Delia, a Neapolitan artist who has lived for many years in Bologna, returns to Naples after the sudden death of her mother Amalia, who apparently committed suicide by drowning.

She therefore begins to investigate her mother's recent past, given further impetus by disturbing phone calls received from an unknown interlocutor, whose nickname is Caserta.

The fragmentary reconstruction of the last days of her mother's life bring to light remote events that Delia had hidden and buried in her memory, and force her to contemplate a reality different from what she had hitherto understood.

Caserta, as if to "get revenge" on Delia's father, began to send Amalia gifts of all kinds, each time unleashing the fury of her husband, who regularly beat her.

Shortly before committing suicide, Amalia resumed her relationship with Caserta, with whom she went for a walk on the beach one evening, and during which she left him, who had fallen asleep in the meantime, letting herself drown.