Leon
Eleven years ago...
"They want my life? They can have it." I pivoted on my heel and stormed out of the sitting room leaving them shocked in my wake.
I'd had enough of the bullying and it had to stop. It wouldn't stop so I'd stopped it myself. My life had no meaning anymore so they could fucking live it for me if they wanted. I no longer gave a flying fuck about the throne, about my surname... about being part of this family in general.
"Leon!". Dad bellowed as I made my way upstairs to my room. "Stop!".
"I don't want to!".
"I command you as your King to stop." Dad ordered.
I could've continued on my way. I wanted to but I stopped because no matter how pissed off I was, I had plenty of respect for my father.
"What the hell was that about? What you said back there?". Dad jerked his thumb towards the sitting room. "That was a joke right?".
I decided to play dumb because if I didn't, we'd get into a screaming match and I'd say something I'd never be able to take back whether it was meant for him or not.
"I said so many things dad. Be more specific." I looked and sounded bored which made dad angry.
"About not wanting to be the heir to the throne." He said through gritted teeth.
"Right." I gave a half shrug. "Yeah, so?".
"That was a joke right?". Dad reiterated.
"No." I said. "I'm done. Finito. Fin."
"You can't do that." Dad's voice is lower now and he sounded tired.
"I can and I have dad. You can't force me to be the crown prince if I don't want to be." I glowered at him. "Not even if you have me whipped to an inch of my life."
Dad's flinch was subtle but I caught it and suddenly felt like a jackass for bringing that up but I couldn't take it back.
"I'm sorry." I apologized. "Just let me go dad. You have two other sons who are willing to step up in my place."
"I want you to be the King after me! Not Andres or even Jax!". His voice raised an octave higher. "You'll be a much better King than I am."
"Don't sell yourself short dad." I shook my head. "Other kings should learn from you."
"I've obviously done a bad job if I couldn't protect my eldest son from experiencing something as bad as losing the girl he loves. My daughter is an accomplice to a murder and..." He paused as his voice broke. "My family has finally fallen apart."
I bit my lip to keep from telling him that I wasn't going anywhere but I'd be lying to myself and to him if I did that.
"I don't want to be the one to mend this family dad. I don't want that kind of pressure." I informed him in a flat voice. "I didn't break it in the first place. Jax and Ina did."
"I know that..."
"Listen to me dad." I cut him off. "This would do you no good." I placed my hand on my chest. "It died when she did and nothing will ever make it beat the way it used to when she was alive. Not even if I were to stay here surrounded by all of you."
I heard the sharp intake of breath and looked over dad's shoulder to see mom staring at me with wide glassy eyes which mirrored mine.
"That's harsh." Dad muttered.
"I'm sorry but it's how I feel. I can't keep lying to myself that everything will be fine because nothing will ever be fine." I told them. "Time will heal my wound but the scars will remain."
"You'll find love again." Dad said.
If I heard those words one more time... I was sure I'd blow a gasket.
"I don't want to find love again! I'd given her all I had!". I yelled at him. "I'm a fucking walking corpse."
"Don't say that!". Mom cried. "It's not the end of the world."
"For me, it is." I said. "Dad, mom is your first love right?".
"Yes."
"Will you ever get over her if something were to happen to her?". I demanded.
"Definitely not." Dad frowned. "Never."
"Then don't tell me to do the same." I snapped. "She was my first and she will be my last."
"Don't be so sure." Grandma chimed in. "Love works in mysterious ways."
I bit the inside of my cheek, balled my fists and shut my eyes. I didn't give a damn about their words of encouragement because it'd never happen to me.
Happened once... didn't end well and that was that. I'd never subject myself to such torture again.
"I want to leave and I'm going to leave." I told them with a note of finality. "I might never come back."
"We can work this out Leon. Don't be so irrational." Grandma said.
"I'm sorry grandma but it's every man for himself now." I tried to smile but I couldn't. "Maybe one day... with time... who knows." I shrugged. "Excuse me." I turned and sprinted up the remaining steps to avoid another confrontation.
A confrontation that'd make me give up on packing my stuff and just leave with the clothes on my back.
*****
The next day
This day. March 10. Andreina Emiliana Sebastiani was arrested, tried in court and sent to a correctional facility for a year while Darlene who'd turned eighteen two days ago was tried as an adult and sent to jail for life.
