Summary

Violeta continues her passionate affair with Julián. She soon learns that she is pregnant with Julián’s baby. Despite this illegitimate child, Fabian continually refuses to annul his marriage to Violeta. Violeta gives birth to a son, Juan Martín. For Julián, fatherhood represents “the opportunity to live life all over again through his son” (132). Concurrently, Julián operates illegal flights into and out of the country. Violeta continues to maintain her own separate savings. At the end of Chapter 11, Violeta discovers that she is again pregnant.

Aunt Pía dies of cancer. Violeta and Julián’s marriage frays and Violeta fears that Julián “was already losing interest in me” (137-138). Julián pursues other women and occasionally beats Violeta. One of Julián’s girlfriends tearfully confronts Violeta; Violeta is furious yet remains with Julián. During...