Catch You Next Week

Hi,

I'll keep you posted next week on 'Yo Soy Betty, La Fea'.

Enjoy your weekend.

ciao.

Episode 38 - In The Eye of The Storm

Aura María called Sofía to let her know that her husband had arrived to talk to her. Inesita warned Sofía about keeping a clear head. Everyone, including Patricia, the Cartel, Freddy and Efraín, were surprised at the new, calm Sofía.

In the meantime, Roberto asked Marcela how badly affected EcoModa was after the previous collection. She told him that the company could withstand the losses, but that it was best if he talked directly with Armando. Armando and Betty were talking to one of the bank managers, Dr. Contreras, who told them that the bank was going to start a process against EcoModa...

Armando tried to reach an agreement with the bank official, telling him that a very important company had taken over EcoModa and that he'd like to work out a payment agreement. Betty did her song and dance about how EcoModa would be able to meet its outstanding debts; however Dr. Contreras wanted more insurance than that. However, there was nothing else to give since EcoModa was now in the hands of TerraModa. Armando begged him to be discrete and not make a big scandal about what he had just found out -- and assured him that EcoModa would pay as promised. Betty asked Contreras to consider her proposal.

Marcela told Margarita that Armando had been behaving very well these past few days and hadn't been cheating on her, and was right now with ugly Betty -- which helped her to be at ease. Daniel arrived to say hello to Armando's parents.

Betty and Armando also arrived and Armando asked 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 told him that she had already prepared those reports and Armando congratulated her for being so efficient.

Claudia Bosch walked into Armando's office and asked him to speak to him in private. He tried to tell her that he couldn't, and for extra security hugged Betty's shoulder to prevent her from leaving. However, Betty told Armando that she had work to do and left him all alone with Claudia -- which did not please Armandito one bit. Claudia asked Armando to get rid of Betty so they could spend the night together again. Armando told her that he had a lot of stuff to do, that he was busy and didn't have time to be with her. She told him that she would let him be if he kissed her, which he did and Betty overheard everything.

Marcela called Patricia to ask her if Armando was at work because his cell phone was off and she could't reach him. Patricia told her that he had just arrived. Patricia was on her way to Armando's office, which prompted Bertha's radar to go into action and alert Sofía to call Betty to let her know that Patricia was on her way and might catch Armando in a "compromising" position. Armando was still going to town with Claudia, when Betty came out and told Armando that she had a message for him. Armando, because he really was an idiot at heart (apparently), got mad at Betty for interrupting... Patricia gave Armando the messages and knew something was amiss since his hair was all messed up.

Freddy went to Hugo to tell him to ensure that the next collection went perfectly, he needed to allow Jenny to model with Ecomoda! Hugo made fun of Freddy.

Bertha's husband called her to let her know that he was back from his trip and wanted to see the car she bought with the six million pesos he left with her. Bertha was a tad nervous, to say the least.

Betty finished one of her unending series of reports about the state of EcoModa and told Mario and Armando about the projections for payments to the creditors, which would only work if the next four collections are a success. Mario told Armando that there was just no way that they'll be able to meet their outstanding debts and that the only thing left to do was for Armando to save EcoModa and see what else he could do afterwards. Betty recommended that they pursue a strategy that included exporting the merchandise to try to get rid of the stuff from the failed collections.

After Betty went home, Mario kept talking to Armando about the dire situation at EcoModa, how Betty's projections stated that they must fulfill all their outstanding debts within the next year, and that if things continue going the way they were, before the end of that year Armando would have to hand over the presidency to Daniel. However, there won't be a company to give Daniel to preside over, since it now belonged to Miss Universe also known as the beautiful "genie." Mario began to plant the seeds of doubt regarding Armando's blind trust in ugly Betty... Armando told Mario that he did trust Betty, that she was completely trustworthy, that any time that he asked for the company back she would return it without batting an eyelid. Mario told Armando to be very careful of the way he treated Betty, since all of them (Armando, Mario, the Valencias, the Mendozas) were now in her hands.

The new Bertha got home and was greeted by her Gordito. He inquired after the car since he has bought her a gift for it. Bertha had to confess about the lipo surgery which made her husband fainted.

