VALENTINES DAY: MEMORABLE COUPLES

Hi all, Happy Valentine's day once again; the season of love, friendship and reconcilation like I told a journalist from Genevieve Magazine when he interviewed me on my opinion about this special day. I also told him that Valentine's Day should'nt be limited to couples only, but friends and family exchanging loving message and meaningful-not expensive- gifts as that type is far more sincere and symbolic.
Last year, my Valentine posts had been on MEMORABLE KISSES and MORE VALENTINE'S DAY KISSES, this year it's Memorable couples. It took considerable work but I managed to get quite a collection of my favorites!
Now starting with T.V couples...

Bo Brady & Carly Manning(DAYS OF OUR LIVES). After a 16 year breakup, Carly returned to Salem just when Bo's wife Hope moved out of the house and now it seems like Bo and Carly's once all consuming love is slowly  rekindling. I JUST hope I'm not wrong because I REALLY want them back together for good.

Buffy & Angel(BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER). The unforgettable love between a headstrong vampire slayer and her more -than- 200- year old lover, Angel/Angelius who just happened to be a vampire with a soul.

Marcus and Ruth(MULHERES DE AREIA- 'Sand Women' a.k.a 'Secrets of the Sand') Marcus fell in love with Ruth at first sight but then got carried away by her seductive twin sister, Raquel. But time and several  events drew him back to the woman he truly loved.

Ridge and Brooke Forrester(THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) Despite years of breakups, other relationships, third party inteferances, this couple's love had stood against all odds. Hope it will remain that way!

Rosa and Ricardo (ROSA SALVAJE, 'WILD ROSE) Sparks flew from the moment a rich young man fell in love with the beautiful but VERY headstrong girl from the wrong side of the tracks! Despite misunderstandings and a lot of interferance, their love prevailed.

Ralph and Meggie (THE THORNBIRDS) shocking it may seem, but the forbidden yet passionate love between a Catholic priest and the young girl he took under his wing lasted for over 40 years.

Now for the movies...

Joey Drayton and John Prentice(GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER). In the movie, the two met and fell in love at the time interracial marriages was frowned upon in the U.S.(personally, I don't see how it's any of society's business). Despite initial family oppositon and future problems with society, they stood firm in their decision to be together.

Sarah and Derek(SAVE THE LAST DANCE) a lonely, bereaved girl gets consoled by an unexpected love.

Kenya and Brian (SOMETHING NEW) an uptight workaholic, looking for the perfect man ended up falling in love with a guy completely opposite to what she ever dreamt of!

Justice and Lucky (POETIC JUSTICE) Two people suffering a great loss are joined together in love.

Nickie and Terry (AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER) considered to be one of U.S greatest romance films of all time, this is about a couple who met on a cruise and fell in love, despite having prior relationships. They both agreed to meet at the top of the Empire State building in 6 months time if they were still love with each other. However, it took more than 6 months before they really got back together again.

Arthur and Guinevere (King Arthur) A Christian Roman soldier in the course of an unscheduled rescue falls in love with a Woad girl, who later became his queen.

Nero and Acte (NERO). a young prince, raised with slaves as a child, is compelled by his mother and others to marry his cousin, but his true love and voice of reason was his childhood sweetheart, who happened to be a slave. His paranoid induced deeds drove them apart but before dying in her arms asked for her forgiveness, which she readily granted, she'd never stopped loving

him.

Anne Elliot and Captain Wenworth (Jane Austen's PERSUASION) a girl is persuaded to end her relationship with a poor naval officer but when they meet again several years later, their circumstances have changed. At first Wenworth was angry and bitter towards Anne for being weak enough to listen to third party inteference but after another man starts to court her, he realised he'd never stopped loving Anne and they got engaged once again.


In LIITLE WOMEN four sisters from a poor home always managed to create fun and joy, including their neighbour, a rich but lonely boy, Laurie to share it with them. Three out of the sisters found their soul mates...

Meg fell in love with Laurie's private tutor, John Brooke.

Jo fell in love with a German professor, Fredrich Bhaer

And Amy...? Well, her soulmate turned out to be Laurie himself!

Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE) a beautiful witty girl catches the eye of a rich, handsome snob but his pride and her prejudice almost prevented them from getting together but fortunately, both came to their senses.

Liz and Darcy (1940)

Liz and Darcy (1995)

Liz and Darcy (2003)

Liz and Darcy (2005)








Lastly... a couple of fairy tales...

Belle and The Beast in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (my favorite fairy tale)

Ariel and Eric (The Little Mermaid)

 PEACE AND LOVE TO YOU ALL AND HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Raquel is stubborn but Tonio is far worse!

 Andres asked Tonio about his next course of action now that an innocent child was involved- there was no way he and Raquel could go through with the divorce now. Andres also wonders why Raquel didn't tell Tonio about the  baby, which Tonio automatically knows it's his, considering he's been believing Raquel cheated on him. Tonio is conflicted, Raquel may later want to use the baby as a weapon or financial gain but she had refused to take money from him after all.  

