The story begins with a woman named Carmela Muñoz giving birth to a girl named Marielena in the middle of the Florida Straits while escaping Cuba in a boat. Years later, Marielena is a beautiful young woman living in Miami with her mother and siblings, Enrique, Jr. a.k.a. "Kike", Mercedes a.k.a. "Meche" and Yolanda a.k.a. "Yoly". Marielena is engaged to a young man named Javier. Yoly is married to a man named Alfredo Minelli a.k.a. Fredy, whose father Rufino works at a restaurant serenading guests, and Meche is the girlfriend of Javier's brother, Leon. Leon and Javier live with their parents Fucha and Teo close to Carmela's home. One day while walking back home after buying flowers, Marielena is hit by a red convertible. A handsome young man named Luis Felipe Sandoval steps out of the car and offers her money for the flowers but speeds away angrily when she asks only for an apology.
Production notes
The telenovela was filmed and produced in Miami, Florida and was also recorded during Hurricane Andrew. Luis Oquendo died during filming after he suffered a heart attack.
