The Heir (2004)

Our story begins 10 years ago. An afternoon like any other, Dolores Sánchez Alé decides to visit the orphanage of which she is the godmother, with her granddaughters, Pilar (16) and Rosario (14), who usually go with her. While Dolores checks some administrative issues, the girls go around the orphanage gardens. Pilar, once again, manages to convince her sister to stay playing at the swings while she sneaks to visit Jesus Reyes, one of the boys who lives there. Rosario already knows of this romance, so she agrees to cover her sister. Pilar and Jesús meet as usual, in a secluded corner of the garden, a shelter of sorts known only to them. That very afternoon, Jesus gives Pilar a ring, basic and handmade by him. But for Pilar it is precious, more valuable than an emerald, because it means the promise of love, come what may. They promise to get married as soon as Jesus is able to leave the orphanage, at 18. But this teenage romance, which begins as an adventure, will be strong enough to unleash revenge and envy, passion and hatred. Dolores Sanchez Alé, is the mother of Joaquín (48) who also administers her fortune. This fortune comes from generations , thanks to the vineyards they own all over the world. Joaquín is married to Julia (36). She is of humble origin and never dreamed of such fortune. Her Cinderella dream came true, but she did not know that upon marrying Joaquin, she was signing up for years of indifference and poor treatment. She is a prisoner in a marriage perfect in appearance, but suffocating to the verge of insanity. She wanted to have children , to seek shelter in them, but no, the children would not arrive either. And in an attempt to live a little, to avoid dying of grief, she makes the terrible mistake of giving herself to another man. He is an employee of Joaquin's, low level, poor and conniving. She lives an adventure that gives her back her soul, her smile and her will to dream. It is in those days that she decides to adopt a child to complete her life. Even if the child is not exactly hers, she would have the love of a man outside the home and a baby to take care of. So, she adopts a baby, Pilar. But, as everything in Julia's life, this, too, turned into a trap. Shortly after adopting Pilar, she gets pregnant, and the father is her lover, Jose. It is impossible to tell the truth, everything would fall upon her, crushing her daughter and the twins on the way. So she decides to lie to Joaquin and make him believe that the twins are his. Julia tells her husband the happy news, and Joaquin, shell shocked, kisses her sweetly and recommend bed rest. As soon as she is out of the room, he calls his assistant, Esteban, and orders the disappearance of the father of the bastards. Joaquin has no doubt about the paternity of the twins, because, though his vanity never allowed him to confess the truth, he has known for years he is sterile, so it is impossible that he could have fathered a child. Esteban has Jose killed and hides the body in the aged casks section. That death opens a chain of hatred that will last for years to come. What Julia never imagines was that Jaoquin knew about her affair. Suddenly, José disappears. He does not work at the vineyards or lives where he used to any more. Julia is now all alone in her secret. Joaquin, on the other hand, upon learning that one of the twins is a boy, decides to get rid of him, on the day of the delivery. He is able to raise another man's daughter, but he will never give his name to a bastard son. The day of the delivery, Julia receives the sad news that the boy died at birth, but the baby girl survived. Of course that is not true. The boy, rescued by Joaquin behind everybody's backs, even Dolores, is abandoned at the door of the orphanage, on January 6th, that's why he is named Jesus Reyes. (Reyes is Kings in Spanish). Years later, when Pilar and Jesús want to get married, there will be the suspicion they might be brother and sister, because Pilar does not know she is adopted. This suspicion will endanger not only their unconditional love but also their own lives, since they cannot imagine life without each other. By the time this happens, Joaquín suffers a stroke that incapacitates him for running the companies, and there now comes the possibility that Jesus might claim what's rightfully his inheritance, now in Julia's hands. So, Jesus will become a brother and an heir at the same time. Two tasks for which he is unprepared. Two tasks that do not appeal to him, but from which he cannot escape. He will have to face the very real possibility that, in his attempt to regain what belongs to him, he might lose the only person he truly loves, Pilar.