Is this destiny?

~ Salina ~

On a lovely Sunday afternoon, Leah is in her room, inside Isabella\'s three-story apartment. She is lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling while trying to keep her emotions in check.

Some background first…

This is the apartment which Isabella\'s father, Lambert Dillen, purchased for Isabella when she said that she wants to experience independence by moving out of the family home.

Lambert didn\'t approve of his girl moving out, but he has to face the reality. She is not a baby anymore and living on her own is good for building character.

He didn\'t know that Isabella asked to move out of her family home when Leah joined her in Salina (because of Leah). Isabella\'s weekdays are filled with work and studying, as well as many business dinners. Other than weekends, she would not have an opportunity to spend time in private with Leah if they don\'t have their own place. Staying in her family home is not an option, because maintaining a hidden intimate relationship with Leah under the same roof with her father (and a small army of maids) would be impossible.

The apartment occupies three top floors of an eleven-story high building, and other than great views it provides all the space, luxury and functionality one might desire. Lambert made sure that his little girl is not lacking anything.

Isabella\'s bedroom is on the top floor, while Leah\'s is on the first, in the hallway on the right from the entry into the apartment.

Leah spends her nights in Isabella\'s bedroom, but because of Lambert who occasionally comes snooping inside bedrooms with various excuses, Leah is keeping her things in \'her room\'. Isabella knows that her father suspects that she is hiding a lover (a male), so he checks bedrooms, closets and bathrooms for traces of a male presence.

More than once, Lambert suggested that Isabella hires a help in the apartment, someone who will clean and cook, and he even offered help in hiring competent people. But Isabella knew that her father wants to have a spy who would report to him what his daughter is up to and with whom, so she rejected him. Isabella has a maid service coming up once a week while she is at work, to tidy up the place and other than that, she does not need anyone.

Lambert does not mind if Isabella gets a man, but it should be someone he approves of. To show that he is encouraging, sometimes Lambert comes to visit his daughter with some young men who are \'accidentally\' available and interested to meet with Isabella.

Back to present…

That is why Leah is in her room. Lambert and a young man named Brandon Craig are in the living room, chatting with Isabella. This is the third time that Brandon came for a visit, and that is strange because (so far) the same guy will not show up for more than two times.

Leah was in the kitchen when Lambert and Brandon arrived. She greeted them, prepared coffee and snacks, placed them on the table, and excused herself. Like a true personal assistant (or maybe a maid in this case).

Leah screamed internally. Maybe she should go out for a walk, or some shopping. As long as it\'s away from here, it will be fine. It will help to distract her from what is going on down the hallway. But Leah feels devoid of energy and the only thing she can do is lie limply on the bed.

Leah is trying to ignore occasional laughter which drifts into her room by thinking: how she found herself in this situation?

At first, she was swept into passion. Isabella opened a whole new world to her. Leah felt wanted, needed, safe. After a long array of unsuccessful dating which didn\'t go beyond one-night stands, Leah was excited to find a soul she can relate to and she followed Isabella to Salina.

Leah knew that Isabella\'s father, Lambert is an old fashioned, conservative man. He expects of Isabella to find herself a good husband, someone who can match her in status, if not be better than she is, so that she can rely on him… and give birth to children.

That is why Lambert was trying his best to matchmake Isabella with Jeffrey White and he was NOT happy when Jeffrey broke off the agreement, but he didn\'t dare to provoke Oscar. Oscar called Lambert a day before Jeff came to talk to him about dissolving the agreement. During that phone call, Oscar told Lambert that he approves of Jeff marrying a woman of his choice and if Lambert insists on holding onto that agreement, there will be consequences.

Yes, Jeff got Isabella to learn and start leading the company, but Lambert would sleep much better if Jeffrey White is his son-in-law. After all, Lambert loves his daughter and wants only the best for her. Even now, whenever Jeff or the Whites are mentioned, Lambert sighs and brings up the point that there was a time when he was confident how Jeffrey White will be his son-in-law.

Leah knew that her relationship with Isabella will be hidden, forcing them to lead a double life, and that for everyone else, Leah is here as Isabella\'s personal assistant.

But she didn\'t know that it will be this hard. Leah\'s days are spent in following Isabella, accompanying her to meetings (in and out of office), watching Isabella smile at men who are looking at her lecherously. And whenever Isabella meets with her father, if they are not talking about business, they are talking about matchmaking her with eligible bachelors.

Leah remembers when Isabella gave her the key to the apartment. Isabella said that this will be their sanctuary, a place where the both of them can forget all the discomfort of pretending and holding back in public.

Leah smiled at the memory when the two of them made cookies and it ended up being a cookie-batter fight which escalated in long and wild love making on the kitchen island. The two of them cleaned up the mess while laughing. Leah has many good memories here.

Leah sighed. It\'s almost eleven months since she is with Isabella and she is tired of hiding.

To make things worse, Lambert is visiting Isabella\'s apartment more and more often. He used to bring bachelors to the apartment once a month, but now it\'s at least one a week. Where does he find all these men? In last two months, Isabella and Leah didn\'t have a weekend without Lambert stopping by. And his visits never last less than three hours.

Leah asked Isabella: "Why don\'t you go to your family\'s home to visit your father, or at least see him somewhere out?"

Leah does not want to be away from Isabella, but if she meets with her father outside of this apartment, that will at least allow Leah to move around the place and not be stuck into \'her room\'.

"He is my father, and he paid for this place. At least he can come and visit. Don\'t you agree?", Isabella responded and added: "You can go out for a walk or join us…"

Leah forced a smile. Yeah, she should join them so that she gets a good view of the guy who wants to get into Isabella\'s panties… with Lambert\'s blessings.

Leah remembered what Sophia advised. That she should talk to Isabella and tell her how she feels, because maybe Isabella is not aware of it. She knows that Sophia is right, but… what if Isabella tells her to take it or leave it? Leah knows that in order for Lambert to stop his matchmaking attempts, Isabella needs to give him a reason. And that probably means to expose their relationship. What if Isabella is not willing to do so? Can Leah live with that? Can she continue living like this?

Another round of laughter came from the living room and Leah pulled a pillow over her head, in an attempt to block the noise.

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