Barbarita Ruiz (Natalia Streignard) is a sweet and modest young woman who works in a fashion boutique in Miami. One day, as part of her job as a seamstress, she goes to the mansion of the rich widow Ricarda Thompson (Anna Silvetti) to do a dress fitting for her. There, she meets her older son Valentino, a single and dishonest man who is always used to getting what he wants. On seeing Barbarita, he is captivated by her beauty and plans on seducing her. But, after spending time with her and getting to know her good nature, he falls in love with her, much to the dismay of her mother who is opposed to the relationship and who goes to great lengths in order to separate the two. However, Barbarita and Valentino get married in a simple and private wedding ceremony.
But on the wedding night, while on their way back from their honey moon hotel, the newlyweds are involved in a car accident that leads to the unfortunate death of Valentino while Barbarita survives with a few bruises. Valentino's powerful mother blames Barbarita for the death of her son, and she creates a cruel plan in order to get revenge: her younger son Antonio Adolfo (Mario Cimarro) will seduce Barbarita; and when she falls in love with him, he will abandon her.
Antonio plans on following her mother's plan to the letter. When Barbarita is convinced that she is truly in love with Antonio, he breaks her heart by revealing the truth that he was only using her to get revenge. Antonio later regrets this action when he discovers that he has fallen madly in love with Barbarita after witnessing her kindness and sweet nature. When Barbarita discovers that she is pregnant with Antonio's child, the two reconcile and become close, their love growing stronger every day.
However, things become complicated for the two when Valentino suddenly reappears back in their lives. He was not actually dead, but rather, he faked his death so that it was not discovered that he had embezzled his family's company fortune. Moreover, Antonio Adolfo was previously engaged to Alexandra Montesinos (Lorena Meritano), the spoilt daughter of a prominent lawyer who is overcome with jealousy and will do anything to ensure that Antonio is hers alone.
Valentino comes back with Katiuska Cardona (Mara Croatto), his former lover who is now posing as his personal nurse. Valentino tries to rebuild his life with his wife and new-born son, but the love Barbarita felt for him has been replaced by the love of his brother. Katiuska becomes increasingly jealous of Barbarita, and after Valentino fails to carry out their scheme of stealing from the Thompsons, she shoots him and frames Barbarita for the crime.
While in prison, it is discovered that Barbarita is legitimate daughter of Severo Montesinos (German Barrios) and Emilia Sulbaran. Emilia's father was opposed to the relationship she had with Severo, and when her baby was born, he gave the child to her nanny who then escaped to the United States from Caracas with the child. All this time, Caridad lied to Barbarita that she was her aunt and that her parents died in a car accident. Also, Emilia has come to the United States to search for her long-lost daughter. Severo is devastated when he discovers that Barbarita is his daughter after he treated her cruelly while he was the leading Prosecutor in her murder case. Her life ruined and her son taken away from her, Barbarita swears revenge against the Thompsons.
On the day that some of the inmates, including Barbarita, are being transported to the main State Prison, a planned escape by some of those inmates gives her the chance to run away. Barbarita is pronounced to be dead when her body isn't found after one of the inmates who was eventually caught stated that she had jumped into a canal filled with crocodiles. Her family, and especially Antonio, are devastated. Actually, Barbarita found solace in the house of her Criminal Defense lawyer Fernando Marín where she hides until her case is appealed and overturned after a witness comes forth and clears her because he gives her an alibi.
With her name cleared, Barbarita returns to her family after she is exonerated. With help from Larry Garcia who has now become a rich man and the fortune of the Thompsons which was put under her name through the help of her lawyer after the Thompson's company became fully bankrupt, Barbarita transforms herself into a sophisticated woman and goes to exact her revenge on the Thompsons who are completely shocked to see that she is actually alive.
