Eliana Araújo

Set in Rio de Janeiro, the main plot follows the romantic adventures of four young people: Sônia, Joyce, Paulo, and Carlos. The youngest, Joyce, was raised by her aunt and uncle, Flávia and Dario Rodrigues, following her mother's death and her father's disappearance. Dario and Flávia are Sônia's parents, and they raised both girls as sisters. The story becomes even more complicated with the arrival of Carlos, a young man of humble origins who falls for Joyce the moment he meets her. Joyce, however, does not reciprocate his advances and spurns his interest. Increasingly in love with Paulo, she even pretends to be blind after an accident—solely to remain close to the doctor—and proves willing to do whatever it takes to keep Sônia out of her way.

To avenge his father's death, Otávio wants to take over a party catering business called "Marron Glacé," but ends up falling in love with Vanessa, the daughter of the current owner.

The central theme of the soap opera is the struggle for political control in the interior of Bahia between the two most powerful *coronéis* (landowning bosses) of the cocoa region: Sinhô Badaró and Horácio da Silveira. Virgílio, an ambitious lawyer, is summoned to the town by Colonel Horácio but ends up becoming involved with Ester, the colonel's wife. Captain João Magalhães is a card sharp who poses as a military engineer, successfully deceiving the entire town. He falls in love with Sinhô Badaró's daughter, Donana. By the end of the story, he reveals that he had only gotten close to the Badarós out of opportunism. After numerous clashes with Sinhô Badaró, Colonel Horácio secures political power in the town of Ferradas, with the acknowledgment of the local population.

Mário Fofoca, a bungling detective, moves to Rio and, with the help of a friend, investigates cases—starting with a wife's suspected infidelity.

A group of eccentric people gather at a popular bar in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro.