Finding happiness (previously known as Billionaire playboy's secret past)

Chapter 1: Life as I know it.

This book is now on Amazon YA!!

First things first - copyright

All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher or author. For permission requests, write to me or private message me.

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Now that's done - Let's get into the story

Please, please vote and comment. It helps motivate me to keep writing.

I'm a child of the war. I was born in a country where civil war is as normal as eating. My people have become the begging basket of the world because we cannot sustain our lifestyle anymore. We cannot grow crops or work anymore because of the war.

Last night was the worst night of my life. The war reached our doorstep, our house, and took my dad. No, he is not dead, it's worse than death. The rebels took him away because he's young and is able to fight for their cause. They're forcing young men and capable men to join them so as to boost their numbers against the government soldiers. If they refuse, they're getting killed or their families are killed, and they have to watch.

I am only 18 years old and all I wish for, is to have a normal life without fear of being killed or losing another relative all because of political greed. I have seen and experienced what most teenagers would not endure.

In the past couple of years, it was discovered that there is oil close to our village. The government has been trying to get control of the oil fields and the rebels are not willing to give them up.

Some families who could afford to move away, like my uncle, have moved. My parents have invested everything we have into our home and are not willing to move.

I don't know what will happen now seeing as my dad is not here. I hold hope that he will return soon, but it's not much hope, it will have to be a miracle.

We all know that when you are taken, you have to do what they want you to do or they will kill you. If you do comply, they turn you into a killing machine with no regard for life, whether it's a child, a woman, and animal, you just kill, you become emotionless. They never take females as they say we're too emotional.

Most of the men die very quickly from the war as they are not properly trained. I know I want my dad to come back, but will he be the same gentle guy that I know or a stranger? I guess I just want him home with us, even if he is emotionless and a shell of a man. A home without a male is very vulnerable in our culture and community. Mum knows it, I know it and we're just waiting for the inevitable to happen. If they come back, they'll either take me and kill me or I'll be forced to become a bride of the war.

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I just can't take being in the house anymore. Mum is inconsolable, my little six-year-old brother is crying because mum is crying and I have to be strong for them both but there's only so much I can do. I also need to be comforted but no one is offering.

I decide to go outside to get some fresh air. I know can't wander too far in case I encounter the army or the rebel soldiers. They'll rape, kill or both and sometimes they'll force you to go with them and they'll make you their play thing or a sex slave. If you're lucky, they'll keep you, otherwise, they will sell you to cement their dirty deals with other rebels. It's an everyday fear that the girls here live with. As soon as you reach puberty, in their eyes you are ripe for the picking. And I am definitely at that age for them.
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In my village, it's common knowledge that girls are the ones that do most of the tasks that take them out of the home. If boys go out and they are caught, the result is they are most likely killed. Parents therefore believe that if they send their daughters out, the worst they'll get is be raped. To the parents, a child that has been violated and is back home is better than a child who has been murdered.

I sit down trying to get away from my mum when I hear soft footsteps. My brain instantly freezes, and a cold chill runs down my spine. I know it, the soldiers or the rebels are back for me. I know this without looking because in my culture, normal people announce themselves by offering a greeting before they enter your yard.

I am terrified, my palms are sweating. I decide that I don't want to see myself dying so I scrunch my eyes shut waiting for the inevitable. I am determined not to show my fear or weakness by crying. They'll just take pleasure in my pain. They are sadistic.

I'm startled out of my self-induced comma when a very deep accented voice catches my consciousness. The voice is so deep and smooth and does something to my body. I still refuse to open my eyes to see my own death. After a beat, when nothing happens, I open my eyes, one at a time and turn my head around.

''Ma'am, ma'am, are you ok?" He looks at me and then scoffs "Oh, you're just a little girl. Aren't you too young to be out on your own in such dangerous times? There is a war going on in case you weren't aware and there could be lions about. Where are your parents?'' The voice says full of disapproval.

Well that statement got my hackles up. I cannot believe this. Does he think just because it's Africa we share living spaces with wild animals. I turn my whole body around to face this clueless man and to give him a little bit of my opinion. I'm not a little girl. I'm eighteen for crying out loud.

"Really lions, we are in Africa but that doesn't mean lions roam around everywhere. Yes there are some animals that we can see but we also have national parks and the only animals that we get here are food, you know, goats and cows. Lions and other wild animals tend to stay away from people's homes. If they were here, they'd have eaten you first, old man." Even though I'm breathless from fear, I still feel proud of my little comeback. I will die fighting or at least trying.

I finally really look at him to be met with a heavenly vision of a man. He definitely is not old. He is divine and his eyes really draw me in, I've never seen such eyes in my whole life. I'm mesmerised by his eyes and I stare. I can't see his hair as it is covered by his blue helmet but from the little I can, he looks absolutely handsome in a rough and rugged way. Well, with looks like that I can definitely excuse him for being rude and clueless.

His is a face you can get easily addicted to seeing. One look and I'm hooked. Who cares about danger?