In the struggle for land a vicious feud erupts between two men, who commit their families to a war without truce. Over two generations they are moved by love and by hatred in this epic saga of love for the land.

After the mysterious disappearance of his father, Joventino, the cowboy José Leôncio becomes a wealthy farm owner in Pantanal. Over twenty years have passed and, bitter-hearted because of his father vanishing and the escape of his wife to Rio de Janeiro with his baby, José Leôncio has the chance to make amends with the boy, now a young man raised in the big city with very different values and habits than his own.

After making a pact with Jequitibá, José Inocêncio becomes a mythical figure, known as the most successful cocoa farmer in the region. While still young, he wins the heart of Maria Santa. Their intense passion results in four children: José Augusto, José Bento, José Venâncio, and the youngest, João Pedro, who never had the opportunity to know his mother, as she dies while giving birth to him. This tragedy fuels José Inocêncio’s anger, blaming João Pedro for the loss of his great love. Throughout their lives, indifference and resentment mark the relationship between the father and his youngest son. As if the past weren’t enough, years later, the arrival of the mysterious Mariana puts all these emotions to the test when both father and son fall in love with the same woman. This situation reawakens feelings that were either dormant or previously unknown to them.