Chapter 1

   "Come on sweetie let's go get something to eat ok?"

I walk around our stuffy apartment picking up all of her toys. It's small, but cozy and it even has two bedrooms, and three bathrooms. It's one of the newer apartments, and I could barely afford it. Maybe it's because I'm African American. I think.

   It has this whitish brown carpeting that you could smell was new, and the walls were a creamy white color. The living room had a small balcony, and sliding glass doors. I had bought a new sectional sofa it was black, and leather.

   We had one flat screen TV, on a glass entertainment center, and a fancy ceiling fan was overhead. Me, and Hailey had a small table with two chairs in the dining area. The kitchen had dark wooden cabinets, and the oven and refrigerator were black, as Well as the counters, and it had an automatic dishwasher. It sat right across from the living room which I liked.

   I put all of Hailey's toys in a box, and rubbed my hands on my jeans. I walked in the kitchen, and opened the refrigerator. Empty. I sigh, and run my hand through my curls.

   Either it was because I was black, or nobody would hire me for a decent job. I get so sick of cleaning houses. "Hailey you better be getting ready!" I shout down the hall. Suddenly I hear tiny foot steps pattering against the wood, and there she comes flying down the hall and into my arms.

   "Mommy! What did you say?"

She asks staring at me with her blue eyes. Hailey has light brown skin, and blue eyes. Her hair was a light brown, and her kinky curls flew everywhere just like mine. I touched my head.

   People insisted I gave her contacts, but what parent in her right mind would give her seven year old daughter contacts? "I said let's go get something to eat Hailey." I said kissing her forehead.

   Her eyes light up. "Can we go to The Burger Shack? Please, Please, Please!" She smiled with her straight white teeth. You couldn't tell, but she had lost one of them in the back already.

   "Hmmm... I don't know Miss Hailey," I say giving her a serious look. "Is your room clean like I asked?" Her eyes widen, and she shakes her head. I point to the window rain falling against it.

   "What does that mean Hailey bear?"

She pauses lips pouting slightly. Her eyes light up once again.

"I got ta put on my raincoat and boots!" She says excited that she remembered the answer.

   I tickle her, and she laughs. Then I raise her up to look at me.

"You're such a big girl aren't you."

Her chest swells with pride. She pulls at my hair..

"You are a big girl to mommy!" She exclaims.

   "Oh really! Are you sure?" I say tapping my lips.

"How old is mommy?" I ask looking at her.

She holds up two hands. One has a two and the other a four.

"That's right! Mommy is twenty four. You're so smart! I guess we can go to The Burger Shack then."

   She squeals, and runs to her room to get ready. I go to my room, to get ready as well. My room was bigger than Hailey's and had a large bed, with those curtains around it. I had a large brown dresser, a desk, a nightstand and a large bookshelf.

   All in all it was pretty plain while Hailey had pink, and hello Kitty everywhere. Courtesy of her grandma Linda. I turned on the lamp above my bathroom mirror, and glanced at the walk in shower. No time for that.

   I Sigh. I had worked Well over into the night, and now I had to take Hailey to eat. I looked in the mirror. My curly black hair was everywhere, my green eyes had bags under them, and I look a bit pale. Which was weird since I had light brown skin. My large lips were jutted out in indignation.

   I finally sigh, and stick my hand under the sink to look for the hidden cash. My modeling days were over. I was 5'6, and before I got pregnant my long legs, and petite figure had taken me everywhere. Now I was one hundred forty pounds of failure.

   Well I didn't fail, I had Hailey. Her father, Derek Washington was a complete asshole. I came home one night to find him, and some video girl hussy having at it on my damn sofa of all places. He was white of course, and my high-school sweetheart. Well that went sour.

   I laughed remembering me smashing a lamp over her head, and waving a butcher knife at him. I made them both get out naked, and threw their clothes onto the sidewalk. That was before we moved to New York.

   Had I known a gallon of milk would be five dollars instead of three I would have stayed in Georgia. I graduated from Georgia Central, and went To Brashire community college, and got a degree in Sociology, and Counseling.

   Just as I put on my rain coat, I felt a tugging at my pants leg. I looked down to find Hailey ready to go. Purple sweatpants, and red raincoat. I groaned. Good enough. I pulled a twenty dollar bill from the wad of cash.

   "Ready to go sweetie?" She nodded grinning from ear to ear. "Let's go then." I said smiling. I kissed her cheek, and held her hand as we went to the front door.

   I opened the door, giving her a stern look to stay near as I locked the door. Once I had it locked I picked her up. She licked my face. "Ugh!  Hailey you are not a dog!" I said, wiping my face, stomping down the stairs.

  "Woof Woof!" She said. I laughed, she was like her father in so many ways. That odd sense of humor was the reason I had fell in love with him. We made love in the college dorms, only this time I would be pregnant. I remember he was actually excited.

   He had jumped up, and down in his parents living room. "I'm going to be a father!" He said. His mother, however didn't really liked the fact that he would have a "mixed baby" even if my mom was half white.

   He swore he would get Hailey from me, but I won in the courts. Looking back maybe I should have let her go, she would have had a better life. We climbed on the bus. The Burger Shack was only a mile or so away, but I wouldn't take chances with Hailey at my side.

   Once we were at the stop I pulled the cord. We hopped off the bus rain pelting us, I picked her up and we ran across the street. It was busy even at night. Once there I pulled off my hood, and pushed the door hearing a familiar jingle.

