José Alfredo is a man of humble origins who has always strived to do his best and spent his life building an empire. When he is still young, he suffers from a broken heart and from then on, he begins to take advantage of the people and opportunities he encounters. In a twist of fate, José Alfredo finds himself in the midst of the black market for precious stones and becomes a diamond smuggler. In Switzerland, he meets Maria Marta who comes from a traditional but bankrupt family and the two unite forces in a marriage of interests.