Marcia, now Fernando's fiancée, soon learns that Lety has this book in her possession. Before long, Fernando entrusts her with his "black book", which contains information about all of his love affairs, dates, etc. Lety soon proves herself to be trustworthy. So as not to affect the company’s image adversely, Fernando (or Don Fernando, more to Lety's liking) hides Lety away in an office behind his - in a room that is actually a storage closet within his own office. Ultimately, he decides to hire them both in order to test who is better qualified for the job. Forced to choose between Lety and Alicia, Fernando finds himself in a conundrum: not hiring Lety means losing a qualified assistant, while not hiring Alicia means getting an earful from Marcia. He, however, regrets having called her back upon setting eyes on her. Fernando is left no choice but to call back Lety.Īfter receiving the good news, Lety returns to "Conceptos", where she falls in love at first sight with Fernando. Alicia happens to be Marcia's best friend and would be likely to report to her on his many love affairs (Fernando is a known casanova). From afar, she quickly becomes the object of his affection.īack at "Conceptos", Fernando argues with López over his decision to hire Alicia as executive assistant. Tomás also discovers a picture of Alicia.
Extremely discouraged, she returns home, where she and Tomás sulk over their unsuccessful lives. When they are both interviewed by the womanizing director of human resources Raúl López ( Sergio Acosta), Lety realizes that Alicia is likely to land the job purely on account of her looks. There, she finds out that her only competitor for the position of executive assistant is Alicia Ferreira (Patricia Navidad), who, despite being rather physically attractive, is grossly unqualified for the job. On her way to the interview, she stumbles across the first cases of prejudice toward her as she walks in and finds her way to the room where the interview takes place. This move works in her favor, and she soon receives a call from "Conceptos" for a job interview. This time, however, in hopes that her appearance does not overshadow her qualifications, she decides not to include a photograph.
She decides to send her résumé to "Conceptos" just as Fernando is about to hire a secretary to start his term. Meanwhile, Lety is increasingly frustrated because of her inability to secure a good job. This move wins Fernando her vote and, much to Ariel's displeasure, Fernando Mendiola is chosen as the new President of "Conceptos". However, when it becomes clear that the tie-breaking vote will fall to Marcia Villarroel (Elizabeth Álvarez), Ariel's sister and Fernando's long-time girlfriend, Fernando decides to propose to her. Two candidates will subsequently vie for the presidency of the firm: Fernando Mendiola ( Jaime Camil), Humberto's son, and Ariel Villarroel (Raúl Magaña), Humberto's foster son. Meanwhile, Don Humberto Mendiola ( Carlos Bracho), president of "Conceptos" (Concepts), one of Mexico's most important media production firms, announces his plans to retire. Despite having graduated from UNAM, a prestigious university, Lety's talents are overlooked in a job market that values beauty over brains. When the story begins, Lety is having difficulty securing a job. Her only real friend is Tomás Mora (Luis Manuel Ávila), who is essentially her male double. Lety leads a lonely and secluded existence, residing with her overprotective father, Erasmo Padilla (José José), and her loving mother, Julieta Solís (Angélica María, who is Vale's mother in real life). Lety is a kind, intelligent young woman whose advancement in life is severely hindered by her homely appearance. This Mexican version tells the story of Leticia Padilla Solís (known simply as 'Lety'), who is played by Angélica Vale. These remakes and adaptations make "Yo soy Betty, la fea" one of the most successful telenovelas (Spanish-language soap operas) ever produced. Others would soon be produced in the Netherlands, Spain, the U.S., and Greece. This new adaptation is one of many versions that were produced around the world, joining those that had gone before it in Russia, India, Germany, and Turkey. "La fea más bella" is based on the Colombian telenovela ("Yo soy Betty, la fea") which debuted in 1999.