I didn't know how to feel about Ina's sentence but I knew that if it were up to me concerning Darlene, being the judge and possibly in a sick twist of fate also the president of the country, I'd have it enshrined in the constitution that all murderers - no matter the degree of murder be hanged or shot by a firing squad.
I'd been forced to come to her hearing and as she was led out by the police, mom burst out crying, grandma did too but Liese silently cried.
"I'm so sorry Leon." She apologized to me for the billionth time. "I'm really sorry."
I looked at her for a brief moment and whatever she saw in my eyes brought tears to her eyes which in turn made her look away.
"I might forgive you for this someday." I spoke up just as she passed me. "But I'll never forgive you for bringing her here."
Ina graciously nodded and she was taken away but I finally realized why I was so angry and needing to leave as soon as I could.
Ina had invited Darlene to Mercia, dad had invited Darlene into our lives and in turn her obsessiveness had invited death to knock on Joni's doorstep and then it had taken her away from me.
Darlene might have picked up the gun but dad had pulled the trigger unknowingly.
~~~~~
"I'm leaving tomorrow." I informed everyone at dinner that same day.
"Tomorrow? But you said..." Dad frowned.
"I know what I said but I want to leave tomorrow." I said. "Zach told me he has family living in the city."
"But you don't know them." Mom protested.
"Haven't you heard? The devil you know is better than the angel you don't know but in my case, the angel I don't know is better than the devil I do know." I wiped the corner of my mouth with the napkin.
"Okay. I'll give you some money then."
"It's fine." I shook my head. "I still have the 100 million you sent to me the last time."
Dad's eyes widened. "That was two years ago."
"Sorry. I meant half a billion dollars." I shook my head. "I invested in some things here and there and well the money tripled." I shrugged nonchalantly as my family watched on with their jaws on the floor. "I'm going to be okay."
"Okay." Dad said, still dumbfounded.
"Cool." I pushed my chair back and stood up. "I love you mom... dad, grandma and you Liesey." I told them. "I'll forgive you someday Andres." I nodded at him then looked at Jax. "And I hope that someday... Jax, you'll learn to love yourself so you can love others too."
"Just go." Jax muttered. "Took her finally dying for your senses to return."
"Jax!". Grandma was mortified.
"Arrivederci, famiglia." I shot them a mock salute then turned and walked out of that dining room with the hope that I'd never return to it.
LeonI rolled out of bed a minute before my alarm rang by 5. I'd been awake long before that thinking about so many things but most especially the fact that today was my birthday and I was supposed to be in Mercia celebrating with my parents.They'd sent their gifts but I'd left them unopened in my home office just like I'd left their messages on read. Maybe I was just giving myself unnecessary heartache over nothing but I knew I wasn't ready to deal with anything concerning them just yet.I changed into my sweatpants, grabbed my towel and walked out of my room. I went downstairs, grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and headed straight to my gym. I'd never once missed my early morning exercises ever since I recovered from that accident eons ago and though it wasn't really mandatory anymore but I couldn't stop.I ran on the treadmill for about forty minutes, lifted weights for twenty minutes and then I used the jump rope Liese had sent me last year which belonged to her dau
ElisabethI stared - more like glared at the man in front of me and grabbed my bag but I didn't make a move to get up. He couldn't be the owner of Empire High school. I'd done my research even though said research had not provided me with pictures.I just knew that a young billionaire had bought the former Fairfield international school and changed its name to Empire High. I never expected that said billionaire was this... drop dead gorgeous stronzo.His eyes were gray like the sky before it rained and his hair was jet black - silky even from the looks of it and I let my traitorous mind wonder if one or both of his parents were foreigners. His jaw was sharp with a sensual mouth and a pointed nose."Have you come to destroy my school the way you did my car Duchess?". His sarcastic voice grated on my nerves. "My name is Elisabeth. I'd appreciate it if you stopped calling me that." I said through gritted teeth."It's a compliment." He shrugged."Is it?". I spat.He let out a beleaguered
Leon"It's your birthday dude. Let up." I mentally chastised myself for the way I'd spoken to Elisabeth. I wasn't always that rude but she just knew how to push all of my buttons. Not even Ina had tried this hard or worse Philomena but she'd hit close to home when she'd mentioned that word 'girlfriend'. That word had made me think of her and I'd lost it.I took a deep deep breath and slowly exhaled removing all the bad vibes and anger from my system as I heard the clacking of heels outside the door. A part of me hoped that Barbara didn't bring her back while another part which I'd nicknamed "mom" scolded me for thinking like that. I could never win whenever that voice spoke."Come in." I called as Barbara knocked on the door.The door opened and Barbara poked her head in and smiled at me. "She almost got away sir but I found her." She announced."Thank you Barb." I said. "Send her in."Barbara nodded and disappeared then Elisabeth walked in and shut the door behind her. I glanced at