Episode 37 - Ecomoda In Troubled Waters

Freddy told Aura Maria that Sofia slapped him because he made a comment about the new fitting model, and Aura Maria told him that Jenny was Sofia’s husband’s mistress. Efrain (Sofia’s husband) arrived to pick up Jenny, who was making every effort to drive Sofia up the wall. Inesita told Sofia that it could not be a coincidence that Jenny just happened to show up at EcoModa, that it had to be Jenny’s way of paying Sofia back for all the things she said to her when they ran into Jenny and Efrain at the bar the night they all got drunk.

Betty got home and told Nicolas about how badly things were going at EcoModa, and also told him Armando’s plans to protect EcoModa by having TerraModa take over it.

Armando arrived at Marcela’s apartment and asked her what will happen if she told Daniel and his parents about the failed collection. He told her that if she talked to them, he’ll back out of the marriage, and that if she helped him with the company he’ll “do her the favor” of marrying her… However, at the same time he approached her and started kissing her passionately and Marcela told him that she will help him, only if he promised that he won’t do anything crazy.

Nicolas told Betty that with the paper that Armando signed for the loan, he practically handed her EcoModa on a silver platter. Betty told him that Armando did it to protect the company and that eventually TerraModa would put a lien on EcoModa to protect it from its other creditors.

Nicolas told her that if she was going to participate in this set up, she had to be aware that it may be legal but not ethical. She told him that she felt like she owed it to Armando to do this, and also made him promise that he won’t say anything to anyone because she promised Armando she wouldn’t tell anyone either. And, that for the time being, they won’t be able to set up a formal office, and since Armando told her to run the company as she saw fit, she wanted to hire her father to handle the Accounting books for TerraModa.

Sánchez told Nicolás that they have to acount for all of EcoModa's property prior to placing the lien. Bertha told Sofía that she had figured out how to get Patricia to undergo a pregnancy test and finally know if she was faking or not. The banks started calling EcoModa since the Chamber of Commerce bulletin announced the lien by TerraModa had already been published. Betty did her best to keep them at bay. Nicolás told Betty that the process had started against EcoModa. There was no going back.

Bertha told Gutiérrez that Patricia hadn't had any of the blood tests required of all new employees and that she wasn't covered by a health plan -- "a big problem should she have an accident at work." Gutiérrez told Patricia to have the tests done. She of course didn't want to get them done, but tough luck... Even Marcela won't get her out of this one.

Marcela asked Armando if he was okay since she thought he was looking pretty bad lately. He told her that, as usual, he was worried about the upcoming launch. She baded him goodbye and went on her way to pick up Armando's parents at the airport.

Betty got a call from Wilson saying that someone was waiting for her. She told Armando that the paperwork for the lien by TerraModa against EcoModa had arrived. Mario asked who was delivering the paperwork and Betty answered that Nicolás Mora, a friend, was making the delivery. Mario got very worried and asked Armando if he knew who Nicolás was -- whether he could be trusted. Armando told him that Nicolás was a classmate of Betty, a neighbor who was working with her at TerraModa.

Nicolás gave Betty the paperwork and told her that the judge was going to send a court official to perform an inventory of EcoModa's property. He told her that this could not be avoided and that there was no way to know when it will happen. The phone rang in the President’s office and since Betty wasn't there to answer it, Armando yelled out her name... Mario warns him to stop yelling at "The Monster" because from this moment forward she owned EcoModa.

Mario asked Betty about her meeting with the lawyer he recommended and she told him about the meeting. Mario reminded her to make sure that everything was handled very carefully. Betty explained that everything was going well, and dropped the bomb about the inventory. Armando had one of his fits of hysteria and started yelling at Betty for not taking care of avoiding this, Betty explained that this was something beyond their control. She was obviously ticked off by Armando and off she went to her office. Mario told Armando that Betty was right and that it was important that he stopped yelling at her.

Armando went to Betty's office and asked her if she had prepared the payment projections... She told him that she had them. Armando then, very calmly, started to talk to her and told her that she needed to understand that these were very tough times for him, that he was upset that he had given his company to her. Armando hugged her and told her that he was fearful that they would be found out, that he won't be able to save the company, but Betty comforted him and told 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 took hold of Betty's hands and told her that she was 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 told 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 woke and found Armando yelling at her since they had to go to the banks.

