"I've always never seen a reason to live in this world ever seen the accident until now, until I met you."
2 MONTHS AGO
Natasha: Stella please hurry up, we are going to be late and it's not going to look good on mine and your father's reputation in front of the Howards if we are late.
Footsteps of a Fair skinned, brown eyes, average height and beautiful girl dressed in a navy blue dress coming down the stairs.
Stella: It's always my reputation this, my reputation that. (Says quietly to herself as she is coming down the stairs)
Natasha: Oh! I didn't get that, could you repeat yourself? (Sarcastically)
Stella: It was nothing. Just talking to myself again, you know, the last time you said I was crazy right. (Says with a fake smile)
Natasha: You know I really didn't mean… (Cut short by a deep masculine voice)
Roland: Can the both of you not do this today? Today is very important for me and this family. So please can we be on are best behavior?
Natasha: Of course love.
Roland: That also goes for you to Stella.
Stella: Fine, whatever. Can we just go?
Roland: You look beautiful my love. (Facing Natasha) You look lovely too Stella.
Natasha: Thank you my darling.
Stella: Yeah Dad, thank you. (Sarcastically) You should thank you wife, after all she got me the dress. (Rolls her eyes)
Roland: Really?
Natasha: I just wanted to do a good thing after all she is my daughter. (Says smiling and blushing)
Stella: Stepdaughter. There's a difference. (With a straight face)
Roland: Doesn't matter, Stella go get your brothers. Now!
Stella: Whatever. Chase, Miles, Dad wants your downstairs. (Facing her Dad and mimicking him) Now!
(Chase and Miles running after each other down the stairs.)
Natasha: Boys! Behave
(Stops in fear)
Chase and Miles: Sorry Mom.
Natasha: Just get into the car
(Natasha, Chase and Miles leave the house and enter the car)
As Stella is about to go, she is stopped by her father.
Roland: (Whispers in Stella's ear) Just to be clear if you are planning on escaping again, don't even think about it. I canceled your credit card, so you can't possibly book a flight or a hotel and I've got people watching you twenty-four seven, so don't even think about
Stella: You would never be able to control me after murdering someone, never have and never will
Roland: (Squeezes his fist together)
Stella: Are you planning on hitting me? No, go ahead, let's see if you will get away with this one.
Roland: For your information, I didn't kill her, she died through the accident. (Says angrily)
Stella: And whose fault was that uh?
As Roland is about to speak he is interrupted by Natasha
Natasha: Hmm… Roland, we are running a little late, we should go now.
Roland: (Calms down and gets in to the car)
Stella: (Rolls her eyes)
Roland, Natasha, Chase and Miles all arrive at HOWARD TRADING AND INVESTMENT COMPANY for the business plan.
As Stella isn't among them, Roland starts to wonder.
Roland: (Looking around) Where's Stella?
Natasha: Hmm…She is probably on her way
Roland: (With a voice of anger) she better be.
Stella speeding and drifting her anger away and suddenly stops in the middle of nowhere at night surrounded by tall trees and starts crying.
Stella: (In tears) why did you do this to me mom? Why didn't you fight for me mom, for us, why? (Cries and immediately she hears a knock on her window) Who's that? (Trying to wipe her tears)
As she looks up, she notices a young gentleman, light skinned, muscular, handsome, with brownish hair with deep blue eyes and dressed in a black tuxedo as she rolls her window down pretending to not be crying
Noah: Are you okay?
Stella: I'm fine. (With a shaking voice)
Noah: You don't look and sound fine. Do you need help?
Stella: I said I'm fine, okay. I don't need your help. (With an angry and a frustrated voice)
Noah: Okay fine. (Walks away)
Stella realizes she doesn't know where she is, her car's out of fuel and there was no service where she was.
Stella: No no no. Not now, not today.
She calls back for him as she gets down from her car.
Stella: Hey!
Noah: (Turns back with his hands pocketed) me?
Stella: Yes you, you are the only one here with me. (Walks towards him)
Noah: So how may I help you, oh wait, you don't need my help right? I bet you are the kind of girls who say they don't need any guys help just to get their attention especially when that guy is me.
Stella: You are so full of yourself.
Noah: Tell me something I don't know sweetie.
Stella; Hmm…. Excuse me, don't call me your sweetie. I'm not one of your many girls. I have a name.
Noah: But I don't know it and how do you know I have "many girls".
Stella: It shows and I don't tell strangers my name. Has anyone told you how rude and annoying you are?
Noah: (Chuckles) I bet there are some wild beasts in the woods. (Saying to terrify her) I think you will be fine. (Walking away slowly)
Stella: Okay okay fine, Its Stella….. Stella Jones.
