Short chapter but I tried to make it juicy... well I don't know! Enjoy! (I don't own this novela!)

Chapter 13

He had a date with Jimena tonight, but Franco couldn't stop thinking about Sarita. That damn woman rattled his head like a black plague. Her little insults and threats made him so angry to the point of almost driving all the way to the mansion and forcing her swallow her words like pills. She needed to be put down.

"Why should we pay attention to threats from a woman like her?" Oscar asked him, watching Franco brushing his hair in the bathroom. "It's clear that she's fucking jealous of her sisters."

"Could be." Franco agreed. "They're twice as pretty as she'll ever be in her sad, miserable life."

"She's bitter!" interjected Oscar. "She has nothing better to do!"

Franco finishes with his hair and strides out of the bathroom for his jacket.

"How will I go far with Jimena if her bitch of a sister keeps watching our every move like a damn guard dog?"

"Relax, Franco." reassured Oscar. "Just keep going in secret. Once you'll marry Jimena. The Elizondos have no choice but to accept you."

Franco sighed in frustration.

"Oscar, if you're so keen on doing this for their money, wouldn't it make sense if you're the one to do this? This was all your idea in the first place!"

"You're the one Jimena wanted." explained Oscar, and Franco took note of the sad tone in his voice. "You're my only hope now."

Franco was out with Jimena and Leandro, whom Franco could not absolutely stand. All Leandro was doing was sneaking snide comments and dancing with Jimena like a total fool. Franco just watched them with a distasteful face. Leandro finally left the two alone to dance when he felt like he wasn't wanted.

"Franco, look…" Jimena said, seeing how upset he appeared tonight. "I'm marrying you, not Leandro. He's totally fine with it."

"Is this what you do?" shot Franco, Jimena reminding him of someone he still cared for. "Manipulate men to get what you want?"

"No, Franco.." she said, hurt by his comment. "Don't say things like that. I'm doing this for you."

Franco took a sip of his drink.

"Franco, you're in a bad mood."

"Because I'm worried about Sarita. You weren't there when she threatened us. All she does is watch our every move."

Jimena rolled her eyes and disregarded his words.

"Oh, who cares about Sarita." she scoffed. "You're marrying me. Not her."

Franco took another sip of his drink. He grimaced at the thought of her damn sister dressed all in white with nothing but a scowl.

"She doesn't even know we're seeing each other tonight."

"Jimena, are you sure you're going to marry me?" Franco asked, trying to change the subject. He needed to stop talking about Sarita. It was working his nerves.

"Oh my god…" Jimena whined, pulling Franco off his chair so he could dance with her. "Let's not talk about that now. Just dance with me and tell me how much you love me."

Franco was not in a dancing mood, but he obliged, his mind scattering with thoughts of Rosario and Sarita's threats.

Their next date, they went bowling. Franco again, was scowling. He shuddered when he did so, because he didn't want to transform into Sarita. Instead he began to lash out on Jimena, who was behaving indifferently towards him. Leandro wasn't making their situation any better and kept pushing Franco to play because it was his turn to bowl. Jimena was frowning the entire time.

"I didn't want to come here." he complained to her. "You made me come."

"Franco, please cheer up." she hissed. "Leandro kindly invited us so we're going to have fun. Understood?"

Franco nodded and finally took his turn. He's never bowled but he managed to wipe out all the pins in one shot. Jimena jumped and congratulated him with a kiss. Franco pulls away from her since it was still his turn. This time, he fails miserably. He turned around, defeated, and then stood perfectly still.

Rosario. She's there with her friend, Panchita and another man. Rosario sees him too, instead of going to him she storms out of the building. Without excusing himself to Leandro and Jimena, Franco rushes out after Rosario.

He saw Rosario sitting alone in another local bar. He sits with her, his heart rejoicing at the sight of her beautiful face.

"Rosario." he says, like a whisper. "I need to talk to you."

She makes her way to stand up and leave but he stops her.

"I'll be brief." he assured her. She complied.

"I must confess", she begins to say bowing her head, "it's good seeing you again."

"Me too." he tells her, his eyes gleaming with adoration. "Despite that you don't love me anymore."

She smiled softly at him and his heart began to ache for her.

