Chapter 0003

Mr. John Patrick smiled at Mr. Taiye and said, "Oh, she studied Business Administration at the University of Nigeria."

"That's fine then. Have her submit her CV to us once she's home. I'm sure we have more vacancies for newcomers like her. I will be expecting her response."

"Father!" Liam quickly cut off his father's speech as his frown deepened.

"You cannot just court me with her yet," Liam said, and his father smiled at him.

"I know, son. I am just trying to compensate Mr. John Patrick for his goodwill and commitment in working with us for over twenty years," Mr. Taiye responded, while Mr. John only smiled faintly at Liam and bowed slightly before leaving.

"I will be taking my leave now, boss. Thank you and congratulations once again, Liam," Mr. John said as he left.

Liam nodded as he heard Mr. John's last words and walked with his father back to the front of the meeting hall, standing near the exit door and said, "I don't like all you just did right now, father. There are many other ways to compensate Mr. John without it being at my own detriment."

"What do you mean by that, son? Mr. John has been a committed worker. I know you won't understand all of this because you're new here with us, but it's okay. Besides, he said if only his daughter agrees. She might not even accept to work with us, and there's no need for you to worry about all I just said now," Mr. Taiye said as he turned to leave the meeting hall. Liam replied to him, "I hope she doesn't, father. Women aren't of interest to me for now."

"Liam!" Mr. Taiye stopped and stared back at his son, shaking his head.

"You shouldn't say that in front of your mother. Someday you'll find a good wife, but let's focus on business and forget about all I just said," Mr. Taiye said.

"Okay, father," Liam sighed and watched his father exit the meeting hall, leaving only him and his personal assistant in the hall. Brown walked back into the meeting hall to meet Liam immediately after his father left.

"What should I do now, boss?" Brown asked as he stood in front of Liam.

"Prepare the car. I will be going back home for today. All official duties start tomorrow."

"Okay, boss," Brown said as he exited the meeting hall on the second floor and walked downstairs to inform Liam's personal driver to prepare the car.

"Israel, get the car ready. The boss is about to leave," Brown informed Israel on the ground floor, and Israel nodded.

The Benson Group is a 5-storey multi-million dollar company with lots of staff and workers. Liam stepped out of the elevator and walked towards the car park, where some of their workers were standing beside their cars, discussing as it was a free day with not much work to be carried out. His father had given them a break the previous day to witness him as the new CEO.

Liam sat in the back seat as Israel started the car's engine and drove him home to the Benson residential villa.

Liam stepped down from the car and walked straight to the living room downstairs, but his mother wasn't there as she was in the kitchen cooking. Despite having many maids and servants working for them in their home, Mrs. Juliet Jackson still preferred doing the cooking herself as she loved cooking their local dishes.

A maid stepped out to welcome Liam as she heard the sound of the car arriving. She bowed to him and greeted him in a courteous manner, "Welcome back Master Liam."

"Thank you," Liam replied and stared away from her as he made his way towards the kitchen to find his mother.

The aroma of the food she was preparing had filled the entire living room. She was preparing the popular Egusi soup garnished with beef and fresh fish.

"Good afternoon, mom," Liam greeted his mother as he walked into the kitchen. The two maids assisting his mother immediately bowed their heads lower to him, "Welcome back Master Liam."

"Thanks," Liam nodded to them while his mom washed her hands in the kitchen sink, dried them with her short kitchen towel, and walked up to meet him, giving him a warm hug.

"Welcome home, son. How was your day today in the office?" Mrs. Juliet asked.

"Fine, mother. Hasn't father arrived home yet?" Liam asked in return, and she replied, "No, son. Probably he's with his friends. You know he's happy you finally returned and have now resumed the position as the new CEO."

"I know, mom," Liam smiled faintly at his mother as he stepped out first from the kitchen. His mother instructed the cook on what to do, as her meal was almost done.

"Just keep an eye on it so it won't get burnt. Once it's ready, serve it right away," Mrs. Juliet instructed a maid.

