Page 10 of Born a Billionaire

FOUR

Sleep had not come easily for Adelia, and when it did, it was fitful. The thought of someone creeping around outside the house while she slept was enough to keep her awake into the wee hours. It felt like she’d only just drifted off when the dim morning light shone through the bedroom window.

She sat up and stretched then threw on some running clothes and cautiously headed down the steps to the beach. A morning run would help clear her head, and things always seemed better in the light of a new day.

The brisk morning air filled her lungs as she jogged at a steady pace along the flat sand that had been packed down by the waves. She weaved back and forth with each splash of the water along the shore, avoiding getting her shoes wet.

Her mind drifted to the project she’d been longing to work on. Her passion project. Just thinking about it filled her with excitement and anticipation, but she feared it would once again be put on the back burner because of this gigantic scandal of her mother’s making.

She still couldn’t believe Mom had done this. It made her furious that after all their years together, she would just walk away. Her throat felt tight when she pictured her dad, secluded at their country home in England, while Mom was off doing God knows what with Bryce Griffiths. Ugh! She didn’t want to think of Mom with anyone but Dad. And Bryce Griffiths?

Okay, he was handsome and charming, with that British accent to die for. He was also closer to Adelia’s age than her mother’s. Was this some kind of mid-life crisis Mom was going through?

She swallowed hard and fought back the tears. Real emotions felt strange to her sometimes. She was so used to conjuring up tears when needed in her acting, that when real tears hit her, she felt like they should be stopped and stored away for her next role. She was sure it had something to do with the fact that she’d rarely seen her mother cry, apart from the silver screen. Maybe not ever, now that she thought about it.

Adelia’s parents were her heroes, and she’d always been their first priority, alternating their movie shooting schedules so one of them could be home with her. The few times they had filmed a movie together, they brought her to the set and left her with a nanny in their trailer so she’d be close. And to keep her out of the limelight, they had hired tutors to homeschool her. Amidst their massive fame, they had found a way to make it work, and the three of them had been everything to each other.

Until Adelia grew up and decided to follow in her parents’ footsteps, that is. From then on, she and her mother had butted heads about every movie project she wanted to work on.

Dad, on the other hand, supported her in whatever films she chose. He understood that she needed the freedom to express herself and figure things out on her own after being so sheltered her entire childhood. If only her mom would realize that.

Her heart ached as she ran and ran. More than anything, she needed to hear her dad’s voice and make sure he was okay.

After a couple of miles, she turned around to head north to the house and noticed she wasn’t alone on the beach anymore. A man was walking his dog, heading in her direction. As they got closer, a nervous feeling hit her in the gut because he looked like the guy she’d met at the convenience store. Apprehension and worry hit her at the same time because she wasn’t wearing her wig from the other night. What if he recognized her?

“Good morning,” he said as she jogged past.

“Morning.” She kept her head down and continued on.

“Hey, Snow-caps, right?” he called back at her.

She slowed her pace and turned hesitantly. “Yeah.”

He motioned toward her head. “I almost didn’t recognize you.”

“Oh, I sometimes wear wigs. Just for fun.”

“Well, I liked the brown, but natural looks good on you.”

She smiled at his compliment as he approached and held out his hand.

“I’m Anthony.”

She shook it. “Nice to meet you.”

“I live a couple miles up the beach.” He nodded to the north. “It’s so funny to run into you again so soon.”

“I was thinking the same thing.”

“Serendipitous,” he said.

She liked his use of that word. It felt very much like that to her too. She crouched down next to his border collie and rubbed her hand over his head and around his neck, fluffing his black and white fur.

“His name’s Lucky,” Anthony said.

“Well, hello, Lucky. It’s nice to meet you too.”

Lucky licked at her face, and she laughed as the dog attacked her with his tongue.

---