At 30, Monica Woods wants to put the tragedies of her earlier life behind her. Twice widowed and with a mentally challenged daughter, she enters the world of business as a legal secretary to a fatherly Jewish man with a penchant for using proverbs in his attempt to guide her. After his debt–ridden father dies by suicide in 1965, Robert Holton is determined to escape his humble beginnings in Arknasas by making millions. More than a decade later, in the beautiful and intelligent Monica, he finds exactly the companion he needs to help him expand his business in the exciting world of commodities. An expert in debt securities and in managing other people's money, Robert specializes in promising his clients easy money, particularly in real estate. Rich older women and gullible men are equally susceptible to his charming, persuasive ways. Two ambitious people, Monica and Robert have an affair, eventually marry, and together make millions in the stock market. It all comes crashing down when Monica discovers the extent to which Robert has deceived both her and their clients. The final chapters reveal Monica's sweet revenge—and then the shocking step Robert takes in order to reinvent himself once again. The setting for most of the novel is New Orleans, with additional scenes in New York, the Bahamas, and Mexico.