In the heart of a colonial Indochina in the 1930s, the story follows Éliane, a seductive and powerful rubber plantation owner who has lived her entire life amidst the exotic beauty and cultural conflicts of Vietnam. Her life intertwines with that of Camille, the adopted daughter she raised as her own flesh and blood, but as Camille grows, she begins to feel the weight of colonial oppression and the yearnings for freedom that surround her. The relationship between them is complex; Éliane is a domineering and possessive mother who tries to control Camille's life, while the young woman seeks her own path in a world of chaos and revolution.
When Camille falls in love with a young nationalist from the Vietnamese resistance, the tension escalates. Éliane, caught between her love for her daughter and her loyalty to the colonial regime, finds herself in an internal struggle that threatens to unravel the life she thought she had under control. Passion, betrayal, and the fight for identity intertwine in a context where personal convictions clash with the tumultuous historical events marking the end of an era. With vibrant landscapes as a backdrop, the narrative explores the pursuit of freedom and the inevitable clash between individual ambitions and the desire for change, illustrating how family ties can be both a refuge and a prison.