Maria is a 15-year-old scavenger who lives on the outskirts of the city. She loses her godmother, who before dying begs the local priest not to leave Maria to fend for herself. The priest asks one of his benefactors to please let Maria work as a servant in his house. Instead, the Don Fernando brings her in as his ward, making her a target of hostility for his wife, Victoria, and her niece, Soraya. Maria falls in love with the dashing but drunken and disorderly son of the house, Luis Fernando, and must fight Soraya for his affections. When Luis Fernando and Maria finally get married, he walks in on an innocent embrace between Maria and his brother Vladimir and storms out blinded with jealousy.