L. Beth Campbell
Self-Published Romance Writer

I guess that it shouldn’t surprise me that I ended up here, exactly where I wanted to be. In fact, this is everything I’ve worked my whole life to achieve. I’m standing in a million-dollar mansion in a gated neighborhood among the wealthiest people in the Kansas City area. A couple million dollars here will get you more bang for your buck than it does in many of the other cities in the United States. With his work schedule and the square footage, we could theoretically live separate lives, only crossing paths when sharing a meal. No one ever warns you that having a bigger house without people to fill it merely means larger spaces for the loneliness to settle when you decide to keep others at arm’s length.

The diamond on my left ring finger catches the light refracting from the crystal chandelier in the home office as I search for the binder. I could have sworn I’d locked it in the bottom drawer, but it’s not where I last remember seeing it. If he found it, he’d be smart enough to piece it all together. It was shortsighted of me to leave it anywhere he could read it. If he knew what I had done, it could mean the end of this new life of mine. With the way the fans would react, this could mean the end of any chance for me to have this again.



I think my fate was sealed on the day that my mother gave me a name that means “wealthy.” It’s strange how similar “Odette” can sound to, “Oh, debt.” While my mother refuses to disclose the identity of my birth father, I know that he was a professional athlete. My mother was a cheerleader—beautiful, but underpaid. She loved her job and the attention she got from the professional basketball players on the team. Though he was once very interested in my mother, he was decidedly uninterested in being a father. He contributed financially and genetically before turning his attention to “other interests.” Being a single mom didn’t mesh well with her former job as a cheerleader for a professional sports team. I think part of her was sad to lose both him and her dream job. The financial security helped her get over the heartbreak.

Maybe the force that turned me onto this path had something to do with the prestigious private schools and boarding schools my mother sent me to. I had to earn good grades to ensure scholarships, but every phone call home contained a lecture about the value of networking with my wealthy peers. When dealing with generational wealth, connections are more important than net worth. In the world of business, connections are how you close deals. Your qualifications will only take you so far unless you have the relationship currency to buy your way into new social circles.

Somewhere amid all the crazy boarding school drama, I found a friend. More than just a best friend, I found a sister. During my freshman year at boarding school, Natalie was my assigned roommate. Her father owns the largest retailer in the country, making her family part of the 1%. We instantly connected as we shared everything. Natalie is one of the few people who understands my ambitions and dreams. Because of her social status, I’ve been able to get into exclusive parties and events just by being with her. The only unfortunate part is that she doesn’t have a brother as a dating option.

All the boarding schools and academic achievements were to ensure my spot at an Ivy League university among the richest and brightest. Yale University featured the same vibes and many of the same crowds of rich kids that I had experienced in boarding school. Natalie and I shared an apartment right outside the campus. While my undecided major for the first two semesters might have indicated to some that I lacked focus, it was quite the opposite; I knew exactly what I wanted to pursue. I just didn’t think it would happen overnight or this late into my 20s.

College was where most of our friends gradually began to pair up and make plans involving extravagant weddings and au pairs. Some matches were subtly orchestrated by their parents and grandparents, but others occurred naturally due to proximity. Natalie and I somehow graduated without boyfriends or fiancés. At least we had each other as we moved back to the city that had been her early childhood home and headquarters for her family’s wealth.

Though it started as a cow town, Kansas City has a rich history of political ties to the mafia during the times of the American Prohibition. The river and the train station provided the Italian mob with the transportation necessary to disperse alcohol and increase their fortune and foothold in the city. Natalie cannot confirm nor deny whether her family may have had ties to the mafia in the past, but like the city’s government, all her father’s business dealings are above board now.

While I had known that Natalie’s family was wealthy, I hadn’t accurately pictured the kind of house her family owned. The house is in its own incorporated community that’s both private and gated. The quarterback for the Kansas City Knights professional football team built a mansion in the same village. While not all the houses are large enough to contain an indoor basketball court, her family’s plot of land is one of the largest. Natalie and I temporarily moved into her parents’ guest house while we searched for apartments in the downtown area.

She pulled some strings and wrote a check to win us one of the coveted luxury penthouse apartments in the downtown loop. Thanks to her family’s generosity, we moved into an apartment approximately the same size as many suburban houses in the metro area. She subsidized my portion of the rent, refusing to take my money. I don’t know how to refuse her continual generosity without causing a rift in our friendship. Besides, who would be crazy enough to say no to living with her best friend in her fancy penthouse? It’s not New York City or Los Angeles, but Kansas City has its fair share of trendy restaurants and wealthy bachelors.

Those who score the best deals in their industry are well-connected and do their homework. When I’m not working for the ad agency that hired me because Natalie’s cousin is on the executive board, I’m doing my due diligence. I have a list of every eligible bachelor on each of the city’s professional sports teams along with their current contracts and bonuses. I keep a list of every trendy restaurant, club, and bar in the city with locations and hours. My planner is filled with dates outlining each scheduled concert and venue. It’s a compilation expansive enough for a travel blog, but when paired with the written advice from my mother, it’s a roadmap to permanent financial security.

My mom did well for herself with the money my father sent, but it’s nothing compared to how well off we could have been had they gotten married. She taught me how to be smart and independent. She also taught me that while marrying for love can be satisfactory, marrying for money is more than merely a means to an end.