Elena graduates university, meets a man from a nice family and returns to Naples. When she returns home she is told that Lila left home with her son. While in Pisa Elena wrote a novel based on her life.
On the island of Ischia, Elena runs into the Sarratore family, reigniting her childhood crush on Nino; Lila's resistance to Marcello's pressing courtship reaches a breaking point; an unexpected encounter leaves Elena shaken on her 15th birthday.
The shoe sales are slow, so Stefano makes a deal with the Solares despite Lila's objections. Elena is thrown out of class for expressing her mind, she writes an article about that. Lila's wedding day arrives.
Enzo and Pasquale, Elena's childhood friends get her in the middle of the night to go to Lila who's sick in bed. Lila tells her how she reached that state.
Elena enjoys her life as a student in Pisa. When she is sick she reads the notebooks Lila gave her during her visit to Naples, and learns what Lila has gone through during the years.
Elena visits Naples and to her dismay finds out her family is in attached to the Solaras. Pietro meets Elena's Naples acquaintances. Lila works for Michele Solara.
Nino stays at Elena and Pietro's home. While Elena and Pietro grow farther apart, Elena and Nino get closer together. Elena publishes a new book. Lila gives Elena bad news from the neighborhood.