In the village of Santa Lucía live two opposite families who will be involved in a whirlwind of passion, pain and revenge.

On the one hand there are Severiano Mendoza and Candela Santana, rich and powerful people who live in the hacienda called “Las Ánimas” next to their little son, Cristóbal. On the other hand are Roberta and Raymundo Alcocer who also have a little daughter called Aldonza. However, they don´t live with the same luxury as the Mendoza family does, which causes frustration and resentment in Roberta as nothing is enough to satisfy her inferiority complex which follows her as her shadow.

Nobody imagines that Roberta has an extramarital relationship with Severiano, but one day, this relationship is discovered by Raymundo who is injured with a gunshot fired by Severiano when he feels caught; however, Raymundo also hurts Severiano badly. Scared, Roberta shoots her husband causing his death. Both make it seem as if Raymundo had an accident. Roberta gets pregnant from this forbidden relationship, but when her baby is born, Severiano takes the baby away from her with lies, telling her the baby died. From then on, Roberta becomes the representation of excess and evil, succumbing to addictions with no remorse, and leaving her daughter Aldonza under her sister Adelina’s care. 

Times goes by. Now, Aldonza is a beautiful young girl who has grown next to Adelina and Roberta; but her mother’s excesses have caused Aldonza to be rejected by many villagers. On the other hand, Cristóbal has come back to “Santa Lucía” as he was sent away from town ever since he was a kid.

The first encounter between the two youngsters brings about emotions that are difficult to ignore, and despite Aldonza’s refusal to be near Cristóbal, he convinces her of becoming friends, explaining that their families’ differences shouldn´t affect them. Aldonza realizes he is right so a pure friendship is born between them; a friendship that will grow into love soon.

Candela, the young boy’s mother, disagrees with this relationship as she has always hated anything that is related to Roberta and asks Severiano to make Aldonza leave town. In an inexcusable act, Severiano sexually abuses Aldonza which drives her to disappear together with her mother and aunt without explaining anyone, not even Cristóbal.

Years later, Roberta dies and Aldonza gets back in town carrying her mother’s ashes with her. Disappointed for feeling abandoned by Aldonza, Cristóbal has engaged with Valeria. However, the moment he sees Aldonza, he feels that the love of his life is back and he is ready to fight for her, which leads him to break his engagement with Valeria. 

But the road to their happiness won´t be easy at all as the shadow from their parents´past keeps dragging pain and tragedy into their lives. Aldonza and Cristóbal must fight against evil, hatred, whim and ambition from those who conspired against them, to finally give their love to each other.