The Misses

Today was a day of mourning. The sky blistered in agony under this loss.The people of Lagos walked in silence in perpetual respect. Lagos was built on his name. More than 30 % of the businesses around the world used his AI technology and the medical industry was reeling over his nano-tech. Today, Levi Hindrick, founder of H.A.I. and Hindrick Enterprises, billionaire genius, passed away at the age of 54. The severity of his illness was caused by the one thing that he invented to save lives; nanites. The gamma radiation he started using when he was only 8 years old had been slowly radiating his body from within his bones. As he laid in a coma for more than 6 months, many held their breath. They watched for updates on his condition but to no avail. His own technology could not save him. Lana spent the last year of the fifteen-year relationship by his bedside. Holding his hand, adjusting his hair, waiting for his eyes to open. Even just for one more kiss, one more hug. She would miss her love. She contemplated not living in this world without him, but he asked her for a favor before his coma. Levi asked Lana to watch over the heir to his company. Lana Stacy was the vice president, Levi's lover, and his right hand, and now a 35-year-old single woman. Levi didn't want to get married, but he was happy to call Lana his partner. They worked together to make sure that everyone had his technology in their homes and businesses. She decorated their million dollar homes, which were scattered across the world. She knew every business he owned and every business he inherited. It was only right that she gave him this dying wish. She didn't even know if he was going to leave her anything in his will. She had no rights to any part of his life, no matter how much money or time she had put into it. This made her anxious. The new CEO could easily remove her once she showed him the ropes. In her heart she really wanted to be laid to rest next to Levi. On the eve of the death of her lover and best friend, Lana had her driver take her to their favorite restaurant, Le Chateau de Fleurs. They never needed a reservation. There was always a seat or booth ready. The business was always booming. They used H.A.I for booking, maintenance, and many other administrative things. Hindrick Enterprises were proud to have them as a client. Upon arriving, the driver opened the door to let Lana out. The bustling streets halted at the sight of her. Her long brown hair glistened under the moonlight. Her eyes were the lightest shades of gray. She was taller than most women in Lagos, making her sculpted legs stand out among the crowd. Her flawless skin was scantily dressed with natural colors. Her alluring thick lips made it hard for any man to concentrate on her words. She was the epitome of the definition of beauty. She understood that while she held a PHD in Pharmaceutical technology on top of a diverse portfolio of Physics and Chemical engineering certificates, she would only be seen as a tall beautiful woman. After being seated in the restaurant's VIP area , Lana leaned back to take in the view. The room was filled with just the right number of flowers. Flowers ranged from white to various shades of purple. The restaurant reminded her of the castle they owned in England. Lana looked down and thought to herself, "The castle HE owned." She wished more than anything that she carried his name or even his child. Levi refused to give her either. He said it would create a conflict of interest. "As if having intercourse on our lunch breaks was not a conflict," she scoffed. Their antics always left her wanting to hurry home and rip his expensive suit from his body. His body. Levi spent his mornings running. His body was perfectly chiseled. His dark black hair felt like silk against her fingers. She could close her eyes and drown in his ocean blue eyes. He was six inches taller than Lana, which made their s****l interactions perfect. "Why did you leave me?" Lana took another swig of her liquor and started to cry again. He hadn't been gone for 24 hrs yet and she wanted to choose her own fate. "Why make me stay!?" She silently yelled to herself. The waitress came over to Lana's table and asked if she wanted her to prepare her driver. Lana was so drunk she could not answer. The waitress proceeded to make the call. "So you came here too?" She heard a voice say. The man approached the table and rested his hand on Lana's. Lana raised her head to see the face of the man she would have to have killed for touching her. It was none other than Levi's younger brother, Tommy. He was the complete opposite of Levi. He was the definition of playboy millionaire. His dirty blonde hair covered his radiant blue eyes. He was more than a foot taller than Lana. His frame was wiry, he had never lifted a finger his whole life. The basic amount of exercise needed to stay healthy was his maximum. Tommy's voice was very deep, causing women to swoon everytime a word came out of his mouth. Lana knew he was an arrogant asshole who knew he could have just about anyone he wanted and tomorrow he was possibly going to be named the next heir to H.A.I and Hindrick Enterprises. It only made sense that he would take all of his businesses and merge them under Levi's business model. Tommy's business acumen was a mirror image of his brother's. He wanted to be as successful as his brother but fell short because he just wasn't as smart. Tommy moved Lana's hair to the side as he took a seat. His face was red and puffy even though his voice sounded like he hadn't just lost his brother. "Did they call for your driver?" Tommy asked. "I can tell we both have died just a little bit inside, when I saw you. I thought,’ I want to fill this pain in my heart with her.’ Silly, I know. How can I fill my heart with someone who is no longer whole? How could I possibly yearn to desecrate the one thing that my brother held dear to him outside of his fortune? I'm trash, right?" Tommy continued as he took another shot of alcohol. "You aren't trash. A little evil and narcissistic, but not trash." Lana said, trying to make light of his confession. Tommy bellowed out a hearty laugh that would make any woman smile and Lana did. She would never give him the time of day, but she was okay with sharing their pain. The waitress came back to their table and said "My Lady, your car has arrived." Tommy assisted Lana to her car. Upon exiting the building, cameras started to flash all around them. Someone had leaked their location. Lana's tear-filled face would be plastered all over buildings in the morning. At that point, she didn't care. She was no one without him. Tommy placed Lana's flailing body into the car and motioned the driver to leave. Lana and Levi shared a villa on the outskirts of Lagos. Their home was inset in the hills facing the ocean. The beaches were covered with pink sand.They owned this beach but they only kept 50 % private. Their home stood three stories tall and boasted vaulted ceilings with contemporary English decor. Levi fancied that his home looked like an English castle and Lana was okay with that. Seeing their home made her cry. The butler opened the door and Lana's personal maid waited to assist her. They knew she wouldn't be in proper shape. Enid reached into the vehicle and hoisted Lana up and they started their walk towards the guest room. "Take me to our room tonight," Lana said to Enid. Lana had stopped sleeping in the couples' room soon after Levi was tagged as terminal. She asked that the sheets and his clothes not be washed to preserve his scent. Even if it was a faint smell of his musk from his workout clothes or cologne from his suit, she wanted to lie in them and hold them near her. The pains in her heart grew, making it hard to breathe. She knew that she would soon suffocate under the weight of losing her everything.