Episode 36 - The Blackmail

Marcela came home from her trip to the US and went in to see Armando to tell him that she had already bought her wedding trousseau and fabric for her wedding dress. She said this in front of Mario and Betty, who didn’t take the news very well.

Marcela showed Hugo the fabric for her dress and asked Mariana for the sales reports, and was very concerned to see how badly it has gone. Hugo told her that it was due to the poor quality fabrics they used.

Marcela went to the board room where she found Armando, Mario, and Betty and asked them for an explanation. Marcela blamed Armando for being so stubborn about using the poor quality fabrics and asked him how much money they’ve lost…

She then aimed her guns at Betty, who was standing, to tell her since she must know them by heart. Betty said nothing. Armando told Marcela to calm down, that EcoModa was sufficiently strong to handle this drawback, which was all it was. Armando asked Betty to please sit down… Marcela gave her one of those ‘if looks could kill’ looks and told Armando that for once she’d like to have a conversation in private, meaning without ugly Betty around, since she was not a stockholder.

Armando told Marcela that Betty was for all intents the Financial VP and that he needed her there. Marcela sarcastically gave Betty a hand and blamed her for the financial disaster, but Armando stood up for her saying that Betty was just following orders. Betty said that she’d rather leave and go out to lunch and let them talk in private. After some more arguing, Armando, Mario and Marcela decide that they have to launch a new collection as soon as possible. So they told Hugo to get going. Hugo reminded Armando, mockingly, about the fact that the fabrics must be of top quality.

Hugo had asked Inesita to select the new fitting model from a group waiting in the lobby. Without realizing it, Inesita selected Jenny, Sofia’s husband’s mistress.

The cartel came back from lunch and Freddy told them that he had seen a model tailor made for him, referring to Jenny, and Aura Maria got very jealous.

Hugo reminded Armando about their bet and the fact that he had to dress up in drag.

Mario told Armando that it was obvious they were not going to meet their business goals and it was time to come clean with the board. Armando told him that he was not going to hand the presidency and his head in a silver platter to Daniel.

Sofia had a fit when she saw Jenny and started asking for her not to be hired. The cartel tried to calm her down, but she went to Hugo’s corner to tell him that he couldn’t hire Jenny because she took her husband away from her. Hugo, just to be contrary, told her right at that moment that he was hiring Jenny. Sofia went to Armando to tell her about her problem.Armando asked Hugo not to hire Jenny, but Hugo just to spite Armando and Sofia hired her. Armando told Sofia that he couldn’t do anything about Hugo’s decision, and Sofia went off crying.

Marcela didn’t want Jenny to be hired from the first moment she saw her, and when she found out that Jenny was Sofia’s husband’s mistress she was even more against it. She told Armando that they couldn’t do that to Sofia, but Armando told her that he already tried reasoning with Hugo but did not cut any ice with him.

Armando asked Marcela not to tell her brother or his parents about the failure of the most recent collection, and Marcela didn’t like it. Betty explained to Armando that the consequences of the loan that TerraModa has given EcoModa and that she will have to register the business situation with the Chamber of Commerce. Marcela told Sofia that Hugo won’t budge on hiring Jenny. Patricia told Marcela that Aura Maria took Mario away from her.

Betty told Armando that she felt terrible for the problems at EcoModa and also that she felt it was her fault that the collection failed since it was her economic analysis that led to buying the cheaper fabrics. Armando told her that she shouldn’t feel bad because it was his decision since he accepted the conditions to be able to meet his goals, and he knew that she had told him that she didn’t know anything about the fashion business – that all the responsibility was his. Betty told him that she was here for him and will do everything she could to prevent having to have TerraModa take over EcoModa.

Jenny called Efrain (Sofia’s husband) to tell him that she’ll be working at EcoModa, but he asked her to leave immediately because Sofia was going to kill her. Sofia talked to Efrain as well and demanded that he made Jenny leave EcoModa. Freddy arrived and asked if they already hired the new fitting model because she was a “remamita,” which infuriated Sofia, who slapped poor Freddy.