Evil Max was not yet done in his mission to make sure Tonio and Raquel's marriage was truly over; he told Camilla about Raquel's pregnancy but said the baby was his! What a grade A bastard! 

He knew Camilla would spread it round until it hit Tonio's ears. Raquel was in bed when Rodrigo came to see her again and insisted on taking her and Daniel to lunch.

Raquel and Daniel have lunch with Rodrigo at a restaurant; Raquel is rather uncomfortable but Rodrigo went out of his way to entertain her and on hearing of their financial woes, offered to help them with money. Raquel, while preferring to still wait for Humberto, reluctantly accepted as she wanted to go back to Guadalajara very soon. 

Tonio later went to the hotel. Raquel wasn’t yet back , but Martha was around. She confirmed Chucho’s statement and took him to see Raquel’s doctor, whose clinic was nearby. There, Tonio also learnt of Raquel’s poor state of health.

Tonio waited for Raquel to get back, visibly worried about what the doctor had told him.  Raquel was NOT pleased to see her husband; still hurting over the last fight they had. Angry that Martha had betrayed her, she said her sister only made up a story so that she could move back to the mansion but Tonio gently told her he’d already seen her doctor; he wanted to take her home with him and take care of her. She sarcastically asked what he meant by that - lock her up in her room for nine months until their child was born? Tonio promised it wasn’t his intention at all. She told him no, they were in the middle of a divorce and there was no way she wanted to return to a husband who only wanted her back because of their baby; he didn’t love her, if he had, he would have trusted her and not tell her to her face that  she was the same breed as Max or had disrespected their marriage by sleeping with Max and  Roberto Aguirre or conspire with Max to kill him. Tonio wants to focus on their unborn child and not talk about the huge issue between them but Raquel refused to let the matter rest, causing Tonio to leave the room abruptly. 

He ran into Martha and Daniel at the lobby and asked them who'd been visiting Raquel besides Max since they moved out. Martha hesitantly told him Rodrigo and Alejandra and that Raquel was waiting for Humberto to help her out with money. Daniel told him Rod had offered to help when they had lunch together. Tonio told them to convince Raquel to come home if they wanted to move back to the mansion.

Meanwhile, Claudio was now at a crossroads; Rodrigo's proposal made him take a hard look at his life. He stunned Camilla by asking her why she'd married him in the first place; Camilla soberly said it was because she loved him. Claudio pointed out their marriage hasn't been like a marriage for a long time now and she's been going out of her way helping Max and Maura to wreak her own brother's marriage. Claudio decided not to take part in whatever Rod was planning but before he could tell Camilla about it Maura interrupted. 

Raquel is reluctant at the idea of going back to the mansion, afraid what Tonio had in mind was to take their baby away from her as soon as he/she is born.

Rod is surprised at a sudden visit from Tonio.  Tonio tells him not to help Raquel financially as he wanted her to remain in Acapulco instead of going home.   

Later he spoke with Alejandra, asking her if she knew Raquel was pregnant. Reluctantly she admitted it, but she had promised not to tell him. Rod told Raquel of Tonio's visit. Rod  later told Claudio his real plan for Raquel which more than convinces Claudio not to be involved in the plan.

Tonio later told Andres he's made sure Raquel's allies would not give her money, to prevent her from leaving Acapulco. Andres wondered if Raquel would be willing to move back in after all that's happened. Camilla of course told Vicky what Max had told her and she was amazed; whether the child was Tonio's or Max's, she was going to be a grandmother. 

On hearing from Tonio about Alejandra's plan to give Raquel money, Andres told Alejandra he was phoning her father to stop him from sending her the money she asked for. Outraged, she snapped it was HER money and it was none of his business what she wanted to use it for. 

Tonio and Andres assured her they weren't trying to be mean to Raquel; Tonio just wanted her back home- she was in poor state of health, she could die or lose the baby. Camilla and Vicky came down and heard the whole thing. Camilla sneered, 'even though the child isn't yours? It's Max's!'

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'll 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 Meche was waiting to see him. 

Frightened by Max, Meche is very evasive when Tonio questioned 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, 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 amount 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  just learnt of the farce the day he'd confronted her.  When Tonio asks her about Julia's involvement,  she lied that she was'nt  involved. Tonio informed her 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 asked 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 entered 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 to 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 at 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 at spending; 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 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 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 just came into. Hmmm. 

Raquel  asked them to describe 'Roberto Aguirre' and Meche's description fitted Max. Raquel strongly believed Max has 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 pointed 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 gave 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 what he could give her, ill gotten  money. Martha coldly told Raquel she had no control 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 to start 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' handy work)

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 buries his face in his hands, upset. Ramon entered and Tonio asked why all her clothes were still there, Ramon said the bags she took where the ones she and Martha had when they arrived. Tonio reminded him he told him over the phone Raquel took the money. Ramon said she did, but refused to 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 check 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, 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.