"Okay, Ma'am," Nora responded, as she was the cook. She headed to all the maids and servants in their home, and Mrs. Juliet finally walked out to meet her son as he sat on the long couch stretching his long legs. She stepped out dressed in her usual long brown gown and removed her kitchen apron from her chest, handing it over to a maid who stepped out next after her.

"Here, take this to the laundry room and wash it."

"Okay, ma'am." The maid collected the apron and left, while Mrs. Juliet walked up to sit on the opposite couch across from Liam.

"Mom, why are you stressing so much on cooking when you have the maids and cooks at your service?" Liam asks, as he watches his mother sit.

"I know that, son, but you know cooking is part of exercise and I enjoy cooking too. I cannot leave all the work to the maids and cooks, I might end up becoming lazy and sick as I have already retired this year from the Nursing home before you returned."

"Hmm," Liam hums.

"It's okay, mother. So long as you're not stressed with it, I am okay with that," he replies.

"Not at all, son. Tell me, how did the event go?"

"Fine, mother. It was just a simple meeting of the new staff, but I don't like how some of the young female staff dressed," Liam states, as his face twists in irritation.

"What do you mean by that, son? Weren't they wearing clothes or how else did you expect them to dress?" Mrs. Juliet asks, with wide eyes open as she's confused with her son's claims.

"Decently, mother. Decently! That's how a corporate worker is supposed to dress for office work. Decently, not trying to seduce anyone at work."

"Oh, Liam!" Mrs. Juliet has a faint smile on her face.

"They're young females and probably searching for a husband. You don't expect them to dress like a married woman covering everywhere. And besides, they might want you to admire one of them."

"No, mother! That's not something I will allow. Tomorrow I will give a new dress code order to Brown and any of the new female staff and old staff that cannot follow suit are expected to quit."

"Liam! You won't do just that. You just resumed the CEO position. You won't be harsh to your workers and colleagues at the office just because you're their boss," Mrs. Juliet frowns.

"I'm sorry, mom. But that's how I would like them to start dressing from tomorrow. I will have them inspected at the gate before they're allowed into the company, and I've already prepared the dress code. Brown will give out the information to them tomorrow." Liam stands up and Mrs. Juliet is dumbfounded.

"Liam!" She finally calls him and he stops.

"I'm sorry, mom, but if father interjects in this, then I will have to resign from the company, as one must keep his or her focus and I won't like to be tempted by any of my female staff."

"Okay, son. If that's how you want it, I just hope there won't be any backlash in the company's already growth."

"Not at all, mother." Liam finally smiles at his mother, seeing his mom already agrees.

"I will have to go upstairs now and freshen up. The aroma of the soup is inviting. Let me freshen up first and come back downstairs to join you for dinner."

"Okay, son, I will be expecting you." Mrs. Juliet Jackson watches as her son takes the stairs in the living room and walks up to the second floor as their house is a standard duplex. Even though her husband has the money to purchase a multimillion-dollar mansion, she still prefers them staying in the Benson Villa as it keeps a lot of her past memories alive.

She sighs as she stands up to prepare the dining table with the maids, and just then her husband arrives home with another of his friends, Mr. Tunji Martin, and she greets them as they walk into the living room and meet her walking towards the dining room.

"Welcome, Honey!" Mrs. Juliet walks back to welcome her husband, even though he's 68 years old, she doesn't fail to call him honey.

"Wow, the aroma of the soup is inviting," Mr. Taiye says to his wife and she smiles at him.

"Where's Liam? Isn't he back yet?" Mr. Taiye asks.

"He's back, he went up to freshen up," Mrs. Juliet replies.

"Okay, meet my friend Tunji, we have a little business discussion, but that will have to wait, as Tunji will be joining us for dinner."

"Okay, Honey," Mrs. Juliet smiles at Mr. Tunji and he greets her, "Well done, ma."

"Welcome," she responds.