Hi! Hello, beautiful readers! Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! I'm floored! Ahem... so this chapter isn't all that romantic, but I thought it'll be important to add more familial situations, bonds, and loss. Family is very important to me, therefore, this part of the novela is too! But I promise the next chapter will be a lot juicier! We're almost there! Happy reading!

(I do not own this Novela!)

Chapter 34

Franco was still affected by the events of last night while he picked at his breakfast. His brothers and Eva were talking amongst themselves. Juan complained about Manolo and Miguel not showing up to work early, in which Franco took up for them, informing Juan that the newest employees were paying a visit to their parents back in their old neighborhood. Juan nodded at this information and then shot Franco a curious look.

"Franco, tell us." Juan asked, actually smiling with keen interest. "How did your date go last night? How are things with Sarita?"

Franco frowned, replaying the horrible attack from last night and how it almost broke his relationship with Sara.

Oscar noticed Franco's frown and warningly eyed him.

"Franco, I hope you didn't mess it up," he warned, "because we won't forgive you. You knew our future depended on that date."

"Shut up and let him talk, damn it!" Juan shouted at Oscar and then turned back to Franco. "Now tell us. How did it go with Sarita?"

"From the look on his face." sneered Oscar. "He may have fucked it up."

"Shut your damn mouth!" growled Juan, tossing a bit of his breakfast at Oscar's face.

Franco let forth an exasperated breath, knowing his brothers could lash at each other's throat if he remained quiet.

"Don't worry about it." answered Franco. "It couldn't have been better, but-"

He paused, dropping his napkin on his empty plate as his mind raced with last night's attack.

"But what?" pressed an anxious Juan.

Franco bit his tongue, not wanting to trouble his brothers with more unwanted problems. They've had enough.

Oscar tossed his own napkin on his plate and stood menacingly over his troubled younger brother, his arm wrapping around Franco's chair.

"Franco…" Oscar said through gritted teeth. "If you messed up, I won't forgive you."

He shoved Franco's temple with a threatening finger.

"You hear me, big head?" Oscar cautioned.

Juan remained in his seat, still watching Franco with great interest and concern.

"Franco, how was it?" Juan repeated.

Franco sighed, knowing his brothers had a right to know and to get them off his back.

"She had nothing to do with it." he managed to say, causing Juan and Oscar to steal glances from each other and then back to Franco.

"The thing is…" Franco muttered, his stomach churning with nerves. "I had a little incident."

Juan's eyes were glued on Franco, and Franco gulped down his nerves, knowing that there's no turning back on what he finally had to confess to his brothers.

"While I was having dinner with her, some guys were trying to kill me."

Franco saw the color drain from Juan's face as he slowly rose from his chair. He could feel Juan's anger already setting into place but before Franco could utter a word to calm him, Juan cut him off.

"What the hell are you saying, Franco?" growled Juan, his dark eyes slanting as he glared at his younger brother. "Why?"

Franco bowed his head, knowing damn well he couldn't stay silent anymore. As he predicted, both Juan and Oscar were practically fuming when he told them that it wasn't the first time he was attacked. He informed them about the night at Leandro's opening night and how he had help from Sarita. Eva trembled in her chair, her hand covering her open mouth as she recalled the bruises he carried that night.

What really set Juan and Oscar to the brink of no return is when Franco mentioned how the attacks had begun because of Rosario's persistence to be in contact with him. He even mentioned her threatening Sarita at her own house, which still nauseated him.

"What you need to do is report Rosario and her damn husband as soon as possible." suggested Juan as he and Oscar followed Franco out of the house. "If you don't, they will destroy you!"

"Juan is right." agreed Oscar. "You need to report them. Or at least the guys who pulled the trigger. Don't think about it, just do it!"

"If he is unwilling to do it," glowered Juan, "I'll sure as hell will! I won't allow this to turn deadly! And no one is messing with my brother-"

"Enough!" shouted an agitated Franco, stopping in his tracks and turned to his angry older brothers. "Enough, okay? I'll take care of it! Don't worry about me, I've dealt with worse things!"

Juan narrowed his eyes on Franco.

"We're worried because you are our brother and we don't want you dead!" shouted Juan.

