Gulong Ng Palad - Story

Story

Even as children, Luisa and Carding were not allowed to be friends because of their different social classes, with Carding's family being a prominent wealthy member in their town and Luisa's mother a laundrywoman. So when Carding's father dies his mom, Menang Medel, decides to take him away to the U.S. Although they promised to write to each other, Carding doesn't fulfill his promise, leading Luisa to distrust him and become determined to stay away from him when he returned ten years later.

Manang Medel does not approve of Luisa because of her social class and is always encouraging Carding to date Mimi, the rich daughter of her friend Dona Carmen, who if they married would help her gain the mayor candidacy and her wealth. Yet when Carding gets into an accident, Luisa can no longer deny the love she feels for him but with her family encouraging her to stay away from Carding, they decide to keep their relationship a secret. While they try to keep their relationship hidden Luisa's brother, Totoy, tries to keep his love hidden from tomboy Jojo, because of his family obligations, which will get even harder as Tomas, their father, his secret about his heart condition comes out.

When both families find out about the relationship, Luisa gets pressured into breaking it off with Carding. Although Idad, Luisa's mom, doesn't approve she stands up for her daughter when Menang Medel demeans Luisa. Then when Luisa finally breaks it off with Carding they get caught in a storm and have to seek refuge in a cave while everyone believes they have eloped. When they try to explain, Idad doesn't want to hear it and tells Luisa to leave, while Menang is also furious yet must ask Carding to marry her in the hopes of saving the family's reputation for the mayor position.

After they marry life becomes even harder for Luisa. Her mother has not forgiven her, Carding goes off to Manila for school leaving Luisa in the evil hands of Menang Medel, and when she finally stands up for herself Carding sees, only for his mother to say that Luisa has been the cruel one. Carding becomes stuck between the two most important women in his life and doesn't know whom to believe and turns to Mimi who uses his vulnerability to her advantage.

Carding feels guilty about sleeping with Mimi and avoids going home to face Luisa, whom his mother is saying is having an affair Diego, Jojo's brother. To make matters worse Menang has Tomas fired, the worry of what will happen to his family causes him to have a heart attack and die. This causes Luisa to be reunited with her family and to publicly blame Menang for her father's heartache, causing Menang to lose the Mayor position.

With the separation of the couple, Mimi seduces Carding leading to an affair, while Diego confesses his love for Luisa. When she rejects him, he attempts to rape her, he goes to jail for his attempt, and then to the hospital when his attempted jailbreak gets him stabbed. When it seems that Carding wants to start over once again with Luisa when he learns she is pregnant, Mimi goes to Diego on his deathbed to offer him money in exchange for him lying to Carding claiming that him and Luisa have been having an affair and it is his baby, which he does in order to provide for Jojo when he is gone, Carding believes these lies and is furious with Luisa. Luckily, Jojo had read a letter from Diego himself before his death, saying that he and Luisa didn't have an affair and in fact, Mimi told him to tell this rumor to Carding in order to ruin Luisa's reputation and she'd win his (Carding's) heart. Meanwhile Menang becomes destitute after not winning the elections, and when the debts become too high she burns down her house to tries to gain the insurance money but gets injured in the fire and is left homeless instead. Menang finally experiences the poor side of life and makes her realize how badly she treated the poor (especially Luisa and her family.)

Mimi pretends that she is pregnant but when her mother finds out she cuts her off financially until she decides to go back with her to America. While Luisa and her family decide to start over in Manila to leave their troubles behind, It is the first time that they are finally happy for a long time. While Carding finally realizes how much he loves Luisa but is ashamed about the way he treated her. In the end Mimi gets punished for all her misdeeds, Luisa and Carding are reunited, the whole family make peace, and Jojo and Totoy start dating. Totoy also put up a new restaurant in Sta. Lucia.