Noah: (Smirks and turns back) your father is Roland Jones right?
Stella: Yeah.
Noah: Aren't you meant to be at the company with him?
Stella: Yeah, how did you know?
Noah: I have my ways. (Smiles) Come on, I can take you.
Stella: Really?
Noah: Yeah. What type of guy would I be if I left you here?
Stella: Thanks... But I don't still know you name?
Noah: (Straights his hand forward) Noah. (Opens the car door for her)
Stella: And they say chivalry dead uh? (As she enters)
Both of them enter the car and Noah begins to drive. On getting there, she realizes that her step mother had called her. She immediately gets down from the car as they got there. She walks in few minutes before her family met the Howard's for the deal. She is suddenly stop by Natasha immediately she enters.
Natasha: Where have you been?
Stella: My car ran out of fuel and…
(Interrupted by Roland's coming)
Stella: Before you say anything, my car ran out of fuel.
Roland: So why didn't you call?
Stella: There was no service.
Roland: This should never happen again. Go to you sit.
Stella: (Rolls her eyes and walks away)
As Stella was on her sit taking a sip of her drink, a young guy wearing a grey suit on his muscular body with brown eyes with a pair of black round glasses and brown hair comes to take a sit beside her.
Stella: Thought you weren't coming?
James: Wasn't planning on till daddy here shows up at my place screaming and shouting almost begging me to come. I didn't have much of a choice.
Stella: Classic dad. (Smiles)
James: Classic dad indeed.
Stella: I'm happy to see you again big bro.
James: Yeah, me too lil sis (Smiles)
Stella: (Smiles back and about to speak but she interrupted by Natasha)
Natasha: Oh My Gosh, James it's been a long time. (With a happy face)
James: Good to see you to Natasha.
Roland: I see you made it.
James: Yeah, didn't have much of a choice.
(Mr. Howard enters the conversation)
Mr. Howard: Mr. Jones! (From a distance)
Roland: Mr. Howard, it's been a while.
Mr. Howard: (Walking towards them) Oh please call me Nathan but indeed it has been. I'm so sorry for the delay, my last some just arrived, you know how boys can be. Please have your sits.
Roland: Indeed I do. (Taking his sit)
(Both laughs softly)
Mr. Howard: Let me introduce you to my sons. This is Aaron, my oldest son, this is Tommy, my second son and this is my youngest… (Pauses) Aaron, where's Noah?
Stella: (Whispers to herself) why does that name sound familiar?
Aaron: Hmm… (Looking around)
Tommy: There he is.
(Everyone looks to that direction as Noah carefully walks in)
Noah: Good evening, I hope I'm not too late
Stella: It's you (In shock)
Noah: Hi Stella.
Roland: Do you two know each other?
Noah: Yeah, in a way. We meet earlier.
Mr. Howard: Wow, that's interesting. Shall we get to the business of the day?
Roland: Of course.
Mr. Howard: Now Mr. Jones, I want to make sure you agree on sending Stella to the London with my son for the business meet.
James: I'm sorry what? (Surprised)
Mr. Howard: You didn't tell them?
Roland: Stella already agreed so I didn't think there will be need of telling you and it's going to help her understand our company more.
(James looks at Stella)
James: Really? Can we talk in private?
(James pulls her into an office in the building)
James: Are you actually go to London with a guy you literally don't know?
Stella: That was the best thing to do.
James: How?
Stella: I literally have no place in that house. It's best I go. It's an opportunity for me to get away from this family and I'm not going to miss it.
James: (Sighs) I get you but…. (Stella stops him)
Stella: No buts, I'm going...Please it's just for six months.
James: But you are just seventeen Stels, what about school? You are meant to be graduating soon.
Stella: I will be fine and as far as school, Dad enrolled me in this British private school, so I'm going to continue there. Stop being such a mom. (Laughs)
James: (Laughs then sighs) Okay fine.
Both of them come out and Stella and Noah sign the remaining paper work start heading home to pack because they will be leaving tomorrow morning.
(As Stella packs, James comes into her room)
James: Hey.
Stella: Here to help me pack?
James: No way. (Chuckles) I'm here to just see you that's all… and to tell you to please be safe. You are the only thing I have close to a family and, I can't believe I'm say this but I'm going to miss you.
Stella: (Hugs him) I will be fine, I promise and I will kind of miss you to. (Laughs)
James: I know you will fine. (Smiles and about to leave her room but stops and turns) Oh and by the way, tell Aunt Jessie and Sasha I said hi.
Stella: You can tell her yourself when you come but don't worry I will.
James: Oh and say hi to mom for me, I know you're going to go there. (Smiles and leaves)