Sure enough, Laura comes in and jumps six ways from Sunday all over Beatriz. Beatriz doesn't have a chance in hell of taking the pills. Laura sounds scared to death and it takes her a while to calm down enough to comfort the weeping Beatriz. Please, forget about Toni already! -- It's not that! It's everything. My whole life is so stupid. Laura hugs her. I can't stand to see you this way. This is crazy and cowardly. Don't worry, some day someone will come along for you.
At the Riveras, Andres is already in bed, but mulling over the terse note from Victoria. When Valentina comes in, he quickly pretends to be asleep.
Over at Esteban's, he's lounging on his bed reading a magazine when he hears a door click out in the apartment. He's instantly alert, and reaches down to the bottom bedside table drawer, and we see the man keeps an automatic pistol there! He loads a cartridge into it and stealthily leaves the room. With a big sigh of disgust he sees it's just Mauricio. Mauricio laughs and says, what, you're going to shoot me? Well, I could have -- why didn't you call before coming at this hour?! Mauricio has just come from doing Esteban's bidding and meeting and making friends with Sergio. Now all this has got Mauricio curious about who's the owner of the new Queretaro business complex. He asks Esteban -- Is it Andres Rivera? Esteban pauses, and declares Yes, it's Andres Rivera. Are you surprised? Not really, Sergio suspects it, too. He's trying to get to the bottom of the San Roman business failure. But Esteban, I want to know, would Andres go so far as to kill Sergio's uncle? Esteban assures him, Andres would do anything.
It's the next morning, and we see Andres getting into his private jet. One guess as to where he's going.
Over at Laura's, Beatriz is just getting out of the shower and gazing thoughtfully at her visage in the mirror. That sweet, melancholy theme from yesterday's scene at the store patio with Luis is playing, and I'm beginning to identify this music with her. Laura knocks at the door and wants to know how Beatriz is feeling today, and if she'd rather Laura stayed home with her. But Beatriz is going to work. She doesn't want to let Laura and Luis down. You really think I can find a little happiness? Laura smiles and assures her she can. Trust me, I'm a sorceress, remember? she says with a wink. After she leaves, Beatriz returns to the mirror and tells herself, I should be able to find a morsel of happiness, why not? Have a little courage. On Laura's way out of the vecinidad, she stops by Lolita's and asks her to sort of take Beatriz under her wing at work. You have such a happy-go-lucky personality. I've never seen you down. Introduce her to some nice boys. Lolita laughs, saying if I knew some boys, I'd keep them to myself! They both laugh. Lolita will try to help Beatriz. Later on at the store, Lolita goes to have a coffee in the cafeteria and gives Beatriz a little pep talk.
Valentina wakes up to an empty bed. Going downstairs, she's at least pleased that Laura has come today. She tells her to wait, that she has a letter to take to someone, and she wants her to go with her. When they get out in the car, Laura's getting worried at the neighborhood their in, and looks even more worried when Valentina shows her the address.
In Victoria's hospital room, the physician is telling her her progress is excellent, but she can't go home quite yet. And by the way, I have never met a boss as generous and concerned as yours. Victoria can't get enthused and answers, Well, if you say so. The doctor leaves, and Julia just gets the door shut when there's a knock. She opens it, and it's Andres Rivera. Surprise! Cut to commercial. When we get back, he and Victoria are having a heart to heart. He earnestly wants to know why she refuses everything he gives her. She says she doesn't, just the wedding bands. They were too personal. Andres avows Luis is such a lucky man. Now Victoria really wants to know why he and even his wife take such an avid interest in her personal life. I find it very odd!
In a restaurant somewhere, I think it's breakfast Mauricio and Esteban are having. Mauricio, exhibiting his basically good-guy personality, is fervently trying to convince Esteban it may be dangerous for him to keep working with Andres, under the circumstances. He's afraid Andres might kill Esteban and wants Esteban to take what money he's got and leave. Put it into some separate business. But Esteban says he isn't afraid of the great Andres Rivera, and that it isn't time to get out. He thinks he's got plenty of opportunity yet. (I enjoyed watching Mauricio in this scene; his eyes and face were very soft and vulnerable with worry. Anybody know who that actor is?)
Back at the hospital room, Andres is trying to explain his and Valentina's odd behavior to Victoria. Well, my wife and I were both worried about the truly horrible accident. And she came partly to make up for her previous behavior. But the accident was the fault of a Rivera employee. Here Victoria begs to differ and insists nobody should have been fired over an accident. Andres wants to know if he should give the guy his job back, and Victoria says definitely. The phone rings, and it was Esteban, saying he's on his way from the airport. Andres takes his leave.
Valentina and Laura finally arrive at their destination -- which is the vecinidad, of course, because the letter's for Luis from Victoria, if you remember from that weird visit yesterday. Well, Laura is working incognito as a poor relative of Dr. Reyes, and not a nurse, and doesn't want to be recognized by anyone at the vecinidad in Valentina's presence. So she feigns temporary ill health. Valentina is happy for Laura to rest and feel better and goes up by herself. Luis is stuffing a tortilla in his mouth, I think, when he answers the door. And is he surprised to see Valentina. He recovers sufficiently, though, to ask her in and offer her a seat. She gives him the letter and explains about the visit to the hospital. I'm sure he's still perplexed, but is just polite about it. Valentina is also respectful of Luis, addressing him with Usted, even though she actually met him before she did Victoria, and she "tu"ed Victoria yesterday. She says, Frankly, I was so curious to meet the man who is in love with Victoria. You are in love with her, aren't you? she asks earnestly. He answers, Yes. You can't imagine how much! I adore her. She's the light of my life. Valentina just gushes with relief! I can't tell you how happy that makes me -- for Victoria, too, of course. They say a polite farewell, and she leaves.
