White as Snow

By Jess James

Selena Snow was the only daughter of the most reputable family in the town of Faer. After her father dies suddenly, she is left in the care of her step-mother, Ramona. Ramona took an instant dislike for Selena and has made life increasingly difficult for the beautiful young eighteen year old.

When Ramona's dastardly actions tarnish Selena's reputation and banish her from her own home, the young woman leaves town for a new beginning.

Struggling to survive on her own, she took a house-keeping job for seven bachelors living in an isolated cottage on the outskirts of the village. Little did Selina realise that they wanted much more than just a house-keeper.

When her childhood sweetheart stumbles into the woods only to find Selena in a compromising position, Selena must protect her reputation, vowing to take revenge on her witch of a step-mother.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jess James
• Release date: Sep 3, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370166145

Jess James

Jess James grew up in the United Kingdom and has always enjoyed writing. It wasn't until she faced one of her biggest challenges in life, trying to get pregnant, that she felt passionate about finally publishing her work. The Path to Conception was Jess' first book, a memoir detailing her journey to pregnancy. Jess is now concentrating on fantasy fiction stories, with Little Red being the first in a series of Flirtatious Fairytales she intends to publish. With the ease of self-publishing, she has been inspired by similar authors who have written and produced works and she hopes to continue writing and releasing more work in the future.

Book preview

Chapter One

Selena Snow had no idea where she was heading. All she knew was that she had to escape. Armed with only a small roller case, and an overnight bag, she had left most of her possessions behind. She couldn’t get out of the town fast enough, the past eighteen months had been a living hell, but this was the final straw. Her witch of a stepmother, Ramona had all but ruined her, and Selena could bear no more!

Selena had never liked Ramona from the first moment her father had brought her to dinner. The woman was a viper, but her dad was smitten with her beauty and charm. Selena didn’t want to interfere in his happiness. He had been heartbroken when her dear mother died suddenly, and for some reason he felt the need to bring in another female role model for his daughter. At the time Selena had only been fifteen, but she was well aware that her contempt was mutual, and Ramona made no effort to build a relationship with her new stepdaughter.

Selena smiled as she walked out of the town of Faer, not even looking back. Had her father survived that influenza things would be very different, she thought. She truly hoped he couldn’t see what a farce Ramona had made of his empire, and his standing in society, may he rest in peace. When he died, Selena’s entire world came crashing down around her. Her father had been her only true living relative, and they shared such a special bond. He aspired that one day, Selena would take over his role as head of the Faer Industries, the biggest corporation in town. Their family was the most reputable, and most idolized by all of the townsfolk. That was, until Ramona took charge, Selena thought bitterly.

Father’s shocking death had caused a wave of panic through the entire company, Faer Industries. Just turned seventeen, Selena hadn’t completely finished her senior school studies. She agreed that she was far too young to take the responsibility of such a large company, indeed she wouldn’t know where to start. Father’s solicitors appointed Ramona in charge of all his affairs until Selena turned twenty-one. That would normally have been a sensible idea on their part, but this was Ramona they were dealing with!

Within months Ramona had made some terrible decisions, sending profits downwards. Selena could only watch in horror as some of her father’s most loyal employees either left, or worse, were fired. Ramona made her feelings towards Selena perfectly clear, she wanted nothing to do with her stepdaughter, and found her presence unbearable.

Selena did her best to stay out of the way of the witch. She carried on with her studies, focusing on finishing high school and hoping that she would be accepted into law school so that she could move out as soon as possible. However, when she got her acceptance letter, Ramona and her jealousy stepped in. She stopped all college funding unless Selena agreed to go to the local college.

Selena couldn’t understand why Ramona would want the stepdaughter she so clearly hated still living at home. At the time she could only think that the witch wanted to punish Selena somehow, by taking away her own future, imprisoning her, perhaps even stopping her from gaining the education she needed to take over the company she rightfully deserved. Things started to seriously go downhill from that moment, and Selena knew quickly that she was no match for her stepmother.

When all of Selena’s good friends packed off for college, as she turned eighteen Ramona’s dastardly behaviour seemed to get worse. Selena was left with no one to talk to, even her childhood sweetheart, Charles left to attend a university that was miles away. All Selena wanted to do was follow him but she was stuck!

No one seemed to think anything of what Ramona was doing. In fact, the woman held some strange charm over everyone, and it seemed that whatever complaints Selena made were brushed off as teenage angst or rebellion. In public, however, Selena could see that Ramona put on a good show, people around her hung on her every word, and Selena was merely a young girl in the eyes of Ramona’s friends and business associates. Yet Selena could see right through her stepmother, through all her designer clothes, makeup and glamour. Behind that charm and beauty was a pure evil bitch!

When Ramona met someone else, things really took a terrible turn for Selena. Devlin was younger than Ramona, and Selena could tell that he was more smitten with the status and power Ramona held than her heart. Ramona did everything in her power to impress him, hosting parties and events where everyone of course circled around her as the queen of society.

Selena, just eighteen, would stay in the shadows, trying to keep out of her stepmother’s way, but alas she had caught the roaming eye of Devlin and there was nothing to do be done about that.

Selena was not experienced when it came to men. Charles had agreed to wait for her, and they had barely shared a few passionate kisses. She cared deeply for Charles, but never felt that the timing was right, and she wanted her first sexual experience to be special and memorable. Without a real mother figure, Selena didn’t know to whom she could talk about such matters, and often just ended up writing her thoughts and feelings in her diary. It was times like this that she really missed her own Mother.

Chapter Two

As Selina was now eighteen she was finally allowed to attend the parties that Ramona hosted, although the host herself begrudged her presence. Selena enjoyed a quiet sip of champagne, and kept to herself, observing the guests as they would slowly become intoxicated. They often made themselves look foolish as they become amorous, loud and vulgar, and yet all was