Sometime after being released from prison, Frank Cowperwood invests in stocks subsequent to the Panic of 1873, and becomes a millionaire. He decides to move out of Philadelphia and start a new life in the West. He moves to Chicago with his mistress Aileen and his attorney is finally able to persuade his first wife to agree to a divorce. Frank decides to take over the street-railway system. He bankrupts several opponents with the help of political allies. Meanwhile, Chicago society finds out about his past in Philadelphia and they turn on him, and after being unfaithful many times, Aileen eventually loses faith in him.

Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945) was an American novelist and journalist of the naturalist school. His novels often featured main characters who succeeded at their objectives despite a lack of a firm moral code, and literary situations that more closely resemble studies of nature than tales of choice and agency. Dreiser's best known novels include Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy.