Sánchez
tells Nicolás that they have to acount for all of EcoModa's
property prior to placing the lien. Bertha tells Sofía that
she has figured out how to get Patricia to undergo a pregnancy
test and finally figure out if she's faking or not. The
banks start calling EcoModa since the Chamber of Commerce bulletin
announcing the lien by TerraModa has already been published.
Betty does her best to keep them at bay. Nicolás tells
Betty that the process has started against EcoModa. There's
no going back. Bertha tells Gutiérrez that Patricia hasn't
had any of the blood tests required of all new employees and that
she isn't covered by a health plan -- "a big problem should
she have an accident at work." Gutiérrez tells
Patricia to have the tests done. She of course doesn't want
to get them done, but tough luck... Even Marcela won't get
her out of this one.
Marcela
asks Armando if he's okay since she thinks he's looking pretty bad
lately. He tells her that, as usual, he is worried about the
upcoming launch. She bids him goodbye and goes on her merry
way to pick up Armando's parents at the airport. Betty gets
a call from Wilson saying that someone is waiting for her.
She tells Armando that the paperwork for the lien by TerraModa
against EcoModa have arrived. Mario asks who is delivering
the paperwork and Betty answers that Nicolás Mora, a friend, is
making the delivery. Mario gets very worried and asks
Armando if he knows who Nicolás is -- whether he can be trusted.
Armando tells him that Nicolás is a classmate of Betty's, a
neighbor who is working with her at TerraModa. Nicolás
gives Betty the paperwork and tells her that the judge is going to
send a court official to perform an inventory of EcoModa's
property. He tells her that this cannot be avoided and that
there's no way to know when it will happen. The phone rings
in Presidencia and since Betty isn't there to answer it, Armando
yells out her name... Mario warns him to stop yelling at
"el monstrete" because from this moment forward she owns
EcoModa.
Mario asks Betty about her meeting with the
lawyer he recommended and she tells him about the meeting.
Mario reminds her to make sure that everything is handled very
carefully. Betty explains that everything is going well, and
drops the bomb about the inventory. Armando has one of his
fits of hysteria and starts yelling at Betty for not taking care
of avoiding this, Betty explains that this is something that is
beyond their control. She is obviously ticked off at Armando
and goes to her office. Mario tells Armando that Betty is
right and that it is important that he stop yelling at Betty.
Armando goes to Betty's office and asks her
if she has prepared the payment projections... She tells him
that she has them. Armando then, very calmly, starts to talk
to her and tell her that she needs to understand that these are
very tough times for him, that he's going to be upset, that he has
given his company to her. Armando hugs her and tells her
that he is fearful that they will be found out, that he won't be
able to save the company, but Betty comforts him and tells him
that she will take care of everything, that she will be behind him
100%, that they'll work together and be able to conquer it all.
Armando takes a hold of Betty's hands and tells her that she is
the motor that runs his life, and that together with love they'll
be able to fly above it all, do great things, fly over the ocean,
the mountains... Betty tells him: yes, doctor, we'll
go hand in hand, safeguarding one another, you and me against the
world, until death do us part, doctor... Did you really
think that this happened? Sorry!! Another dream
courtesy of Betty's fertile imagination!
As
usual, reality bites and Betty wakes up to find Armando yelling at
her since they have to go to the banks. Sofía's husband
arrives to talk to her. Aura María calls Sofía to let her
know... Inesita warns Sofía about keeping a clear head.
Everyone, including Patricia, el Cuartel, Freddy and Efraín, is
surprised at the new, calm Sofía.
In
the meantime, Roberto asks Marcela how badly hurt EcoModa came out
of the previous collection. She tells him that the company
can withstand the losses, but that it is best if he talks directly
with Armando. Armando and Betty are talking to one of the
bank managers, Dr. Contreras, who tells them that the bank is
going to start a process against EcoModa...
Armando tries to reach an agreement with the bank official,
telling him that a very important company has taken over EcoModa
and that he'd like to work out a payment agrement. Betty
does her song and dance about how EcoModa will be able to meet its
outstanding debts, however Dr. Contreras wants more insurance than
that. However, there's nothing else to give since EcoModa is
now in the hands of TerraModa. Armando begs him to be
discrete and not make a big scandal about what he's just found out
-- and assures him that EcoModa will pay as promised. Betty
asks Contreras to consider her proposal.
