Juan is summoned by Goldenberg to offer him a job in the cheap business. To get away from him, Pardo evades his proposals justifying himself by saying that he must consult with his partner; who, in reality, does not exist. As the story progresses we can see how this partner, who is called Mr. Davis, takes on a life of his own inside Juan's mind.

Victoria Guanipa, a woman of mixed race uses her beauty and cunning to climb the social ladder and gain power in a society marked by racial and class divisions. Her ambition clashes with the traditions of the landowning family she marries into, particularly with Nicolás del Casal, who represents old aristocratic values.