Dennis and Carol surf a wave of prosperity and optimism in Sydney during a stock market boom. Their son Mark is born just before the October crash of 1987 when Dennis loses his speculative paper assets and his job. Left with an unmanageable mortgage, a crippling tax bill and added responsibility, he grasps an opportunity to claw his way back up. Dennis starts a new company in Paris, where he moves his family. When Carols art dealer friend is murdered, distraught and afraid for her life, she escapes to Sydney with their son. Alone in Paris and struggling to save his failing company, a torrid love affair blooms between Dennis and his secretary Camille, while Carol falls under the spell of an evil man in Sydney, who is cruel to Mark. Dennis breaks with Camille and returns to Sydney in an attempt to rescue Mark and save his marriage, but conflicts with Carol spiral, ending in divorce. Broke and depressed, the fundamental compulsion to protect and provide for his son inspires him onwards to pass the baton.