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One

She was ready to beg him

Virginia Hollis shuddered She wrapped her arms around herself and stared out the backof the sleek black Lincoln as it wound along the darkened streets of Chicago People strolled down the block, hands in their pockets, chins neatly tucked to their chests to shield their faces fro wind Men held cell phones to their ears; woliht

But it wasn’t ordinary It couldn’t be

Because Virginia’s world had stopped turning

The e for her, and it had not been a kind one

She inhaled deeply and glanced at her simple black dress and the delicate strappy heels on her pink-toed feet It seemed important for her to look nice—not just respectable, but sophisticated, noble—because the favor she was to ask was anything but

And she could think of no one else to ask but hi herself like this in front of him made her stomach churn

Nervously, she tugged on the pearl strand draped around her neck and tried focusing on the city again The pearls were sinia had been able to salvage fros

Her father had lost it all

Bet by bet, he’d lost the cars, the antiques, the house Virginia had watched with a coe She’d threatened, screa man, all to no avail

There was no stopping hi