A congressman's wife, long neglected by her insensitive, workaholic husband, starts an affair with a charismatic younger man, and changes the destiny of her life. Forty-year-old LEIGH FALLON, wife of congressman BOB FALLON, and mother of three children, has been in a loveless marriage for several years, but she doesn't realize she's unhappy. Not until a Norwegian graduate student, ERIK HAUKELAND, moves into their home and turns her world upside down. For the first time in years, Leigh feels sensual and attractive, all because of the soft look in Erik's eyes whenever their glances meet. When Leigh discovers that Bob has been having an affair with his attractive administrative assistant, she stops resisting Erik, and they begin having a torrid affair. What she doesn't expect is to fall in love with him, and he with her. He wants her to leave her family and return to Norway with him, but she can't leave her kids. The inevitable happens, and the affair is discovered. Bob files for divorce, and Erik returns to Norway. Leigh's children are appalled at what they see as Leigh's betrayal of their father, and nursing her wounds, Leigh moves into her friend, DEANNA'S penthouse apartment in New York and tries to start a new life. After Deanna is diagnosed with breast cancer, Leigh gives into Erik's pleas to come to Norway for a visit. For a couple of days everything is wonderful between them until Leigh discovers that Erik is the father of a little boy by a pretty redhead named MARGIT. And what's worse, Erik is obligated to marry her. Leigh is devastated. She returns to Washington DC and throws herself into a new life, determined to win back the love of her children. As the year passes, a new man comes into her life, and in Norway, Erik marries Margit. Still, no matter how much Leigh and Erik try, they can't seem to forget each other. And soon they will find that nothing can stop them from finding their way back to each other, not even distance, death or betrayal.