The story of Maria Mercedes begins on a cacao farm in Davao, where as a small girl Mercedes was left to fend for herself and her siblings when their mother abandons them after their father's untimely death. Moving to Manila for work, Mercedes meets Clavio, a friend who harbors feelings for her, and Luis, the man who will teach her how to love. Fate has a few surprises for Mercedes: another man comes into her life offering her genuine love and a life of abundance she has never experienced before. But what if this man is also the key to the truth that will tear her family apart? What if the promise of a better future is the same thing that will ruin her life? Will Mercedes become like her mother, who turned her back on her family, or will she be a stronger woman who will defend her loved ones to the end? Will love be able to heal the wounds created by a bitter past?