Chapter One- Love & Lace

This is the day. Lenora Adams would cease to exist. On the contrary, Lenora Levine will be born today whether the young woman likes it or not. The mere idea sends a shiver down the woman’s spine, a churning in her stomach overtaking her completely.  Raising a hand to her mouth, Lenora takes a deep breath, trying to quell the rising emotions that threaten to run rampant.  She would be a bride standing alone at the altar. A hundred eyes pinned solely on the woman with no one standing next to her. Her husband-to-be, Ares Levine lays comatose in his house, a few miles away yet completely oblivious to what is going on. I’m sure if he knew what was happening, the trifling thought of Ares Levine not being an eligible bachelor anymore would cause his heart to stop beating on the spot. The man is in dire conditions as it is.  Ares Levine suffered truly at the hands of a drunk driver, driving home late one night only to have his car totaled and him flung through the windscreen. It was in the papers everywhere. Ares Levine dead at thirty one. Of course that was all a lie and he had suffered brain trauma but he was as good as dead to his family anyways. Especially when the doctors made it as certain as fact that he might never wake up. The heir to the dangerous and prominent Levine family settled in the greater city of Drakon.  No one could have that. Especially Nancy Levine. One would think the distress over her comatose son would be too much to bear but instead, she focused on getting him married off so that the dynasty remains intact. Irrespective of the riches promised that comes with being a Levine, no one wanted to commit social suicide by marrying a man who might never come about. Lenora lets out a despondent sigh as she runs her hands down the satin dress, grazing over the delicate mother of pearls and soft lace that would cost a year’s salary. She looked like something out of Vogue magazine doing a showcase on pretty brides. Lenora nearly bites her tongue at the thought, gazing at herself with her perfectly coiled brown hair, glittering diamond tiara and pale gray eyes lined with makeup. Her heart shaped face was perfectly emphasized by the hairstyle, long neck decorated with a sapphire and diamond necklace. Even her body looked like it had gotten a boost, legs looking longer, torso tucked in all the right places and her breasts popped up all thanks to the wedding dress. The woman was a sight to behold, like a devil dressed all in white, fooling the pawns sat in pews. Medusa ready to turn everyone to stone. She sure felt like it. Her expression was cold and like she might smite anyone daring to look. Little do they know she felt like a little girl playing dress up wearing her mothers dress and high heels.   A knock on the door rouses Lenora out of her thoughts, the person entering before she could utter a single word. Mousy brown hair comes into view with cold green eyes, her mothers worn face a mask of ice. “Stop dawdling, Lenora. Come to the main entrance now.” Lenora merely nods, ignoring the pangs in her heart. Lenora never expected it to go this way. Her mother was supposed to be shedding tears of happiness, her only daughter taking someone else’s last name. It’s a shame Nancy could care less, throwing her daughter to the wolves herself only to get a short taste of fame. ‘Stop it. There is absolutely no need to feel anything towards your mother. Not when she stabbed you in the back not once but twice.’ Lenora stares at herself in the mirror, completely ignoring her mother as she straightens her spine.  No one knew about Lenora and the conflict she went through. Not when she was in love with someone else.  Only Nancy knew about the little affair, the woman went red in the face and threatened to let everyone know that Lenora Adam’s soon to be Levine was tramping around with Liam Levine, nephew of her soon to be husband. Those were Nancy’s exact words. Lenora plants a pleasant smile on her face, rosy cheeks lifting and soft painted lips tugging over her teeth. Smile Lenora. You’re about to be a Levine. Just not Mrs Ares Levine. Oh no. You’ll soon be Mrs. Liam Levine.  I’m sure everyone will get the shock of their lives when Liam steps up to the podium, declaring me as his wife and shunning the marriage to Ares. It was simple. When the gap was supposed to come; ‘All those who are not in favor, please state your claim or forever hold your peace.’ Truly, what more could we want.  