"Who cares about that? You and your girlfriend are okay. You love her, don't you?"

Franco blanked.

"Who told you that?"

Rosario looked at him seriously.

"Your brothers. They told me when I went to your house to look for you."

"You went to my house?" he asked, shocked that his brothers didn't shit to him. Oh he has a bone to pick with them.

Franco didn't come back to Jimena and Leandro. He remained with Rosario, who finally professed her love to him. He couldn't be any happier.

The ones who weren't happy were Oscar and Juan, but he didn't care. He continued seeing Rosario for all he was worth, forgetting his plans and marriage to Jimena, who had a scheme of her own once she found out why he left her. And damn did she get him back. She found out he was seeing the singer from the bar and tricked him along with Leandro. Jimena remained calm while Franco strained uncomfortably as Rosario sang. After that was over, Jimena called off their fling and her promises of marriage to him. This had no affect on Franco, whatsoever, because he only wanted to be with Rosario.

Oscar was extremely pissed with Franco. He continued thinking about Rosario on a daily basis, who he remembered was angry with him for having no regards for what he did to Jimena.

"If you can't respect your girlfriend," shouted Rosario, her bedroom eyes scolding him, "then you'll have to respect me!"

As Juan would say, Franco was left without a ball and a chain. It was clear to Franco, while he thought about everything that had happened. He won't ever play with someone's emotions again, but he knew who he wanted. Rosario. Despite all her anger for him, Rosario accepted him back. Franco couldn't be any happier.

The brothers were on their way to the ranch to continue working on the cottage, which was now coming up to par. Oscar kept giving Franco a hard time and Juan kept telling Oscar to lay off the youngest brother.

By the time they arrive, Jimena is the first one they see. Franco ignored the angry looks she kept throwing at him. If his sister, Sarita, were outside with her now, Franco knew she'd join in on the hate. It was in that moment where he saw how they resembled each other in temperament.

Oscar and Franco continue their bickering in the kitchen where Dominga, one of the Elizondo's trusted maids, serves them lunch. Oscar made a cheeky remark about Rosario and this caused Franco to pour a hot bowl of soup down Oscar's camo tank. As punishment, Juan ordered Franco to lend his white tank to Oscar, who left without a word.

Franco didn't dare to leave the kitchen because he knew Gabriela would complain. Luckily for him, Eva ordered Dominga to wash Oscar's soiled tank. Juan left, probably to help Oscar with the cottage.

Minutes later, a dressed Franco went to help out with the construction but was confused as to why Juan was the only one there.

"Where's Oscar?" he asked Juan, who shrugged his shoulders.

Ten minutes went by and there's still no sign of Oscar. Juan and Franco began to get worried. The two stopped working and walked to see if Oscar was by the truck. In the midst of their search, Gabriela calls them inside the mansion, where they are accompanied by Sarita, Norma, Fernando, Eva, Mr. Martin, and their horse trainer, Olegario. But where was Jimena?

Franco looked at every single one of their faces. They each had a look of worry. He even looked at Sarita fiddling with her dainty fingers, her brow furrowed, and her pouty bottom lip quivering.

Shit. Something must've happened. And it has.

Jimena and Oscar are missing without a trace. All they knew was that Jimena was carrying a lot of money for charity while Oscar was helping a couple of movers with their furniture.

Gabriela sank in an armchair. Sarita and Norma were at her side, trying to console her. Juan even tried calling home, but Quintina informed him that Oscar wasn't there. Franco gulped down a lump in his throat and regrets ever fighting with his brother.

"Why don't you two go home?" Sarita suddenly said. "This doesn't concern you."

Franco and Juan looked at her with disbelief. How can she be so cold? Their brother was missing along with her sister.

"Sorry, but we're not going anywhere." Juan told her. "Our brother is missing too. We need to find out what happened to him."

Franco watched Sarita look down at her hands. Her cheeks were tinged with embarrassment. If this situation wasn't so serious, he would've laughed in her face. But at the same time, he felt bad. He knew how much she loved her younger sister. They both shared a bedroom and they're inseparable whenever they walked together outside the house.

The best they all could do was wait until there's any signs of Jimena and Oscar.

Short chapter, but... at least it's over with Jimena and Franco. All that's left is Rosario! Stay tuned!