Chapter Two

Francis' phone vibrates in his pocket. He takes it out and gives a warm smile when he sees it's his mother calling. He goes to a quiet, less busy spot and answers the call.

​"Hello, mom." Francis greets.

​"How are you my son?" Priscilla asks. Priscilla Armitage is slender woman in her late fifties with a mane of white hair cascading down to her shoulders. Francis gets his olive skin from her.

​"I'm fine. How are you and dad? Sorry I haven't called for some time. I have just been really busy."

​"That's no problem. I called because I remembered today is Catherine's birthday."

​"Will you come?" Francis yearns for his mother and father but Catherine's acceptance of his family is only an arm's length. When Francis had told Catherine that he wanted his father and mother to visit after his marriage to Melissa, he was barked at by his mother in law threatening him not to bring his low class parents to her house because they would contaminate the air and dirty her imported chairs.

​"You know how she is with us. Your father and I didn't even send a gift because we don't know what she likes." Priscilla imagines how Catherine's expensive taste is. What could they give as a gift to a woman from a conglomerate family? Their gift would be worthless to her.  

Francis feels deeply sad that his family can't come, "Don't worry about it. I'll tell her that you sent your regards." Francis knows he can't tell Catherine that but he has to lie to his mother to make her feel better about her not coming for Catherine's birthday party.

​"That will be nice, my son. I will let you get back to what you are doing. Take care of yourself."

​"Goodbye mom." Francis cuts the call and pockets his phone. He goes to the house to check up on the maid that Charles spilled champagne on.

​ Francis closes the living room door behind him. Catherine had created a monument to an exquisite taste. Her home was well built, beautifully decorated, a neoclassical empire in the hills of California. He sees a large portrait of the wedding photo of him and Melissa. When Melissa told him she was pregnant, his heart couldn't contain how happy he was. It was really Melissa that fought for their love forcing Catherine to give her blessings whether she liked it or not. But recently, Melissa has been distant from him. Is her love for him wearing out? He doesn't know. Anytime he attempts to start a conversation, Melissa just ignores him. When he asks what's wrong, she just stares at him without any response giving him what he believes is a pitiful look.

Francis sees a maid going upstairs with a vase of flowers in her hands.

​"Where are you taking that?" Francis asks.

​"To the guest room upstairs." A maid replies.

​"Why? Are we expecting a guest?"

​"I don't know sir. I am just following miss Rose's command." The maid continues her way upstairs, passing Rose who comes downstairs.

​"Miss Rose, are we expecting someone?" Francis asks. If they are cleaning the guest room that means a guest is coming.

​"Madam Catherine is coming with someone. She told me to clean the guest room." Rose replies, "Now if you will excuse me." Rose leaves the house to inspect the garden.

From the room at the end of corridor, the young maid Charles disgraced comes out. She's dressed in new clothes. She walks into the living room. She stops when she sees Francis in the living room looking at her.

​"Good afternoon sir." The maid politely greets.

​"Are you hurt anywhere?" Francis asks, worried about the punch Charles gave her on her shoulder.

​"No sir. I'm alright." The maid lies. She still feels the stinging pain on her shoulder but what can she do? She needs the money gotten from this part time job she got.

​"Regarding what happened today, you signed a document to keep the things that happens in this house confidential." Francis discloses.

​"Yes sir."

​"So I'm asking that no one knows about what happened between you and Catherine's son. This isn't an order but a request."

​"Have I been sacked, sir?" The maid's voice quivers. Anything involving the rich and poor, it doesn't matter who is wrong. What matters is who has the money and the maid knows she can't argue with that.

​"No. Don't worry. I spoke with miss Rose. Just be more careful." Francis reassures her.

​"I will sir. I promise. Thank you sir." Relief spreads throughout the maid's body. She is not getting sacked.

​"Now get back to work before miss Rose looks for you."

The maid hurries out of the house to the garden.

