Miriam is only 14 years old when she loses both her parents and her innocence to the horrors of the Holocaust. Orphaned and interned in Lithuania's notorious Slobodka labor camp, Miriam musters the courage and the will to fight back and is finally rescued by the Jewish underground. Placed in a home of a married couple and provided with a new identity, Miriam finds temporary sanctuary, until she's raped and impregnated by the very man chosen to protect her. Left to herself as an unmarried mother, Miriam conceals her identity during the Russian occupation of Lithuania, living as a Christian and working towards a successful career as a pharmacist. After years of tragedy and betrayal, Miriam finally finds love with a handsome KGB officer, whose affectionate nature is very much at odds with his brutal job. Despite the many obstacles in finding happiness, Miriam's spirit never falters.