After the death of his debauched father, Jean returns home to find his stepmother, Sylvia, who bears a striking resemblance to his late mother. Disinherited and left with nothing, the pair is taken in by Jean's grandfather to live and work as servants on his vast plantation. Despite the cruelty of the estate's staff and the hardships they face, Jean and Sylvia find solace in one another, eventually giving in to their mutual attraction and entering a forbidden relationship.