Hello, beautiful readers! I hope you all are well! This chapter is long! It's not one of my favorites but it needed to be added! We're so close! Hang in there!

(I do not own this novela!)

Chapter 32

It was a beautiful day and Franco was so high in his own bliss, ignoring his upcoming business meetings when he called the Elizondo house, and leaped at the sound of Sarita's voice.

He could feel his heart warming as he asked her about her day and how she was feeling, envisioning her back in his arms. As the days passed after they last saw each other, Franco couldn't help but grow more and more in love with Sara. Their feud was now nonexistent. He could care less of the past, but hoped his future with her would be just as blissful as he felt every time he'd see or hear her voice.

"I'm dying to see you." He tells her, pressing the phone to his ear as he paced in his study, his boyish grin widening at his love's soothing voice. "Can we meet tonight?"

He heard her giggling at the other end at his eagerness. He laughed along with her. He knew he was acting like a lovesick puppy, but how can he not? Sarita has enamored him and he's willing to give her everything her heart desires.

"Look, we can go wherever you want." he went on. "Dinner. A walk through the park. And if you don't want to go out, we can roam around closer to the ranch, if you'd like?"

"You don't have to keep insisting." She said, "I'm dying to see you too, but today is not possible."

Franco's grin dimmed a little.

"I have to go over some accounts with my mom, but does tomorrow night sound okay to you?"

Franco's spirits lifted and agreed for tomorrow night, but Sarita wasn't done speaking. His good mood slowly went down hill when he noted how serious her voice had gotten.

"I have to speak to you, Franco. To clarify some things."

"Is something wrong, Sara?" Franco asked, slightly panicking. "Did something happen? Was it Escandon?"

"No, don't worry." she assured him. Franco could hear footsteps coming from her end and he guessed it could've been her mother's footsteps. "You'll find out soon enough. I have to go, bye."

She hung up before he could get a final word. He cared deeply for Sarita, but there was one thing he knew he couldn't change about her that annoyed him. She always withheld what was actually going on in her house and it made him worry. He knew that she didn't want anyone else knowing about their relationship just yet, but it was beginning to bother him. It wasn't that they were dating in secret...the real problem was just how just it's stopping her from enjoying her life as she should. Sarita was so selfless and for once, he would love to see her doing something without having to feel like she's upsetting anyone, particularly her mother. Gabriella was a stern woman who detested the Reyes, and Sarita was her most prized and trusted daughter. It tormented Franco to know that Sarita was willing to placate her mother's needs rather than focus on her own happiness. That's very unfair. Sara is so relentlessly kind and devoted to her family, he admired that about her, but it's meddling with her freedom. Sometimes, as valiant as she was, he wished she would finally stand up to her mother, so that way she can finally breathe and just be happy.

Then again, Franco shouldn't talk. He still had to tell his brothers about Sara. He wished he could be just as brave as her.

Franco sighed, gathering his suitcase and the rest of his files. He had a meeting to attend, perhaps that can ease his worry about Sarita.

He was walking to his car when Eva called out to him, reminding him of other documents he may have left behind. Thank goodness for Eva. He knew he would be lost without her.

"Thank you so much, Eva." he told her, taking the forms from her hands. "Sometimes I do not know where my head is these days."

Eva smirked at him, her round brown eyes twinkling at him.

"I know where you keep it and I hope it stays on your shoulders more than someone else's." she teased him.

Franco smiled at her, knowing that she was referring to Sarita.

"Eva?" he began to say, his worry engulfing him again. "I don't know if Sarita will call, but if she does...she'd leave a reason, okay?"

Eva threw him an understanding grin.

"Of course." she told him.

Franco thanked her once more and hugged her before he started to make his way to his car. Just as he approached it, a black car pulled over. Dread instantly consumed him when he realized whose car it belonged to.

Shit.

This woman cannot take no for an answer.

His eyes narrowed when a very determined Rosario Montes stepped out and stared back at Franco, her hands resting on her hips. From the look in her face, Rosario wanted to draw blood. Franco, however, didn't care. He had other important things to worry about than to give her any form of satisfaction.

Not wanting to waste any of his time with his ex, Franco stormed over to his car.

"Franco!" shouted Rosario, reaching for his arm when he opened his car door. "Franco, don't think you can get rid of me so easily!"

Rosario slammed his car door shut and stood in front of it, blocking his chance to escape. Franco clenched his jaw and glared at the shameful woman.

"How many times must I tell you that I don't ever want to see you again?" he snarled at her. "Why don't you leave? I have a very important meeting to get to! I don't have time to lose!"

"You must talk to me!" she argued. "I'm not leaving here unless I talk to you!"

Franco let forth a frustrated sigh. This woman doesn't know when to quit.

"Rosario, when will you leave me alone? What the hell do you want?"

