Determined to put the heartbreak of her boyfriend's rejection behind her, Melanie Sawchuk leaves her home town and takes her first social work job in the big city. Her desire to help people is challenged with her first case when she apprehends an abused baby and quickly learns that the decisions she makes shape her life. Confronted with frightening anonymous threats, she takes a self defence course where she meets and becomes infatuated with the handsome and mysterious Jake Marsden. Melanie, preoccupied with self esteem issues, ignores her growing doubts about Jake. Her life spirals downward as Jake's behaviour becomes more chaotic. Her colleague Don, who struggles to contain the secret that haunts him, strives to protect her. Phoebe, her best friend, coaches Melanie to refocus her romantic attentions to the kind lawyer hired to defend her. An unlikely helper emerges in the form of Oscar, an abandoned cat adopted by Melanie. Caught between following her heart or her head, Melanie must ultimately face the truth of her self defeating behaviour. Will she learn from the destructive decision she's made and achieve the love she desires?