Marcela
tells Margarita that Armando has been behaving very well these
past few days, hasn't been cheating on her, and is right now with
Beatriz -- which helps her to be at ease. Daniel arrives to
say hello to Armando's parents. Betty and Armando also
arrive and Armando asks her to prepare a report to outline the
payment plan to the banks, as well as an overall report of the
company's financial picture and have it ready the next morning.
Betty tells him that she has already prepared those reports and
Armando congratulates her for being so efficient. Claudia
Bosch walks into Armando's office and asks him to speak to him in
private. He tries to tell her that he can't, and for extra
security hugs Betty's shoulder to prevent her from leaving.
However, Betty tells Armando that she has work to do and leaves
him all alone with Claudia -- which does not please Armandito one
bit. Claudia asks Armando to get rid of Betty so they can
spend the night together again. Armando tells her that he
has a lot of stuff to do, that he's busy and doesn't have time to
be with her. She tells him that she'll let him be if he
kisses her, which he does and Betty overhears the whole thing.
Marcela calls Patricia to ask her if Armando is at work because
his cell phone is off and she can't reach him. Patricia
tells her that he has just arrived with el Garfio...
Patricia is on her way to Armando's office, which prompts Bertha's
radar to go into action and alert Sofía to call
Betty to let her know that Patricia is on her way and might catch
Armando in a "compromising" position. Armando is
still going to town with Claudia, when Betty comes out and tells
Armando that she has a message for him. Armando, because he
really is at heart an idiot apparently, gets mad at Betty for
interrupting... Patricia gives Armando the messages and
knows something is amiss since his hair is all messed up.
Freddy
talks to Hugo to tell him that to ensure that the next collection
goes perfectly, he needs to allow Jenny to model! Hugo makes
fun of Freddy. Bertha's husband calls her to let her know
that he is back from his trip and wants to see the car she
bought with the six million pesos he left with her. Bertha
is a tad nervous, to say the least. Betty finishes one of
her unending series of reports about the state of EcoModa and
tells Mario and Armando about the projections for payments to the
creditors, which will only work if the next four collections are a
success. Mario tells Armando that there is just no way that
they'll be able to meet their outstanding debts and that the only
thing left to do is for Armando to save EcoModa and see what else
he can do afterwards. Betty recommends that they pursue a
strategy that includes exporting the merchandise to try to get rid
of the stuff from the failed collections.
After Betty goes home, Mario keeps talking
to Armando about the dire situation at EcoModa, how Betty's
projections state that they must fulfill all their outstanding
debts within the next year, and that if things continue going the
way they are prior to the end of that year Armando will have to
turn over the presidency to Daniel. However, there WON'T be
a company to give Daniel to preside, since it now belongs to Miss
Universe also known as the beautiful "genie."
Mario begins to plant the seeds of doubt regarding Armando's blind
trust of Betty... Armando tells Mario that he does trust
Betty, that she is completely trustworthy, that any time that he
asks for the company back she'd return it without batting an
eyelash. Mario tells Armando to be very careful of the way
he treats Betty, since ALL of them (Armando, Mario, the Valencias,
the Mendozas) are in her hands.
The new and svelte Bertha gets home and is
greeted by her Gordito. He inquires after the car since he's
bought her a gift for it. Bertha has to confess about the
lipo surgery which has the effect of making her husband faint dead
away.
Armando is greeted at his parents' home by
stern requests from Daniel and Roberto for an extraordinary board
meeting. Armando does not accept their demand, using as a
reason the company's regulations and statutes -- the next meeting
won't be until September. Margarita and Marcela support
Armando's point of view. They stress that it will be then
that Armando's one year term as President of EcoModa will come to
an end and it won't be fair to have a meeting prior to that
anniversary. Roberto agrees to not have the meeting, but
tells Armando that he MUST see a report of the losses from the
previous collection, as well as the plans for future growth.