Franco felt overwhelmed by his brothers' constant bickering and worries. He understood they were just trying to look out for him. They loved him and he loved them. They only had each other, after all. Having lost their little sister nearly caused a rut between them and if anything else were to happen to either one of them… Franco knew Juan and even crazy Oscar would take a bullet for him. Franco in turn, would do too.

"Let us help!" demand Juan, his eyes intense. "Don't be so stubborn!"

Oscar cleared his throat and held a calculating expression.

"Listen to Juan, Franco." reasoned Oscar. "Let's say these men were to attack you again. We need to be ready and catch them by surprise. We have your back, you know? What the hell is wrong with you, Franco?"

Franco stood silent, hating himself for having dragged both his brothers into his troubles. At the same time, he felt a sense of relief, knowing that Juan and Oscar were right. As annoying and brutish as they can be, Franco was lucky to have brothers that care so deeply about him.

The three brothers were interrupted when they heard Manolo and Miguel's motorcycle pulling into the driveway. The two looked like they'd seen a ghost, judging by their frantic and frightened expressions. The one who rambled on the most was Manolo, who unlike his younger brother, looked more guilty than scared. Franco eyed him with suspicion as Manolo explained what he had seen on his way back to the Reyes' ranch. The two explained to the Reyes that they've seen their sister's ghost just walking around broad daylight, and they swore that she was haunting them. Particularly Manolo.

Juan was already disturbed by Franco's horrible situation that he quickly dismissed both Manolo's and Miguel's tale of seeing their lost little sister. In the midst of Juan's scolding, Ruth Uribe appeared, holding a couple of bags with her and a sorrowful expression. Manolo and Miguel began to panic only to be reassured that Ruth is not who they thought she was.

Ruth's resemblance to their lost sister held no more worries over the Reyes, as they escorted her into their home. She explained to them that she had enough of her overbearing mother after discovering that she had been adopted. The Reyes and even an emotional Eva have agreed to let her stay in their home. Much to the brothers' pleasure, having Ruth stay to live with them felt like Libia was still alive. And as for Eva, she was overjoyed in having her daughter back into her life.

Ruth's stay with the Reyes proved to have a great effect on the brothers and especially Eva. They showed her everything there is to know on maintaining the ranch and how the employees worked. Franco was glad that Ruth felt more at home than having to constantly worry about Mrs. Raquel Uribe's controlling her every move.

All the while things were going very well, Franco couldn't shake everything else that had happened. The constant attacks from Armando's men, his almost failed relationship with Sarita, both his brothers' worries, and even Rosario's attempts to retrieve him. It was all a whirlwind. It was beginning to take a toll on him, even in his sleep.

Franco tossed and turned in his bed, dreaming of his ex crying for help in a dark ditch and he couldn't get to her in time. He abruptly woke up, shouting her name while battling the sweat dripping from his forehead. Juan heard his yell and burst through his room.

"I thought you were asleep," said Juan.

Through baited breath, Franco wiped at his sweaty brow.

"I had a nightmare about Rosario." Franco told him.

Juan made a face.

"You don't say…" he grumbled. "For how long will you keep thinking about her, huh? Wasn't it enough what she did to you already?"

Franco got out of his bed and staggered over to his chair, but didn't sit down. Instead he rested his arms on the back of the chair and leaned against it, his mind rattling with the nightmare he'd had of the woman who solely brought him tragedies.

"Juan, I must've been shocked with her recent visit…" he admitted, thinking about how that visit nearly brought him turmoil during his date with Sara. "I think I want her to leave me alone so bad that I dreamt about her stuck in a ditch and I couldn't save her-"

"Franco, stop!" Juan cut in, his annoyance written in his tone. "Look, stop thinking about that woman! Just focus on yourself. Think of Sarita, for crying out loud!"

Franco bowed his head, his heart thumping rapidly at the mention of Sara's name. Juan was right. Rosario should be the least of his worries, after all the shit that woman had put him through, especially with his affair with Sarita. Franco began to feel guilty, his mind replaying their honest conversation at the restaurant before they were attacked. He still couldn't shake off her words concerning Rosario. It still hurts him.

