Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : Romance

I had always known my life was never really my own. I was what you would call an heiress. No I wasnt royality, but I was something much more. Im the daughter of Alexander James. One of the wealthiest men in well the world really. Owning one of the biggest enterprises in Jersey. I being his only child would someday take over the family business. Im Asella by the way. Asella James, second generation and vice president of James Incorporated. We own pretty much all of Northern Jersey, and then some. The truth was I knew with the business alone there was no way we earned our money one hundred percent legal. I was too smart not to notice when the security was doubled. Or the business trips were taken with the private jet instead of our usual first class. But I tried to keep my head dead and do what I was told. After all, one day it would be my time and when that happened things would change. I was not my father and I did believe in doing things the right way. 
From the time I was seven, it was just me and my dad. My mom died of cancer and to be honest I only ever remember her sick. Of course she was given the best home health care money could offer. But in the end no amount of money could save her.
I was always told stories about her. How great of a warrior she was. Or how loving ahe was. I am my mothers daughter my father would tell me when I would get into a fight at school. Or when I went to prom and wore the same dress she did. 
It was true on the outside I was my mother, but on the inside I was my father. Strong, loyal and right minded. I thought about my next move before I acted. I never let my heart get in the way of what needed to be done. I was the perfect weapon.
It was a sunny Sunday afternoon, when my life took a complete turn. It was on that day that secrets were scattered across my memory, memories that I would never be able to forget. 
It was summer. I remember the heat, and the smell of the ocean. Such a beautiful combination. The streets were lined with people awaiting the string of floats to come down main street. It was a tradition. I remember walking past hundreds of faces. "Hello." A man shouted. To a man behind me.  The streets were packed. I would never get used to it. I ducked in and out of the crowd of people. Until I could come to a clearing. I remember feeling free. As if I escaped something crazy. And thats when I saw him. 
Harlem Drake. 
When I first saw him, I knew just the type of person he was. Not my type of person. He was what you would call your typical bad boy. Leather jacket and all. Harlem Drake was the boy from the wrong side of the tracks. He was also the boy I had loved since before I could remember. But like any other love story, he never noticed me. I was a princess and he was the stable boy. We were on two completely ball fields. Even if he were to somehow notice me. My dad would never allow it. I was an heiress after all. A face to a very large empire. I knew my place and it wasnt talking to Harlem.