​Louis Hapkins is fixated on the rolling hills and vegetations outside the window. Lush trees covers the landscape with a flourish of warm colors. Daisy yellow, purple petals and apple red swirl together as the wind ruffles the leaves. He has been living in Japan for the past ten years and now he's on a train to Beverly Hills, California. Louis has an intimidating height, with dark curly black hair and intense black eyes with a work-out body. Not only is he now a partner of Viva Foods company but he is rich and hot and still only thirty-two.

Catherine blinks her eyes open. She sits up from her bad sleeping posture and massages her neck. She looks at Louis admiring the view. She has barely had any sleep since she had to attended a conference with other esteemed people. She had to make connections for you never know when you need them. She's surprised Louis is awake.  

​"Did you sleep at all?" Catherine asks.

Louis looks at Catherine with a smiling face, "You're awake, president Catherine. The US is so different from Japan. I feel like I'm back home." Louis is an only child to a Japanese mother and an American father. He was born and raised in Japan.

Catherine smiles, "That's nice."

​"With the opportunity you've given me, I don't want to fail to meet your expectations." Louis says. He has been scouted by Catherine because of the role he played so that Catherine could be in partnership with Green Corps.

​"Don't worry about that. You will do well." Catherine says.

Catherine is a distinguished-looking woman in her sixties. Coming from a generation of conglomerates, she successfully controls Viva Foods Company as the president. It didn't come easy though. Her father and mother died in a plane crash when she was newly married with Victor and pregnant with her first child. Her father's will was already written. Viva Foods Company was given to her. It came with fierce opposition from her two elder brothers. They fought hard for the company but she took care of them. She had to be strong and fearless to make that difficult decision.

​"Ladies and gentlemen, we will soon be stopping at the South Square Station. Thank you for using Exquisite Train Services." A feminine voice says through the speakers.

​"Congratulations on coming to California. I hope you enjoy your stay here." Catherine smiles.

Louis picks up a small gift bag on the floor and gives it to Catherine. He knows today is Catherine's birthday so he bought her an expensive jewelry. He has to continuously win her heart if he is to stay by her side for a long time, at least to get what he wants.  

​"What's this?" Catherine looks inside the bag.

​"Happy birthday, president Catherine."  Louis compliments.

​"You remembered." Catherine exclaims. She takes out a red jewelry box and opens it. Her heart warms when she sees  a silver necklace and pair of earrings with similar color and designs. Louis made a good choice. They look expensive and rare.

​"Thank you." Catherine says.

​"Are there vacant apartments around your house? I would like to meet often in case we need talk business." Louis inquires. By all means necessary, he must live near Catherine.

​"Why are you looking for a house when you'll be staying with me?" Catherine closes the jewelry box and puts it back in the gift bag.

Louis sits up. He must have misunderstood what Catherine said, "At your house? I don't want to intrude. I can stay at a hotel for the main time."

Louis could not believe Catherine's offer. She is such a old fashioned matriarch that he thought her home would be off limits to guests. She does not know it but she has made a decision that is fully to his advantage.

​"Don't be silly. I hired you to work for my company so you can stay with me for the main time. There are important things to discuss about the company and I need you nearby." Catherine needs Louis near her. He could do a lot for her company.

Louis relaxes into the seat. He feigns a burdened face.

​"Why does it make you uncomfortable?" Catherine glances at Louis. He is more than comfortable. He is overwhelmed by her offer.

​"Of course not. I'm just worried I will make your family uncomfortable." Louis honestly does not care about that.

​"It's my house so I can invite whoever I like." Catherine says. If Louis could connect her to Green Corps, one of the companies that was on Best Times' magazines top 100 best companies of 2022, she imagines how much more Louis can do.

​"Thank you ma." Louis says, "My parents are always away on business trips so I always wanted to live with a family. I think I made the right choice coming to California." Louis had to mature faster than his age mates. His father and mother would always travel for work, leaving him alone with the housemaid. Anytime his parents returned, the first thing they would ask were his school results. Having maintained the highest average score parallel from his elementary to university, he got all he wanted but not his parents' love and attention.