Sarah von Lahnstein

Character's background

Sarah, a talented pianist, comes to Düsseldorf to find her biological mother. She get a job as a maid at Castle Königsbrunn, the home of the aristocratic von Lahnstein family. It isn't long until she begins to fall for Leonard von Lahnstein (Lars Korten), who just lost his wife Cécile (Yvonne Burbach) and his son Julius after a terrible car accident. Leonard gets addicted to strong sedatives to ease the pain of his losses. Sarah finds out about Leonard's addiction through Jana Brandner (Vanessa Jung), a good friend of Leonard's. Together, both women help Leonard through his rough time. Leonard begins to enjoy his life again and begins to fall for Sarah. The two begin to date secretly. When head maid Elke Käppler (Elke Bludau) finds out about their relationship, she expresses her disapproval, but Sarah won't give Leonard up. Elke has no other choice and tells Sarah that she is her mother. Sarah is surprised and confused. She finally found her mother, but the reunion isn't quite what she thought it would be. Even with Elke as her mother, she doesn't understand why she can't date Leonard. Elke tries to reason that she doesn't want her daughter romantically involved with a member of the family she works for. When Sarah doesn't stop seeing Leonard, Elke tries to run her own little schemes to tear them apart, but it nothing works. Elke realizes that she has no other choice, she has to tell Sarah the real reason why she and Leonard can't be together. Elke reveals that Sarah's father is none other than Johannes von Lahnstein (Thomas Gumpert), making Leonard her half-brother! After the truth comes out, Leonard and Sarah end their relationship. Leonard promises his sister that he will always love her.

Sarah starts dating the handsome and charming Gregor Mann (Andreas Jancke). Leonard seems jealous of Sarah's new love and Sarah isn't happy when Leonard begins dating her best friend, Jana. Even though they can't give up their feelings for each other, Sarah marries Gregor. On Leonard's wedding day to Jana, a shocking truth is revealed: Johannes's enemy Adrian Degenhardt (Klaus Zmorek) announces that he is Leonard's biological father. Johannes is shocked and wants to tell Leonard the truth, but he comes too late, Leonard and Jana are already married. Johannes tells Leonard the truth anyway. Leonard is shocked about the revelation and realizes he went through all that pain for nothing. In the end, Leonard decides to hold on to his marriage to Jana and keep the truth a secret. Sarah doesn't know that she and Leonard aren't related for a long time. Even Gregor knows sooner than she does.

Leonard and Sarah eventually give in to their feelings one night and sleep together. Leonard immediately regrets it, while Sarah is thrilled to have been with the man she loves. Shortly after, Sarah finds out she is pregnant with Gregor's baby and both her and Leonard realize they can't walk away from their marriages.

Sadly, Sarah is seriously injured in a car accident with Jana and loses her baby. Jana has a pulmonary embolism and right before she dies she unites Leonard and Sarah. Gregor leaves Sarah after she tells him about her and Leonard's one-night stand. All of Jana's loved ones blame Leonard and Sarah for Jana's death, particularly Jana's sister, Nico.

Eventually everyone, even Gregor, forgives Sarah and Leonard and they manage to find their way back to each other. They finally get married in November 2008 in a little chapel with their friends and family.

In May 2009, Sarah moved to Boston to study music. Leonard joined her in September 2009.