Maria Mercedes, a young woman abandoned by her mother and neglected by her alcoholic father, supports her siblings by working in the streets of Mexico City. Santiago del Olmo, a dying man, marries her to thwart his greedy aunt Malvina after his death. Following Santiago’s passing, Maria becomes the head of the family, enraging Malvina. Per Santiago's will, Malvina, her son Jorge Luis, and daughter Digna must live with Maria to inherit his fortune. Jorge Luis, haunted by his wife’s murder on their wedding day, is deeply pessimistic, while Digna, highly religious and inexperienced in love, struggles with fear and insecurity.
After moving into the del Olmo household, María falls for Jorge Luis, who is controlled by his manipulative mother, Malvina. To regain the family fortune, Malvina orchestrates a marriage between Jorge Luis and María, intending for him to divorce her later. Initially distant, Jorge Luis eventually falls genuinely in love with María. Meanwhile, María faces hostility from Mistica, Jorge Luis' jealous ex-girlfriend, who teams up with Malvina to oust her.
María reconnects with her estranged mother, Maria Magnolia, now wealthy and remorseful for abandoning her family. Maria Magnolia secretly helps María and her jailed brother Guillermo while concealing her identity and actions from her new family, including her husband Rodolfo and son Gustavito, as well as María's siblings Rosario and Andres.
Maria Magnolia teaches María refinement and how to win over her husband, Jorge Luis. At a high-society party hosted by Sebastian Ordoñes, who tries to seduce María, Jorge Luis becomes jealous and enchanted by her transformation. This leads to a romantic breakthrough, and they finally consummate their marriage. María soon discovers she is pregnant. However, their relationship unravels during a disastrous vacation, disrupted by Mistica and a flirtatious lifeguard. Consumed by jealousy and impulsiveness, Jorge Luis demands a divorce upon their return to Mexico City.
Malvina schemes to destroy María by conspiring with the butler, Cordelio, to drive her insane and have her committed to an asylum. However, María escapes and hides with Doña Filo, a friend from her poor days, until Jorge Luis convinces the police to stop pursuing her. Malvina's attempts to kill María with Cordelio’s help fail.
Recognizing Maria Magnolia's influence on María, Malvina suspects she might be María’s mother and shares her theory with Magnolia's husband, Rodolfo. Rodolfo confirms this after visiting María's siblings, Rosario and Andres, and recognizing their mother's photo. Confronting Magnolia, he accuses her of abandoning her family, leading to her expulsion from their home. Maria Magnolia survives the fallout by working with a French tailor who once encouraged her ambitions, which she prioritized over her family.
Meanwhile, Jorge Luis realizes he cannot live without María. Seeking forgiveness, he reconciles with her, and they finally live together as a true married couple.
Nine months later, María gives birth to twin girls, but one tragically dies shortly after. Jorge Luis permanently ends Mistica's interference after exposing her false claim that he fathered her child, which is actually her husband Sebastian's. When Jorge Luis realizes his mother still despises María, he finally stands up to her, choosing to leave and build a life with María and their child.
The strain of recent events, including Jorge Luis' departure, drives Malvina into a mental breakdown. She begins mimicking María’s past life, selling lottery tickets and cleaning windshields on the streets. Eventually, she is caught and committed to an asylum.
Maria Magnolia decides to reveal the truth to her children. While María is initially shocked, she forgives her mother and accepts her with love. Rosario, however, reacts with anger and resentment until Rodolfo Mancilla, her boss and Magnolia's husband, agrees to embrace all of them as his stepchildren. This reconciliation helps the sisters make peace, and Rosario accepts the courtship of Ricardo, a younger friend of Jorge Luis, without conflict.
María and Jorge Luis, who had only a civil wedding, decide to celebrate a grand church wedding at the Basilica of Guadalupe. Surrounded by their loved ones, they exchange vows, ending the story with a romantic kiss.
Cast
Thalía as María Mercedes "Meche" Muñoz González de del Olmo
A Philippine remake aired on ABS-CBN from October 7, 2013 to January 24, 2014 as part of Primetime Bida evening block starring Jessy Mendiola (as Maria Mercedes Alegre), Jake Cuenca (as Luis Sancuevas), and Jason Abalos (as Clavio Mondejar).[2]
References
^"María Mercedes" (in Spanish). alma-latina.net. Archived from the original on September 11, 2011. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
