I'm trying my hardest to get where I really want to be, no worries! It'll be worth it! Just sit tight!
(I do not own this Novela)
Chapter 7
Franco and Oscar sat at their kitchen table, both of their minds engrossed in that beautiful woman they witnessed on the Elizondo Ranch, who happened to be the mysterious Norma Elizondo, the older sister of Sarita and Jimena. Franco wondered even more. He understands Jimena and Norma but Sarita? How is that possible? Both Jimena and Norma are beautiful compared to Sarita. He shrugged. Perhaps the poor girl wasn't as loved as the other two. Poor plain Jane.
"We finally got to meet her," said Franco, sipping his drink. "I imagined her to be different."
He really thought she'd be a lot blander and stuck up like her younger sister.
"She is different than we thought." agreed Oscar. " I have never seen such a beautiful woman before. She even impressed Juan. Did you see how he looked at her?"
Franco nodded and took another sip of his hot drink. His older brother did act a bit strange when he saw that woman. This worried Franco.
The next day, the three met Norma again. Franco felt Juan go stiff as a board when he saw her walking behind her husband, who came to the brothers to discuss the plans for the cottage.
After Oscar described the plans to Fernando, he and his wife left, but Norma kept stealing looks at the brothers behind her.
Franco noticed Juan staring after her and commented about the young woman's beauty.
"Yeah." agreed Oscar. "He's a lucky man."
Juan stayed quiet while his brothers tore their eyes from Fernando's wife and landed them on their older brother.
"Franco, I don't understand what is up with Juan." whispered Oscar. "I'm getting very worried about him."
Later that night, the brothers make their way back home. Oscar couldn't take it anymore regarding Juan's behavior and told Franco that it's time to confront their older brother in fear that Juan could be up to something that could endanger them.
Oscar opens their bedroom door as sees Juan sitting at the foot of his bed. He didn't look like himself. This worried both younger brothers.
"Juan." Oscar begins to say while entering their bedroom and sitting on his own bed. "Why don't you tell us what's bothering you, man?"
Franco enters but stands near the door, his blue eyes staring at his older brother with great concern.
"We're afraid for you." confesses Oscar. "We're very worried. We're afraid you're going to do something crazy."
Juan doesn't answer but raises his head at Oscar. Franco furrows his brow.
"If this goes on, Juan", adds Oscar, "we won't return to that damn ranch. I mean it."
Juan glares at Oscar and finally breaks his silence.
"We'll go back." he says, his tone serious. "Because I agree with you."
Oscar's eyes widened and shot a look at Franco, who's heart began to race.
"I won't kill anyone." Juan softly says. "We'll do the exactly the same thing Bernardo Elizondo did to Libia."
Oscar begins to smile wickedly. Franco glares at the both of them. He's horrified at the words coming out of his mouth.
"We're going to seduce the hell out of those girls. And lie to them."
Franco couldn't believe this. Just a few days ago, both he and Juan were against this insane plan. Now he's all in? Hell, what has gotten into him?
Just by hearing all this, Franco did the only thing he could think of and left his brothers. He was off to the bar to let off some steam. And he knew exactly who could help him.
Franco met with Rosario, who seemed a little confused to see him from how they ended things the last time she saw him.
"If you can't tell me what is going on with your brothers, at least let me help you." she tells him, walking over to her vanity while Franco follows her like a lost puppy.
"I could lend you the money you need to be more independent." she offered.
"I don't need money," he told her, his eyes roaming her over. "I need your love and you're not so generous about that."
Rosario sits down on her vanity chair and rolls her eyes. She turns to get back up.
"I won't commit myself to any man. How can I make you understand that?"
Franco is hurt by her refusal but he can't help but insist. Rosario strides over to her closet to choose another outfit for her next number.
"I will stop seeing my brothers just for you." he promised, hoping she can give in.
Rosario turns away from her closet and sees that Franco has his back to her. She gives him an empathic look and slowly walks behind him.
"Franco…" she lamented, placing her hands softly on his shoulders. "Franco, honey, don't hurt yourself because of me."
She turns him over to face her.
"Learn to manage your situation. You have to be more confident."
In the midst of his anguish and her embrace, the door opens and Rosario is told by her stylist that someone is waiting for her outside.
A rich gentleman. Franco was already aware.
Franco watches Rosario walk away from him in a hurry. She claims that she was invited to a private party and doesn't have the time to change. Rosario throws on a jacket and kisses a torn Franco on the cheek before leaving.
Franco is left alone with her stylist who warned him about getting his hopes up. He left the bar, feeling the complete opposite of what he truly wanted. Rosario's tender love and care.
He stumbled onto the sofa, feeling the world crumble around him. He drew out an exasperated sigh and he heard the bedroom door open. A shirtless Oscar sits by him on the sofa across from Franco, and looks at him with pity.
"You know what time it is?" asked Oscar.
"Who cares?" grumbled Franco, covering his eyes. He felt like his head was going to split from all the drama.
"Franco, you need to start taking care of yourself, man."
Franco ignored him.
"You need to sleep. Rest. That woman is killing you."
"Don't worry." snapped Franco, dreading what he was going to say next. "I won't even think about her anymore. If she sees other men? Why can't I see other women? Even if it were one of the Elizondo sisters."