Elisabeth"Infuriating bastard." I mumbled to myself in the restroom later that day. We'd discussed my salary and several other things and I had to admit that he was a generous person but that was probably the only good thing he had going for him."Oh hello." A teacher I'd not met yet greeted me as she walked into the restroom. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Yasmin.""Nice to meet you Yasmin. I'm Elisabeth." We didn't bother shaking hands knowing where we were so we both settled for smiles. "How are you liking Empire High so far?". Yasmin asked.I chuckled. "The teachers are nice for starters and the students are well behaved." I said. "I think I'm going to like it here.""The students have to be well behaved. They have no choice when they have someone like Mr Sebastiani as their principal." Yasmin grinned."They're scared of him?"."I wouldn't call it fear. They just have a lot of respect for him. I heard from Mr Daniel that he has a temper which he doesn't like to show but when he
LeonI didn't want to be here. I'd finally replied my baby brother's text message ten hours after I received it and I'd texted him back telling him I'd like to meet up and now here I was sitting in my car in the parking lot of the hotel wondering if I should hightail it out of there.My brother was lodged in our hotel - one of the branches and I knew his room number and everything. I knew he was here with his girlfriend Noelle and he probably wanted to introduce her to me since he'd done so with the others and I was the only one left.I raked my fingers through my hair in frustration and shook my head. I thought I'd let go of the past when I left home but I'd not let go of shit.I was still mad at my brothers, sister and my father. I was still mad at myself for going after her in the first place. If I'd left her alone, she'd still be alive but no... my stupid heart had to fall in love with her and that love ended up killing her.I pressed the heel of my hands to my eyes as tears threa
Elisabeth Friday... the best day of the week and my favorite. It was also signalling the end of my first week teaching at Empire High school. I'd thankfully not had any run in with the boss and I was also thankful that my father had decided to let me be. He'd probably weighed the pros and cons of going against a man like Leonidas Sebastiani and decided that I wasn't worth the battle. "Hey Liss." One of the male teachers, Mr Daniel had also taken to calling me Liss no matter how many times I told him otherwise. My friends called me Beth, Lisa, Ellie or just plain old Elisabeth which was my fucking name. It was just my first week here so I didn't want to be rude and tell him off. "Hello." I was standing by the vending machine in the hallway trying to decide which soft drink I wanted and snacks as well. "So... I was wondering if you would be busy this weekend?". He asked me. I looked up at him. "Why?". "I would like it very much if you'd say yes to me taking you out on a date." H
Leon From my position in the VVIP lounge upstairs, I could see Elisabeth talking to a man or more like she was laying into him and giving him the third degree. She didn't look happy so I guessed he was someone that had hurt her but it was none of my business. My only business was Delirium. I'd come to see for myself just how well it was going and so far I was really impressed with the result. I couldn't wait to tell Liese the good news. She and Collins were the only ones who knew I was going to open a nightclub but I'd put the business in Collins's name just in case dad found out about it. Not that he'd do anything about it, I just didn't want him to think I was planting my feet here in the city even though I was. I looked around the lounge and sighed. My life was like a bus with no actual destination and it was messing with my head. I used to be levelheaded, happy despite the shitty things my brother did to me but now... I couldn't say who Leonidas Alexandros Sebastiani was anymor
Elisabeth I hated doing my laundry or going grocery shopping which was why Jules and I had hired a maid to take care of those chores for us. She worked at Blue Bird Airlines as the assistant to the general manager of the branch here in Lagos and just like my boss was prince of hades, hers was the king of hades. But the pay was so good, she couldn't think of leaving hoping that one day... She'd become her boss's boss. I'd had a bad night, last night, all thanks to that idiot Ben which in turn had caused me to toss and turn all night before I finally slipped into a fitful sleep then I'd woken up cranky, found out we were out of coffee and my day just got worse. Our maid had graciously helped herself to our valuable items like Jules' Manolo Blahnik shoes, her most treasured Chanel bag and some expensive clothes as well. Mine had been minimal but it'd hurt to have found my designer jeans from clothes over bros, my fur coat from the same brand and expensive earrings gone just before we