back and get a good look at him. They are suddenly interrupted by Tonio, who dragged Raquel out with him for a private talk, to Meche's distress. Tonio tells her to come to the house that evening. 

 Rod confabs with Claudio on his plan to frame Raquel for Tonio's murder. Claudio is uncomfortable with the idea, and Rod warns him of the consequences if he tries to double-cross him by telling anyone.  

Oscar calls Humberto to delay his return to Acapulco by asking to handle some business. 

Back at the hotel, Tonio and Raquel have another fight. He demanded to know what she was doing at Meche's house, and she told him it wasn't his business; he couldn't order her around. Tonio felt they could reach an amicable arrangement if she told him the truth; she wouldn't go to jail if so.  Raquel, who doesn't seem to understand that lying to Tonio and keeping things from him caused his distrust, is immediately defensive. What she told him about Max's plot from the beginning WAS the truth. But Tonio simply wanted to force her to say what he wanted to hear, that she was Max's accomplice the whole time and she'd been sleeping with him, or that Roberto Aguirre was her other lover. None of it was true. 

To make matters worse, Daniel comes in and drunkenly asks if Max is around, then leaves.  Furious, Tonio accuses Raquel of still cheating on him with Max. Why else did she call the house to obtain his number?  Raquel is tired of arguing with him- he can believe whatever he chooses and do what he chooses.  

Tonio said he had started divorce proceedings, and she wouldn't get anything from him. Raquel proudly said she was prepared to sign the divorce papers; she didn't want a dime of his money and ordered him out of her room.  

Later, Raquel called Humberto's place again, but the house staff told her he was still not back. Daniel and Martha are alarmed when Raquel suddenly goes pale and collapses, stressed out from her fight with Tonio and weak from malnutrition. 

 Maura gleefully tells Carla that Tonio and Raquel are getting a divorce. 

Daniel and Martha got Raquel into bed; Martha said Raquel looked frail and very pale- she hadn't been eating. They try to get her to go out to dinner, but Raquel opts to rest instead. 

Tonio angrily gets back to the mansion and tells Vicky he and Raquel are definitely over; the divorce is now in motion. Max suddenly enters the living room, and it is the last straw; Tonio orders him to get out of his house! Vicky is very distressed as Max walks out. 

Meche is on her way to the house to tell Tonio the whole story and what Raquel was planning, in the hope it would bring the couple back together. 

Oh, dear... Max saw her and roughly dragged her to a dark corner, demanding to know why she was there. 

Raquel's new mission

Raquel's first line of action was to clear her name before she went back to Guadalajara, which meant finding out who Roberto Aguirre was. At their hotel, Raquel gives Daniel and Martha money to get a meal, reminding them to be prudent with spending, and refusing Martha's offer to buy her something. Back at the mansion, Tonio tells Ramon he didn't want dinner, and no one should disturb him for anything. However, if Martha called, she should be put through. Ramon asked if Raquel had called, too, and after hesitating, Tonio said she should be put through as well. You're still in love with her, Tonio.  Ramon tells Meche that Tonio couldn't see her. 

Martha is furious that she went to jail for an accident that didn't happen. Daniel (silly old man) made excuses for Meche and Gabriel. Martha phones Luis and tells him to meet her at the diner they are in. 

Raquel visits Gabriel at the hospital, who tells her he told Tonio the truth, assuming she already knew about it. He's very sad and guilty when Raquel tells him she and her husband fought over it, and she left him. She asks for Meche and is surprised to hear she went to see Tonio. 

Meche and Chucho enter the room, and the latter is overjoyed to see her; he'd assumed she and her family had already returned to Guadalajara. Meche said she waited ages for Tonio but was later told he didn't want to be disturbed.  Raquel needed their help to clear her name before heading back to Guadalajara for good; she needed to find Roberto. 

Martha and Daniel have lunch with Luis, and she tells him about Tonio and Raquel's falling out. Luis offered to help them out with some money he had just come into. Hmmm. 

