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
LeonMy father once told me many years ago that I was evil and I'd believed him. I thought I could change for the better because of her but then I realized it was no fun being good all the time so I'd retained just a tiny bit of myself which had that evil streak in him.I knew I shouldn't have goaded Elisabeth like that but she'd looked so... cute and small in her oversized shirt and black jeans that I couldn't not tease her. I'd had fun teasing her and watching her react to it without being able to do anything about it and once I latched onto something I liked doing, nothing in this world could stop me from doing that thing so I hoped for her sake that I'd get bored real soon and stop or else I would have her running for the hills before the month would end.I looked in my rearview mirror and noticed that the smile I'd been wearing after I left her standing there in that aisle was still quite plastered on my face and I frowned. There was nothing to smile about. I'd teased her, laughe
ElisabethThe next dayI sat by the glass window of the restaurant waiting for Jules to show up. She'd had to travel with her boss yesterday and they were returning today but I'd left home early this morning to go see my mom who'd requested to see me. As usual she'd had nothing else to say except ask me when I'd be getting married again and if I had a guy in mind already. She'd gone as far as to suggest I get together with my boss from hell and that was when I decided enough was enough."Mom, you know I love you very much and I'd never do anything to hurt you right?". I asked her."I know that darling but...""No buts mom. You've gone too far this time." I cut her off. "What's wrong with the man? He's very wealthy... way more than Bennett's family and he's very handsome. What else do you want?". She looked exasperated."Love mom. I want a man who'd love and respect me and I don't see that in the Prince. He's a self absorbed figlio di puttana." I stated. "Whatever that means. People
Elisabeth I shook my head to clear my thoughts and I glared at my ex fiance. He didn't have any right to come here and breathe rubbish in my direction. I was done and dusted with him and I needed him to know and see that, maybe then he'd leave me alone. "You're so full of yourself you know that?". I sneered. "Do you really think so little of me? You'd say something to remind me of a day I'd forever like to be wiped from my memory and I'd fall back into your arms?". "I think very highly of you El. You're so high on a pedestal that I think if you were to look down, you'd get dizzy and fall off." He said. I laughed without mirth. "Funny. I did that on the day you decided it was fine to ruin my life. I wasted seven years of my life loving an animal like you Ben." I spat acidly. "Common sense should tell you to stay the fuck away from me but you have obviously lost the screws to your brain so your cells are floating around in your head without any purpose." The bastard did nothing els
Leonidas"Damn it." I banged my fist on the table as the scene from earlier today kept playing in my head nonstop like a broken record. I got home, took a shower then went to my gym to work out my frustrations but it had not worked so I left there and came to my home office to get some paperwork done. Victor had sent me the financial report for the second quarter and I decided to work on it to clear my head but that damned kiss was clouding my thoughts and making it hard for me to do anything.If I were a man who loved to drink, I'd have buried myself in tons of alcoholic drinks just to forget that I'd literally felt something when she'd kissed me. I didn't like the fact that she'd kissed me without my permission or that I'd felt something which was why I'd said those hurtful things. I wasn't remorseful because we'd both hurt each other but the 'mom' voice was telling me that two wrongs didn't make a right and I had to fix it."I'm not going to apologize to her." I said. "No way." I
Elijah A few months later Georgina looked so beautiful up there on the stage giving her valedictorian speech and whatever she said makes everyone laugh. I look behind me at the other students and catch Christian's eye. He was supposed to be graduating with us but because of his suspension, he had until next year before he'd graduate and this had made him very bitter. It didn't even help that he was very upset about his father's arrest and he sent me a very detailed letter about what he'd do to me if he ever got the chance. "I want to say a very big thank you to my dear father who did not really know me but loved me enough to take me in when my mother didn't want me and to my sweet mom Queen Elisabeth. Thank you for loving me like you would one of your children. I would also like to appreciate my friends... girls you rock!" Her friends clapped and whistled and waved from their seats. "And to my fellow graduates, I know I didn't start the school year with you all but I want you
Leon A week later "Where did you meet Katherine?" Beth asked me. I'd been wondering when she'd ask me about Katherine. I just didn't expect that it'd take her this long to ask but it was all for the best. "I met her last year at a friend's birthday party. I bumped into her and caused her to spill her drink on her dress." I said. "I took her to Clothes Over Bros to get a new dress and then we went to a restaurant. She didn't even recognize me until I told her my full name." "I actually didn't believe in doppelgangers until I saw her." She said. "I thought if you meet your doppelganger... Something's going to happen to you?" "That's bullshit." I told her. "What does she do?" "She writes books. Her husband is the owner of Pacific Publishers." I replied. "Elliot Phillips?" Her eyes widened. "Yeah. I'm surprised you didn't recognize her." I said. "Two of her books were adapted into movies. Treasure and Once Forbidden." "Seriously?!" She was shocked. "Why didn't you tell me? I'd
