Cruz betrays a fellow soldier and blackmails the man's sister into marriage, ensuring his position in a wealthy land-owning family. He quickly becomes a wealthy, arrogant, unprincipled scoundrel—the exact types he fought against during the revolution. Throughout his long life, Cruz continues to accumulate wealth by way of corruption, betraying his family, lovers and former comrades alike. Eventually, Cruz's lust for wealth results in the death of his only son, Lorenzo.