with familial expectations. The opening of the novel introduces Jaime Febrer waking up in his dilapidated ancestral home, where he is attended by Mado Antonia, a long-time servant. As Jaime reflects on his life, he is burdened by the knowledge of his family's financial ruin and the looming threat of losing his belongings. Despite the opulence of his ancestors’ past, he finds himself living in disarray with minimal means. Compelled to confront his situation, he decides to marry Catalina, the daughter of a wealthy Jewish convert—an arrangement that jolts his servitor, Mado Antonia. This marriage proposal is met with trepidation, echoing the societal prejudices of the island and highlighting Jaime's struggle as he contemplates his sacrifice in the face of love and duty. (This is an automatically generated summary.)