Years after escaping to France with Nino, Elena is radiant and wants to make up for lost time with her daughters, who now only obey their Airota grandparents.

Nino has taken an apartment in Naples, but Elena does not forgive his insistent justifications and leaves him.

Lila is now well-liked by everyone in the neighbourhood because of her generosity. Elena leaves her daughters while she and Nino are in New York.

Lila continues to warn her friend not to trust Nino. Elena is upset; what does she know about Nino, and what else does she know about Alfonso and Michele?

Basic Sight is now the centre of the neighborhood; it is there that Elena meets Michele and Alfonso again; it is there that Immacolata would like Peppe and Gianni to work instead of dealing with the Solaras.

Alfonso accompanies Elena to the clinic from Immacolata, and on the way, he confesses to her that he is having an affair with Michele. Meanwhile, Lila gives birth to Tina.

Antonio tells Elena that Nino has cheated on her repeatedly, and she sleeps with him to vent. Three months later, Nino has disappeared, and Elena has to deliver the novel.

Busy with conferences and presentations, Elena neglects her daughters, and Lila takes care of them.

Long absent from his daughter Imma's life, Nino returns to the neighbourhood. Tina disappears, initially casting suspicion on the Solaras, who unexpectedly aid the search instead.

Time has passed. Pasquale faces arrest, and Elena seeks aid from Nino, now a prominent parliamentarian, albeit during the corrupted Clean Hands era.