After a tragic car accident leaves Nora Grant mute, she learns sign language with the help of former star Ethan Scott, who also lost everything in the crash. They fall in love and spend five years together. Just as Nora is about to recover her speech, she overhears Ethan telling his friends he plans to marry a daughter of the Sue family and that she meant nothing to him. Heartbroken, she leaves, never realizing he staged the betrayal to force her away after learning he had terminal cancer.