HERNAN AND GABRIELA BOOK 1

CHAPTER 16

Meanwhile,

Alejandro is still angry after learning that Adrianna spent the night with Hector. The red line has been crossed and war means war. Elsewhere, Gina is so happy that even when Isabella glares at her, she does not care. She is Antonio's girlfriend and the previous night had been even better than she could have imagined. The day's activities begin after breakfast. Meanwhile, Alejandro is with a friend. The friend asks him where Aranza is. Alejandro asks him why it matters where that 'silly brat' is. The friend says that Adrianna was with Hector and Gina with Antonio, so he would not be surprised if Aranza was with Aurelio.

Alejandro realizes his friend might have a point and sends out someone to check. Meanwhile, Aranza and Aurelio are both ready for church and leave. They leave for the 9 am service. After mass, they meet up with friends and go to the mall. The spy arrives at 9:20 am. After nearly an hour of seeing no movement in or out of the house, he is beginning to get frustrated. He asks around and is told Aurelio left for church, with a pretty girl who came over for the weekend. The spy tells Alejandro this. Alejandro tells him to wait for two hours after mass ends, to see if Aurelio and Aranza will have been back. After two hours they still aren't back. He tells Alejandro, who says he should head back. It is nearly 2 pm.

Back in Las Esmeraldas,

The weekend is coming to an end, and people have been released to start packing and to rest. They are to leave at 4 pm. Adrianna, Emma, and Gina are in their room chatting, while Antonio, Martin, and Hector (who have all packed and checked out) are enjoying a round of pool. 4 pm reaches and they leave for the city.

Back with Aranza and Aurelio,

Aurelio asks Aranza when she is leaving. Aranza thinks about it then says she will leave at around 7 pm. Aurelio is shocked and asks her if that is not too late. Aranza smiles and says he has no reason to worry, because she will be fine, and she doubts whether her mother or Carlos noticed or cared. Later on, he helps her carry her bags to a waiting taxi, and they say their goodbyes.

Meanwhile,

Hector, Gina, Antonio, Adrianna, and their colleagues, had just arrived in the city, and people were being dropped off, to the nearest stages. Antonio and Adrianna dropped off Hector, Gina, Martin, and Emma in Adrianna's car.

Elsewhere,

Aranza arrives home and goes to her room. Helena and Carlos are not at home. Two hours later Adrianna and Antonio arrive. Carlos and Helena arrive later.

The next day, a Monday at around 9 am,

It is at a mental institution. Some patients and nurses are in the garden. One patient, a man in his late forties, is sitting on a bench alone. Abruptly, he stands up and begins to make motions simulating rocking a child. He starts yelling and says he wants to see his son and daughter and says the witch has them. Two nurses and a doctor come and carry the man whom they named John, to his room. John is sedated. The doctor nods his head and says, it is sad, John will never recover his memory or sanity, as he has been here for around 17 years and his condition, has only been stabilized.

Meanwhile,

Every time Isabella sees Antonio look at Gina with lovey eyes it angers her. Antonio actually asked the townie to be his girlfriend. At lunchtime, she discusses the matter with Marianna. Marianna asks her what she will do to get Antonio back. Isabella tells her to relax because things have not yet begun. Marianna asks her what she means. Isabella says she will tell her in a different place, in a day or two because she is still going over her plan. Marianna sighs. What madness is Isabella upto?

Later that day Alejandro is in his office. The thought of Adrianna having given herself to Hector is still infuriating him. He decides it is time to start putting his plan into motion.