Stephanie Barrington-Edwards was a bright, ambitious up-and-coming journalist. She was born in Bel-Air, CA. and, as the only child of Steven and Suzanne (Barrington) Edwards, was the apple of her parents eyes. Her father was a very famous Hollywood producer/director who was always away on movie locations during much of Stephanie's childhood. Stephanie knew from an early age that her father was a very important and powerful man. She loved her father, and always missed him when he was away. As much as she loved her father, she grew to loathe the movie industry. After all, in her eyes it was the movie industry that kept him away from her, Seeing as her dad had become so distant in her life, she had developed a very close mother-daughter bond with her mom. Suzanne adored her daughter, and together they would have tea parties, do each others hair, and spend a great deal of time in the pool. The time Stephanie enjoyed most with her mom was with books. Suzanne loved to read, and passed on her love of books to her daughter.
Suzanne was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and passed away when Stephanie was 14 years old. Stephanie was devastated...Her mother was her world, and now, so suddenly, she was gone. Soon after the funeral of her mother, her father had arranged for her to go to a private girls boarding school in London. She was his only child, but he was now a stranger to her...not to mention Steven hadn't the first clue about raising a teenage girl. after a period of adjustment, and away from the glitz and glamour of the movie industry, Stephanie thrived.
Stephanie had kept journals most of her life, and found she had a natural ability to express herself, putting pen to paper...Her hard work paid off when, after graduating from school with a Masters Degree in Journalism, and getting her first Journalism assignments under her belt, she was hired by a prominent and well-established Newspaper in New York City. Years earlier Stephanie had decided to legally drop the Edwards from her name, and go by the name Stephanie Barrington (her mother's maiden name). She wanted to succeed on her own merits, not because she was Steven Edwards the years she had remained close, and kept in contact with a dear friend of her parents. He was like an uncle to her as she was growing up. "Uncle Don' was in the movie industry as well, he had worked with her father many times over the course of his illustrious career.
When Stephanie shared the good news of her London assignment with her 'Uncle Don', he invited her to stay at his home. He told her he'd be away on location for a couple of months, she could have use of the house, and house-sit at the same time.
Stephanie agreed to stay at the London house, and then learned that he had arranged for another friend of his to stay in the guest house. They wouldn't have to see each other...Stephanie was fine with that arrangement. he packed her bags, and left her cozy loft apartment to come and stay at 'uncle Don's' estate in London.
She arrived safely, got settled in and got started on her new assignment.
...Then she unexpectedly meets her 'Uncle's' friend who is staying in the guesthouse.