The Misses

The Beginning

    Tommy and Lana stood up simultaneously and said, "What!?"

"Please hold all questions until the reading is over.", the attorney stated. Lana could not catch her breath. She felt like her world was falling a part.

"Reeza Lionel has met all requirements put forth in the will by the deceased and is willing to change her name to "Reeza Hindrick", Correct?"

"Correct" The young lady responded.

"Reeza Lionel soon to be Reeza Hindrick, has trained to become the heir of  H.A.I and Hindrick Enterprises. All estates with the exception of those aforementioned and the home that Lana Stacy and Levi Hindrick shared, shall be inherited here on to Reeza Hindrick. 

All monies with the exception of those aforementioned and 15 million granted to Levi Hindricks partner, Lana Stacy, and 15 million granted to his loving brother, Tommy Hindrick, shall be inherited here on to Reeza Hindrick.

Per the will, Lana Stacy will continue her position has vice president and right hand to the new heir for the next 5 years. After that time, the heir will be able to fill the position or maintain it. That concludes the will reading for one Levi Hindrick. Thank you." The attorney asked for a signature from Reeza and prepared to exit the venue.

Reeza turned towards Lana. "I can't wait to work with you. Let's talk further on Monday."

Reeza quickly retreated with her mother. Tommy looked pale and sick to the stomach.

"Are you okay Tommy?" Lana barely had the strength to worry about him but she did.

"I don't want to talk about it. I'm leaving." Tommy spoke curtly. He called for his driver and walked quickly towards the pick up area.

"Miss Lana Stacy? I have a last letter of will from the deceased." the attorney said.

Lana slowly took the letter. The letter was was covered with Levi's scent. His beautiful cursive handwriting gave life to her name which was written on the front of the envelope.  That moment the letter touched her hand and that time forward, she had stopped breathing. The color left her skin.

"Ma'am you look pale. Can I get you something?" One of the funeral home hosts asked. Lana left the room in a slow jog. She needed air.

"Call for the driver, please." Lana said. She needed to leave this place. With Tommy gone, she was completely alone. The immense pressure of despair set in. She felt her eyes closing and her world going dark.

"Miss! Miss! Call the doctor in!" Someone yelled from the courtyard. Lana did not make it to the pick up zone. Her body lay limp and tired next to the main building. Lana could hear commotion going on around her. In her mind, she just wanted to make sure her letter from Levi was safe. That was all she needed to know. She wanted to will herself awake. She also wanted to take a trip to the after life and talk directly to Levi. "Maybe this is my chance", She thought. Before she could wander over to the other side, she was pull back into the light.

"Can you hear me Ms. Stacy?" The doctor shouted. 

"Yes.....yes I can." Lana said has she was shoved back into reality.

"Looks like you are a little anemic. When was the last time you ate?" He continued.

"I don't know. I don't know." Lana kept repeating while tears rolled down her face. [It hurts. It hurts so much]

Lana's driver entered the room. "Ms. Lana, Are you okay? Can you walk?"

"Yes. Please take me..." Lana paused. "My letter!" She frantically searched around her person. "Where is it!?"

The doctor interrupted,"I put it on the table  by the wall." Lana jumped up from the sofa and tried to run to the table. She lost her strength and fell to the floor. The driver caught her by the arm on the way down. 

"Ms., I will get the letter." The driver said.

"Don't touch it! Don't touch it! You will get it dirty!", Lana wailed. She felt pathetic, destroyed. "Help me up. I will get it." The driver helped her up. They steadily walked over to the table. The doctor watched on with great concern. Once the driver and Lana started walking towards the door, he handed the driver his card. 

"Ms. Stacy, please call me if you don't start feeling better." He advised.

On the way home, Lana gently opened the letter then stopped herself. "If there is anything in here that is going to make me cry, I'd rather save it for my bedroom", She thought to herself.

 She finally reached her house in the hills. When the car stopped, Enid promptly helped Lana out of the car. They soon arrived at the room Lana shared with Levi. Lana sat on the bed.

"Please leave me be. I will call you later for dinner." Enid closed the door quietly.

As Lana stared down at the letter, she thought, "I should rip this band-aid off"

She pulled the small stack of stationary from the envelope and started to read. 

The dam broke, along with her heart for a 3rd time. [Levi loved Marcy. She had his heart and soul.] 

'I am happy that you could fill the void my father left in my heart, when he forced me to annul my marriage to Marcy and leave my child. But if I had my way, I would have given Marcy and our child, Reeza, my everything. Throughout these 22 years, I have dedicated resources to ensure Reeza would be a worthy heiress.'

Lana couldn't bring herself to read anymore. The letter was degrading her tragic love story down to the story of the mistress. "I did not sign up to be your freaking mistress!! Damn you Levi!" Lana screamed and collapsed into a ball of dejection.

She laid on the floor staring at the high vaulted ceiling. The crystals shined like diamonds through her tears. "So this house, the money, is his apology to me? Sorry for your unrequited love. Sorry for pretending that you meant the world to me? Is that it Levi??? Is it!!!?" , She yelled into the air, unable to calm her fiery. If he had told her where she actually stood in his life, she would have never agreed to stay at the company. That thought alone took the last of her breathe away. She realized she was just a tool in this billionaire's game. A tool that never questioned him and never ceased to do as she was told. 

"Checkmate?" Lana laughed hysterically. Her sobs were not only of sadness but regret.Levi had taken years away from her. [Years I could have been dating and finding my "Marcy", but here I am in my 30's, a long term freaking mistress!]

The tears rolled down her face soaking the carpet. Her low murmurs and internal arguments only gave way to further despair. Soon night turned into day, at some point Lana had fallen asleep on the floor. Her personal maid had covered her with a blanket and sat a box of tissue next to her. Lana blew her nose and blotted her swollen eyes. At that moment she decided she would hide away in her room for the day. Lana pulled herself off of the floor and pressed the intercom next her bed."Bring me black coffee and  a few of my favorite chocolate filled croissants."

"Yes Ms.", Enid replied. 

Lana spoke to her bedroom assistant," Turn on the TV." The hidden 75 inch TV unfolded like a door onto the farthest wall in front her bed. She wanted to see the people's reaction to her misery. She found out quickly that the news was loving the new heir. They obsessively talked about her resemblance to Levi. They had forums about how Levi left a gift for the people of Lagos and the world. There were news channels specifically showcasing her high intelligence. They also discussed how she graduated from college at 16 and completed her masters and Phd by the age of 20. "She sounds phenomenal", Lana rolled her eyes.

Lana requested the next news channel from the assistant.

"I wonder how Lana Stacy, CFO and Vice President of H.A.I, is coping with the news that she was not Levi's official love interest?", The talk show host asked to the round table of women.

"I would be devastated to find out my man had a child and a love interest too" The another host said.

"Maybe she knew? Who knows we will have to wait and see how this unfolds" The third lady said, seemingly fanning herself because this was a hot mess.

"I don't know.", Lana whispered to herself. "Assistant, Find me an action movie", Lana commanded. She could no longer stand to hear another peep from society. Her life wasn't supposed to be some circus  and she hadn't trained to be the lead clown.