Betty
talks to Nicolás about all the problems and EcoModa and he tells
her that she must be very careful of where she hides the lien
papers because if the Mendozas and Valencias were to find out
there would be a major scandal. Betty tells Nicolás that
they would have a double whammy of bad news: first about the
lien on the company and WORSE that it is she who placed the lien
and owns the company. Nicolás says that if they were to
realize the truth about Betty's role, they would have to treat her
like a princess. Betty, as always mocking her own
"ugliness," tells Nicolás that they would have to treat
her as the Princess of the Uglies. Nicolás starts to make
comments about what Betty could do with all the money involved but
Betty reminds him that she would NEVER do any such thing or keep
the company for herself.
The next morning, Patricia goes to the lab
to have her blood tests taken care of. Bertha tells her
friends about the encounter with her husband. Armando tells
Betty about the big mess he's now in since Daniel and Roberto are
demanding the reports about the losses and projections, as well as
the thankfully failed demand for a board meeting. Armando
asks Betty to prepare a doctored report regarding the previous
collection so that the losses won't be as bad as they actually
were. Betty, as usual, accepts to cover up for Armando.
Bertha calls the lab and impersonates Patricia to ask if they
could please also do a pregnancy test. The nurse tells her
that they will and that the results will be ready tomorrow.
The
phone rings at Betty's home and her mother
answers it... She looks surprised to hear that someone is asking
about TerraModa. Don Hermes looks at her and yells out that
yes, that's the name of the company so she answers TerraModa --
and is once again surprised to be asked about Dr. Mora. It
is Dr. Sánchez who wants to know when he can reach Nicolás.
To his inquiry as to who she is, Julia responds that she is Nicolás'
"secretary"... Speaking of the devil, Nicolás
arrives and Don Hermes gives him the third degree about where he
has been, and that the phone is ringing incessantly between 8 am
and 6 pm, and that all the calls are for TerraModa and he wants to
know what to do about it. Nicolás apologizes and says that
he was out running an important errand. He also asks if they
notice any changes in his appearance. He then points to his
pants and Doña Julia makes the comment about whether his mom
finally got around to mending his pants! Nicolás looks to
make sure there aren't any "problems" with his pants and
then says that the real change is his new cell phone. Don
Hermes wants to know if TerraModa will be covering his cell phone
expenses and Nicolás answers that "of course."
Nicolás then proceeds to make a phone call from his cell phone --
to Betty's house! Doña Julia answers the phone and asks
who's calling -- Nicolás tells her it's him. Don Hermes
gets mad and tells him to turn off the phone and reminds him about
how expensive cell phone calls are. He also tells him that
he's very confused about the large amounts of money in TerraModa's
account at Banco Montreal and wants to know if the bank lent that
money to TerraModa. Nicolás plays innocent and says that he
has no idea since it was a deal between Betty, Armando and the
bank. The phone rings again... It's Dr. Sánchez for
Nicolás again. He tells him that he's in court and that it
looks like the lien on EcoModa's inventory is going forward.
Nicolás tells him that this cannot happen and that he must stop
any such action. Sánchez tells him that it's too late and
that he was only calling him to warn him and to tell him that it
would be done in the strictest confidence. He also tells him
that he's on his way to EcoModa and will keep in touch.
In
EcoModa, Betty gives Armando the report for his meeting with the
Board. He tells her, as usual, taht he won't have time to
familiarize himself with the information so that she should be
ready to discuss it at the meeting. Betty's phone starts
ringing and Armando tells her that it's more important to make
copies of the report than answer the phone. Betty leaves...
Since the phone won't stop ringing, Armando picks it up and finds
himself ear to ear with Nicolás. Armando tells him that
Betty isn't there and asks who's calling. Nicolás
identifies himself and tells Armando that it is urgent that he
speak to Betty, that he needs her to call him back as soon as
possible at home or on his cell phone. Armando tells him
that he can't be bothered to leave a message for Betty!
