"It's raining again..."
"You should get some rest, dear," Matteo, Leah's father kissed her forehead and left her.
Leah locked the door, she gathered all the Devonte and Deluxe issued magazines to the coffee table next to the door leading to the balcony. She fetched a pair of scissors, a board and glue.
Her eyes took a keen interest to the young, handsome and studious man on the front page of the magazines. She cut out pictures of Sebastian from the magazines and glued each and every single one up on her board.
She created a shrine of Sebastian. Her eyes set on him like glue, Leah was hellbent on devoting her full strength and concentrating all of her attention to president of Devonte.
Leah wanted to learn his love code better than Aryanna. So she can prove to Sebastian and everyone else that she is the perfect match for Sebastian.
Leah cut out the biggest picture and glued it to her favorite comfort nightie. A sexy lingerie she imagined wearing for Sebastian once she seizes a place in his heart and casts Aryanna out.
She took out a notebook and a pen from her study table and returned to the coffee table. Leah began to note down everything she knew about Sebastian; his schedule, his habits and his interests.
Hours and hours went by with her lost in the trance of her new mark. Leah set down the pen after filling fifteen pages with all the information she had on Sebastian. She walked up to the balcony and went outside.
Leah reached out her hand and let drops of the rain kiss her palm. She created an empty room inside her that echoed Sebastian's name, loudly.
Her eyes glanced out into the backyard. The security lights were lit on every corner of the compound. It looked like day even though the hours of the night were going by.
Leah stopped her gaze at the stormy clouds, watching the stars glimmer in the distance.
Her eyes darted down to the pool, the reflection of the moon in the water was captivating to watch. The sky was crying and it tears were gathering at the pool which held the beautiful reflection of it's heart.
Leah smiled, her eyes shimmering from lights around her. She let the moment pass by as she gazed at the moon. Leah saw Sebastian's face in the reflection of the moon by the pool.
She gawked at Sebastian's image oblivious to the person walking up behind her. "Leah, dear," she jumped when her aunt, Sarra touched her shoulder. "I brought you dinner," she informed.
Leah caught her breath and pouted. "You scared me, aunt," she complained.
"I have called you six times and you didn't hear me. What has captivated your thoughts so much?" Sarra inquired.
"I'm in love, aunt and it's the most beautiful feeling ever," Leah merrily declared.
Her aunt rolled her eyes at the exaggeration. She'd met Carlos and frankly she didn't understand what Leah saw in him. He was a nobody with terrible tastes.
"Carlos Helton isn't exactly someone I'd think capable of sweeping anyone off their feet," Sarra spoke her mind.
Leah frowned, her mind flashed back to the scene at the gala where Carlos left her hand and ran after Aryanna like a lost puppy. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, releasing her frustration and loathing feeling for both Carlos and Aryanna into the air.
"Carlos is ancient history. I have my eyes set on someone new, someone better and much more beffiting of me, aunt," Leah pulled her aunt over to her bed.
She jumped onto the bed like a happy child whose received their favourite candy. Her eyes glistening with desire, she bloomed with a new flame of obsession for Sebastian igniting in her heart.
Sarra took a seat, sinking the spot on the bed next to Leah. Curious of the new wave her niece was navigating that made her so happy.
"Who is this boy that has you smiling like a fool?" She asked, pulling Leah to sit up on the bed and face her. "I hope he's an upgrade from that loser you were dating," she added.
"He's way better than Carlos and all the men out there," Leah uttered. "Sebastian Leerstrom," her voice laced with honey as she spoke about Sebastian.
Sarra paused for a second. Registering the shocking revelation her niece dropped on her. The news felt like a bucket of ice cold water poured all over her.
Sebastian Leerstrom was married, there wasn't a soul in the country that didn't know that. His wife Aryanna Valle was her brother's bastard daughter and Leah's stepsister.
Sarra tried to wrap her mind around what Leah was trying to say. She failed to picture her beautiful niece as a mistress or the third wheel between a married couple.
"Sebastian Leerstrom? Which Sebastian?" She asked confused.
"What do you mean which Sebastian? The one and only president of Devonte, of course," Leah confirmed.
Thwack!
A harsh slap landed on Leah's cheek. Leah snapped her head and raised her hand to her stinging cheek. Her cold piercing eyes glaring daggers at her aunt.
"You know better than anyone the pain of having a third party ruin a family. Your family went through that at Tehani Valle's hands. How can you even dream of becoming a mistress, Leah?!" Her aunt was beyond pissed.
Leah took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Beyond her aunt's rage and disappointment, she knew Sarra loved her like her own daughter. Leah took Sarra's hands and held them in hers, she locked eyes with her and spoke. "I know it's wrong but I've lost a lot from Aryanna. It's only fair that she gives up one thing for me, right?"
"What do you mean?"
"Aryanna grew up a thousand miles from me and her mother is long dead. But every time I look at dad I can see his longing for her, she's the daughter he wants by his side and not me," Leah cried out. "I try so hard to be perfect but I'm not enough for my dad, aunt. On top of that, Aryanna seduced Carlos and now he runs after her everywhere."
Leah enclosed her hands around her aunt and leaned her head on Sarra's chest. Sarra patted her head and listened to Leah's story.
"Mom compares me to her all the time, it's exhausting. Aryanna's taken my dad, my boyfriend, my peace of mind and now she married Sebastian and became my boss at work. I'm so tired of constantly having her take things from me," she poured her heart out to her aunt. "Sebastian will be enough compensation for all the defeat I've suffered by her hands," she added with a diabolical smile gracing her lips.
Lines formed in between Sarra's eyebrows. Her brows knitted together as her lip fell into a frown. Her love for Leah made her sympathetic of her situation. In her love for her niece, she started to hate Aryanna.
"I don't want you to become a mistress. That's a title that one can't wash away, even with the passing of time," Sarra said.
"I won't become a mistress, aunt. I'll go straight for the title of Sebastian's wife," Leah confidently declared.
"Is it possible for me to change your mind on this?" Sarra inquired from Leah.
Leah shook her head, there was no turning back from her mark. She wanted Sebastian and soon he'll want her too.
"I hope you know what you're doing. I'd hate to see you get burnt with the same fire you plan to set," her aunt cautioned her.
'I already got burnt with Carlos, I won't make the
same mistake again. I know what to do differently this time,' she internally processed.