Hayda is happily married to her husband, Hayrak. They have been in love for many years, and recently moved to Paris, with their two children, Daniel and Nadine. However, Hayda desires to have a third child, so she can fulfil the three higher virtues of faith, hope and charity. They try for a baby together but Hayda is frustrated that they seem to have lost their fertility. Due to Hayda’s frustration, Hayrak is driven to drinking and drifts away from Hayda in his regression to alcoholism.
Soon afterwards, Hayrak very suddenly and unexpectedly dies of a liver failure. Hayda, learning from her past mistakes, attends the funeral, but is stoic and sterile, unable to cry or express her feelings, and she is left in charge of bringing up her two children without her husband.
Over the months, Hayda’s relationship with her elder child, Daniel, deteriorates, and Daniel, tired of Hayda’s smothering, controlling behaviour, runs away from home. Hayda vows to protect her younger child Nadine, but they have a couple of domestic arguments culminating in physical abuse. Hayda looks in the mirror, and reminds herself of her school mistress, and realises that history is repeating itself. Fearful for the younger child, Hayda sends her daughter Nadine to boarding school, so she can be away from her.
After Nadine has left, Hayda leaves Paris for the Loire to visit her mother, and she leaves her assistant, Chantel Rouge in charge of her business. Hayda arrives at the chateau to find her mother, Dianne, alone and melancholy, and together they share their grief. Dianne asks Hayda what she would do if Hayrak were still alive. Hayda, reminded of Corina, starts to believe that Hayrak could still be alive, and sets off for the monastery (positioned overhead the gateway to Hell). There, she meets a priest, Velma, who explains to her that as long as she doesn’t look back, Hayrak will be brought to reverence.
Hayda follows the path beyond the tombs of Velasco and San Ignacio towards the gates of Hell. Descending into Hell, she finds burning villages full of skeletal-like figures, and seeks to discern Hayrak from amongst his brethren. Eventually, she finds him, tied up against a rock and tormented by the bishop’s eagle. Hayda tricks the eagle in order to free her husband, and uses an abandoned mirror to check that Hayrak is following her as she departs. On her return to the surface, Hayda embraces Hayrak and they prepare to settle down together once more as husband and wife. However, Hayda notices that Hayrak has changed; his mind has become traumatised and his mood melancholy. Hayda, forgetting Velma’s advice, encourages Hayrak to talk about his traumas, in doing so, forcing him to look back and Hayrak, unable to cope, commits suicide and dies – this time for good.
Hayda, in her desolation, travels to England, where she finds her son has renovated their derelict bungalow and started a new life, away from her. She tries to persuade him to come home with her to Paris, but Daniel refuses, and encourages her to do the same, assuring her that they are happier apart. Hayda, longing to heed her son’s advice, returns to Paris and begins salvaging what she can of her husband’s life and move on. But without any love or guidance, she becomes depressed and her house begins to deteriorate.
Hayrak, in his afterlife state, notices Hayda’s loneliness without him, and begins to regret his selfishness. He commandeers the help of Velma, and brings her to Hayda so he can communicate with her beyond the realm of the dead. Meanwhile, Nadine returns home for the summer vacation (between school semesters) and Velma, noticing that Hayda is not in a fit mental state to hold it together, organises a nanny to do the cooking, cleaning, gardening and looking after Nadine.
Soon afterwards, Hayda’s nanny arrives and life slowly begins to improve. Hayda’s nanny is a young man called Jay, who instantly strikes up a rapport with Nadine. At first, he accepts payment but gradually begins to decline payment, offering to maintain the household in return for Hayda teaching him how to read (as he is illiterate). Hayda, relishing the company, agrees and begins to teach him. Hayda is at first cold and distant, but slowly they develop a bond, beginning when Hayda offers him coffee in exchange for him mowing the lawn.
When Nadine returns to boarding school, Hayda begins to spend increasing amounts of time with the young Jay. At the same time, Hayda learns to communicate with Hayrak through Velma, and Hayrak encourages her to spend more time with Jay. Hayda and Jay spend the night together, and Hayda realises that she remembers him but cannot recall from where or when. Eventually, it transpires that Jay is Hayrak’s younger brother, Jayrak Donda. Hayda is distraught and feels torn between the two brothers.
Finally, Hayda realises that what she feels for Jay is not love; it’s fear. She walks away from Jay and flees to Roscoff on the north coast of France, where she starts a new life. Jay inherits her business and tries to take her money, but is interceded by Velma who reveals that Hayrak didn’t die of liver failure; he was murdered by his brother. Jay attempts to rape Velma, but Hayda arrives, and, guided by the spirit of Hayrak, manages to trap him. Jay is imprisoned, and Hayda, realising that there is nothing left for her in Paris, entrusts the business to Velma and returns to Roscoff, where she opens a guesthouse by the sea called ‘Conch Des Sirènes’ and speculates whether she will ever feel love again.