"If you're still going to see that woman, I'd prefer to forget your existence and go back to my old life. You need to understand me, Franco. If being with you is going to be such a headache, I'd rather be alone and save myself the trouble, especially from Rosario Montes."

Franco would never forget Sarita's wounded expression after confronting that woman. Also how it messed with her self-esteem regarding him.

That Rosario nearly put an end to his new relationship, for that he just couldn't stop thinking about what else Rosario would do, and actually deliver death upon him and even to Sarita.

"Why don't you file a complaint against those thugs that tried to kill you, huh?" added Juan, his eyes glowering at a defeated Franco, who was still lost in his own thoughts. "Don't be fucking stubborn and just do it!"

"Alright, Juan!" retorted Franco. "I just don't want anyone else to worry, especially since Ruth is living with us."

Franco looked down from Juan's serious gaze and realized just how troubling their situation had gotten. He needed to finally do a report now that Ruth Uribe is with them.

Just after Ruth finally settled in her new home, Manolo and Miguel's mother, Mrs. Hortencia paid a visit. She argued that her sons had to return back to the market instead of working for the Reyes. Instead of getting what she wanted, she received a shock. She fainted at the sight of Ruth and then clamored on about forgiveness.

"I'm sorry, Libia!" she cried, her sons trying to calm her down when she saw a concerned Ruth staring down at her. "I didn't know that was going to happen! Please, I didn't mean for any of this to happen!"

At her desperate pleas, Juan, Oscar, and Franco all shared a look at one another. It looks like Manolo and Miguel have some explaining to do. Oscar accompanied Mrs. Hortensia and her sons to their neighborhood, leaving Juan and Franco to piece everything together in regards to their late sister.

Later that night, Oscar, Manolo and Miguel returned back to the ranch. The Reyes listened to Manolo explain his mother's hysterics. He told them that he and his mother were only trying to help Libia the night before she passed. Manolo also claimed that his mother practically forced Libia to confront the entire Elizondo family but he couldn't have imagined it would lead Libia astray. As for Mrs. Hortencia, she wanted her pay for helping the troubled young woman.

Juan's eyes were brimmed with angry tears as he strode over to Manolo and violently shook him, screaming that things could've been different if it weren't for Manolo and his opportunistic mother.

Franco and Oscar convinced Juan to let go of the poor young man, saying that it wasn't entirely his fault. What had happened, happened, sadly...however, those wounds won't properly heal now knowing that Mrs. Hortensia played an important role in Libia's death.

As painful as it was, Franco and his brothers knew that firing Manolo and Miguel wouldn't make anything better. The two young brothers were innocent, loyal, and incredibly hardworking, so they were simply ordered to get back to work. The two lamentably excused themselves, leaving the Reyes brothers pained and wrecked where they stood.

The three had tears in their eyes, but none were shed. Franco staggered in his spot, reveling in all that had happened. Mrs. Hortencia's breakdown mended the missing pieces from Libia's short life. It will always hurt. Their little sister is gone and there's no bringing her back, but…

They are now blessed with Ruth Uribe's presence, and it almost feels as though Libia never died, but in truth, she can never replace her.

What can be replaced is hatred.

The irony is that this all happened with hate and it had miraculously transformed into something more powerful. That something was called love. Franco thought back when the three sought out to seek revenge... but one by one, each of them wore their hearts on their sleeves.

Juan fell in love with Norma Elizondo. Oscar fell in love with Jimena Elizondo. Lastly, Franco fell in love with Sarita Elizondo.

From where the three stood, Franco knew that his little sister would be smiling down at them, knowing that hate was no longer instilled in their hearts.

So... I know this was not Franco and Sara central, but I simply wanted to include all the characters! They all deserve their spotlight because this novela is amazing! Anyways... when Franco dreamt of Rosario, I was like wtf. But then it hit me... psychologists and therapists demonstrated that when you stress about someone who had or will bring you harm, you will dream about that person, no matter what that dream is about...unless something is done. So in Franco's case, he needs to file a report. And also...I love Ruth! She's so cute and bubbly and is such a great anecdote for the Reyes' pain. They deserve a second chance on having a little sister. I tend to cry whenever I see Juan embrace Ruth. Okay! Enough of my ramblings... on to sexy 35! See you soon! Muah!