Outside the hospital, Esteban gets out of the airport shuttle van and is accosted by Andres. I've been waiting for you. I don't want you to fire Victoria, he says. Esteban is confused all the way around. Why? I don't have to explain. I'll be at the (Guadalajara) store.
Back at Luis's, Maru comes in and wants to know who the elegant lady was. He explains and reads her nice things from Victoria's letter. Lidia comes in and Maru tells her about the lady. Lidia says she saw an expensive car outside. Is it someone Victoria's family knew? Luis gets serious. No, it's the wife of Andres Rivera, the owner of Rivera Stores. A concerned look passes between the two adults.
Valentina gets back in the car, and Laura asks about her visit. Valentina admits there's a girl named Victoria San Roman living there. Sometimes she thinks there's something going on between her and her husband. Hard to tell what Laura's thinking.
Matias is in a makeup chair at the studio and the makeup person is trying hard to work on him, but Jovita is making a perfect nuisance of herself. She's the one in charge of Matias's image! Matias asks her to please go sit over there somewhere, and Jovita goes off in a huff. But the makeup person's relieved and so is Matias.
Esteban comes up to Victoria's hospital room and lies about having seen Andres outside. He was here? he asks. Victoria says yes, and she's decided on something. She doesn't want to work at the store anymore! Esteban only makes a token resistance. He wants to know if she plans on getting married without any money. I didn't say I wasn't going to work at all, just not at Rivera Stores. Esteban says he'll back her up on whatever she wants to do.
Valentina gets home and Sandra's waiting. She makes her wait longer while taking Laura up and putting her to bed. Laura said she was not feeling well. Laura protests she's feeling better now, but Valentina's determined. A little later, Valentina and Sandra talk while walking on the lawn, and Sandra's not happy at all to hear that things are going so well between Valentina and Andres, according to Valentina anyway. Sandra tries to cast some doubt on Laura.
At Manuel's office, he's merrily rubber stamping a pile of documents and humming "The Impossible Dream," I think. The secretary wants to know what's up with him, and he plays coy. He's not telling, but he wants to really badly, and his office mates play along and badger him. Finally he divulges that soon he will be the father in law of Roberto (they are on a first name basis!), and Manuel's going to have more pull around there! The office mates decide to butter him up. Manuel's delighted when the secretary huddles close. Seems like the secretary should have at least a doubt or two, since she answers all Roberto's calls from his women.
Esteban meets Andres at the store's offices in Guadalajara, and Andres is surprised to find out that now Victoria doesn't want to work for Rivera anymore. Back in her hospital room, Victoria mentions to Julia that it's strange Esteban seemed so acquiescent about her quitting. She remembers the horrible phone call that night that made her dad so upset. He was yelling to someone about Andres Rivera ruining him. Thinking about it, Victoria decides that it's actually not quite the time to quit Rivera Enterprises yet. She, Andres and Esteban are all going to have whiplash, this situation has changed so often and so quickly!
In a complete change of scene, it appears that Don Abel is a tailor, and we see him at work in his tailor shop. Pan Dulce is there, too. Abel takes a call from someone with whom he's very obsequious. I'm amazed, considering the terrible suits Abel has worn, that he's a tailor. That must be the joke.
In a very sweet scene, Luis listens to Maru say her prayers, and Maru talks to her mother, in heaven, who can help Victoria and make them all happy together. It makes Luis cry. They have a funny little moment when he pulls her socks off before tucking her in and makes believe they're really stinky. Then after he turns the light off and shuts the door, Luis gets a fright when Lidia is standing right there on the other side of the door. She's been crying, too, listening to Maru talk to her daughter. She agrees her daughter might be helping them, and she wants to reassert her desire to help them, too. Lidia and Luis have a nice hug, and he thanks her. Tears all around -- me too!
Jose Joaquin visits Sandra in her office, and Sandra is livid about Laura. She's sure that Dr. Reyes is keeping an eye on Valentina through Laura, and that her being a relative is all a front. They both agree that they have to get rid of Laura. (Uh oh! Well, that won't be easy. Laura's tough.) Back at the Rivera's, Laura's not sleeping, of course. She's on the phone to Dr. Reyes and gets caught at it when Valentina comes in. Valentina's surprised she calls a relative "Usted," but Laura's quick thinking. She lies that she wasn't talking to Alvaro, but rather her own gynecologist. Valentina's appeased, and wants to chat. She likes Laura and thinks she's a nice woman. As a matter of fact, she trusts her so much, she's going to let her meet David. With some trepidation, Laura enters David's room as Valentina calls out for him. Will he show up? (Boy, I would like to see Laura see him, too! he he) Music up, credits roll, and tune in tomorrow morning!