King

Chapter 25

Days after the whole revealing of Jude's plan, Leah stayed home, just to get herself together. She had just found out the man who she had loved once upon a time and even called fiancée was only in her life for her money, and to kill her too. And the other man who she was quickly falling for sold her out to her fiancée who wanted her dead, though unknown to him, she hoped. But still, that was lot to take in, she just needed some time alone. This was the time when thinking usually proved useful.

Leah, Simi and Esther are in Leah's room chatting. There was something her friends did not understand, it was leaving her alone, especially when she wanted to be alone. She was not even sure if her alone time and thinking would be able to give her some clear perspective on the issue, but she would never get to find out as her friends didn't give her the chance to.

"come on laugh jor. See as me and your friend are trying to make you laugh and look at how you are frowning face. Do you know the kind of effort we are putting in? Esther tell how now" Simi said jokingly. Esther laughed and Leah chuckled. "ehn. See you, I said support me, you are laughing" Simi said.

"is it not the support that I'm supporting" Esther said and they laughed. As they are laughing, they hear a knock on the door. Leah answers come in and then her parents come in.

"hey guys" Mark greeted.

"good morning ma, good morning sir" Esther and Simi greeted back.

"morning" Victoria said to them. Esther and Simi motion to Leah that they will be outside as they step out. Victoria and Mark look at Leah. Leah scoffs because of the look her mother was giving her.

"mom, stop making that face" Leah said.

"what face?" Victoria asked in pretence.

"the baby face" Mark and Leah answered in unison. Victoria scoffs then laughs.

"Leah dear, we want to apologize. We had didn't know what was going on and we just looked at the whole story one-sidedly and kept forcing your relationship with Jude when you got back" Victoria said.

"mom it's okay. You couldn't have known" Leah said.

"that's the thing, we should have known" Victoria said.

"we are your parents dear, it's our job to look out for you and when you came back, we neglected that. We were looking out for the Leah we used to know, and not the Leah that returned. And you don't need to feel bad about the whole Jude situation, he fooled us all" Mark said.

"thanks dad. And I'm not bothered about the Jude thing" Leah said.

"you are bothered about him" Victoria said. Leah looks at them as they come to sit next to her, one by each side of her. "why didn't you just tell us that you loved someone else?"

"because... I was engaged mom. No matter what I said I was going to come out as the bad guy, the one who fell in love with another man while she was engaged. And also because I felt bad because I told him I was never going to leave but I did anyways" Leah said.

"but you didn't have a choice" Mark said.

"or maybe I did" Leah said.

"but he was the one who told Jude where you were" Mark said.

"because he knew I would leave if I was faced with reality. Reality that I had a life somewhere else. Maybe things were not meant to be" Leah said.

"ooh honey. It's going to be fine" Victoria said. Mark and Victoria embrace Leah in a tight hug, causing her to laugh. "Simi and Esther, stop eavesdropping and come in and join this hug" Victoria said, knowing that they were listening. Esther and Simi rush into the room smiling and join in the hug and they laugh.