Urania Cabral returns to Santo Domingo, after several years, and remembers her and her family's relationship to Rafael Trujillo, the Dominican dictator, as well as the events surrounding his assassination.

1819. A young Spanish heir, a Chinese weaver, and a Haitian deserter struggle to find their place and humanity in the tense cultural crossroads of the colonial Caribbean. They embark on the ambitious endeavor of establishing a silk factory in the very heart of the island of Hispaniola.