Amac Productions

Xeque Mate has returned with the second half of season two with all its soapiness as my girlfriend would say.

But you know – for all its faults – I really do enjoy this series and I’m happy it has returned!

In this episode, we learn that Giovanna has finally figured out that she’s falling in love with Maya. And is also completely incapable of staying away from her.

Though she makes an attempt.

She tries to remove herself as Maya’s bodyguard. Whether that’s because she’s a distraction and wants to focus more on work or that she suspects something is up with Maya or she does believe she messed up.

Honestly, any one of these – I’m here for.

If she thinks Maya is a distraction from work and needs to be rid of her so she can actually solve the case, that’s some pretty good self-realization she’s got going on. While also, completely ignoring it by letting the very same woman into her home to sleep with her later on that night.

So…

It makes for a good storyline because she simply cannot stay away.

Then there’s the idea that she might suspect more is going on. Whether she suspects Maya or not, she definitely knows something is very wrong. Something smells fishy to her.

Because Maya’s inside man tried to convince Giovanna that Hector is behind the whole attack – which honestly is the set-up they want, and it fits perfectly. But maybe that is why Giovanna doesn’t believe it. It fits too perfectly.

After all, Hector does not seem that intelligent.

However, if she suspects that Maya is the one pulling all the strings, it’ll confront Giovanna with so many issues.

She’s falling in love with a criminal. It’s her duty to arrest her and convict her of her crimes. Can she though? Or is she already in too deep with Maya?

Honestly, this is the storyline I for sure want. Giovanna being super conflicted now that she’s realized she’s sort of doomed when it comes to Maya would just be icing on the cake for me. I’d eat that up. I’d love it.

Just think about it for a moment, seriously. Giovanna was in tears at the beginning of the episode.

So worried. So concerned. So much so, that if affected Maya who couldn’t bear to listen to her anymore.

I loved that scene so much because you could tell – maybe for the first time – how deep Maya is as well.

As pointed out by Giovanna, she believes that Maya has feelings but does everything she can to hide them from the world. This was a moment where we saw the cracks in her mask. She realized exactly how much she scared Giovanna with this little stunt she pulled. How much it hurt her.

She even apologizes to Giovanna.

It sounds so sincere and worried for the woman.

Just as Giovanna has been out of her mind with worry trying to find and get Maya back. Not to mention all the screaming she did and banging on doors she did while she was captive.

Like this is deliciously awful.

Which leads to the last one – Giovanna believes she really screwed up.

Maya knows that’s not true. She picked the perfect day to attack because he had no bodyguards, it was just Giovanna facing off against four men while trying to protect three people. Honestly, she was doomed to fail. It was kind of the point.

But Giovanna doesn’t know that.

Christopher doesn’t know that.

Nor does her boss.

Only Maya.

Now she’s confronted with the idea that everyone may think Giovanna cannot keep her safe, throwing a wrench into her plans.

Another one, because her feelings for Giovanna are certainly a wrench in the plans. As her best friend has pointed out several times.

All of this culminates in an excellent episode which was pretty well-paced, and I have to commend the writers and directors for stepping up their game coming into this half of the season. It was definitely an issue with the last few episodes, and I hope they keep up this pacing.

I am also a sucker for more time spent on the main two ladies who carry the entire thing on their backs.

Not that I don’t think everyone else isn’t fantastic, they are quite good. Don’t get me wrong.

I just enjoy Giovanna and Maya’s strange relationship.

Like I loved that Maya defended Giovanna during the kidnapping. She saw her face off against four men while trying to keep three people safe. It might have been different if there were not so many moving parts. Too many variables of people getting hurt, so she took the best option.

Calling out her husband for not having his own bodyguards.

His ridiculous answer that if she needs his bodyguards than Giovanna must not be very good. No, you moron. Safety is in numbers. If you had three more bodyguards or even two or one things might have changed in your favor.

But no.

You went without them.

I liked that Maya called him on that and then forced him to apologize to Giovanna.

Oh my, that is just a moment right there. Like the layers of that moment are hilarious to me. His wife who wants him dead and orchestrated the entire thing to steal from him wants him to apologize for being rude to the woman who tried to save him and his wife but is also sleeping with his wife.

The smug on Giovanna.

Also, I’m telling the writers, I need it to be a bit clearer – is she still her bodyguard?

Like, we didn’t really get a decision beyond Maya declared it. Does that mean we’re good? We’re keeping with the status quo here?

Other thoughts I have rolling around in my head after this episode are – who does Giovanna think is responsible if not Hector? Does she suspect Maya? Or does she think Christopher had something to do with it?

Honestly, that would be a great plot to have as well.

Just her full on trying to prove that Christopher is behind everything, including kidnapping his own wife. If Giovanna thought this, as Maya, I’d totally run with it and let him take the fall. It would be amazing.

I would truly cackle at that.

Did Maya kill Clarice? How does Giovanna forgive that if she did?

What sort of excuse is Maya going to make up for coming home in the middle of the night after being kidnapped? How do you explain that one?

How long before the fact that they’re in love with each other destroys both of their lives?

Because they are.

For sure.

If there were any doubts before, I believe this episode should lay them to rest.

Injured and pretending to be scared, Maya wanted only Giovanna. When her husband came in, she forgot her mask for yet another moment – turning her cheek when he tried to kiss her. Whether because she hates him or because she loves Giovanna and doesn’t want her to see that. Who knows? Either way, she allowed Giovanna to comfort her and kiss her. Hold her hand and assure her.

When Giovanna is dismissed from the room, Maya tries to stop her and call her back. Then chews out Christopher for doing that and defends Giovanna to him. That there was nothing she could have done to save her.

While he did nothing. As she so tried to point out.

Maya kisses her softly in her sleep. Appears distraught when Giovanna appears to suggest that she has no feelings. Only to find relief when Giovanna reveals she knows her so well. Well, enough that she hides her true feelings from the world.

She settles even further into Giovanna’s arms at that.

Giovanna rushes to her side. Hugs her. Kisses her. Cries over her.

Worries about her. How long she was alone with those men. What could have happened to her while they had her. How angry she was with them and herself for not protecting her. Wishing that she never had to go through something like that.

Immediately changing the subject when Maya wishes to talk about something else. Though for reasons other than what Giovanna thinks.

Giovanna thinks it’s too much for her to think about.

Meanwhile, Maya can’t stand what she put Giovanna through.

Screw everyone else.

Giovanna fixes her hair before she answers the door. Smiles in her sleep when Maya kisses her.

Maya knows her favorite food.

She wants the woman who was just kidnapped to rest and recover.

There are countless moments in this episode where it’s clear they feel more for each other than just a simple hook-up. And the kidnapping has driven them all to the forefront. To a place where they can no longer hide it. No longer refuse to admit it to themselves.

Because they’ve both been denying it vehemently for a while and this episode it slams into them.

How their priorities are affected by each other. By their feelings for each other. No matter how hard they try – the feelings are there and now they have to deal with them.

I – for one – cannot wait to see how this shakes out. What about you guys? Comment your thoughts!

Thanks for reading! Please consider supporting!

Spread the love and read on!