Serving Leo [Book 4 of the Stavros Series] ✔️

22

Leo's POV

A couple hours later I found myself pushing my work aside and focusing on the notebook on my desk. It laughed at me as I blankly stared at it for I don't know how long.

Frankly I didn't want to fix the company. Even after what Ivory said the part of me that had hated this company for most of my life didn't care. It has been nothing but a prison to me and I want nothing more than to get rid of it, everyone else be damned. Let my father come back, let him see the mess I made and let him fix it. He'll probably want to stay and take over the company again and I'll let him. He'll probably take his last breaths in this office.

Growing up I wasn't a normal kid. I didn't go to birthday parties or public school, I couldn't have real friends. Every kid my age who talked to me only wanted two things: my money or fame, or sometimes both. Instead of birthday parties I sat in on meetings with my father and I went to dinner parties with other billionaires, trying to make a name for myself. I went to a private school in New York that only the most important people's kids went to and only then there were only one hundred of us. The closest people I called friends were my drivers and bodyguards. Needless to say I didn't like the life I lived. I wanted to be normal.

And when I was twelve years old I found out that my older sister Alexandria was supposed to take over the company, not me. I was supposed to have a normal life if it weren't for her. She couldn't handle the stress any more than I could have so she threw everything onto me, her baby brother. And from that point on I had no dictation in my own life.

If it were up to me I would see this company burn to the ground, only so I could finally be free. Not just from it but from my family as well. I don't think I have to remind them that I don't love them. They all know that I despise them for forcing me on this track.

At some point I caved in and opened the damn notebook up, curious as to what my father would go through so much trouble to hide.

The first page had only one sentence written on it, "When things get thought look at this and remember." It was in my father's familiar hand writing.

I turned the next page, my heart stopping when I saw what was on it. Taped to both pages was a picture that I distinctly remember drawing when I was five years old. We had it on our fridge for years before I tore it down after I learned of my destiny that was thrusted upon me. I remember throwing it in the trash.

It was drawing of a town with streets and a city hall and a school and a main street and tall buildings and everything. I drew it with crayons so of course it wasn't that good but it was decent. Turning the page there was another picture: it was of my father holding me in his arms after I was just born.

Below it was written the words, "Remember what matters."

I turned the page again to find a long letter. It didn't take long for me to realize that this notebook was really a journal.

I'm writing this on Leonardo's seventh birthday. Aria and I bought him a new game system with all sorts of games, the type of things that every other boy wants. Except he didn't. After telling us quite angrily he wanted new pens and drawing paper we asked him why. My little boy responded with, "So I can build things."

I've always noticed that he draws in his free time but I never realized until today that he doesn't draw stick figures or sunsets like every other child; he draws entire cities.

That got me thinking. If he could draw cities than why can't I build them?

It would help a lot of people I think and if his passion sticks with him then he'll love this company just as much as I do.