The young Eva Heldmann has inherited a publishing house, which she is running in an exemplary fashion. However, she still has a co-heir, Stefan Gudewill, who is considered a good-for-nothing and who has been missing since he was 18 years old. With the help of a detective, Eva locates Stefan in a small town and goes to pay him off so she can run the publishing house alone. When she finally meets Stefan and gets to know him, she is convinced that he really is a good-for-nothing. But due to his rather swashbuckling style, she falls in love with him against her will. The two come together, but then split after a misunderstanding. Eva leaves, convinced she will never see him again. Yet one day, a new employee from the shipping department comes to her and Eva recognizes that it is Stefan, who wants to work his way up from the bottom to become a worthy partner.