In Name Only

When Alec Walker and Julie Eden meet, they quickly form a friendship and what looks to be a burgeoning romance, neither knowing much about the other besides Julie divulging her work as a commercial fashion artist and being widowed with a five year old daughter, Ellen. What Alec has not mentioned is that he is extremely wealthy, from old money, and is already married to Maida Walker, it a loveless marriage. While Alec did marry for love, he long ago discovered that Maida never loved him, she choosing the wealth and social standing he could provide over love as she was in love with someone else when they married. Alec has often asked Maida for a divorce, she unwilling to grant one in the long term view she has of being part of the Walker family. Alec often tries to escape his unhappy life, whether it be escaping from Maida, from his traditional parents who know nothing about the true issues affecting the marriage and who can only see that Maida is the one making any effort to hold the marriage together, or from her friends, her so-called best friend, married Suzanne Duross, who has often made a play for Alec herself in knowing the sham that is their marriage. On Julie's side, Ellen likes this new man in her mother's life, while Julie's divorced sister, Laura Morton, is suspect of any man, it the outcome of what was her own disastrous marriage. When Julie eventually learns the entire scope of Alec's life, she tries to stay away but the love that has developed between the two of them is too strong a force. Thus, Julie gets pulled into the battle that is Alec and Maida's marriage, only one side that can emerge with what they consider true happiness.