HERNAN AND GABRIELA BOOK 1

CHAPTER 1

They stay there for another 2 days before leaving, to make sure the twins are really lost. They go back to the city, sans the twins. Meanwhile, a local couple Armando and Luisa Ortiz find Hernan and Gabriela, scared, hungry, cold, tired, and feverish from Malaria. They like most of the state have heard of the tragic disappearance of the Montes de Alba twins, and are surprised to find the children. There is widespread media coverage of the story.

Armando and Luisa have a 2-year-old son, Aurelio, their pride and joy, a son they got after years of trying. They suspect foul play on the part of Carlos and Helena and decide to take in the children. Anna Patricia, Armando's sister, helps them. Armando and Luisa, tell the children that there are bad people who want to kill them, and so they have to pretend to be other people, to save their lives. It is the school holidays, so they have time to get used to their new roles. As part of the plans, Hernan becomes Hector Ortiz while Gabriela becomes Gina Ortiz. They also become cousins, instead of siblings. The children also have to change their hair colors.

Meanwhile, Carlos and Helena bring out their relationship in public. There is widespread interest, but with the help of expert image consultants, they weather the public scrutiny on when their relationship started and Helena comes out looking like the widow whose husband will forever have a special part in her heart but she has to move on living.

To ward off nosy neighbors, Armando and Luisa come up with an excuse to explain the twins' presence. Armando, Luisa, and Anna Patricia go to Armando and Anna's parents, Ramon and Clara's Ortiz, and tell them the truth. The old couple is of course, shocked and afraid at what the three have done, but love the twins anyway and work to help them. The story, they all agree on is that the two are the orphaned grandchildren of an old friend of Ramon. It is told, to avoid creating suspicion among nosy neighbors, and during the following days, they coach the twins on it. Anna Patricia has a son Martin, who is also eight years. Martin is told the same story but he is told the truth when he is older.

16 years pass and the twins, Martin, and Antonio are 24, Adrianna is 23, Aurelio is 18 and Aranza is 17 years. It was decided not to tell Aurelio the twins' sad life story. Martin, had gone to the city, and started as an intern and was working his way up in Montes de Alba Inc. Both Gina and Hector knew they would eventually have to reveal themselves and to take up their real identities even though they did not want to go to the city. The Ortiz's had spent the last year looking for a scholarship for Aurelio in universities in their hometown without success. Just as they were beginning to despair, they got a positive reply, but there was a problem.

The university was in Hernan and Gaby's home city, the city where they had suffered so much, at such a young age, and nearly died. As afraid as they were, they wanted to give Aurelio the best education they could. Armando and Luisa give the children their blessings as they move to the city, and tell Hector and Gina to be careful because Carlos and Helena are dangerous and crafty. They also tell them to treat Aranza well as, despite everything, she is still their younger sister. Gina and Hector plan to do so. Armando, Anna Patricia, Luisa, Clara, and Ramon, were there to say their goodbyes, as the three leave for the city. Hector, Gina, and Aurelio move to the city, and Aurelio is enrolled at a nearby university. Aranza enrolls there too. Aranza enrolls for a degree in journalism, with a specialization in online, print, media, and graphic design. Aurelio meanwhile went to study software engineering.

Hector and Gina get paid internships at the Montes De Alba Company. Gina catches the attention of Antonio, who now is a tech wiz and works in the company's IT department. He is a genius, handsome, and a heart-breaker. She runs into him on her third day, when he comes with some colleagues to install some new software. He is immediately struck by her unassuming beauty. She is a stunner but does not know it. He does not recognize his childhood friend. Gina is torn between temptation to throttle him for being arrogant and full of himself, and missing her childhood friend. She is relieved he cannot recognize her even one bit. Antonio decides she will be his next target. Meanwhile, Hector runs into Adrianna. His childhood friend has grown into a beautiful woman. Montes de Alba Inc. has grown into one of the top food production companies in the region. Their brands are among the most consumed in the country.

They are household names. The twins plan on actualizing their plans for revenge, and to take back their father's company but first, they have to stabilize themselves and learn how Montes de Alba Inc. runs. Carlos aide, Alejandro Cortes, dated Adrianna for a while, for about a year before she broke things off, because he was too controlling, and wanted a trophy girlfriend/ wife. He however never got over it. He still would get territorial over her despite the fact that she had made it clear she did not want him back.

He would act jealous, and felt like the reason Adriana was still single was that she secretly still loved him. Adrianna loves her job. As much as she knows she could run into Alejandro, she loves it anyway. Adrianna has a degree in public relations and specialized in media relations. She intends to use her skills and work, whether at the company or in another. She is smart and does not intend to waste her brain. She is one of the junior staff in the company's corporate communications department. Gina has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism specializing in graphic design, online and print media. She is part of the interns in the company's advertising department. Hector (Hernan) is one of the new marketing interns.

It is one month since Aurelio, Hector and Gina arrived in the capital.

There is a routine interdepartmental meeting. Adrianna is among the first to arrive with her colleagues. Groups of staff are chatting in informal groups. As he often does, Hector (Hernan) began to wonder if Adrianna and Antonio could have learnt anything about Helena and Carlos's crimes in the years that have passed since. Still, he cannot help but appreciate what a stunner Adrianna is. Adrianna's phone beeps. Looking at it she is annoyed to see it is Alejandro sending messages. What a creep. When will he ever get the memo? He is her history. More interns and junior staff from different departments come. Gina glares at Antonio when he and some of the other IT guys wink at her.

Helena, Carlos, Alejandro, and the rest of the board members arrive. Hector feels his blood boil. It is supposed to be his father chairing these meetings, and him and his sisters at their father's side, learning the ropes. This should be their company. Alejandro looks over at Adrianna, who is busy in conversation with a colleague from the same department. The man is young, handsome and Adrianna seemed to be happy. Alejandro decided to monitor the situation in case it got serious. The meeting soon started.