BethA week and a half. That's how long I have been waiting for Leon to wake up. His siblings all flew in from abroad to see him and they refused to go back until they were sure he would recover. The only person who'd gone back was Andres and that was to help Leon oversee the affairs of the kingdom.My back ached like a bitch but I refused to leave his side except to take my bath and change into clean clothes which made my mom very worried because she thought I was stressing myself and the babies by not sleeping on a more comfortable bed but I didn't mind. I wouldn't be pregnant if not for Leonidas and I was sure even the babies wouldn't want to lose their dad as well.I'd prayed and would have fasted for a miracle but my mom put her foot down and almost forced real food down my throat because all I could take were fruits. I sighed and shook my head. I adjusted my posture on the sofa to find a more comfortable position but I couldn't and it irritated me."For God's sake." I hissed. I
Leon Now that I'd been able to set Beth and her friend free and I was sure they were on their way home, I had to also get Kath out of here before Ben found out that I'd tricked them. Beth and Kath looked alike a lot that you couldn't tell one from the other but there was a distinct way to tell them apart and that was the birthmark on Beth's arm which was in the shape of a very small crown that you wouldn't notice unless you looked very closely but Kath didn't have that. Elliot would literally murder me if anything happened to his wife and kids and just like I didn't want anything to happen to Beth, I had to save Kath too. "Now... Give her to me." Ben ordered. "She's not a pen that I have to pass her to you." I frowned. "And why the hell do you want my wife? She's carrying my children." "Just like I told that Beth who was obviously fake." He glared at Darlene. "I'll let her deliver the children then we either give them up for adoption or your parents will take care of them. Either
LeonFew hours agoI stared at the gun in my hand thinking about Darlene's face in front of it and imagining shooting her right between the eyes. It was a good imagination because that'd mean the end of her once and for all but I didn't want to go that route like I did with Richard. The idiot had had an altercation with a fellow inmate - crippled as he was and that one had bashed his head against a wall and he'd passed on from there. He was buried unceremoniously in the cemetery with no one to cry over him and properly grieve him.Darlene deserved the same fate but I knew how unpredictable she was and I didn't want Beth or my babies to get hurt so I had to think of another way to get her away from Darlene's clutches and also send Darlene right back to jail.I dumped the gun in the bottom drawer, slammed it shut and locked it then I rubbed my hands over my face in frustration. My phone rang, bringing me out of my thoughts and I looked down at the screen with furrowed brows. I answered
BethI'd be lying if I said that I understood everything that was happening in front of me right now but I didn't. It all seemed so surreal to me and I couldn't fathom what the hell Leon wanted to do. I'd expected that he'd come barging in here with police men to arrest Darlene and Ben but he didn't even come with a gun to protect himself and I was well aware that he could shoot someone with his eyes closed and he wouldn't miss.Ben walked out of the bathroom, grabbed the gun from Darlene who didn't react fast enough and pointed it at Leon but Leon wasn't fazed in the least about being the new target and he just smiled like he already knew the outcome of this whole thing."You're not walking out of here with Beth." Ben told him. "Okay." Leon said.We all stared at him in surprise but I was more shocked at his acquiescence because I'd expected that he'd never agree to Ben's ridiculous demand."Leon, what are you saying?" I asked him. "You're going to let me go with him?""Of course."
BennettIt was rather unfortunate that I had to resort to kidnapping the love of my life to keep her away from her husband. I'd met Darlene Edwards three weeks ago at a club, I'd not recognized her as one of the inmates who'd escaped from the Federal Prison for Women until after I took her back to an hotel, fucked her and then I realized it too late who she was but then she started rambling about how she escaped to be with the love of her life who was none other than the fucker who'd stolen Beth from me and I saw it as a golden opportunity to use her to get Beth from him and here we are."You did this?" She asked. "Why?""Because... I had no choice Beth." I said. "You left me to be with that idiot who'd never value you like I do."She stared intently at me then she threw back her head and laughed. She looked very beautiful but I knew she wasn't laughing because she found what I'd said funny but she was mocking me."You value me?" She echoed in disbelief. "Really? Was that why you fuck
BethI should be scared of the woman who'd kidnapped me and Jules after she told us who she really was but I wasn't. All I felt for her was pity because she was obsessed with a man who didn't like her or love her and he hated her more than anything in this world.She'd taken his first love away from him and she wanted to do the same to me and my babies but I hoped that Leon would come to rescue us. I didn't want to die and I didn't want my unborn children to suffer for something they didn't do either but maybe I could try to make her see reason even if she was crazy.She'd waylaid me and Jules at the mall after we finished shopping for Jules' birthday and we were about to get into the car. I'd been about to open the passenger side door when she appeared behind me and pressed the muzzle of a gun at my belly and I froze. I didn't know who she was or why she'd targeted me but I'd hoped that at least someone would notice us. No one did."You scream and I'll kill her." She'd threatened Jul
LeonI never thought that I'd miss any other woman after Joni died but I missed Beth a lot and talking on the phone or even facetime with her couldn't compare to actually seeing her face in person. She'd managed to get under my skin and stayed there without any hope of her leaving and I didn't want her to because I was now used to thinking of her every hour, minute and second of every day and thinking of her did me more good than thinking of any other thing.As her father had said, I'd left Alexander in the hands of the police even though I still had half a mind to kill him and his entire family. I compensated the families of the dead guards and made sure to tell them they could come to me for anything and though it still wouldn't be enough for losing a loved one but it was the thought that counted.Michael was also getting better which I was glad for but he had to be on bed rest which he didn't like one bit but accepted for his fiancée's peace of mind."I'll be fine Your Majesty." Mi