Marcos Assunção is back in the coastal city of Pontal for family business. The young man met and fell in love with sweet Ruth, the daughter of a poor fishing family, but eventually married Rachel, Ruth's twin sister who, through intrigues, managed to separate them. The sisters are identical, but opposite personalities. While Ruth loves people and is simple, Rachel is cruel, ambitious. She dreams of becoming rich, no matter what the cost, and is having an affair with Wanderlei. The one who knows everything is Tonho of the Moon, a mental patient known for carving women in the sand of the beach. Protected from Ruth, with whom he is in love, he suffers from Rachel's wickedness. Rachel will have to face Virgilie Assunçao, Marcos' father, who does not accept this relationship. Sub-prefect of Pontal and owner of the largest hotel in the square, his dream is to make Pontal a tourist centre. His opponent is the environmental prefect Bruno. The population of the city is divided, and Bruno has a great ally, Tonia, a local businesswoman. To undermine Bruno's work, Virgíle puts scarecrows on the beach representing the prefect that frighten tourists. Meanwhile, Ruth is suffering because of her sister's marriage. The story is in turmoil as a result of an accident, Raquel is left dead and Ruth poses as her sister to stay with the man she loves. But Rachel is not dead and decides to come back to take revenge on her sister who took her place.