The telenovela narrates the romance between Carolina and Augusto in 19th-century Rio de Janeiro. As a child, Augusto swore eternal love to a girl, without knowing her name. Years pass, but the young man is unable to become involved with any other woman, earning him a reputation as a great womanizer among his medical school classmates. During a weekend in Paquetá, however, Augusto meets Carolina and falls in love with her, unaware that she is his childhood sweetheart. The plot also shows a group of young people who, amidst parties and passions, become involved in campaigns for the liberation of slaves.