Her Chef (18+)

Chapter 8

*Arsenio POV*

"So you woke my daughter to vent to her?" Luciano, my older brother, asked, interrupting my one on one with baby Noel.

Upon hearing her fathers voice, Noel's head shot up, and the crocodile tears started filling her eyes. What a fake! She was fine until she saw him! Despite the evident tiredness, with bags under his eyes and the rumpled state of his business suit, he immediately rushed to her.

While I pursued my passion in cooking, something outside the family business, Luciano and Cris decided to continue on expanding the family's company. A book publishing company and magazine company. Cris worked as many hours as he could while being in school full-time, Luciano juggled both sides of the companies to the best of his abilities, however, his main goal was to become CEO once our father steps down.

This meant many hours, both early morning, and late nights working towards his goal. This also meant less time spent with his family, and at the time, Janette. I wasn't sure what exactly happened that they split apart after so many years, yet after his recent success in a new campaign as well as new articles being published, it seems he was able to spend more time with his daughter. With his family.

I groaned, sitting up from the floor as he pulled her from my chest.
"The fucking monitor."

"Watch your mouth," He spat softly, eyes flicking to me then walking over to the rocking chair.

Sitting down, he begins slowly rocking Noel gently hoping to get her back to sleep. She only needed a half hour more to rest before feeding time otherwise she would keep the entire house up.

"Now you can tell me why you thought waking my daughter would help with your troubles with Samara?" He whispered out as Noel's small fingers played with her fathers beard as her eyes began blinking slowly, hinting exhaustion would slowly take her.

"She's a good listener," I explained vaguely, laying back on the nursery floor.

Luciano tsks under his breath watching Noel fall asleep in his arms. I watched in awe, it has been months yet it still shocked me that my eldest brother is a father. I mean sure he's at that age where his friends are having children, getting married or already are. But it still shocks me how we've changed and grown up over the last couple of years.

"I'll be sure to let Janette know that you've interrupted our daughter's sleep schedule so you could have a chat," He muttered sarcastically, rising from the chair to lay her in the bed.

Leaving a small kiss to her head, he leans back up motioning for us to leave the dimly lit nursery. I follow behind him walking down the hall to the staircase leading us to the kitchen. Janette was chopping peppers on the large island by the sink while soft music played in the background.

Luciano moved to the fridge grabbing a couple of drinks and she turned eyes narrowed towards me.

"It was Luciano! He woke her up!" I raise my hands up, backing away slightly.

"Oh really," she draws out, crossing her arms.

Washing her hands she grabs her phone, quickly opening an app she turns it to face me showing the moment I pulled Noel out of the crib waking her. Luciano snickered, he had already known this when he entered the home and Janette told him to retrieve his brother.

"To be fair, Noel wanted to play."

Janette shook her head with a small smile and went back to cooking. Luciano moved towards the back door of the backyard and I followed behind. Moving outside we sit beside the pool and crack open the beers. We clink before taking a large sip.

"I thought Samara coming back was a sign," I started out looking at the water.

"A sign?" Luciano tone is amused, as he sips the beer pulling off his suit jacket and tie.

"You know what I mean. Like I started my whole career and shit young, Samara had always been there but I thought I had to keep my distance in order to make sure everything was straight in my career and life."

I take a huge gulp before placing it down beside the chair, "Only to realize just how much bull it was. I pushed her away, pushed her right into Jackson's arms. Treated her as if she was just a friend knowing that I could see more in her eyes and that hurt. When I saw her sitting in that chair at the restaurant, all I thought was that saying. If you love something, set it free and if it comes back, it's yours."

"And you thought her returning was..." Luciano started then nodded in understanding.

"But everything is different now. I try to be with her as often as I can, I even took time off of work just to be by her side. Doing everything I should've done in the beginning to show her I love her and I'm there for her. But... her laugh isn't the same."

My fists tighten a bit.

"She may not notice it, but I do. Her smile is different. It isn't with her whole face and it doesn't reach her eyes like it used to. She is starting from the beginning, and I get that, but I know something happened. Something she doesn't want to tell me and I don't know what to do."

"You know I'm the worst to talk to you about things like this," Luciano sighs, placing his bottle beside mine, "I made the same mistake. I even agreed with you all those years ago to put your career before everything else. Horrible decisions we've made, huh."

Luciano and I have had these talks before, but I don't think anything as deep as this. Sure we've spoken about many things, the family business, work, and our personal lives. But never deeper; It was always surface level. It was interesting to hear that he was in the same boat as me, the this was possibly the reason him and Janette has split.

That, that was his horrible decision.

"I guess what I could tell you is...that it gets better. That we learn from our mistakes and grow from the experiences we have. At that time in our lives, we thought this is it. This is what I've been searching for my entire life. This is what I've wanted my entire life. Until something new changes everything," Luciano says, staring up at the bedroom of Noel.

I catch a glimpse in the same direction as Luciano, watching Janette pick up Noel. The child only sleeping an extra 20 minutes yet now ready to eat and play. The soft smile was evident on her face, when turning back to my brother the smile was evident his as well.

"When Janette gave birth to Noel Everything changed for me. I guess that was my life-changing circumstance, the one that forced me to look at life differently . Everyonce usually has one. The moment that little girl looked into my eyes I knew nothing could make me happier, no amount of money or where I thought I needed to be in life would measure up to her."

"Sometimes life changing circumstances aren't children, but it is something that gives you a wake up call," He continued, still watching the two.

Janette peppered kisses all over the young child's face before heading out of the room and shutting the light off. Luciano stood, picking up the two bottles and walking towards the recycling bin to throw them away.

"What am I supposed to do when I get a wake up call? I think I may have already gotten it," I asked, falling back on the chair.

"I don't know, answer it? You'll figure it out," He replied, sliding the door open, "Now let's eat some pasta. Janette makes the best tuna and pepper pasta."

***

Arsenio's POV! Would you like to see some more of him and his family dynamic? Also how do we like the glimpse of Luciano and Janette's family unit?

What will happen next and how do you like the story so far? Comment below!