Netje grows up in a poor working-class family in Antwerp. She is the youngest of four children and the apple of her father's eye. Her mother, on the other hand, would rather not have had a fourth child. Netje does not have a happy childhood, and her future does not look bright either. But the harsh realities of life turn Netje into a strong woman who, despite all the setbacks, never gives up and continues to search for happiness.