The Woman I Found In Me

THE WOMAN I FOUND IN ME JAMEY MOODY As an independent author, reviews are greatly appreciated. The Woman I Found in Me ©2023 by Jamey Moody. All rights reserved Edited: Kat Jackson This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to an actual person, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. This book, or part thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Thank you for purchasing my book. I hope you enjoy the story. If you’d like to stay updated on future releases, you can visit my website or sign up for my mailing list here: www.jameymoodyauthor.com. I’d love to hear from you! Email me at [email protected]. Created with Vellum CONTENTS Also by Jamey Moody Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Ten Years Later About the Author Also by Jamey Moody No More Secrets Chapter 2 ALSO BY JAMEY MOODY Live This Love The Your Way Series: * Finding Home *Finding Family *Finding Forever The Lovers Landing Series *Where Secrets Are Safe *No More Secrets *And The Truth Is … *Instead Of Happy *It Takes A Miracle One Little Yes The Great Christmas Tree Mystery Who I Believe The Woman at the Top of the Stairs The Woman Who Climbed A Mountain The Woman I Found In Me With One Look *available as an audiobook 1 “It can’t be!” Ella Gallaher mumbled intensely to her reflection in the mirror. “I’m only twenty-four years old!” A toilet flushed in the posh restroom and Victoria Stratton walked out of a stall. “What are you looking at?” she asked Ella as she washed her hands. “This!” Ella pointed to the space between her eyebrows. Victoria dried her hands and stared at Ella. She smoothed a finger over the space and narrowed her eyes. “Smile,” she commanded Ella. Ella gave her a fake smile and Victoria scoffed. “No, really smile. Come on. Imagine we just convinced these rich bastards to invest in our company.” This did make Ella smile. Her eyes lit up and the corners of her mouth rose to reveal perfectly white teeth. “Now, relax your face,” Victoria said. She patted Ella’s cheeks which not only made her smile, but laugh as well. “Okay, give me your serious look. The one when you’re explaining how we’ll spend our investors' money.” Ella furrowed her brow. “That’s not a wrinkle. It’s just a crease,” Victoria declared, smoothing her finger over the slight indentation once again. “It disappears when you smile and when you relax. Wrinkles aren’t so bad. Look at these.” Victoria faced the mirror and touched the corner of her eye where a few fine lines appeared. Then she smiled at Ella in the mirror. “I still have a happy face.” “You have a happy face because you married Shelby and you’re living your happily ever after. I’m not there yet,” Ella said with a sigh. “That’s why my face is happy, but I’ll be fifty soon and wrinkles are part of it. You don’t have a wrinkle.” “It’s a crease, huh?” Ella smoothed her own finger over the space between her eyebrows. “You do realize what that crease is showing you, don’t you?” “What?” Ella said, furrowing her brow and watching the crease reappear. Victoria chuckled. “It means you’re too serious. When was the last time you went out with your friends and had some fun? Go relax and that crease will disappear.” “My fun isn’t exactly the same as theirs anymore,” Ella said. “Look, I know you want to be taken seriously, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, too. Shelby and I love this company we’ve created and it’s a lot of work, but we still have fun.” Ella was the first employee of Make It Easy Designs, the company that Victoria and her wife, Shelby, along with their best friends, Marina and Dru, founded. Their mission was to provide homes for first-time buyers that were not only made well, but, more importantly, were also affordable. They had just formed the company and started the business over the summer and they were already busy. “When most people find out my last name they think I’m some privileged, spoiled rich kid.” Ella sighed. “That’s not who I am even though most of my friends fall into that category. I will admit, there was a time when shopping all day and partying all night was how I lived, but not since I graduated from college. You know how my parents are pressuring me to begin my career even though I don’t know what that is yet.” “I think you may have found it right here.” “They certainly like me doing this more than being a barista,” Ella said, referencing her last job. “There’s nothing wrong with being a barista, but you are a natural with people. You have done an excellent job in these meetings presenting what our company does and why we’re seeking funding. When these men and women see a young, charismatic woman with your passion, but also knowledge of your subject, they are taking you seriously. Doesn’t it feel good to give our clients their happily ever after?” “It feels a lot better being a helpful human than a rich bitch.” Victoria chuckled. “These people aren’t going to know what hit them when you show off our worthy company. You’ll make them feel good about spending money with us.” “I don’t know about that. You’re the one who commands a room when she steps into it. You have that trust-me-with-your-money look oozing out of you,” Ella said with a