CHAPTER ONE

Dedication.

To my mother Elizabeth, who will never be able to read any of my works, see me graduate, tell me how proud she is ; even yell at me for the smallest things but most of all my once upon a time biggest fan from the first time I learnt how to write ABC.

18.01.1978 - 05.04.2018

    The little boy raced into the opening of the Ritz-Carlton hotel. This was something he did everyday after his teacher Mrs. Daniela dropped him off at his mother's work place. Yes, he attended one of the most expensive schools in New York. Yes, he attended Piano lessons every Wednesdays with Mrs. Calisto, Yes he also took French classes. Yes, he had everything any six year old could ever want and yes his mother provided all that from Maids salary.

"Hey Tim." The boy greeted the man at the front desk of the five star Ritz-Carlton restaurant.

"Hey buddy, good day at school ?" Tim asked giving the little boy with blonde hair and blue eyes a warm smile.

"Yep, my math teacher says I'm a genius when it comes to addition." The little boy grinned widely.

"Your mom will be so happy, hey. Now go sit over there with Cal while you wait for your mother. Tell him to make strawberry milkshake for the genius huh ?" Tim said ruffling the little boys hair who nodded and excitedly ran over to the bar area. He was used to the hotel. His mother worked so many shifts and she didn't trust leaving her child with a stranger plus the manager allowed her to bring Leondre to work. Above all it saved money.

_____

He had been waiting for his family to arrive for over twenty minutes. His mother would surely take her time to look good seeing as she was the famous Jeanine Levetté. The famous French model in the good old days, everyone admired her in the fashion industry. She had her own fashion line, she had even been a judge on America's next top Model. At the age of fifty-four Jeanine was still calling all the shots and setting trends.

His Father was a different story. Benjamin Levetté was the most down to earth man. You would always be graced by his presents at charity events of any kind. He was the owner of the Levetté wine company which had been passed down from generation to generation and now Andre was the one in charge. His family was the most successful family in Hollywood.

His brother was his own person Luc Georges Levetté was a party animal. He always brought bad publicity for the Levetté family, first dropping out of college, crashing sports cars and damaging property... he seemed to always be up to something. The twenty-two year old was just out of control.

Andre turned to his left and saw a little boy eagerly drinking his strawberry milkshake. He was smartly dressed in his grey pants and a dark blue blazer. It seemed he was coming from school, Andre thought but who would leave a little boy in this huge Hotel all alone.

"Hey Mister." The little boy said with a smile.

"Are you bored like me ?" The blonde haired boy gave Andre a quirky smile with his teeth missing.

"Uhm just waiting for my family to arrive." He replied. He wasn't good with kids, he tried not to seem cold.

"Sounds nice, I get lonely sometimes. It's just me and my mom." Leondre said anxiously.

"What about your father ?" Andre asked his acquaintance, he seemed to act too mature for his age.

"My father left my mom when I was still in the stomach." The boy said seeming unbuffered by his own words. Andre felt bad infact he felt pity for the little boy so when he saw his family walking into the room, he felt bad leaving him alone. The little boy had mentioned that he would get lonely at times.

"Do you want to join me and my family for dinner ?" Andre asked. Leondre's face instantly lit up. He couldn't believe this stranger had invited him over to their table. His mother always said don't talk to strangers but he thought making conversations with strangers no longer made them strangers and therefore he wasn't doing anything wrong.

"Yes, thank you Mister." Leandre grinned grabbing his milk shake.

"Call me Andre." He replied giving him a gentle smile.

"Okay Mister Andre." Leondre replied making Andre smile to himself. This little boy seemed to be the most respectful kid he had ever met. He wasn't a fan of kids but if he had a kid who acted this matured he sure wouldn't mind.

_____

When the family was all sitted, Andre's mother was shocked. Who was the little blonde haired boy sitting besides her son. The similarities were just too much... they had the same blonde hair, the same blue eyes even their pointy aristocrat nose, and their pouty lips. They were a splitting image of each other, she thought. He possibly couldn't have any relation with the Levetté family could he? Della was not pregnant when they kicked her out of their home. She didn't seem pregnant, she never mentioned being pregnant.

Della could not have been pregnant?!

"Andre who is your little friend ?" Mr. Levetté asked giving the little boy a polite smile which he returned as a nice gesture.

"Oh papa, I just met him today. He was sitted alone at the bar, his mom is working so I invited him over for dinner. Hopefully you don't mind ?" Andre explained picking up the menu.

"He is a cutie, Hey young man I'm Ben, Andre's father." Mr. Levetté introduced himself.

"I'm Leondre nice to meet you Mister Ben." Leo said shaking Mr. Levetté's hand stunning everyone on the table with his very good manors.

"What a gentleman." Jeanine smiled at the little Blondie. Deep down she still felt skeptical. She feared her worst fear could be coming to life. Della could not have been pregnant..

