One for the Ages // Book One

Chapter 1

My name is Elizabeth Ava Murphy. Not Liz. Not Lizzie. And definitely not Beth. My mother named me after Queen Elizabeth...the first one, not the second, and Ava Gardner. Two trailblazing women that I knew I was expected to emulate from the moment I was born.

I delivered for the most part. I walked and talked early. I was in Kindergarten by the time I was five. I skipped seventh grade altogether and I graduated high school with a full ride scholarship to Columbia a month shy of turning 17. I was the fastest girl on the school's swim team, winning us a few competitions as well as carrying a 4.0 GPA all through law school. I graduated with honors and was hired on to New York's premiere Law Firm Lawrence, Randall & Crane where I became their highest paid woman after having only been at the firm for five years.

Today was my 35th birthday. So far, my birthday party consisted of me sitting alone on my couch writing a brief for a case I'd been working on as I sipped wine and vaguely paid attention to some Real Housewives show on Bravo. My mother called me, no doubt to wish me a happy birthday,

"Hi mom." I said casually as I put the phone to my ear.

"Hello dear. Happy birthday." She said matter-of-factly, "Did you have a good day at work?"

I sighed, that was my mother. Always more worried about my job than anything else. I nodded,

"Yes."

"Is Isaac taking you out for dinner?"

I shook my head. Isaac had been my boyfriend since law school,

"He had a dinner to attend with clients."

"That's too bad honey. Are you two still going to Ibiza?"

I nodded,

"That's the plan. Plane leaves tomorrow at nine."

"Alright. Well have a good time, I can't wait to hear all about it, I love you."

I frowned slightly. Her "I love you's" always sounded so programmed,

"Love you too." I muttered back, positive she never heard it when I heard the phone click before I was even done speaking.

I shook my head at the phone before setting it back down on the coffee table next to my laptop. I slumped into the back of the couch with my wine glass poised for a drink as my eyes fell on the TV. The heavy steel door to my apartment closed with a loud bang just as the wine touched my lips. I sat up quickly, setting the wine glass down on the coffee table. Isaac walked in, loosening his tie.

Isaac looked like your typical high powered lawyer. Short brunette hair, thousand dollar tailored suits, expensive shoes that tapped on the tile floors of our entry way. He probably did more for his personal appearance than I did. Looking at him now though, I couldn't tell you why on earth we'd started dating, much less why we were still together.

He looked over at me, blinking a few times like he was shocked to see me,

"I thought you were staying at the office to work?"

I shook my head,

"Decided to come home and do it here. I thought you had a dinner with clients."

He nodded,

"I did."

I stood up slowly, folding my arms over my chest as I approached him,

"How'd it go?"

He sighed as he pulled his suit coat off,

"Good. I mean...we'll have to work round the clock to look through everything. But Marcus thought this would bring in quite a bit of money to the firm." Marcus was Marcus Randall. As in Lawrence, Marcus Randall & Crane. My boss. He was grooming Isaac to be his second in just about anything and as such, Isaac was rarely around anymore. Another reason why I wondered why we were still together.