In 1806, in the French colony of Île Bourbon, a violent storm devastates Charles Bellevue's plantation and kills nine of his slaves. Faced with the threat of bankruptcy, Charles and his wife Constance consider their options, from selling slaves to selling the estate itself, including their house in town. Charles receives an offer from his neighbor Dennemont but declines it. Meanwhile, the young slave Isaac learns from his mother, Célestine, that he is in fact Charles Bellevue's illegitimate son. Constance, Charles's wife, aware of her husband's past infidelity, demands that he sell Célestine and Isaac, but instead, Charles appoints Isaac "overseer" of his plantation in place of Germain, who died from injuries sustained in the storm. Tristan, a slave on the Bellevue estate, decides to escape and becomes a runaway slave.
Tristan, injured in the foot, takes refuge in a cave where he receives help from Amélia, the daughter of Georges-Marie Dennemont, whom he had once saved from suicide. Recaptured by slave hunters, he is brought back to the plantation where Isaac persuades Charles to limit his punishment to a 30-pound chain to be worn on his feet for a month. Meanwhile, a slave steals a piece of jewelry belonging to Constance Bellevue: Charles orders Isaac to punish her with 30 lashes, but Célestine confesses to the theft, thus forcing her son to administer the whipping himself.
In the midst of a drought, Isaac has other slaves dig a well. Overwhelmed by his role as overseer, he sees in this quest for life-saving water a possible redemption that would allow him to feel better. Meanwhile, Charles tries to resist the pressures of his neighbor, Monsieur Dennemont, but the latter's treachery knows no bounds...
The stores are empty, the slaves are starving. In his father's absence, Henri faces the threat of a revolt. Isaac risks his life to protect the Bellevue family, but his loyalty wavers when he discovers Charles's true nature. Amélia and Tristan decide to run away to be together in the highlands of the island...
Isaac's mother devises a plan to elope with him before his rage against Charles consumes him. When Henry is accused of impregnating Amelia, Charles defends his son's honor. He is unaware that his wife, Constance, tired of seeing their family in danger, has decided behind his back to leave Bourbon and take their children with her...
Charles has managed to keep those he loves close, but Constance now feels trapped and urges him to let her go. Amelia is torn between the man who promises to make her happy and the one she will never stop loving. Imprisoned by Charles, Isaac longs to break free from the man who has always controlled his life...
