Unlike his neighbors, Tomás Vargas keeps his money at home rather than putting it in a bank. His neighbors lose their money when the regime of El Benefactor fails. Tomás is fine because his money is stored as gold nuggets.

Despite his wealth, Tomás is a cruel man. He is abusive and neglects his family. His wife, Antonia Sierra, is 26 years his junior but looks much older because of the violence and stress that she has experienced at her husband’s hands.

The only person who can stop Tomás during one of his violent rages is his neighbor, the shopkeeper Riad Halabí. One day, a young woman comes into Halabí’s shop. Her name is Concha Díaz. She is pregnant, and Tomás is the father. Halabí moderates a conversation between the two, scolding Tomás for his actions and inviting Concha to stay with him until her child is born. She refuses, insisting that she will live with Tomás.

Concha soon discovers that Tomás has six children and a wife. Antonia Sierra is livid that Concha is in their home. She refuses to make food for Tomás, so Concha cooks once Antonia Sierra has finished all the other house chores.