Trouble in Paradise.

1. Work.

Chapter 1: Work

Turning on the radio in my car, I drive to the grocery store. I need to stock up on groceries. New York traffic is a chore. I moved here a year ago, after graduation. Parking my car beside the store, I get out and walk inside.

I pick a cart from the row and I roll it down the vegetable aisle. I grab a bunch of bananas and put them in the cart. I'm planning on making banana pancakes for breakfast tomorrow. I should have a nice breakfast on my twenty-fourth birthday, don't you think so?

Yes, I am turning twenty four years old tomorrow.

I am getting old, I know.

But unlike most twenty four year olds, I will not be spending my birthday in the club living it up.

Nope.

I'll be spending it at my desk at work.

Sucks to be me, huh?

And I can't spend it with Riley and Tobias because they live in a completely different state. I would ask them to come celebrate with me, but they have a child to take care of and one on the way. And I don't want them trying to set me up with some guy from their church, so I think I'll pass on spending my birthday with them.

Don't get me wrong I love them to death, but ever since they got married they've been incessantly bugging me to get a boyfriend. And I give them the same answer every time "Just because love worked for you guys doesn't mean it works for me, I would know, I have tried."

New York is a big city, but it feels even bigger when you're alone. Well, at least I'm not all alone, I have my parents. They always remind me how proud they are of me. Probably because I took over the family business and made a name for myself. When I did that, they told me it was always their plan for my life, but they didn't want to push me into it. Well, they didn't have to. I came into it on my own.

Checking out my items, I walk out of the store. I am immediately met with flashing cameras in my face.

Not this shit again.

This is the second time I'm getting paparazzied today.

It's exhausting.

"Miss Stone, a moment of your time. What are your thoughts on the people that say you slept your way to the top?" A lady asks me, shoving a recorder towards me.

These people get on my last nerve.

I push her out of my way and I start walking to my car. They follow me and click their cameras.

"Why were you having dinner with Aaron Wang? Is he your boyfriend?" The woman says standing in front of my car door.

"Move bitch." I say, pushing her again.
I get into my car and they start chasing me. From my rear view mirror, I see the photographers get into their cars and follow me.

Ever since I took over the family business, I've kind of built quite a reputation for myself.

"If by kind of you mean, single handedly starting your own business and got featured on the self made millionaires list all in the same year." My subconscious chimes in.

Okay fine, I made it big in New York.

After my parents abandoned the family business. I took it upon myself to revive it and turn it into something bigger. So, after graduation, I moved here and re-opened Stone Construction. I have over five hundred staff and I made fifty million dollars last year, just by building two hotels. It's really hard work, but I love doing it. And I love being in charge.