Oscar's frown quickly turned into a knowing smile. He looked at his younger brother with incredible interest and adoration. Franco sat up and faced his brother. His somber mood lightened up.
"Oscar", he says strongly, "I accept your offer too."
He extends his hand to Oscar who gleefully shook it.
Franco sat back, convincing himself that what he was about to do to any of the two free sisters would not only fulfil his promise he made on his sister's grave, but also take his mind off Rosario. Let's see which of the two Elizondos will fall on his lap. And it better not be, Sarita. Oh god, he hopes it's not. Oscar or Juan can take care of that one.
The next day, the Reyes were back at the ranch. Juan and Oscar were still digging ditches at the back while Franco was left to fetch more supplies in the front of the mansion. While he lifts a sack of what could be sand or cement, Jimena comes out from her house. She spots Franco struggling with the bag and decides to walk over to him. Franco becomes distracted by her long legs which were bare because of her jean mini skirt, and accidentally drops the bag on his foot.
He groans in pain and Jimena rushes over to him.
"Oh my god, are you hurt?" she exclaims. "Are you alright?"
"It hurts." groaned Franco as he tore the bag off his foot.
"Do you need me to call your brothers?"
"No!" he shouted. "It's okay! I don't want to worry them. I think I'll go into the changing room and see what I can find."
"You want me to come with you?" Jimena asked innocently.
"Yes." groaned Franco, hunching over.
Jimena instructs Franco to throw his arm over her shoulders so she can help him walk to the changing room. Franco looks over her head and sees Oscar smirking devilishly at him. Franco winks slightly back at him and continues walking with Jimena. The two finally make it to the changing room. Jimena helps him sit and he begs her for some rubbing alcohol that's in the bathroom. Jimena runs for the bathroom and Franco takes the opportunity to take off his pants. Jimena comes back with what he wanted, and eyes him curiously.
"Why are you taking off your pants?" she asks, walking slowly to him when he sat down only in his gray briefs.
"So I can give myself a massage." he answers. "Would you help me please? It hurts right here."
He points at his left thigh. And she timidly walks over to him and kneels beside him.
"Which leg is it?" she asks, quite unsure on what she's really supposed to be doing.
He hesitates and then points again at his left thigh. Jimena smiles awkwardly and begins to apply the rubbing alcohol on where he seemed to be hurting.
"Does it hurt a lot?" she asked him.
"Yes." he responded quickly. "It hurts like hell. Careful."
He groaned when her soft hands touched his thigh. Jimena jumped back to her feet in surprise.
Franco grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving.
"No, you're doing fine. Go on."
Jimena smiled and knelt back down. Before setting her hands back on his thigh, she observed his legs.
"You must do a lot of sports", she said nervously, "Your legs are quite strong."
Franco stared at her. Man, was she pretty and naive.
"But they're not as pretty as your hands." he told her and she blushed while massaging his thigh. He bit back a moan when he felt her fingers knead him tenderly. "You make me feel like I'm in heaven, you know?"
Jimena giggled nervously.
"Your girlfriend wouldn't want you to say things like that." she said, still giggling.
Just then Rosario's face popped in his head, but then remembered to stick to the seduction plan.
"I don't have a girlfriend." he told her. "I'm free just like my brothers."
Jimena looked surprised.
"None of you are married?"
"None of us."
Jimena shot him a suspicious look. "That's weird. Because you're all very handsome."
Franco lent down to meet her eyes, which twinkled like stars. She had very beautiful doe eyes he'd ever seen.
He told her, "Well… that's because we still haven't met a beautiful woman like you."
Jimena giggled bashfully as Franco softly tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear.
The moment was then broken when Franco heard Jimena's mother calling her. They quickly separated when Gabriela's voice kept getting closer. Franco pulled up his pants, took the rubbing alcohol, and locked himself in the bathroom while Jimena left to see her mother.
That was a close one.
Franco almost told Oscar about what could've happened between him and Jimena if her mother didn't disrupt them. There's one thing Franco can be sure about… he was damn glad it was Jimena and not bland, stuck up, Sarita. With that one, things would go nowhere and he had no idea on how to talk to her without wanting to choke her. That girl seemed so vicious.
Instead of telling Oscar, he listened to him. Oscar kept telling him that Juan was not himself. They even got more concerned when Juan decided to face Gabriela for more help, which earned him a boot out the door. He was grumbling back to his brothers when Eva trailed after him, wanting to have a word with him and his brothers.
In the changing room, Eva was pacing from her nerves which were getting the best of her.
"You may think I'm crazy and that I don't know what I'm doing." she says, her wrinkled hands shaking. "You shouldn't be going anymore with this. It doesn't make sense. You need to stop!"
The three brothers just watch her and are fed up with her rambling.
"How can you say all this when it was you who opened the door to us?" snapped Oscar, his cat-like eyes sharp.
"It was a mistake!" she cried. "I was scared and confused! I wanted Gabriela to pay for all the hurt she caused Libia. But now I changed my mind. I'm scared of what you will do to her and her family!"
The brothers all swore to her that they weren't going to physically harm any of them. That she needn't worry, because their plans have changed for the better. All Eva could do was worry even more and step back to let the Reyes' plan unravel, for it has already begun.
It pained me to write about what happened between Jimena and Franco. I was a bit upset with him because he wasn't hurt at all. Naughty. Anyways... chapter 8 will be ready soon!