At the age of ten, Lily is forcefully torn from her mother's arms and sold at a Negro auction by her master, a man that Lily learns that day is her very own father. Seeking solace from such devastation, Lily secretly begins teaching herself to play her new master's piano: an instrument that she is forbidden from touching. Lily becomes an extraordinary pianist and gets away with secretly playing for fourteen years until the master's son, James, discovers her deceit. The "punishment" that James gives Lily starts her on an unprecedented journey that dramatically alters her life and influences the lives of thousands, including a man with great power. Lily's groundbreaking journey also unveils the secret altruistic love of a particular man who has been forbidden from expressing his love to her for years. But the question remains whether or not the strength of his love will be powerful enough to free Lily from the shackles of slavery and protect her dreams and her life while on her turbulent Journey to Winter Garden.