In 1927, New York City was bursting with life. On every street, night clubs, restaurants and movie theaters were packed with people. The people of New York loved to party, dance...and drink.

Of all the illegal bootleggers, Joey Fatone was the most notorious. He ran a night club called "The Midnight Chateau," the most popular club downtown. To the public (and the police) it was just like any other club, established to entertain. But to the regulars, Governor James Bass, Chris Kirkpatrick, Justin Timberlake and the rest of Joey's gang, it was a huge cover up for counterfeit and illegal liquor.

To keep the business going, everyone had to make sacrifices, especially Joey. At age 23, he was now serving a six-year prison term for robbing the First National Bank of New York. In prison, Joey's heart hardened. He was bitter that his youth had been taken away from him so abruptly at the age of 17.

Back home, he left behind his widowed mother and eight brothers and sisters. But he most regretted leaving his high school sweetheart and best friend, Annabel Adams, "Belle" as he liked to call her.

Annabel was the daughter of William A. Adams, a wealthy stockbroker. Although she was not a particularly striking girl, she had the beauty of a spirit that shone through her long flaxen hair and blue-green eyes. Her figure was most appealing, and she was always in style.

She and Joey were to be married after Joey graduated from high school, but after he was convicted of armed robbery, she knew she had to leave him forever.

"Joey, I'm sorry, but what kind of life would we have? How could our love survive behind prison bars -- and the Midnight Chateau?" Belle cried. "I'm not stupid, Joey, I know everything: the liquor, the guns...the women."

Joey started to open his mouth to speak, but she continued on, "Don't tell me they were just waitresses and cigarette girls, Chris told me everything." As Joey sat there speechless, Annabel stared at him with hatred, then after a moment, walked away.

Shortly after Belle's visit to Joey, his term was over and he was free once again. Only months after his release, he was back in business and making more money than ever. In the mean time, Belle was trying to move away from her disappointment of Joey by dating her father's young C.E.O., JC Chasez.

JC's father was once the successful president of the First National Bank of New York...that is, until Joey robbed it. Because of this, the bank was forced into bankruptcy, along with the rest of the Chasez family. William Adams pitied the family's situation and gave JC and his brother, Tyler, positions as clerks in his office.

Over the years, JC worked himself up to the corporate executive office. Mr. Adams had a genuine fondness for JC and hoped Belle would forget Joey and eventually marry JC. But Belle had no feelings for JC and dreamed only of Joey.

However, Mr. Adams was determined to obliterate any thoughts of Joey Fatone from his daughter's heart. After withdrawing 1.2 million from his accounts, he proceeded to bribe every member of Joey's gang and the New York City Judicial System to lock Joey away behind prison bars forever.

One night, Joey was in the back rooms of the club, checking inventory and the account books, when he heard sirens blaring in the distance. He looked up briefly, but continued to work. Suddenly, the back door flew open and a squad of blue-uniformed men swarmed in.

The next morning, Belle visited Joey in jail.

"Joey, I'm sorry to see you're in prison -- again. I'd have to say I was shocked," she muttered bitterly, "but that isn't why I came. My father's dying and he's been asking to see you."

"I'll see if I can get out on bail," Joey said glumly. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," she answered, "I'm going to be married soon...to JC Chasez, my father's C.E.O."

Joey glared at her angrily. "Do you love him?!" he cried out.

"That's none of your concern," she said, her voice quavering. "I'll tell my father you'll be seeing him soon. Good-day."

Joey listened to the rhythmic clanging of Belle's heels until they faded away into the distant traffic of the streets.

Joey was released on a $5,000 dollar bond and remembering his promise to Belle, he paid a visit to William Adams.

"I have done you a wrong and Annabel an even greater one," the old man confessed. "I framed you for everything: the money laundering, bootlegging...everything. I knew about your scurvy deals and tipped off the police."

"But why?" Joey asked blankly.

"Because I never wanted you and Belle to marry," he explained. "I'm sorry, but before I die, I must have your forgiveness."

