Chapter 2
"Thank you so much, doctor," Katherine Taylor says, shaking the physician's hand.
"Thank you, Mrs. Taylor. Keep taking such good care of your father, and I'll see you in six months."
"Six months? I don't plan on coming back here for five years," Warren Taylor grumbles, starting to walk down the hallway.
Katherine follows him after making an apologetic gesture to the doctor and positions herself by his side.
"You should be more polite, Dad," she scolds him, taking his arm.
"I am polite," he says, "but I don't know why we always have to come here. You've seen I'm fine."
"That's exactly why - to make sure that heart of yours keeps working perfectly. These are just check-ups, Dad. I don't understand why you have to make such a fuss every time we come to one," Katherine complains.
"Because it's a waste of time. You have much more important things to do than waste time here with me."
Katherine stops dead in her tracks just as they cross the exit doors and stares at him.
"Nothing is more important than your health, is that clear?" she says in that sharp, cutting tone that characterizes her.
"Sure," her father responds with a sigh. "You're just as stubborn as your mother, rest her soul. Did you know that?"
"I know, you've told me many times," Katherine smiles, "but that won't get you out of these check-ups. Besides," she adds, resuming their walk to the car waiting in front of the hospital, "if I didn't bring you, I'd have to deal with your daughters' complaints, and they're more persistent than I am."
Warren Taylor's laughter catches the attention of several passersby, but father and daughter remain unfazed as they reach the car, where Mike Foster, Katherine's driver and loyal shield-bearer, waits with the back door open.
"How did it go, Mr. Taylor?" he asks politely, with the familiarity granted by his years of service to his daughter.
"Perfect, Mike, you know me, strong as an ox," Warren jokes as he climbs into the back seat.
"Glad to hear that, sir," Mike smiles and closes the door.
"He's impossible today," Katherine comments while Mike accompanies her to the other door.
"He enjoys seeing you annoyed, that's all," Mike responds.
"Yeah, since he retired he gets bored a lot. Let's see if Caroline comes and takes him to some of her meetings," she comments, referring to her younger sister.
"I'm sure she'll come soon," Mike says before closing the door.
Katherine is fastening her seatbelt when her phone starts ringing. She looks at the screen and shows it to her father, raising her eyebrows.
"See? We haven't even left the hospital, and your daughter Caroline is already calling to find out how it went."
Warren doesn't comment before Katherine answers her younger sister's call, but the man couldn't be prouder of the daughters he has.
"Everything's perfect," Katherine says, "and he's being grumpy, as usual. How are you? Are you on the cruise yet?" she asks, activating the speakerphone.
"Boarding in a few minutes," Caroline answers. "I'll stay a few days to make sure everything's running smoothly, then head back to New York, so be good while I'm away, Dad," she says, raising her voice, causing Katherine and Mike to laugh.
"I'm always good. It's your sister who complains too much."
Katherine rolls her eyes and turns off the speakerphone to continue talking with her sister.
"Do you want to come to the hotel, or would you prefer Mike to take you home first?" Katherine asks when she ends the call.
"Home. Hospital visits put me in a bad mood, you know that. By the way, I heard you fired your personal assistant again. What happened this time?"
Katherine looks at him, mouth agape.
"Do you have a mole in my hotel?"
"Actually, I have quite a few, daughter. Do you think any of your employees would refuse to give information to Mrs. Taylor's father?"
Mike's laughter calms Katherine, who also catches the humor.
"Well, I hate to tell you they've misinformed you. I didn't fire her, I reassigned her."
"Right," her father rolls his eyes, "what did this one do? Try to organize your desk or your underwear drawer?"
"I just want them to clean the penthouse, Dad. I don't ask them to organize anything."
"First of all, calling living in one of the hotel suites a penthouse seems inaccurate, but fine. Since you're a workaholic and I can't do anything about that, at least I don't have to worry about anything happening to you on your way to work. As for those poor girls, they're just trying to do their job as best they can. It's not their fault your desk looks like a jungle. Even I feel tempted to organize it every time I visit."
"My desk is fine as it is, okay? I know where everything is, and if you dare touch anything, I'll have you banned from the hotel," she threatens playfully just as Mike parks the car.
"I'll escort him, Katherine, stay here," the driver offers, but Katherine declines and, as always, she personally accompanies her father into his apartment and only leaves when she's sure he'll be fine.
Two hours later and after attending a board meeting, Katherine Taylor finally goes up to the top floor of the Mallois Hotel to access the luxurious suite she's turned into her apartment. She takes a shower and collapses on the couch, planning to rest for a few minutes before attending the meeting scheduled in half an hour, but she hasn't even closed her eyes when her mobile starts ringing and Rachel's name, her older sister, appears on the screen.
"Well, you were the only one missing," Katherine says when she answers.
Katherine makes herself comfortable to continue talking with her sister after updating her about their father's hospital visit.
"Hey, when are you coming to visit?" Rachel asks.
"I wish I could, Rachel, really, I'd love to come see you and Ashley, but right now I have tons of work. It'd be easier for you to come here."
"Mmmm," Rachel says, being mysterious.
"What?" Katherine frowns.
"That's impossible right now. Your niece and her friends convinced me to set up a small concert venue in the bar, and you have no idea what a mess I'm dealing with."
"Why blame Ashley when you're the one who's been pushing music on her since she was little?" Katherine laughs. "You're both the same that way, except she started a band with her friends and you're a lone wolf."
"That's true," Rachel admits.
"Well, if you're renovating the bar, I guess I'll have to come see it when it's all done," Katherine says.
"Hope it's soon, and please, drag Dad and your sister with you."
Katherine laughs and promises she will, but says goodbye and ends the call when someone knocks on her door.
"Hi, Olivia, is it time already?" Katherine asks with a comic grimace when she sees her secretary at the door.
"It is, dear," the woman responds and steps aside to let her pass.
Olivia, who has been working for the Taylor family since Katherine can remember, briefs her on her daily schedule until they reach the elevator. Both women step inside, and Olivia presses the button for the main floor, where, in addition to the reception and two dining rooms, they have several private rooms that clients use for closing deals, and one of them is reserved exclusively for Katherine Taylor.
"Time to put on the bitch mask," Katherine says when the door opens.
Olivia doesn't like the crude language she sometimes hears from Katherine or her younger sister, but she doesn't protest, just nods and follows because she knows Katherine is right - to survive in a man's world, she must become a predator, and if she's famous for anything in business, it's for being as fierce as a wolf.