Doña Bárbara (2008 TV series)

Story

A beautiful, strong-willed woman in the Venezuelan and Colombian plains battles heartbreak and betrayal. Haunted by her past and her own vulnerabilities, she falls for a dashing man. She must confront her memories and fight to keep her secrets from ruining her chance at true love and happiness.

Summary

Bárbara is an attractive woman raised mostly on the rivers of Venezuela by her riverboat captain father; her mother, an Indian woman, died giving birth to her. She was madly in love with young Asdrúbal until tragedy struck: men who worked for her father stole their boat, killed her father, raped her, and shot her boyfriend. This causes her to hate men but also to sleep with them to get what she wants. She becomes involved with Lorenzo Barquero, owner of a cattle ranch, becomes pregnant, and has a daughter named Marisela.

Barbara later steals Lorenzo's home and fortune, kicking him and their daughter out with nothing. Santos, the only remaining son of the Luzardo family, returns to his hacienda Altamira planning to sell it, but sets out to save his cousin Lorenzo and educate young Marisela. After Barbara sees one of her old rapists and kills him, she decides she must find and kill all five rapists to regain peace. When she meets Santos, she instantly falls in love because he reminds her of Asdrubal.

Santos is attracted to Barbara and wants to help save her, but their romance is drama-filled as he hears horrible things about her. Only after Barbara is raped a second time and almost killed by Chepo, one of the same men, does Santos admit he loves her. When Chepo dies of a heart attack, Barbara is furious and sad that she could not kill him; she destroys her prayer room, and her rebullones (imaginary birds symbolizing her mood) die. Santos and Barbara live happily at her ranch for a period, but Santos eventually realizes he loves Marisela.

After reading Mr. Danger's diary, which reveals all Barbara has done, he decides he cannot be with her and that she cannot be saved.