Liam would interject, step up onto the empty space next to me and we’d be wed. No one would stop us. Least of all Ares. ‘I’m not at all worried. Who cares that I haven’t heard from Liam for a few days. The time when I needed him most…’ Shaking her head, Lenora steels her spine, blatantly ignoring her mother as she moves forward towards the other door. Lenora ignores Nancy, turning her back on her the same way Nancy did to any motherly instinct. Even though Lenora stalked past the back rooms in high heels, not a sound was made. Lenora thought everyone in the building could hear her beating heart, the sweat trickling down her back and the dry ache in her throat. Sweeping past the room where the bridesmaids were supposedly getting ready, Lenora hesitates, wondering if she should stop and say something. Arm raised, Lenora goes to knock but stops when a familiar voice filters through. Her once aching heart beating rapidly now dances a different crescendo. One of happiness and a future of better things to come. ‘Liam is finally here!’  Lenora nearly jumps in her spot, trying to contain her barely concealed excitement. Ruffling the folds of her dress, she clenched her hands together.  “Liam. The wedding is literally about to start. Does Lenora know anything?” Is that who I think it is? A deeper voice belonging to Liam scoffs, his sarcastic tone reaching the frozen woman. “Like she has a choice. I pulled her along as much as I could but come on. She’s a bore. She probably still thinks I’m going to marry her.” Tears spring into Lenora’s eyes, her body feeling numb to the core as she stares almost lifeless at the door in front. “You better not play me like that,” A feminine giggle runs through, the voice only belonging to my half sister. Liam and Sarah both stabbed me in the back. The deep knife barely escaped, severing me in half as my stomach twists and turns.   ‘This is what I’ve become?’ Someone that can be pushed and prodded, walked all over. A woman just to be laughed at and used to people's pleasure. ‘I remember how I used to be. Someone that people respected. I thought maybe I’d get some semblance of who I used to be once. Maybe the Levine name would have helped. I guess I’m a bigger fool than I thought.’   Lenora’s family was well off. Her father is the CEO of a booming business. Her mother, his right hand woman who overlooked everything and Lenora being tied into the perfect family. Until of course, everything went wrong with her father’s affair unveiled along with my step-sister who no one knew existed. The bad press and the Adam’s reputation being tarnished didn’t help with their stocks dropping. Lenora’s father managed to escape with what little was left but nothing else helped. Thus, Nancy Adam’s came to the rescue. The woman was left with nothing, especially the socialite lifestyle she worked so hard to create. Lenora was her only way out.   Lenora had sacrificed everything to make her once happy family be back together but it was all in vain.  She was finally realizing it all. Dabbing at her eyes, Lenora sniffled quietly as everything crumbled around her. Accepting defeat, Lenora thought nothing of it as she headed towards the altar, listening as the sounds of violin’s enchanted her. If you asked Lenora what had happened, her answer would have been a blank look. Everyone around her was taken aback. Her stone cold facade was met with approval as she stood with no one by her side. As she said “I do” with no one beside her, she oddly felt comforted. Almost as if Lenora knew where she belonged once in her life. Lenora left that place as a new woman and entered the Levine’s mansion as someone completely different. The after party is going to be wild, Lenora thought to herself as she eyed the large gardens with twinkling lights. Lenora thanked the butler as she hiked up her dress, heading up the stairs and over to where she assumed her bedroom would be. Stupefied. That is what Lenora is when she enters the large room, overlooking every minute detail but focusing on the epitome of it all. In the middle of the room, right on the large king sized bed laid what would now be the center of her world. The man was large. Probably taller than six feet as he laid nearly cramped in the bed. His unruly jet black hair was pale against his skin, what was once a beautiful olive tone now sickly and clammy. His eyes hidden underneath long lashes and his pouty lips parted. The rest of him was covered by a thin black blanket. Even with him half foot in the grave, anyone can tell Ares Levine is devastatingly handsome. “Lenora! Baby! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” The voice she once loved now sent her skin crawling with revulsion. Liam appeared behind her as he reached out to touch her.  Lenora stepped back, not wanting to show the tide of emotions rising within her. “I’m so sorry about not stepping forward. I grew nervous. I promise I-” Lenora quips a brow, facing a calm facade as she takes him in. “Don’t worry. We’ll get you a quick divorce. Then we can marry and all of this will be ours.” So that’s what he wanted all along. Lenora chides herself for being so smitten, forgetting what men are truly like. “Listen Liam. I don’t have time for all of this. Please see yourself out of the room. Knock next time you come in.” Liam stares in blatant disbelief as Lenora goes to close the door in his face. “Oh one more thing. Call me Mrs Levine from now on.”