Soon afterwards, Hayrak very suddenly and unexpectedly dies of a liver failure. Hayda, learning from her past mistakes, attends the funeral, but is stoic and sterile, unable to cry or express her feelings, and she is left in charge of bringing up her two children without her husband.
Over the months, Hayda’s relationship with her elder child, Daniel, deteriorates, and Daniel, tired of Hayda’s smothering, controlling behaviour, runs away from home. Hayda vows to protect her younger child Nadine, but they have a couple of domestic arguments culminating in physical abuse. Hayda looks in the mirror, and reminds herself of her school mistress, and realises that history is repeating itself. Fearful for the younger child, Hayda sends her daughter Nadine to boarding school, so she can be away from her.
After Nadine has left, Hayda leaves Paris for the Loire to visit her mother, and she leaves her assistant, Chantel Rouge in charge of her business. Hayda arrives at the chateau to find her mother, Dianne, alone and melancholy, and together they share their grief. Dianne asks Hayda what she would do if Hayrak were still alive. Hayda, reminded of Corina, starts to believe that Hayrak could still be alive, and sets off for the monastery (positioned overhead the gateway to Hell). There, she meets a priest, Velma, who explains to her that as long as she doesn’t look back, Hayrak will be brought to reverence.
Hayda follows the path beyond the tombs of Velasco and San Ignacio towards the gates of Hell. Descending into Hell, she finds burning villages full of skeletal-like figures, and seeks to discern Hayrak from amongst his brethren. Eventually, she finds him, tied up against a rock and tormented by the bishop’s eagle. Hayda tricks the eagle in order to free her husband, and uses an abandoned mirror to check that Hayrak is following her as she departs. On her return to the surface, Hayda embraces Hayrak and they prepare to settle down together once more as husband and wife. However, Hayda notices that Hayrak has changed; his mind has become traumatised and his mood melancholy. Hayda, forgetting Velma’s advice, encourages Hayrak to talk about his traumas, in doing so, forcing him to look back and Hayrak, unable to cope, commits suicide and dies – this time for good.
Hayda, in her desolation, travels to England, where she finds her son has renovated their derelict bungalow and started a new life, away from her. She tries to persuade him to come home with her to Paris, but Daniel refuses, and encourages her to do the same, assuring her that they are happier apart. Hayda, longing to heed her son’s advice, returns to Paris and begins salvaging what she can of her husband’s life and move on. But without any love or guidance, she becomes depressed and her house begins to deteriorate.
Hayrak, in his afterlife state, notices Hayda’s loneliness without him, and begins to regret his selfishness. He commandeers the help of Velma, and brings her to Hayda so he can communicate with her beyond the realm of the dead. Meanwhile, Nadine returns home for the summer vacation (between school semesters) and Velma, noticing that Hayda is not in a fit mental state to hold it together, organises a nanny to do the cooking, cleaning, gardening and looking after Nadine.
Soon afterwards, Hayda’s nanny arrives and life slowly begins to improve. Hayda’s nanny is a young man called Jay, who instantly strikes up a rapport with Nadine. At first, he accepts payment but gradually begins to decline payment, offering to maintain the household in return for Hayda teaching him how to read (as he is illiterate). Hayda, relishing the company, agrees and begins to teach him. Hayda is at first cold and distant, but slowly they develop a bond, beginning when Hayda offers him coffee in exchange for him mowing the lawn.
When Nadine returns to boarding school, Hayda begins to spend increasing amounts of time with the young Jay. At the same time, Hayda learns to communicate with Hayrak through Velma, and Hayrak encourages her to spend more time with Jay. Hayda and Jay spend the night together, and Hayda realises that she remembers him but cannot recall from where or when. Eventually, it transpires that Jay is Hayrak’s younger brother, Jayrak Donda. Hayda is distraught and feels torn between the two brothers.
Finally, Hayda realises that what she feels for Jay is not love; it’s fear. She walks away from Jay and flees to Roscoff on the north coast of France, where she starts a new life. Jay inherits her business and tries to take her money, but is interceded by Velma who reveals that Hayrak didn’t die of liver failure; he was murdered by his brother. Jay attempts to rape Velma, but Hayda arrives, and, guided by the spirit of Hayrak, manages to trap him. Jay is imprisoned, and Hayda, realising that there is nothing left for her in Paris, entrusts the business to Velma and returns to Roscoff, where she opens a guesthouse by the sea called ‘Conch Des Sirènes’ and speculates whether she will ever feel love again.
