you crazy? A Tiffany ring? The Four Seasons? An Escalad

es lit up. "So

is is a once-in-a-lifetime event. You shoul

have cut me off personally, but they are still in the business world. My uncle owns one of the top event pla

plausible one. My family owned

te. In fact, they have different packages. You should go for the best one, the Platinum Package.

n the lottery. "The Platinum Package! Did you hear

pull me aside. "Maria, what

is hand.

"And I' ll need the money for the ring and the deposit for t

, okay, let' s not get ahead of ourselves. We' ll figure it out." He

"Of course. We' ll tak

lla' s not feeling well," I said, glancing at my daughter who was happily eatin

who could promise his family the world. The moment I got in the car, I made a cal

I said. "Her name is Gabriel

xpected, Carol and Rya

' recommended. They need a fifty-thousand-dollar deposit to book the Four Seasons. And Gabri

nic. He had been riding the high of their

whisper. "We don' t have that kind

oment I had be

tance and distress. "I... I don' t know. My pers

ic for a long moment. Then,

voice low and conspiratorial. "But i

n, hanging on

ns. But there are conditions. I was supposed to get my first major distribution on my th

d. "So it'

t states the funds are frozen as long as I am 'Maria Scott.' If my legal status reverts to 'Maria Joh

full of fake tears. "We wo