Joey looked at William Adams in disbelief. This man had cruel intentions of sending him to jail in order to keep him away from his only love, and was now asking to be forgiven?

He looked at Mr. Adams, who was now attempting to make ammends for the wrong he'd done. Then he thought about Belle. Though the troubles in his life had caused a rift between them, he loved her now more than ever. For every miserable thing that happened to him, Belle had always been there. No matter how many times he continually hurt her, she would always forgive him. Joey felt it was right for him to forgive her father.

"Belle forgave me," Joey said slowly, "so I forgive you."

"One more thing: promise me you'll take care of Belle for me," Mr. Adams begged.

"I promise," he swore sincerely, as Mr. Adams finally gave him a small blessing.

Joey walked out of the room and started down the stairs. After collecting his coat and hat, he left with a slam of the door.

Despite William Adams's last minute confession, Joey was still brought to trial on the charges of selling illegal liquor and laundering money. The old man's confession had never been recorded or documented, therefore it was null and void in a court of law. The evidence was mounting against Joey, and the testimony of JC Chasez conclusively proved that he was guilty of all charges, as far as the judge and jury was concerned.

And so, on June 28, Joey was sentenced to yet another six years in jail. Steve Spencer knew that Joey would never have been convicted had he not allowed himself to be bribed by Mr. William Adams.

"Why did I take the money? I can't believe 25 grand purchased my integrity and honor. Not only that, but I sold my own brother down the river," he thought in anguish. "As God is my witness, I swear I'll even the score with William A. Adams," he vowed as he slammed his fist into the palm of his other hand. But before he could carry out his plan of vengeance, William A. Adams died quietly in his home with Annabel and JC at his side.

As time went by, Joey spent his hours dreaming of what his life would be like beyond the prison walls. However, he had no idea that his life beyond those barriers would have no place for Annabel. It wasn't until Joey saw the paper that he realized his beloved Belle was going to marry his hated enemy, JC Chasez.

"Isn't it enough for JC that I no longer have my freedom? Why must he claim what is rightfully mine!" he wondered aloud.

"Fatone, Joey!" shouted the guard, "Ya have a visitor!"

Joey slowly got up and walked towards the visiting area in a slow gait.

"Joe!" a voice called out.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Joey demanded angrily. "How can you show your face? I know everything. You took money from William Adams and put me in here knowingly. I never want to see you again, Steve Spencer!"

"Joey," Steve broke in gently, "I did what I did because of twenty-one years of spite and jealousy."

"What reasons do you have to be jealous of me? When the police raided the club and confiscated it, they gave it to you. You have the Midnight Chateau, you have the money, you make the profit, and you get all the women, as well as Belle's little sister."

"Well, at least when you were growing up you had a father; our father," he muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?" Joey asked in disbelief.

"Your father ran the club before you, and back then, it was still a place to get drunk and pick up women. Your parents had been having a lot of problems, and your mother was threatening to leave. So your father found comfort with my mother, Amanda Spencer. Eventually, when I was old enough, my mother told me the truth, and that I had nine brothers and sisters somewhere out there."

"Then why, when you joined my gang, didn't you tell me this before?" Joey asked.

"Because when I joined your gang, I joined it to get revenge on you and our father. Since I was illegitimate, father never acknowledged me and you were his favorite," Steve explained. "And as we grew older, I resented it more and more, especially when I saw how successful you were. I'm sincerely sorry."

Joey was speehless, but by now tears were slowly trickling down their faces. The two men embraced and walked away silently. But just before Steve's hand touched the doorknob, Joey called out to him and said, "Keep an eye on Belle for me."

Six years went by. The Great Depression had taken its toll on everyone, and as Joey stood outside the run-down building that had once been the Midnight Chateau, he thought about Belle.

His Belle was now dead. She died because medicine was unavailable to treat her pneumonia. His brother Steve couldn't live with the guilt of helping to frame him, and so he killed himself with an overdose of vodka mixed with his medication. His mother was dead, and he never heard from his other brothers and sisters.

Now Joey stood there alone with only his memories and the Midnight Chateau.

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