Chapter 4

Kiara

''Are you okay child?' Martha, my housekeeper asked.

I wasn't okay, I wasn't okay at all. How could she even ask me that when my whole world was falling apart. The reality of the life I lived in now was crashing down on me without mercy. My father was dead and what's worse, I just discovered that the company was on the brink of liquidation. We were in serious debts and if we weren't careful, the banks would begin closing in on us. That was something I didn't think I could afford happening.

''No.'' I croaked.

I thought rough sex with Lucien would ease the pain I was feeling within but it did nothing to help but instead, it pushed me to the realisation that I was now alone left with no father or mother. This wasn't how I expected reality to go and it hurt me to know that I was truly and utterly alone.

''I'm so sorry dear, your father was a good man.'' she sighed.

She took my hands in her's, giving it a gentle squeeze. I had told Lucien to leave a few hours ago even though he insisted on staying. I just didn't want him to see me in this vulnerable state where I bawled my eyes out.

''Why did he just die like that? I never saw it coming, I never knew he was suffering from hypertension. Why didn't he say anything to me?'' I cried.

After my father's death, our family doctor had revealed to me that my father had been suffering from hypertension for a while now. He had been suppressing it with drugs, never allowing me to know that he was suffering from it. He was suffering while I was busy partying and living life to the fullest.

''What kind of daughter am i? Martha, i didn't even know he was sick.'' I cried.

She sighed, placing my head on her shoulder as she tried her best to dry my tears. I was inconsolable. I never envisioned that i would live my life without my father, it was a rude shock. Knowing that our company was on the brink of bankruptcy and coupled with the fact that my father was sick before he died was enough to put me in a state of depression. It was too much for me to take and I really wished there was someone who could take all of this pain away.

''I understand how you feel love and trust me, it's not going to be easy coming out of it. Heck, you might not even come out of this because you'll keep blaming yourself for what happened but darling i want you to know that none of this was your fault.'' she said, running her hands through my hair.

''Martha, can't you see? All of this is my fault. If I had been more observant I would have known that things weren't going alright. I would have seen signs that my father was ill, i would have seen our stocks fall.''

She sighed, petting me as I bawled my eyes out. This was all my fault and no one could convince me otherwise. I had been so foolish, so very stupid not to see the writing on the wall.

''It's still not your fault dear but I don't want you to dwell on that. I want you to look at what you can do to save your father's company. Kiara, you are in charge now. Let no one take what is yours, save it!'' she said.

I didn't know what I could do to save it but if there was one thing I knew, it was that I wouldn't give up. I still had a chance of saving what my father had toiled to build. I just couldn't watch it go down without a fight.

''I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier.''

''I understand and I take no offence. If i was in your shoes, i would have done much worse.'' she smiled.

I rested my head on her shoulders as we both fell into a comfortable silence. It was dark with the time heading towards ten p.m. The stars were already out as she stared at them from the balcony of my penthouse. I remembered doing this with my father on the days he was free from his many meetings. Thinking about it brought fresh tears to my eyes and I had a hard time believing he was gone.

''Do you want some cocoa?'' she asked.

I could do with some of that right now. I knew I needed to stop moping around and take charge of my company because that would be what my father wanted me to do. He would have wanted me to stop crying and to raise my chin up high with a bold look on my face because he knew I was brave.

''Yes, I would like that very much. Thank you.'' I smiled.

She gave my hands a gentle squeeze before rising up to her feet and walking away. I needed to make some calls and the first person I had to call was my personal assistant.

''Amy, how are you?'' I asked as soon as she answered the call.

''Good evening ma'am, please accept my condolences.'' she sighed.

''It's okay, thank you. Please I need you to set up a meeting slated for ten a.m tomorrow. Its a meeting of the board of directors, attendance is compulsory.'' I said.

''On it ma'am. Is there any other thing you would like me to do?'' she asked.

I thought about it for a while and I realised that there was no other thing. I had to have the meeting first before knowing the way forward.

''None for now, i'll let you know as soon as i think of something else.''

''Okay ma'am, goodnight.''

I cut the call, placing my phone back on my bedside table. Martha walked in with my cocoa, placing it on the bedside table beside my phone.

''Would you still need anything?'' she smiled.

''No… nothing for now.'' I sighed.

''Okay, let me leave you to have some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow.''

''Yeah… Martha, there's something i wanted to tell you.''

In the space of a few minutes that she left me, so many things had passed through my mind. I needed to be sure of where I was currently at with myself and with those around me.

''Okay dear, what's the matter?''

''Now that my father is gone.'' I croaked, unable to complete what I wanted to say.

''Its okay dear, you can tell me when you're ready.'' she sighed.

She sat beside me on my king sized bed, taking my hands in her's. I needed to say what I had in mind but yet, I was overwhelmed with emotions.

''No, i have to say it.'' I said.

''Okay.'' she smiled.

I took a deep breath, willing myself to calm down. There was really nothing new under the sun and I had to woman up and face what had happened.

''I wanted to say that now that my father is gone, you can leave too if you want. You were more of his housekeeper than mine. I don't want to keep you against your will.'' I said, tears running down my eyes.

''Nonsense! Kiara, this is the time you need me more than ever before and I'd be a fool to leave you when you're most vulnerable. I'm not going anywhere.'' she said.

I couldn't hold back the onslaught of tears that filled my eyes upon hearing her words. She held me closer as I bawled my eyes out. What she had said was the kindest thing anyone had ever said to me and I was grateful to have her in my life.

''Thank you,'' I managed to say.

She kissed my forehead and with her, I knew everything would be alright