Fernanda de los Reyes

The story follows the Lorenzos and the Ojedas, the two land-owning clans in the island province of Negros, who were trying to cope and survive the war that lasted three tumultuous years, where they experienced or witnessed violence, blood, horror, and death. It is structured into three parts: Oro, a life of luxury and comfort in the city; Plata, a still-luxurious time of refuge in a provincial hacienda; and finally, Mata, a toilsome retreat deeper into the mountains. A war not only turned them into miserable people but also turned them into animals.

Angélica and José Luis have been married for thirty years and they have always lived at the same house; first with their son, Daniel, and now, by themselves. Their daily routine is threatened when José Luis loses a leg in a car accident. When they try to restructure their life, they realize their relation was already fractured and opt for silence. However, they begin a passionate search for all they have lost. José Luis takes refuge in a sexual fantasy about his young nurse, while Angélica tries to remain just as contained as she always has for so many years.