   I took her to the cash register, and waited. A bubbly white girl came from behind the counter. "What can I get for you?" I looked down at Hailey. "Um can I get two of your cheeseburgers, and a side of curly fries, and two strawberry tea's please?"

   She wrote it down, while escorting us to a booth by the window. I sat down, Hailey on the inside while I sat on the outside blocking her from strangers. She was bouncing up, and down humming. Though it didn't matter. There was chatter everywhere blending into one.

   I checked my phone. I had a text from mom. Mom: How are things going?

Me: Everything is okay. I replied.

Mom: Are you sure? Have you found anything yet?

Just at that moment, our order arrived. Me: G2G mom ring you as soon as I get home. Love you.

   Our burgers were huge, it filled the entire plate, and there was another plate filled with fries. It had tomatoes, lettuce, mayo, cheese, and a lot of bacon. I had ordered two separate orders it would last us two-three days.

I cut my Burger into fourths, then cut Hailey's into sixths. Her being smaller and all. I was sipping my tea, taking my first bite of my Burger when I saw Hailey pointing. "Mommy look it's the man on TV."

   I looked over to find that there was a man, sitting in a booth one seat over. Hood over his head, and shades over his eyes. I couldn't tell, but it looked as if he had some type of scar on his face. "Hailey sweetie it's not polite to point eat your food."  I say handing her the strawberry tea.

   I looked again. I didn't recognize him. He looked ordinary to me. I began eating my food. He was white, but I could tell he wasn't completely white, and though he was wearing a hoodie I could tell he went to the gym. A lot. I scolded myself I'm not ready for anymore commitments.

   "Mommy, I need school stuff!" Hailey whined. Embarrassed, I looked around to find the stranger was now facing our direction even though I couldn't see his eyes, I knew he was looking. I looked at her, "Hailey I promise I will work extra hours, please eat your food." I said a warning note in my tone.

   Satisfied with the answer, she eats once again. Fifteen minutes later we are both stuffed. I stopped a waitress. "Can we have something to take the rest of this home in?" She politely says she will go get the to go boxes, and leaves the bill. 14.74.

   I pull out my cash realizing I had grabbed a ten. Panicking, I explain to the waitress. "I can go home and get the cash I will be back within twenty minutes I promise. If not you can call the police." She shakes her head. "I'm sorry ma'am the only way I could do that is if you leave your daughter behind. I will make sure she is ok  while you are gone."

   I start to get frustrated when I hear a voice. The stranger was now standing and talking with the waitress. "I will pay the entire thing, put it on my tab." He says. He digs in his pocket dropping a business card on the table. He has a slight accent. "You are in need of a job I presume?" His voice is hollow.

   I'm heated. Here I was about to thank him! "You bastard! You see a black woman and a child and you assume we are poor!" I hiss. Not effected. He raises his shades and winks at Hailey who giggles.

   I crumple the business card and throw it at him. He places another business card on the table. "If you change your mind." He says, and walks away. I grab our food and head out the door steaming mad.

   ***

   Back at home, after I put Hailey to bed. I am in the shower. The heat, and shower of water pelting against my skin  soothes my aching muscles. I close my eyes. After about ten minutes I wash up, and shampoo my hair with the milk and honey shampoo I bought.

   Getting out, I dry off and put on a robe. I grab my cell, and look at the time. It is 12:01 pm. I sigh, knowing I'd have to work in exactly eight hours. If you could call it that, a job I mean. I know my mom is awake so I dial her number.

   "Hello?" She says, "Hi mom just calling like I said I would. You are so worrisome." I say. "You sound tired, have you found a real job yet? Someone your age should be living life not cleaning houses."

   I plop down on my bed. She's right. "Well I did get a business card from this ass mom he was so rude!" I rummage around finding the card. "It says Orion Mendelev, 865-764-2300 that's it." I hear a gasp on the other line.

   "Orion Mendelev from Mendelev Enterprises! The top tech company in the U.S.!" She practically screams. "Um I don't know mom, all I got was a card it says report to this street address next week."

   She rambles on, and on. Straighten your hair, wear your best clothes. Finally she says goodnight. Too tired to get dressed I just get under the cover, and fall fast asleep.

***

"Frank bring the Lamborghini to the front." A male voice says. My mansion sits in the background on the skyline like a towering castle. "Sure thing boss." A voice says in the other line.

   Silently like a panther the Lamborghini is brung around to the front. "Where are we going?" Frank asks. "Ah nowhere, I will be attending to my own needs tonight you may return to the guest suite."

   Reluctantly, he turns putting in the numbers on the keypad opening the gate. I remove my Hood and sunglasses, staring at my reflection. My hand rubs against the burned flesh on the right side of my face. I had a scar over my eye and a large patch of burned skin was on my cheek.

   I open the door of the Lamborghini, and get in. Tonight I would just drive. Somehow I couldn't get the mysterious woman with piercing green eyes, and brown skin out of my head. She intrigues me. Nobody had spoken to Orion Mendelev that way in a long time.

   Starting the engine. I momentarily sit in silence. Ha! What am I doing thinking about some woman off the streets? I am Orion Mendelev, the richest man on earth. The mystery elite who no one has ever seen smile. I unbutton the top button of my shirt and run my hands through my black hair. Let's see what I can get into.

_____author's note______

Hi my dear readers I am working on several projects! Please let me know what you think so far. Comments are greatly appreciated. Don't hold back.