Despite her obligation to work to earn money, Ella Smith is willing to do anything in order to free her brother. This is because he is jailed for a crime he did not commit. Millionaire Luke Connor offers her ten thousand dollars if she pretends to be his girlfriend. It will be easier for him to find a wife this way, since he will be under less pressure to do so. Eventually, Ella begins to fall for Luke once she is entangled in his world, and he begins to fall for her as well.
It is through Ella's growing closeness to the Connors that she realizes that there may be a connection between the Connors and her brother's conviction. This is despite her romantic interest in Luke. When Ella is forced to rely on Luke in an environment of wealth and intrigue, she may lose everything if she fails to succeed. If she cannot do this, she may lose her life.