 ANITA works for an architectural firm. She has a love affair with her boss EDOARDO and becomes pregnant. But he, unfortunately, has been married to ISABELLA for twenty years. Although Isabella and Edoardo have little left to say to each other, they don t want to ruin their reputations by ending a marriage which on the surface seems so successful. Isabella senses that her husband must be having affairs, but she accepts them. She has no idea that Anita is pregnant. Edoardo pressures Anita to get an abortion and wants to carry on their relationship as before. But Anita refuses to co-operate: She quits her job and breaks up with Edoardo. Her sister MONICA sends her to the gynaecologist MARIO. She has no problems with the pregnancy itself, but she discovers that she has leukaemia. Mario advises her to have an abortion and to begin with chemotherapy immediately. On her way to the clinic for the abortion Anita saves the life of a little boy who had been run over by a car. Torn by doubt, she decides that she will also give her child a chance to live. Giving birth is now her only goal in life. Mario is deeply impressed by Anita s moral strength and sends to a different therapy. But Anita becomes very ill and nearly loses her life. Her father, Monica and Mario care for her at her parent s home in the country. Anita recovers. Edoardo has been feuding with both his wife and his son and although he occasionally makes shy attempts to contact Anita, he already has a new flame. Mario lovingly takes care of Anita and the two of them grow closer and closer together. Mario helps Anita give birth to her daughter TERESA and this is the occasion for a huge family celebration. Even though mortally ill, Anita is contented because her child lives. Edoardo, the father, has less reason to be happy: Although he wins an architectural competition, at the party to celebrate it his wife (who has long since seen through him) humiliates him in front of all the guests. Isabella had run into Anita by accident once while shopping and knows about the birth of the child. Isabella can simply not understand why her husband wants to have nothing to do with his child. Anita begins her chemotherapy in the hope that it will make it possible for her to at least spend a few years at her daughter s side. But Anita doesn t have to worry about her child s future: Monica and Mario already love her...