When industrial magnate Antonio Lombardo dies in a car accident, he leaves his fortune to his son Alejandro. But Bruno, his jealous brother, plots to murder him and take his fortune. His scheme partially works and Alejandro returns from a terrible accident to find that he is married to Maria Jose, an innocent girl who was lied to by Bruno as part of his scheme. Doctors tell Alejandro he suffers from memory loss but he is convinced he never met Maria...

Teresa is a young woman dominated by her own greed. She would rather lie and cheat her way out of poverty than find an honest job. Her parents have made great sacrifices to give her a good, decent life, but Teresa wants more, a lot more. Mariano, Teresa's boyfriend, is truly in love with her and stands behind all of her decisions. Teresa, however, sees him merely as a convenient accessory, someone always eager and ready to do her bidding.