Sidney Marques

The story follows the experiences of Marina, a young country bumpkin who marries the mysterious and charismatic widower Roberto Stein, a fabulously wealthy businessman living in 1920s Rio de Janeiro. As Marina attempts to acclimate to her new marriage and responsibilities, she discovers that Stein's late wife, Alice, still seems to have a strong hold over the household. Despite her new husband's affection for her, Marina is nonetheless threatened by Alice's presence, which is made conspicuous through her old maid Juliana's obsessions and her intimidating portrait.

When his father passes away, Estácio (Osmar Prado) and his aunt Úrsula (Ida Gomes) receive his will and are surprised to discover that most of the inheritance was left to Helena (Lúcia Alves), a previously unknown daughter. In the will, her father asks that his daughter be taken in by her relatives. The news infuriates Úrsula, who has been in charge of the family business and caring for Estácio since his mother passed away, and does not accept Helena willingly, seeing her as an intruder in the family. In addition to Úrsula, someone who is not pleased with the girl's arrival is Dr. Camargo (Rogério Fróes), father of Eugênia (Ângela Valério), Estácio's fiancée. Even so, Estácio obeys his father's request and takes the girl to live with his family. Helena has a cheerful and outgoing temperament and her arrival affects everyone's lives. At first, she is hostile to Úrsula, but later wins her sympathy.