HERNAN AND GABRIELA BOOK 1

CHAPTER 7

Later, when Emma and Gina are alone, Emma tells Gina to be careful because Isabella is crazy and obsessed with Antonio. Gina says Emma should not be worried because she (Gina) can handle that witch.

Marianna (Mariana Peralta) also worked at Montes De Alba Inc., and over the past two months had begun developing an interest in Hector. Adrianna went into the cafeteria during lunchtime. Hector was at a table with friends. Marianna went to their table. Adrianna sat at a table with some other colleagues. She saw Mariana flirting with Hector. As much as she did not want it to, that bothered her. Hector looked her way for a few seconds, and their eyes met for a second before he turned away. Marianna turned to see which direction he was looking at. Mariana realizes he was looking at Adrianna. She tells herself that Adrianna is no serious competition for her and that she can seduce Hector.

Meanwhile, Gina tells Emma that she is afraid of being seen leaving with Antonio because she is afraid of fueling the office gossip mils, but Emma says she and Antonio are two consenting single adults and they owe no one any explanations.

Elsewhere, Antonio is looking forward to meeting Gina later. He is half afraid he is falling in love with her.

Sometime later,

Isabella runs into Gina in the washrooms. She remembers what Emma said about Isabella. Isabella looks her over again. Gina tries to ignore her. With all the drama about the audio where she dissed Antonio, she does not need any more drama. Isabella tells her to be careful because Antonio is hers alone. She adds that he might explore outside but he always returns to her.

Gina says that she (Isabella) should solve whatever problem she has with Antonio, and leave her alone. Isabella tells her not to be too smug and confident. Gina tells her she is crazy and maybe that's why Antonio is avoiding her. Isabella tries to attack Gina who stops her. Gina tells Isabella to leave her alone and leaves. Isabella vows to teach her a lesson.

As the working day winds down, Hector looks for Gina. He wants to speak to her alone. He tells her to be careful because Antonio has a Playboy reputation. He tells her if she wants to have fun, it's okay, but if she wants something more serious, she should guard her heart. Gina stares at her brother half surprised at what he just said. Gina feels he usually treats her like she is younger than him by a significant number of years like 8 instead of being the younger twin by five minutes.

Later, Gina and Antonio leave together much to Isabella and Horacio's annoyance. Gina herself is very apprehensive. She wonders what Antonio is up to. Antonio notices she is quiet and asks her about it. Gina tells him, about Isabella. Antonio tells her not to be worried about her, she is a part of his past. Antonio takes her to an upscale coffee house. He would like her to loosen up, around him. Why is she so uncomfortable around him? He almost gets the feeling she fears him.

Despite everything, the evening goes well, and they both have fun. Gina, however, feels guilty, as she realizes there is more to Antonio than the gruff, bad boy image he projects to the world. She realizes that it is a wall of self-defense he has built to hide things. She, however, cannot forget the multitude of secrets, lies, and murder that lie between them. Gina is sure that there is something fishy with her father's death and that Helena and Carlos had something to do with it.

The next day after school, Aranza goes with some friends for evening photoshoots in some abandoned buildings. They are third-year journalism students. They arrived at the location at 5 pm. Things went well until 7 pm when they felt like the ground behind them was shaking. Someone asked if it was an earthquake, and another replied that whatever it is, they should leave. They took their equipment and began descending the stairs when the worst happened. The building collapsed.

Meanwhile at the Montes de Alba mansion.

Helena asks Adrianna and Antonio if Aranza has told them where she was going that night. Neither Adrianna nor Antonio knows. Helena tells Adrianna to call her. She does but, the phone rings, but it is not picked. Antonio calls and the result is the same. Carlos tells Antonio to call the Ortiz's because Aranza could be there but far away from her phone. Antonio moves to an empty room and calls Gina. Gina sees it is Antonio calling. Aurelio and Hector are making funny faces. She ignores them and picks the call. She notices his discomfort and asks him what happened.

He summarizes what is happening. He asks her if Aranza is there and she says no. He asks to speak to Aurelio. Gina gives him the phone. Antonio asks him if Aranza told him where she was going. Aurelio says he said she only said she was going with some friends to shoot at an abandoned building, but she didn't say where because the location was still being confirmed, as late as the morning of the shoot. Aurelio added that they had not spoken much that day, because they were both too busy, with school work. Antonio then tells Helena, Carlos, and Adrianna what Aurelio said.

Meanwhile, someone called the police hotline and emergency numbers. Ambulances were heading to the scene. Hector calls Adrianna at 11, pm. He can tell she is awake because she is still active online. He asks her if Aranza is home, and she says no. Hector is beginning to get worried. Adrianna is too. He tells her they should sleep, and see what happens in the morning, to see whether there is a possibility Aranza and her friends are nursing hangovers somewhere. Adrianna realizes he could be right.

The next morning, there is still no news. The news of the collapse of the building with some students from the largest university in the area had spread. Adrianna was listening to the news on a popular radio station when she heard it. She knocked at Antonio's room. Antonio was sure it was Adrianna knocking because Aranza was not home. He was planning to scold her until he saw the look on her face. He ushered her into his room. She told him what she heard on the radio. Antonio says they should go and check the hospital, among the survivors found so far. He also tells her to call Hector so he would tell Gina and Aurelio. They are all horrified at the idea.

Adrianna tells Helena, as she and Antonio rush out. Helena is afraid for her daughter. Sure, the girl was as annoying as her father, but Aranza legitimized her leadership of Montes De Alba Inc. Without her, she looks like she has no right to the fortune. Aranza is not among the 5 survivors in the hospital but they are reminded that there is still an unknown number of people trapped. Adrianna calls Hector, and he updates Gina and Aurelio. Aurelio goes to university, and Gina and Hector go to work. Neither of them feels like going but they have to.