"I'm Luc, Andre's brother." Luc gave him a smirk.

"Nice to meet you all." Leo grinned. It was nice that he would spend his evening with a family. He was tired of watching families converse while he sat alone waiting for his mother. He didn't mind, he knew she worked hard for him to get everything he wanted. He appreciated it.

___

Once the food had been served, Leo told them all about himself. They thought he was a very interesting fellow. The Levetté's dinners or gathering had never been this graceful.

"Your parents must be super rich if you go to Roosevelt Private International School ?" Jeanine asked Leo as she took a sip from her wine. She couldn't help but feel like she was talking to six year old Andre even his gestures were odd. From the way he ate to the way he talked.

"No, my mom works here at the hotel and I don't have a father. He left my mom when I was in the stomach." Leo said absent-mindly.

"Poor kid." Luc muttered under his breath.

"Not everyone needs a father, my mommy is both." Leo said shocking everyone on the table with his intelligence. He spoke like a adult.

"That's quite true, Leo." Ben said proud of the little boy; he had only came to know twenty-minutes ago.

"What else do you do ?" Luc asked.

"I play piano on Wednesdays and Soccer on Saturdays. Sometimes I read books with my mom, she wants to be a writer. When she publishes her book, we will be very rich then we can go to Disney land." Leo replied, with so much enthusiasm.

Something seemed to hit a nerve in Andre's body, he remembered his ex wife Adela McCarthy. She was an aspiring writer but had not published anything yet. He would read some of her rough drafts whenever they had some time alone together besides all the lovemaking they did in the bedroom. Well that was until she betrayed him, She had cheated, deceived him and stole from him and his family. He needed to forget about her.

"Mister Andre-" Leo took him out his daze. He had zoned out. It had been so long since he saw his family laughing. It seemed Leo was a blessing in disguise.

"There is my mother." Leo pointed at the woman with black jet hair and a curvy petite body in a black and white maid uniform. She was approaching them. The atmosphere seemed to become tense as she took a few more steps towards their table. Andre saw all the memories flash in front of him, from when they met at Starbucks, their first date, the engagement, the wedding, the divorce. It all happened so fast.

Jeanine was beyond shocked. She knew this was her grandson it had to be. Della never cheated, she planned it and framed her. Jeanine was just doing what was best for her son ;Andre. Ben and Luc looked at the cheating woman whom they used to be fond of but not anymore.

____

Della was done with her shift. Tim had told her that Leo was sitted at the bar having his milkshake. She smiled as she was about to pay. Tim insisted.. 

"No, it's on the house Della, for my favorite little man." She thanked him before heading off to look for her son.

Della missed him so much. He was her little Angel. She loved him to bits, Leo was all she had after being humiliated by the Levetté family. She promised herself she wouldn't cross their paths again. They weren't exactly people, whom she wanted her son to associate with. When he was older he could decide if he wanted to look for his father but for now it was best he stay hidden from the bad publicity and attention that they brought.

One day she had been moaning and squirming under her husbands chest as he made love to her every chance he got. The next thing he was telling her that he didn't love her. The press wrote all sorts of stories about how she cheated with Andre's business partners and laundered a large amount of money from the Levettte family. Jeanine had thrown her out like a dog. It all seemed like a life time ago but she learnt to forgive and move on. She didn't have any grudge against them. Everything happened for a reason and maybe this was her fate. She just wanted to give her son the best life she could possible.

She gracefully walked towards Leo's direction. She was shocked when she saw the familiar faces, it had to be a dream. Andre looked at her with anger as if he had seen a ghost. Jeanine looked beyond shocked but Ben and Luc had mutual expressions.

Leo hugged her then he turned back to the Levetté family. "Mommy, I made a new friend this is Mister Andre, he invited me over for dinner with his family. He is so nice Mommy." Leo said in an excited voice.

"Uhm that's great sweetie." Della awkwardly sidled avoiding Andre's gaze. Jeanine looked at her with an expressionless look. This just had to be karma on her part. She never thought they would see each other again.

"Oh that's nice. Leo why don't you thank this nice family for letting you sit on their table." Della raised her eyebrow at Leo who turned around looking at the family. "Thank you for letting me sit with you but now I have to leave now. My mom is done with her shift." Leo explained, Della couldn't wait for them to go away. She had never imagined that she would be in such a position.

"It was a pleasure having you around little man." Mr. Levetté replied gracefully acting normal.

"Bye Leondre." Luc replied. He had infact taken a liking to the little guy.

"Where's your satchel?" Della asked her son who quickly ran to where he had been sitted at the bar.

"Thank you." Della said before leaving. Leo grabbed his bag then told his mom all about his day at school and how he kept answering all the answers in math class. Della's mind was still stuck on the events that had occurred before her. Hopefully they would just think since she cheated and it wasn't Andre's son.

Hopefully.