Raquel asked them to describe 'Roberto Aguirre', and Meche's description fitted Max. Raquel strongly believed Max had been posing as Roberto Aguirre. Chucho agreed, which was probably why any time she was to meet with Roberto, only Gato showed up each time. 

Andres finds  Tonio lying on the empty bed (how come after Raquel moved out, you now choose to sleep there???) and points out that since Raquel didn't take his money or her designer clothes, she was not the opportunist Tonio believed her to be; therefore, he made a mistake, letting her go. Tonio did not know what to think. 

 Raquel isn’t pleased to find Martha talking to Luis at the hotel lobby on getting back. Luis salutes her, but she gives him an icy reply. 

Upstairs in their room, Raquel scolded Martha for still hanging out with Max’s thug, who’d gotten her into serious trouble; probably because of what he could give her, ill-gotten money. Martha coldly told Raquel she had no control over her life; she would see whoever and whenever, and she wasn’t planning on going back to Guadalajara. She left the room, spitefully urging Raquel to eat the sandwich she’d brought for her, as she hadn’t eaten all day. Later, Meche paid Raquel a visit and promised to help her; it was the least she could do. 

At the office, Tonio consulted his lawyer about starting the proceedings and how to avoid paying a huge sum of alimony to Raquel. (I HATE you, Tonio)

Raquel called the house, and Ramon answered it, very pleased to hear her voice. She asked for Max's address, and before Ramon could reply, Evil Max walked into the lobby saying, 'I finally find you!' (Luis's handiwork)

Stunned, she hung up...

Not knowing who you had until she's gone

Tonio came out, looking miserable. Mummy Vicky told him Raquel didn't take the tickets, and she and Daniel left with Rod. Refusing to answer, Tonio instead went upstairs to the room he used to share with Raquel.  Andres tells Vicky the reason why Tonio and Raquel quarrelled. 

True enough, on opening the closets, all of Raquel's designer clothes, shoes and accessories were still there.  The realisation that his wife has really left him finally sank in, and he buried his face in his hands, upset. Ramon entered, and Tonio asked why all her clothes were still there. Ramon said the bags she took were the ones she and Martha had when they arrived. Tonio reminded him that he had told him over the phone that Raquel took the money. Ramon said she did, but refused to take the tickets. 

What's the point of asking him that... you FOUND the money on your desk, she took it but didn't LEAVE with it! 

Ramon also told him she had refused to allow any of the drivers to take them to the airport, but instead went outside to wait for Martha. He had taken their bags to the gate for them. 

At Rod's place, over coffee (or tea, whatever), Raquel refused Rod's offer to stay at his place. A furious Martha arrives with Claudio. 

Maura and Camilla are obviously very happy, although they tried to hide it, while Alejandra and Andres looked sad.  Tonio asked Camilla if she saw Rod when he came, but she said she didn't. Vicky followed him to the study to ask what really happened and his next line of action. Alejandra insists Raquel is innocent. Max arrives and immediately goes to see Vicky. Chucho and Meche are shocked to hear from Ramon that Raquel and her family have moved out. 

Meanwhile, Martha complained about the small hotel they checked into, declaring it was even worse than their apartment in Guadalajara. Raquel, looking very tired, had more worries in her mind; finding a way to clear her name and managing until Humberto came back so that he could assist her, as she'd refused to take the money and tickets Tonio had left for her. Martha felt her sister was full of stupid pride. Raquel felt she was able to retain the last shred of her dignity. Yes o.

Max was still in the house, and Vicky told him Tonio and Raquel were now separated... of course, the bastard was happy about it, and started planning on how to find her and get her back to his side (in your dreams, THUG!) Max made a phone call on his way out to Rod, asking where he dropped Raquel and her family, Tonio watching him from a corner. 

Rodrigo had deliberately not assisted Raquel financially as he'd decided on a new plan with Max: to kill Tonio and frame Raquel for the crime. He wanted to keep her in Acapulco for the plan to work. He asked Claudio to be a part of it, as the reward would be great.  Claudio asked for time to think about it.