Don
Hermes walks in on Nicolás resting on Betty's bed, and complains
that while HE is working, Nicolás is sleeping. Nicolás
answers that he's not sleeping, he's meditating. Don Hermes
wants to know why Nicolás is acting so strangely since he
received the phone call from Sánchez and why he said something
about "holding his horses." Nicolás answers that
he was just repeating a line from a movie he saw when he was a
kid. Don Hermes tells him to stop saying inane stuff and
Nicolás responds that a messenger is asking for money and they
don't have funds to cover the request. Don Hermes asks if
Dr. Sánchez is that someone and Nicolás answers that he must be
working as a messenger since so many attorneys are out of work.
Bertja
asks Freddy to go get Patricia's blood work results at the lab...
Armando
explains to Mario about how Betty combined the losses and profits
from the past two collections into a doctored report to present to
the Board. Roberto and Margarita arrive at EcoModa...
Margarita asks Aura María if she's still single and looking for
the man of her dreams. Marcela helpfully states that Aura
María is looking very hard...
In
the meantime, Armando and Mario are singing praises about Betty's
latest creative accounting, the phone starts ringing again.
Mario finally gets fed up at the incesant ringing and tells
Armando to answer it. Armando answers and of course it's
Nicolás again. Nicolás again tells him that it's urgent
that he speak with Betty. Armando asks if the urgency
involves that Betty's parents have died. Nicolás answers
no. Betty arrives and Armando complains about Nicolás'
calls. Nicolás complains to Betty about having to make so
many calls from his cell phone. Betty tells him that she
doesn't have time to chat -- but Nicolás tells her about the lien
and Sánchez' impending arrival at EcoModa... Armando finds
out that his parents are on their way AND Betty tells him about
the lien. You can guess Armando's reaction to the news...
Daniel
arrives and is greeted by a lollipop sucking Wilson. Right
on Daniel's heels we see Sánchez and some other guy (from the
court). Daniel greets everyone and asks Cata if she's going
to once again be in charge of the publicity for the fashion show
-- and tells her he's surprised that she's back since he thought
she had a reputation to protect. Cata cuts him off by saying
that she believes in what Armando is trying to accomplish.
Sánchez
and company run into Armando and Betty as they get off the
elevator on the first floor. Armando tells them that they
MUST be as discreet as possible and they respond that they will of
course be. Sánchez is surprised to realize that Betty works
at EcoModa and asks her why she hadn't mentioned this to him
before. She says that she's been working for EcoModa for a
while and that she had lent money to Armando which had never been
paid back to her. She also says that he should go ahead with
the process while she tries to reach an agreement with Armando.
Betty escorts Sánchez and the other guy to production and tells
the employees that they are from an insurance company and need to
do an inventory of the equipment, and asks for their full
cooperation. Sánchez tells the other guy that Betty is good
people. The other guy thinks the whole situation is a bit
strange. Sánchez agrees, but that it's of no concern to
him. Sánchez hands his coat to one of the seamstresses so
that she'll MEND IT for him!
At
the board meeting, Roberto wants to know who Sánchez and his
companion were. Armando gives him the story about them being
from an insurance company. Daniel says that the only
insurance the company needs is against Armando destroying it.
Roberto tells Daniel to shut up, that he's not there to listen to
that kind of talk.
Wilson
tells Aura María that the two gentlemen are at EcoModa to place a
lien on the company. Betty overhears this and SCREAMS at him
to come talk to her. He asks him if he's ever had the
nightmare that someone was about to tear his head off and then
placed it in a box. He answers that he has and wonders why
Betty wants to know. She tells him that his nightmare will
come true if Armando finds out what he's been saying to Aura María.
She also adds that it is all a misunderstanding that has already
been cleared up. AND asks Aura María not to say a word to
anyone about Wilson's comment.
Betty
goes to the boardroom and Armando asks her to present the report.
Meanwhile, Hugo arrives and Patricia tells him that he's wanted in
the boardroom. He says that he's in no mood to sit in on a
borin meeting and that until "those people" start
talking about nice things, he's no longer going to attend their
meetings.
Betty
explains that once the next collection is launched, the financial
situation will again be rosy. Daniel responds that this will
only be true if the report she's presenting is not doctored.
Roberto tells Daniel to stop with his comments... Daniel has
the last word saying that no matter what, Armando will not be able
to meet his goals.
