Faithfully Yours

chapter 13

The library in his house doubled as his office. One wall has built-in cabinets filled with books. At the center of the cabinet is a huge monitor screen. She had seen him use it in conversing with his staff at work. And sometimes he would use it to study data, and graphs in it. The other wall is filled with pictures. There was a picture of the groundbreaking ceremony. The first employees. And some were his awards as an entrepreneur when he first started. 

The library is in the same hallway as their bedroom. She would often look in on him as she made her way to their bedroom. He would often leave the door open and whenever she would pass by he would call her to join him. And since then she had added a good number of fiction books to his collection.

Most of her nights she would spend her evening in the library reading her romance novels. The library boasted another sitting area by the window. It has become her spot as she would lay there to read her books. He would glance at her once in a while as he worked on the piles of documents on his desk. And most often he would leave his seat to join her at the couch. 

The mahogany office table is placed at the center.  Mr. Niarchos is seated behind it when she entered. She smiled at him as she served him snacks and coffee.

Natalie who was seated beside him offered to pour the coffee for him. Then, she asked her to serve her more of the cookies and the salad. 

"Ah...Kate could you give us more of these sumptuous cookies. And I would like to have that fresh vegetable salad that you earlier?" She asked.

She meekly nodded and smiled at both of them as she move out of the room. But Mr. Niarchos chose to intervene. 

"Natalie get the salad yourself, and save the poor girl from doing your requests, she already has a lot on her hands with us here," he said. Natalie pouted but she stood up and went to the kitchen.

Lucas arrived while she was in the kitchen helping Nana prepare the meal.  He popped in and kissed her but excused himself to go to the library.

"Lucas founded the company but he also relied on his father's intuition in running the business," Nana offered her knowledge of the two Niarchos. 

"Is his father also a businessman?" she asked. 

"He is in the shipping business. And he did well." Nana said. 

His mother popped in and ask what they will be having for dinner. She nodded her head. She guessed that was a sign that she was satisfied with the menu. 

"Kate, would you be a dear, give the men their snacks." She asked. 

"I already did," she replied. 

"Thank you," she said and left. She heaved a sigh of relief when she was gone. 

Nana smiled at her and pat her shoulder. "You will be alright," she said.

"She might seem hostile, but she has a good heart. I wouldn't be in her household for so long if she weren't," she offered that piece of information about her former employer. But it didn't give her the comfort that his mother liked her. 

Luke emerged from the library and was followed by his father. They were in the living room having a pre-dinner drink. A section of the living room is dedicated to a bar. She is not familiar with liquor or wines. Lucas also mentioned that he is not keen on them. But he had the best of them as he would often entertain his guest in his house. 

Natalie, Sam, and his mother have joined them as well. They looked so at ease holding a wine glass while Lucas refilled them. His mother commented something about the wine, he nodded and reached to the wine cabinet to get another bottle.