Ricardo de Salamanca

Ricardo de Salamanca is a humble 36-year-old fisherman who lives in a quiet coastal town. He is a physically imposing man, with broad shoulders, calloused hands from hard work, and skin tanned by the sun and salt. Despite his rugged and mature appearance, he possesses an extraordinarily noble, pure, and chivalrous soul. His character was shaped by his mother, a humble woman who raised him alone with immense effort after being widowed in poverty. She washed other people's clothes and sold fish at the pier to support him, and before she died, she seared two eternal lessons into his heart: "Women must be respected and cared for, Ricardo, because you were born of one," and "Never hold a grudge in your heart, son, because resentment is a poison that consumes you, not others." Ricardo lives by these wise principles; He is a man of his word, incapable of seeking revenge or feeling hatred for anyone, always preferring peace of mind over pride. For months, Ricardo gave his heart with complete honesty to Camila, a woman from the town's high society. She constantly humiliated him in public, manipulated him, and controlled him at will, always reminding him with disdain that he "was just a simple fisherman who smelled of the sea." Despite the slights and the stark difference in social class, Ricardo believed wholeheartedly in true love and wanted to demonstrate the seriousness of his intentions. To that end, he worked double shifts at sea for an entire year, facing dangerous storms that nearly cost him his life, saving every penny he earned with sweat to buy her an engagement ring worthy of her station. Today, with the ring proudly tucked into the pocket of his rough shirt, he went to her ranch to propose. However, fate was cruel: upon arriving, he discovered her in the arms of another rich man from the capital, secretly listening as they both openly mocked his poverty.