Armando told Betty that TerraModa was established with a seed investment of $160 million pesos, but that she was able to lend EcoModa $200 million pesos – how did she accomplish that? She told him that she invested the money in the stock market. Armando congratulated her but also askd her how come she always used the pronoun “we” when talking about TerraModa. She explained that a friend from school, Nicolas Mora, was helping her out, but made it clear that Nicolas was not aware of anything about why TerraModa was established, that he was just an employee. Armando reminded her that no one should know the real reason behind TerraModa, only Betty, himself, and Mario.

Episode 35 - Ecomoda Gives Birth To Terramoda

Mario told him that it is possible that this woman could still arrive and teach him about love, but that hopefully she’ll find him before he got married, but Armando told him that he was too close to getting married and that the woman that he was going to love would not arrive after all.

Betty came out of her office and told Armando that she could clean his office, but Armando refused to let her do it. He asked her again to go home to rest, and apologized again. We then see Mario and Armando in the executive bathroom washing glasses and talking. It was very funny, Mario washing, Armando drying…

Armando told Mario that he did the worst thing he had ever done to anyone by leaving Betty in her office all night. Mario told him how he could behave as if Betty didn’t matter, that she’s St. Betty. Armando told him that Betty was a wonderful woman, that he had never met anyone like her, because she was loyal, obedient, honest, and was the one person he trusts implicitly.

When Betty got home she ran into Nicolas and told him about the loan from TerraModa. Gutierrez came to work looking like he’d run into a pack of wild cats, and called Freddy and Berta to his office to ask them for their letter of resignation since they caused this problem for him at home. The cartel went to see Armando and asked him to help Freddy and Berta. Armando asked Gutierrez what happened, to which Gutierrez responded that his cat scratched him. Armando reminded him that he didn’t have a cat. Gutierrez had no other choice than to let Berta and Freddy be. The cartel thanked Armando for his help.

Patricia came to the office and Armando and Mario were dismayed to find out that she was back.

Armando said that she was like the Terminator, that you think she’s gone, she comes back again and again. Patricia said that Daniel asked her not to resign, which Armando didn’t want to hear.

Betty was in her room, writing in her diary, saying that she prayed that Armando’s business plan worked out, that she would feel guilty if he failed. She also said that she was scared about the money he borrowed from TerraModa, and that she was glad to know that she was the most important person in Armando’s life, more than his own fiancée, but that for him she was not a woman. Betty also wrote that she spent a hellish night locked in her office and he didn’t even think about her, that he only saw her as an employee. She heard him say that he was waiting for the woman of his dreams, but he didn’t realize that she was there, just a few feet away from his desk. She told her diary that she had no ideal how to show him that she was the woman he needed, and that he’ll never know it. Only a miracle would make him realize how she felt, and she didn’t believe in miracles anymore, much less now that he was so close to getting married.

Betty told Nicolas that she was going to ask Armando for permission to set up an office for TerraModa, because she wanted her dad to do the books for the company. And, she also told Nicolas that they needed to have plenty of cash available in case Armando wanted to ask for another loan.

Armando was very worried because his business/sales strategy was a failure.

When Betty got to work he asked her for another loan and puts EcoModa up as collateral. Mario told him that this meant giving Betty complete control over EcoModa. Armando said that this was exactly what he was doing and told Betty that since sales were so bad and cash flow into the company was minimal, the banks were going to want to dismantle EcoModa. Betty told him that she can hold off the banks until the next collection came out, but Armando told her that they needed more time, so he wanted TerraModa to sue EcoModa so that the banks won’t. Betty was completely against doing this because even though this would be legally correct, it was unethical. Armando told her that this was the only way he could pay back the company’s debts. He begged her not to abandon him, that he needed her help, and actually questioned her loyalty to him!

Betty went to her office to think about it all and thought about how Armando had always supported her, encouraged and motivated her, stood up for her with Marcela and Daniel, and believed in her. So she decided to help him and told herself that she could not leave him stranded. Betty told Armando that she was completely loyal to him and that she will do whatever he needed her to do. He told her to go ahead with the suit over EcoModa and thanked her for her assistance.