Chapter 1

Liam Novak

I gazed at the city from my office floor-to-ceiling windows. Everyone on the sidewalk rushed to wherever they were heading. They all had a plan- a purpose, an objective to accomplish, somehow. The city however, never changed as time went by. Well, except the clouds in the sky.

It always amazed me when I had the opportunity to recognize the constant and varied things in life. They seemed to keep me calm, and I'd always appreciated the littlest things in life before. But, today I was lost. Lost in colors and movement. 

A knock on my door brought me out of my reverie. Turning towards the door, I said, "Come in." My best friend, Jason, walks in- dressed in a suit, as usual. 

We'd been best friends since forever, and we basically grew up together. Being an only child, my childhood was never filled with any peers, other than Jason. Our parents had been best friends since high school, so the friendship just kind of passed on. He is my right hand man, and with him being only a few months older than me, he's been a huge influence in my life. 

As the only heir to my family's business, a lot was expected of me. I'd been 20 when my father passed the CEO title down to me, and I'd taken over Novak Holdings International (NHI), and with Jason and my dad's help, the once known million-dollar company, now made billions. 

Jason went into law- not surprisingly. With his family owning a law firm, it was an ideal profession for him, and he is good at what he does. But even with us branching out into different career professions, we always encouraged and supported each other in every business venture. 

"Hey, man. Is your secretary getting more gorgeous every time I see her? Or is it just me?" Jason asked as he took a sit on one of the office chairs in-front of my office desk. 

I chuckled. We'd always been the guys to gawk at women. Call us the sort of 'player' type, but we loved women and we were referred to as The Lady Killers in the media. It was actually funny when you really thought about it. We weren't serial killers or anything, but the best description they could come up with was 'The Lady Killers'? 

What a way to wound a man's ego.

I wasn't sentimental or anything, and I agree, I do value women and their beauty, but I was more of a player than a Killer, if you'd ask me.

"Ogling my secretary now, Jason? Olivia's old enough to be your mother, dude." 

Olivia Greyson is a 49 year old wife and mother. She'd been working in NHI since she interned here when she left university. She's been an amazing employee and I value her as a member of my family. She's known Jason and me since we were kids, and she sometimes scolded us because of the lifestyle we live. 

"Come on, let’s go before she enters my office to scold us for our tardiness," I said and grabbed my jacket from the jacket hanger on the wall. 

We were on our way to NYU. The university was hosting a forum and all the professors and educational representatives would be there. As the CEO of NHI, I was invited to give a speech. NHI invested in every educational facility around the world in the aim of raising awareness to students and giving every child an opportunity to have an education. This had been on our agenda for the past years, and when I made my first billion, I decided to give back to the people who've supported me. There's no use keeping money in an account when there are people who deserve assistance. 

We walk out of my office and into the elevator. Women blushed as we walked by, and knowing Jason, he probably winked at them. But I had no interest in bimbos anymore. My mind was set on a particular blonde angel whom I couldn't find. 

"You okay?" Jason asked, and I looked at him curiously. 

"Why won't I be okay?" This was the same conversation we had every single time, and my answer was always the same.  

"It's just that since that night you haven't been yourself." 

That Night. 

Mia.

The Blonde Angel. 

The best night I'd ever had.

She'd left me wanting more of her company, and knowing so little about herself. I've dreamed about her. I've seen her so many times, but she has always been so very far away. Only a figment of my imagination. And what vivid imaginations they were. 

I remembered her perfectly; her gorgeous face; voice as sweet as my mom's homemade apple pie; her natural blonde African American hair that flowed all the way down to her butt; her amazingly gorgeous hazel eyes- even the darkest emerald couldn't hold light to the electric fire that burned each rim and shimmered just under her glossy gaze; and her rosy cheeks when she blushed a hundred shades of crimson. 

I remembered her perfectly well. A lot better than well, actually.

The morning, I'd been so excited to spend the day with her and get to know her better, that when I woke up and realized she'd left, I'd been angry. So very angry. Angry at myself because I knew nothing about her but her first name. 

Her first name! There were so many Mia's around. How was I supposed to find her?

She'd taken me by surprise though; the bloody sheets that revealed her innocence that night, and told me that I'd taken her virginity under the influence of alcohol, no less. I'd called the front desk but my investigation had gone futile. I'd gone back to the bar and waited for her. I'd hoped that she would've shown up, and I'd planned on asking her for her full name before we got into any further discussions. But when she hadn't, I'd been disappointed. 

She had left. She'd left me.

Everything about her amazed me, especially her personality. She'd made me laugh. Her inexperience in the bedroom was rather fascinating too, and me, being sheathed deep into her heat and hearing her scream my name in ecstasy and- 

Stop right there! I was no longer a hormonal teenager, and it was about time I realized that. 

'She was just one girl', I kept telling myself. 

'But, she was one amazing, incredibly, perfect girl', my subconscious kept reminding me. 

It'd been a while since I'd gone to the gym. Perhaps, I needed to let out some steam. Sex would normally help, but I had no interest in other women ever since that faithful night. She'd ruined me for other women.  

She surely is amazing, isn't she?

"You're still looking for her?" Jason asked, but from his tone, I knew he wanted me to find her.

I had no intentions of going clubbing anymore, except Club Zone, where we'd met. Finding her meant he'd get his best friend back. I certainly wasn't good company these days. 

"Yes. I'm still looking for her. But, with only her first name, there's not much that I can find." From the corner of my eye, I saw him nod, and we changed the topic of discussion into business. This was one area of expertise I knew about. 

Reaching the ground floor, my bodyguard, Ben, was there with my SUV. He opened the door and Jason and I got in. Gordon got in next to the driver and we left, being followed by another of my SUV with additional security, as I'd requested. 

Ben Gordon has been my head of security even before I became the CEO of NHI. He was good friends with my parents, and he's now like family to me. He does an amazingly good job too; fending off unwanted attraction by women and protecting me from the media. He was damn good. 

"You haven't been with anyone since that night. And, it's been like 5 months already," Jason said next to me. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you're gay and..."

Hearing where this is heading, I quickly interrupt him. "When I'm ready to stop, I will. But for now, I'm willing to continue my search." 

Jason would never understand why I'm willing to give anything to find Mia. She was more than just a girl- or whatever he thought she was. There weren't girls I'd met with such a spirit or who were innocent before they slept with me. She was perfect in my eyes, and I was determined to find her, if that's the last thing I do.