Coração de Mãe

Linda overcomes her history of domestic abuse and rebuilds her life with her children. When her ex-husband, Sérgio, dies in a violent confrontation, Guga is sentenced to 18 years in prison. Desperate to secure his release, Linda is faced with a shocking proposal from Bento, an obsessive and powerful man.

Unable to afford Guga’s lawyer, Linda suffers another blow when she loses her job, while João is transferred far away. Behind the move is Bento, who uses his power to drive Linda’s allies away and force her into marriage.

Linda finds new strength when she discovers she is going to be a grandmother to Guga’s child and lands a new job in catering. When she agrees to have dinner with Bento, Linda is stunned to find Guga’s lawyer there, rekindling her hope of saving her son.

Raimundo reveals to Silvestre that he is dying, while Linda discovers that Bento is willing to pay Guga’s legal fees. Determined to see João before she distances herself from him, Linda panics when Verónica disappears and is found unconscious in a hotel room.

Guga ends his relationship with Chica in prison. Bento gives Linda new evidence and, with the appeal ready to be filed, Linda tearfully embraces him in relief—only to be caught in João’s gaze.

Linda panics when the CPCJ launches an investigation into Verónica’s custody. Manipulated by Bento, who engineers a new twist in Guga’s case to drive her away from João, Linda faces the proceedings while João confronts his rival before leaving.

Bento manipulates the rivalry between himself and João, while Linda faces the CPCJ investigation. After a romantic farewell night with João, Linda discovers that Marta is investigating her family, and Verónica announces that she is leaving home.

Bento reveals to Marta that he intends to marry Linda to please Raimundo and secure the presidency of PMG. Devastated after Verónica leaves home, Linda tries to remain hopeful during a visit to Guga, while Bento discovers that the young man’s appeal could end up before a rival judge.

Silvestre tries to persuade Raimundo to undergo treatment for his illness. At the hospital, Chica cries as she has an ultrasound of her baby, while in prison, Guga intervenes in a violent fight and is left seriously stabbed.

Silvestre blackmails the committee into closing the CPCJ case, while Bento tries to grow closer to Raimundo and confesses that he is in love with a woman. Linda is devastated when she discovers that Guga is fighting for his life.

Bento tells Linda that he was the one who resolved the CPCJ situation and once again proposes marriage. Seeing Guga vulnerable and begging not to be sent back to prison, Linda gives in and agrees to marry Bento in exchange for her son’s freedom.

Madalena confronts Frederico and demands a divorce. Torn by guilt and determined to save her son, Linda hides her pain at having to distance herself from João and attends the Soler Toledo family lunch, where Bento officially introduces her to everyone as a special woman in his life.

Guga tries to escape from the hospital but loses his strength and is caught. At the mansion, Linda wins Raimundo over, while Antónia takes advantage of a moment alone with her to humiliate her. Bento intervenes to control the situation and play down his mother’s behaviour.

Chica confides in Verónica about how frightened she was to see Guga so vulnerable, but the moment turns to panic when they find blood on the sheets. Linda confesses to Rute that she is going to marry Bento to save Guga.

Raimundo confronts Antónia about the past, causing her to back down before revealing her vulnerability. Verónica finds the box containing the dress Bento gave Linda. Thanks to Bento’s pressure on the hospital, Guga’s escape is explained away as a side effect of his medication.

Linda returns from the hospital and tells the family that Guga remains at risk due to an infection. Her anguish grows when she learns that Chica has suffered a haemorrhage, while Verónica confronts her over the dress Bento gave her.

Verónica discovers the relationship between Linda and Bento and confronts her mother after witnessing her transformation in a luxury shop. Unaware of Linda’s sacrifice to save Guga, João makes a surprise return to the village, brings the family together and proposes to Linda.

After João’s proposal is rejected, the family struggles to understand Linda’s decision. João is troubled by the possibility that another man is involved, while Bento pressures Linda to announce their engagement at Raimundo’s birthday celebration.

Pressured by João and unable to keep hiding the truth, Linda pretends to have developed feelings for Bento and ends her relationship with João. Raimundo assesses the vice-presidents’ proposals for the challenge that could open the door to the PMG presidency.

Frederico meets an escort at a hotel, unaware that he is being secretly filmed. During the party, Bento proposes to Linda in front of everyone, just as Raimundo is about to announce his successor.

Frederico shocks everyone at the party by interrupting Raimundo as he prepares to announce the new president of PMG. Later, Linda takes Bento aside and confronts him about the kiss, setting boundaries on their fake relationship.

After securing the PMG presidency, Bento euphorically celebrates alone, finally achieving the ambition he has pursued for years. João finds Linda in Bento’s arms and they exchange one last devastating look.

On his first day of retirement, Raimundo turns up at the company in his pyjamas and enjoys Maria Helena’s reaction. With her marriage to Bento now public, Linda asks Rute to be there to support João in the future.

Linda walks into the café and is stunned to find João kissing Rute in a moment of vulnerability. Frederico confronts Pink and, consumed by anger, pressures the escort to find out who leaked the compromising footage.

João accuses Linda of destroying the family they built and hurting Sol. Faced with the situation, Linda finally admits that she saw him kissing Rute. Tó Carlos and Regina are alarmed when an ASAE inspector unexpectedly arrives to inspect the business.