A Heart's Passion for Love

By Shari Payne

Quiet streets and calm winds can hide the most villainous intentions. Dark purposes and concealed actions can bring the worst out of people. When it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be, OR IS IT? Lennox and Olivia were in love and inseparable. Lennox is from a wealthy family whose parents want the best for him. Lennox fell deeply in love with Olivia despite her lack of social status. While exhibiting what seems to be a suspicious and out of place disgust for Olivia, Lennox’s father made his opinion of Olivia very clear to his son. Olivia’s decision to keep quiet has caused an internal struggle that she must relieve herself of. Will Olivia be around to divulge this disturbing information to Lennox? Will Lennox open his heart to someone else? There is a secret to be told that has dangerous consequences.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781728342306

Shari Payne

Shari Payne, a native of Chicago, Illinois, is an author and poet. She began writing short stories and poems at the age of twelve. Shari has coupled her love for words with her creative imagination and has written numerous poems and A Heart’s Passion for Love. Shari writes from personal experiences and includes some of her own desires within her works. She graduated from Governors State University earning a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. Some of Shari’s hobbies include, traveling, walking along the beach, attending plays, museums and listening to jazz. Shari also has an interest for studying astronomy. Shari is currently working on her second book and her poetry book.

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© 2020 Shari Payne. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 01/06/2020

ISBN: 978-1-7283-4231-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-4230-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020900455

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

I would like to dedicate this book to my beautiful mother. My mother has supported me and encouraged me throughout my life. My mother is a symbol of strength and love. Mama, I just want to say thank you for showing me how to be a strong and loving person. Out of all of the mothers in the world, I am glad God gave you to me. I hope I have made you proud of me.

I would also like to dedicate this book to my sister. My sister has also supported me and my endeavors. I admire my sister for so many things; however, the one thing I most admire is her determination. Thank you for seeing the best in me when others did not, including myself.

CHAPTER 1

H e was a twenty-year-old brown-skinned young man who was about five feet eleven, medium build, with a smile to die for. His name was Lennox West, and every part of him was perfect. From the way he walked to the way he talked, he presented himself with such passion and importance. He was respectable—and, at times, kind of shy. All the girls wanted to be with him. His style was different. He was light in an ocean full of darkness. His walk was smooth, and his words were gentle. His body was strong, and so was his mind. Wherever he was and whatever he was doing, he made sure she was by his side. Everything he had was hers. He just wanted her (and only her) to have his love. Every moment he was apart from her made him feel empty inside. He knew he was addicted to her, but he didn’t care. She was everything to him, and she was his best friend. When the time was right, they became lovers. At times, he felt strange, and he wondered how at such a young age he could have developed feelings like this. This had to be true love, and she had to be his soul mate.

The feelings she had for him were mutual. She was in love with him just as much as he was with her. She was a twenty-year-old whose skin was perfect. She was caramel in color, five feet three, with shoulder-length hair that she usually kept in a ponytail and a personality he just adored. She was petite but far from being skinny. Thick in all the right places is what most people would say. She allowed herself to be satisfied by the simple things in life. She was smart, funny, and a joy to be around. Everyone who met her was pleased. She was a hard worker. She didn’t like asking her parents for anything. She wanted to make it herself. She wasn’t easily impressed with material things.

She loved walks in the park, picnics, movies, dinner—basically anything that was fun. She loved to write poetry and listen to music. She often surprised Lennox with her poems. When he stepped outside of himself and let the material part of his life control him, she was right there to remind him of the more important things. She was his calm, gentle breeze after a raging storm. Her name was Olivia. She loved the feeling she got when he put his protective arms around her, making her feel safe from the world. She especially loved it when, after they embraced, the scent from his cologne would remain on her clothes and skin.

Since the age of five, they had been inseparable. From play school to high school, wherever one was, the other was always there too. While in high school, they developed a relationship that few had ever seen at that time. They were in love, and they didn’t care what others thought of them. He was, of course, very smart; some would even call him a genius. Everything came so easily for him, even at an early age. His mind was always ahead of the challenges he faced.

From birth, his parents decided to groom and prepare him to live the only so-called life that high society would accept. His father owned a shoe factory that had been passed down to him from his parents, so they had money. They were rich beyond the meaning of the word. They had the biggest house in the neighborhood. There were seven bedrooms and five bathrooms, and every room was huge. The basement was the size of a small apartment. It was Lennox’s personal space. There was a side entrance on the house that led to the basement. Some nights, he would sneak Olivia in through that door when his parents were asleep or out. He couldn’t get caught because he was the only one who had keys to both the inside and outside doors.

When it was time for their son to take over the family business, Lennox’s parents wanted him to be the envy of all. They made sure that all of his time was occupied with lessons in Spanish, French, classical music, business management, piano, and anything else that would make him more successful. His parents also had their own idea of what kind of woman he would be with. They wanted him to be with someone who came from similar surroundings—someone who understood what it took to make it in the world. This lady had to be perfect. She had to be smart, charming, adaptable, and most of all, beautiful. She couldn’t be a regular town beauty; she had to have the look of someone who didn’t belong. She had to stand out in a crowd. The girl he chose wasn’t at all what they expected. That’s where the problems started. Their definition of beautiful wasn’t the same as Lennox’s.

Olivia’s family worked hard for everything they had. Her mother worked as a maid inside of the West family home, and her father worked in the shoe factory the West family owned. That’s how Lennox and Olivia knew each other; they basically grew up together. Although her family was considered poor, they were rich in heart and spirit. Her parents found ways to entertain and have fun with her. They taught her that having money wasn’t everything and that it wasn’t good or healthy to base her life around it. They also taught her not to