Rafael was born in Italy and adopted by Elena and Emilio Solano , the latter being a cold, critical and distant man. They brought him to America and raised him as their own until Elena left when Rafael was just 4 years old, to be raised by Emilio along with his half-sister, Luisa. Rafael is attempting to find his place in the world and, as he has recently come to understand better that he is longing for the security of a true family.
A step on the way has been discovering that Elena and Emilio are not his biological parents — he was born in Italy. His journey now will be one of finding out who he is and what he wants, once he knows.
Rafael was born on 22nd March [1] in Italy to two bakers. Elena left the family in , a day after Rafael's 4th birthday. She makes him a grilled cheese sandwich, they talk for hours about life, hopes, and dreams, and he kisses her.
Around , Rafael and Luisa sit through a dinner with their father, Emilio Solano, who proceeds to tell Rafael what a disappointment he is. On this occasion, Rafael also meets his future stepmother, Rose Solano. Rafael sets his sights on Petra as revenge. Rafael considers buying the property, which he thinks has potential. Around , Rafael gets cancer and while in treatment, has a talk with his sister, Luisa, who encourages him to find a way he could change is life to feel better.
Rafael subsequently realizes what his life really is and falls out of love with Petra. After talking with his sister, Luisa, to work up the nerve, Rafael is finally ready to accept that he has wanted to end his marriage to Petra for a year. When Petra, unbeknownst to Rafael, uses his last chance of having a baby, he is understandably upset but also confused about the big life choice he had just made to divorce, and what his future will now hold when there is a child involved.