"Franco!" shouted a worried Eva. "You mustn't be late for that meeting!"

He almost forgot that Eva was still outside. He looked over at her and noticed that she too was peeved at Rosario's unexpected visit.

"Eva, can you please leave us?" he asked her, his annoyance for Rosario spiking.

"Remember," warned Eva. "Those certificates are due today."

Franco sighed and looked back at Rosario, who stubbornly stood in front of him.

"When I finish with this lady, I will deliver them, Eva." he assured the older woman, who nodded but still remained agitated about Rosario's abrupt visit.

When Eva darted back inside the house, Franco eyed Rosario with the deepest look of loathing he could possibly muster. She was still standing there as if he owed her rent. If this was the last time she would ever understand how unwanted her presence was to him, so be it. He was going to let her know. Hopefully for the very last time.

"Since I see that there's no way out…" he spat at her. "Let's talk. Come on!"

Franco grabbed Rosario's arm, dragged her inside the house and hauled her into the living room. He crossed his arms as he shot her a hateful look, predicting what other nonsense she may have to say to him to disrupt his important plans.

"Okay, tell me why you're here, Rosario?" he asked her. "Why do you insist on giving me more problems? How the hell do I tell you that I don't ever want to see you?"

Rosario sighed and attempted to reach out to him but he took a step back, wounding her.

"Franco, I don't want to lose you." she lamented and Franco shuddered in repulsion. "Please understand me."

"Tell me what the hell do you want because you're making me lose my patience." he warned her. "And I want to spare more trouble with Armando Navarro."

He exasperatedly threw his hands up in the air when she stayed muted at the mention of her husband.

"He must be here at any moment because every time you get in my way, he manages to play a dirty trick on me! And I'm fucking tired of these games, Rosario!"

Rosario blinked sadly at him, noting his extreme aggression towards her.

"I see you only feel disdain for me." she tells him.

"Yes, that's right." he answered. "It's the only thing I feel."

Rosario then smirked, eyeing him up and down.

"Instead, you feel a lot for…"

She held herself for a few moments, her voice taking on an angrier tone.

"For that Sarita Elizondo, don't you?" she finally spewed.

Franco blanked and eyed her suspiciously. How could she possibly know that?

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked her, wondering how on earth she found out about his budding affair with Sara.

Rosario narrowed her eyes at him and took a step toward him, holding up an accusing finger at his confused face.

"You know damn well what I mean, Franco." she sneered, her eyes flashing dangerously with jealousy. "Or are you going to deny that you have a relationship with her?"

"How'd you know?" he asked her, his own anger rising as he tried to remain calm from strangling her. "Who the fuck told you?"

Rosario shook her head, a small smile forming on her lips.

"It doesn't matter." she responded, staring intently into his eyes as hers shone with either hurt or malice. "It's true, isn't it?"

Franco shook his head at her in disbelief. The audacity of this woman who had played with his heart so many times, now has the nerve to question his new love affair.

Rosario's smile quickly turned into a frown as her eyes widened incredulously at his silence.

"Franco, do you have a relationship with that woman?" she asked, her voice slightly breaking.

Franco looked into his ex's eyes and he smiled at her. Behind that smile, he thought of Sarita and how good she made him feel every time they were together. Franco was falling in love with Sara. For every moment he spent with Sarita or even thought about her, his heart would beat harmoniously. The love he had for Sara had already tarnished what he once felt for the woman who stood before him, whose eyes began to water.

"Yes." Franco admitted, his smile widened, picturing Sarita's angelic face. "Yes, I am deeply in love, Rosario. Like never before, you know?"

It felt so good to say it out loud. Especially to the one woman who had done nothing but bring him misery.

He loved Sarita Elizondo. There's no other woman who can compare to her.

Rosario drew a shaky breath as her eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

"Franco…" she began to say, her disbelief growing. "Do you believe that woman could give you the same things I can?"

Franco could only stare at her, completely dumbfounded by her excessive pride.

In his mind, Sarita could never give him the same things as Rosario had. All this woman had given him was pain and torment. Sara mended his heart and provided him with compassion and warmth, whereas Rosario provided him with shame and fear.

Rosario's brows furrowed and jabs her finger at Franco's chest.

"No one will make you as happy as I did!" She cried. "No one!"

He raised his eyebrows at her pride, remembering how his time as her lover grew distant and bitter. He went through a lot with this woman. He received bruises and beatings from her jealous lovers, particularly from Armando. He was far from happy. He was downright miserable chasing after Rosario. If all that was her definition of making him happy, then he can't imagine how she can make a man unhappy. Franco already knew she was more capable of driving any man to the brink of misery like she had done to him.

Franco watches her regain her calm after her outburst and scowls when she tries to reach for his chin.

"Honey, listen…" she cooed. "Lately, I've been thinking a lot about us. And I think we can try again. I have a ton of plans and I'm willing to file for a divorce so we can be together again."

