Fernanda is the youngest daughter of Gonzalo Elizalde, owner of a large hacienda and an important dairy company. Eduardo is the son of Soledad, their housekeeper. The two children were raised together and, in spite of their class differences, are joined by a love that is pure and innocent. Gonzalo leads a full, happy life with his wife Monserrat and their 5 children, unaware of the danger that is closing in on them. Artemio Bravo hates Gonzalo with a passion and his only goal in life is to destroy the entire Elizalde family, slowly and painfully. The first pawn in his perverse game is Rebeca Sanchez, an unscrupulous young woman who secures a position in Gonzalo’s company under an assumed name, Barbara Greco. Her efficiency and sharp mind catch Gonzalo’s attention and he appoints her as his personal assistant. Gradually, and with great cunning, Barbara gains his full trust. Barbara’s initial targets are Fernanda and Eduardo. Having surprised them in an innocent kiss, she persuades Monserrat with a subtle touch of poison that the boy is a danger to her precious daughter and should be sent away to a boarding school. The children’s letters are intercepted by Soledad, who has made the painful decision of stopping them from reaching their destination and, eventually, Fernanda feels that Eduardo has forgotten her. The next move in Artemio’s gambit is to crown Barbara as Gonzalo’s queen, and this means that Monserrat must die. Barbara smothers her with a pillow and frames the eldest daughter Liliana for the murder. Protesting her innocence, the desperate teenager is locked away in a psychiatric hospital. Later, Gonzalo weds Barbara and gives her a seat on the board of directors of his company. Soledad is the only one who has realized the full scope of Barbara’s evil nature, but she is forced to hold her tongue. For years she lives in quiet dread, missing her son Eduardo and terrified that one day Barbara will carry out her threat of having him kill