Disclaimers: All Characters are the property of Pixelberry. I am just borrowing them for this story. All original characters are mine.
Note: This series will contain any combination of depression, loneliness, suicidal thoughts, mental abuse, cheating, anger, abandonment issues, manipulation and loss of pregnancy. If you are sensitive to any of these things, do not read this story, it is going to get worse before it gets better.
Chapter 1
As the plane landed and Islip Airport, Leo’s mind was still reeling from the fact that all those years, his father had lied to him and everyone else’s about why his mother left his father, left him, and left Cordonia. His father let him feel like he was never enough. If he had known the truth about his mother, would his life be different? Why did this happen to him? Leo mind raced with “what if’s”, to think some of the answers to all his questions will be in the pages of her journals.
He picks up his car that he rented, a black Range Rover with tinted windows. He pulls up to the gate and he sees a note taped to the call box with his name on it. He take the note and it tell him to dial the number 6499. He does as instructed, and he hears a woman’s voice,
“Are you Leo?”
“Yeah, that’s me?” he says, he hears a buzzing sound and the gates beginning to open.
“Follow the road until it splits, the right will bring you to the house the left will lead the to the lighthouse.”
Leo get back into the SUV and drives towards the house. When he pulls up into the circular drive and parks. There was a older woman, possibly in her 50’s, waiting for him on the porch. She was a shapely, Korean woman if she wasn’t older enough to be his mother, maybe he would try to charm her. He quickly scolds himself, for thinking that.
“Hello, I am Seo-jun Chun-Hwa, you can call me Mrs. H. I was friends with your mother, I am sorry for your loss. She told me her story. Can I make a suggestion?”
“Sure” he nonchalantly says.
“Whatever you think or feel about her, please be open to at least read one complete journal before you make your decision. I know too well, what it is like to be separated from your loved ones.”
“Thank you, but I don’t know what to believe anymore. I found out my mother died, she believed I was dead. And I was told she just didn’t want me.” the confusion and sorrow is evident in Leo’s voice.
“I am sorry, I will come once a week to check on you, I have stocked the fridge and the pantry, I did not know what you would like so I got a little of everything. If there is something you really like, write it on the notepad on the fridge and I will pick it up.” she could see that he was about to object, “I promised your mother, that if you ever came here, I would do this for you. She left money to cover expenses, she wants you to really read and learn her side of the story.”
“Thank you Mrs. H, I think I am going to head in, this is a lot to take in.”
“Here are the keys, I left a list of numbers on the counter, along with the codes and password to the alarm systems. Have a good one, and remember I am here if you need anything,”
With that she walks over to her car, and waves to Leo. He watches her go down the road until he could no longer see her tail lights. He goes the car and gets his bags. He walk through the frond to door. The house was beautiful, light , airy, and peaceful. He takes his bags at the door and heads up the staircase that was on the right. He finds the master bedroom and puts his bags down. He falls on the bed, the weight of the last couple of days, finally takes their toll on him and he falls asleep.
He is awaken by the sound of his cell. He looks at the clock and sees that it is 6:30 pm. Picking up the cell that lays on the bed next to him, he sees that it is Liam and answers.
“Hey, Liam, why are you up so late?” Leo asks.
“I am just finishing up for the day, I thought I would call you. I call you landline, but you cleaning lady says you have gone on a trip?”
“Yeah, met with my mother’s lawyer, which turned out to be her second husband. Anyway, she left me a house in the Hamptons and some journals to read.”
“So, I have a place to come and visit?”
“Yeah, I was hoping that you could come here next month. Bring Kaytee. I have a private beach and a lighthouse, and it is isolated from the other houses.”
“Sounds like heaven, let me check my schedule and I will get back to you.”
“Li, there is something else, but promise you won’t say anything to anyone. You have to swear, not even Drake.”
“Leo, what is it?”
“Swear”
“Leo, I swear.”
“Dad lied to me. He told me that she abandoned me, but I have a letter that he wrote, it is his handwriting, that I died, right after your mother, he wrote it on you seventh birthday. She had been writing to me all along, and he kept the letters and cards from me.”
“Leo, damn, I am so sorry. Wow, how could he do what he did to us? I mean I thought he was cruel after what he put Kaytee through, but that is a new low for him.”
“Yeah, that is how I feel. Zach, her husband said that she believed I was gone, until she saw the infamous tabloid picture of my on the yacht for the 24th birthday. So she started writing to me in journals, hoping one day I would get them.”
“Have you read any yet?”
“No, I think I am going to chill out for a week, between the break-up and the letter, I am drained.”
“Leo, take care of yourself, don’t drink your pain away. Call if you need me, I will clear my calendar and come the last two weeks of next month. Love you, big brother.”
“Love you too, Li.” he smiles, his brother is the only person he can trust. And that his I love yous, are not lies.
One week later
Leo has been in his home for a week, he still has yet to begin reading the journals. He is staring at the first journal that he left on the counter-top; he can not bring himself to open it. He could not decide whether or not to find out the secrets it held inside. Would the be the truth or just more lies. He has explored the house, the land, and the lighthouse. He loves spending time on the private beach, the breeze blowing through his hair. How did his life become like this? He had the best of everything, he had his choice of any woman he wanted, yet he still felt so empty. At least he heeded Liam’s warning not to drink too much.
Finally he sat at the counter and took a deep breath. He finally opened the cover of the journal. He sees an envelope with his name written on it.
March 25, 2009
My Dearest Leo,
Happy Birthday, I was so relieved when I saw that you were still alive. All these years I thought I had lost my miracle. I’m still hurt and furious for all the years that man stole from us. I always wanted you to be with me. Please know that I always loved you. Your were the best thing that I ever got out of that marriage. You were my everything, having you was enough.
Leo, pauses for a moment.His eyes reading the line over and over again ‘You were my everything, having you was enough.’ He was enough for her, he was enough. He could feel the tears flowing. How could his father do this to her,to him, to them? Why would he? Why would he tell his mother that he was dead? He had so many questions going through his head, he continues to read.
I made a deal with him, so that I could free us from that place. He would get a divorce from me so he could marry her, and I would get to take you with me. That was the only way I would agree to a quite divorce,
But as soon as the papers were signed and approved, he had me forcibly removed from our home, and taken straight to the airport. If I ever came back to Cordonia, I would be committing treason, and I would most definitely be put to death.You were three when I actually left, but I had left that marriage long before then. I was in hell, you were the only light in my life. You, always wanted to be with me; I, always wanted to be with you. I hated to send you off with the nanny.
In public, we were the perfect couple, loving and affectionate, but when were not playing part. I came to loathe that man. From the constant cheating, to how horribly he treated people, when they had a difference of opinion than him. He was not the man I thought I was marrying. Please understand he began as a good man, but he was always in his father’s shadow and always being compared to him. He needed to control the narrative at all times. His insecurities and fears lead to the decisions that he made. He was always afraid that he would not be seen as a good King.
In these journal, I will tell you how we went from a King and Queen, to a King and an exiled Queen. I hope our story will help guide you as you assume the throne. Leo, I always thought that you were destined to be a great King. You were kind and loving as a child, I hope that is still a trait that you have. I know you and your brother are close, I started keeping up with current affairs of Cordonia, after I saw that you were alive. Leo, please stop running, know that you do have what it takes to be a good King. You will be a better man, a better father, a better King than yours.
I love you my darling boy,
Mother.
He lets out the breath that he did not realize he was holding. His emotions were all over the place. He staggers to the sofa and collapses. All that can be heard is the sound of heart wrenching sobs. Mrs. H was about to announce that she was there, but thought it was best to let him release 31 years of heartache.