Heiress ∣ Nate Archibald

The Undergraduates

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"I just got the news, Gossip Girl's down." Nate held his phone up to his girlfriend who was munching on grapes in the kitchen. "Good, maybe it'll give people a breath of reality." Ophelia shrugged, kissing her boyfriend on the lips with a sigh. "Isn't it Blair and Serena's first day at Columbia?". Nate wondered, taking a bite of toast before kissing his girlfriend once more. "Yes, so if you see them, be nice." Ophelia instructed, not wanting Nate to start anything with the blonde on her first day. "I promise. I love you." "I love you too. Oh, and don't mention the pregnancy!". Ophelia bid her boyfriend farewell as he grabbed his satchel and began to walk out of the penthouse. "You'll have to tell B eventually." Nate joked, continuing his exit ready for another year of college whilst Ophelia prepared for a day of work in her hotel.

Adjusting the white polka dot coat she had over her black dress the heiress looked towards the mirror at her front door, smiling as the bump became more obvious with each new day. Her pregnancy was roughly four months along post the summer break and her days of hiding it were long gone. The only reason she'd told Nate not to mention the pregnancy was because she hadn't been able to catch up with her cousin since she arrived home from Paris and this was certainly news she needed to share in person. With a hand on a cup of tea and her handbag in her grips Ophelia made her way downstairs in the Gilded Willow, ready for another day of work to distract herself from the fact she'd recently dropped out of university.

"The boss has arrived." Spencer teased as Ophelia stepped into her office right on time for a hotel board meeting. "What's the status on the board?". The heiress questioned, placing her bag down in her office as she waited for Spencer to reply. "They're waiting in the conference room; don't worry they haven't been there long." The Huntington confirmed, easing Ophelia's tension as she took a deep breath and prepared herself to walk into the meeting. "You're my right-hand man, let's do this." With a nod Ophelia and Spencer walked into the conference room, greeting each board member professionally before the siblings conducted their regular three-monthly update on the Gilded Willow's current business operations. 

As the hour finished up the meeting had gone spectacularly, there were a few board members originally cautious of Ophelia running operations of the hotel but after the latest information on their clientele, profits and the upcoming events they had booked they were quickly reassured that the heiress was working harder than ever to build the new empire she dreamed of. "Thank you for your time, I know it's a lot to travel into the city." Ophelia bid farewell to one of the board members, affectionately shaking their hand with a smile before leading them towards the hotel's newest cafe for an exclusive peak at their menu. 

When the board was finally out of earshot Ophelia threw her body against the coach in her office with a sigh. "My God I am starving." The heiress groaned, exhausted from maintaining her composure and denying any sign of her pregnancy in front of the board. "You did so good. The board is growing to love you with each meeting." Spencer reassured, thanking one of the workers as they appeared with a tray of fruit. "If someone told me owning a hotel would mean answering to a panel of old men every three months I may have reconsidered." The heiress joked, taking a bite of an apple with a moan of satisfaction before her and Spencer's phone simultaneously went off.