Franco scratched his chin and listened to her pitiful plans. He began to wonder what on earth had driven him to ever take an interest in her. She was despicable.

"I'm going to leave him." she went on, caressing his face. "I'm doing it for you. Do you understand? Everything could be the way it used to be, remember?"

He glared at her, her words piling on as he recollected all the pain he went through going after her.

"Franco, please!" she cried, her desperation shining in her eyes. "Forget about that woman! I don't understand how you can trade me for her! She's just a poor dumb girl and I won't allow her to steal what's mine!"

His jaw was clenched, his heart hammering, and his hands were inches away from strangling this entitled woman.

How dare she compare herself to Sarita?

Sara was pure and brought him so much peace. Rosario was corrupt and brought turmoil everywhere she went. There's no way in hell he'd ever leave such peace and run back into this woman's dark embrace.

"Because you're mine, Franco." she pleaded, her hands still stroking his cheek. "Be mine again, Franco…"

"Rosario." he snarled when she attempted to kiss him.

"Please, Franco…"

"Rosario!" he shouted, pushing her away from him. "Stop it!"

She ignored his request and proceeded to kiss him again and he stopped her, this time grabbing her by her shoulders.

Franco was practically fuming. He's had enough of this wretched woman. Rosario had proved to him so many times of how dangerous she could truly be. He kept telling her, warning her to never come running after him again. He wanted nothing to do with her. Because of her, he nearly had seen the face of death. And what really rattled him more was her keen knowledge of his romance with Sara. He had no idea how she found out, but he would lose his shit if anything were to happen with Sarita. Rosario was not to be trusted.

"Listen, Rosario." he warned her, baring his teeth. "Don't you even think about messing with Sarita because I won't hesitate to come after you. And I don't give a flying fuck if you divorce or not! You can do whatever you want with your life, I won't give a damn."

Rosario simply glared back at him.

"But I won't have you going anywhere near Sara", he added, knowing very well Rosario would dare to. "I won't allow that shit."

"Oh yeah?" she challenged, stepping back and placing her hands on her hips, leveling with Franco. "How are you going to stop me?"

This bitch...

Franco was seething at this point.

Before Franco could respond, his older brother Juan walked into the living room. He glowered when he saw Rosario face to face with Franco.

"What the hell is going on in here?" he grumbled as Eva walked behind him. She must've warned Juan about Rosario's unwanted visit.

Franco looked over at him, taking note of his brother's obvious discomfort of Rosario's presence.

"Don't worry, Juan." answered an angry Franco. "This lady was just leaving."

He made a move to escort Rosario out, but she retaliated, her eyes flashing menacingly at Franco.

"I'm not leaving just yet!" she shouted. "We're not done here, Franco."

"Hey, you've heard my brother!" cut in Juan, staring daggers at the back of Rosario's head. "It's best for you to leave at once."

Rosario turned to look at Juan.

"And what if I don't?" she spat. "Are you going to make me? Will you kick me out by force?"

Juan was beginning to lose his patience at Rosario's insolence and Franco was worried that he may actually do something he'll regret. Not that he was too worried. Rosario was being undeniably spiteful and stubborn.

"If you keep insisting on making Franco's life a living hell…", seethed Juan. "I have no choice. So just leave immediately, miss."

Rosario didn't respond but stood perfectly still. This annoyed Juan so he went on.

"And if I see you here again, I won't control myself." he cautioned her. "So get out!"

She still wouldn't move. Instead she looked back to Franco, who continued to glare at her. Juan lost his patience and forced her to the direction of the door.

Before finally leaving, Rosario warned Franco that she wasn't done with him yet. He knew he shouldn't be too worried about her threat, but he couldn't help but worry about what she was capable of doing to Sara. He really hoped it wouldn't come down to that. Rosario is very spiteful when she needs to be. He's seen it.

As soon as she was escorted out by Eva, Juan took the rest of his anger out on a nearby stool and then looked back at Franco, who was lost in his own thoughts.

"Are you okay?" Juan asked him, his voice still stern and his breathing quite harsh.

Franco nodded. Juan cracked his knuckles and made to turn away but before he did, he gave Franco a concerned look over his shoulder.

"When Oscar arrives..." he grumbled, "We need to talk."

"About what Juan?" asked Franco, still affected by what had happened.

"You know very well." Juan answered. "We're clearing the air about Sarita Elizondo."

Franco swore under his breath at the mention of his new love's name.

Juan knew.

When Juan left, Franco threw himself on an armchair, his head swimming with dread at what could possibly happen.

Damn, that Rosario is a chatter box! At least she won't have much dialogue in the following chapters! I can't wait! Franco is in it deep... time to uncover more in lucky 33! Thank you for reading! Let's get in his head a little more, shall we? Tehehe!