Patricia
goes into the boardroom with the menus for lunch. Daniel
stares at her, looking scared. She gives him a menu and asks
him when he's going to acknowledge that her son is his!
Daniel tells her that this is neither the place nor time to talk
about this subject. Patricia doesn't let go and tells him
that she has already had the child's DNA tested and that the kid
is definitely HIS!! Then she asks her son, Danielito -- the
spitting image of Daniel in a business suit and slicked back hair,
to come in and show Daniel the papers that prove that he is a
Valencia. Daniel doesn't want to look at the child or the
papers. The boy tells him "look, daddy, I am your
son." Roberto tells Daniel that those papers prove
beyond a doubt that the child is his; Margarita tells him that he
has to step up to the plate and that Patricia does not deserve for
him to treat her badly; Marcela tells him that Patricia is her
best friend and that she'll never forgive him if he doesn't live
up to his responsibilities. Armando and Betty have these
very happy expressions on their faces during this whole exchange.
Patricia tells Daniel not to worry, that what she'll do is make
sure that all of Colombia knows the real man behind the title of
director of the Economic Resources Board. Of course, this
has all been a daydream of Daniel's... However, at the mere
sight of Patricia he does start sweating bullets and Roberto asks
him if he's alright. Daniel says that nothing is wrong.
Patricia keeps giving out the menus and giving Daniel killer
looks. Daniel can only blot the sweat from his forehead...
The
Cuartel goes to el Corrientazo for lunch and Sofía tells them
that Freddy is on his way to get the blood test results for
Patricia's pregnancy test. Inesita tells them that she
cannot believe that they are doing this just to prove that
Patricia is lying. Aura María tells her that if she doesn't
want to be a part of it, to just cover her earas. Bertha
starts to order a feast for lunch but her friends won't let her.
Inesita comments that what they're doing, regarding Patricia,
isn't ethical. Sandra says that if Patricia is pregnant,
they won't say a word. But if she's not pregnant, they will
tell Mario the truth and then everyone will know what is ethical
and what's unethical.
Back
in the boardroom, Patricia is taking the lunch orders and
collecting the menus from everyone. She's standing by Mario
and asks him to help her. It is now time for Mario to
daydream... She hadns him a baby and tells him to help her
because she is working. The baby's name is Marito.
Armando tells her that they're in the middle of a meeting.
Patricia says that the baby is not only hers, he is also Mario's
and asks Mario to help finish feeding him a bottle while she takes
the lunch orders. Mario is trying to do everything and
anything to make the baby be quiet, but all he does is cry.
Patricia tells him not to let the baby cry (Mario's face is
hysterical). Mario finally comes out of his trance and gives
Patricia his lunch order. She, very harshly, thanks him very
much for his "help."
Hugo
finally makes his way to the meeting and asks Patricia to get him
a salad because he's gained too much weight and if he doesn't lose
weight he's going to end up a "spinster." He asks
Daniel what he thinks and Daniel says that he looks better when
he's heavy. Hugo wants to talk about the new collection, but
is distracted and asks Catalina how she stays so svelte. She
tells him that it is an ongoing battle and that she just tries to
eat moderately. In addition, she says that for many people,
overeating is a psychological issue...
And
speaking of the battle of the bulge, Bertha is watching her
friends have the lunch that she wishes she could have ordered.
Mariana says that she feels awkward with Bertha staring at her and
tries to give her part of her lunch. Bertha wants to eat
Sandra's leftovers... Inestia asks the waiter to clear the
plates of those who are through eating to avoid tempting Bertha.
Bertha screams that no one is noticing that she's starving!
Aura María says that it is best to leave...
The
Cuartel is back at EcoModa and Bertha says taht she can't stand it
anymore, when they see Patricia looking at herself in the
mirror... Sofía tells Bertha
to think of that image any time that she feels she can't go on
with her diet. Bertha goes to the bathroom. The
Cuartel keeps talking about Bertha and Sandra says that they have
to support her and go on a diet with her.
Betty catches
up with Sánchez and takes them all over EcoModa. Sánchez
tells her that all of this could one day be hers... |