Fausta suffers from a rare disease called the Milk of Sorrow, transmitted through breast milk of pregnant women abused or raped during or soon after pregnancy, forcing her to live in constant fear and confusion. When her mother dies, Fausta chooses drastic measures to avoid following in her footsteps, taking work for a wealthy pianist, Aída, who encourages her to write a song for a string of pearls. The night of the recital, Aída performs Fausta's song to applause, but then harshly rejects her after learning she was the true author. Ultimately, Fausta decides to undergo an operation to remove a potato she's been carrying as a deterrent and buries her mother near the ocean, implying a newfound path forward.