Pantelis, a building contractor, is informed that the mother of his adopted daughter Julia has been released after many years in prison. He decides to speak to the girl about her mother's past and character. The story began in Aegina, where his partner Agis and he had undertaken the construction of a pier in the harbor. There they met her mother, orphan Roi, who worked at Jimmy's taverna. Agis fell passionately in love with her, but, due to other obligations, he had to leave the island and return to the capital, without knowing that Roi was already pregnant. When Jimmy the taverner sent her away, she was forced to go to Athens, where she gave birth to her child. Then she became involved with a ruthless underworld type, Vangos, who took advantage of her and despised her daughter. Roi, despite this contempt and oppression, found the courage to kill Vangos and was sentenced to many years in jail. Pantelis then took her child under his wing and raised her as his own.