Chapter 3.

"Oh, she studied business administration at the University of Nigeria," Mr. John said.

"That's fine, then. Have her submit her CV to us once she's home. I am sure we still have more vacancies for new talent like her; I will be expecting her response," Mr. Taiye replied.

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

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

"I know, son. I am only just trying to compensate Mr. John Patrick for his good will and commitment to working with us for over twenty years." Mr. Taiye responded, while Mr. John only smiled faintly at Liam as he bowed a little to leave.

"I will be taking my leave now, boss. Thank you and congratulations once again, Liam," Mr. John said as he excused himself away from them, while Liam nodded as he heard Mr. John's last word, and he walked up with his father back to the front of the meeting hall while they stood near the exit door, and he spoke, "I don't like all you just did right now, father. There are many other ways to compensate Mr. John Patrick, and not at my own detriment."

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

Mr. Taiye paused, and he stared back at Liam and shook his head as he replied, "Liam!"

"You don't say that to your mother's hearing. Someday you'll find a good wife, but that's all, by the way, now. Let's focus on business and forget about all we have just said."

"Okay, father," Liam sighed, and he watched his father exit the meeting hall, leaving only him in the hall. His personal assistant walked back into the meeting hall to meet him immediately after his father left and asked, "What should I do now, boss?" Brown stands in front of Liam.

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

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

"Israel, get the car ready; the boss is about to leave now." Brown informed Israel on the ground floor, and Israel nodded, as the Benson Group is a 5-story multi-million dollar company with lots of staff and workers in it. Liam stepped out of the elevator and walked towards the car park while some of their workers stood out and beside their cars, starting to discuss that it's a free day and no work is available to be carried out as his father actually gave them the break the previous day to witness him as the new CEO.

Liam sits in the back seat of his car while Israel starts the car's engine and drives him home to the Benson residential villa.

Liam steps down from the car and walks straight to the living room downstairs, and his mother isn't in the living room as she's in the kitchen cooking, even though they have lots of maids and servants working for them in their mansion. His mother, Mrs. Juliet Jackson, still prefers doing the cooking herself, as she loves preparing their local dishes.

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

"Thank you." Liam stared away from her as he made his way towards the kitchen to find his mother. The aroma of the food she's preparing has filled the entire living room as she's preparing the popular Egusi soup garnished with beef and fresh fish.

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

"Thank you," Liam replied to them while his mom washes her hand in the kitchen sink and dries it with her short kitchen towel, and she walks up to meet him and gives him a warm hug.

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

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

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

"Just keep a watch on it so it won't get burned. Once it is ready, serve it right out," Mrs. Juliet instructed a maid.

"Okay, Ma'am," Nora responded, as she's the cook and heads to all the maids and servants in their home, and Mrs. Juliet finally walks out to meet her son as he sits on the long couch in the living room, stretching his long legs.

Mrs. Juliet steps out in her usual long brown gown, and she removes her kitchen apron from her chest and hands it over to a maid who steps out next to her.

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

"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're you stressing so much on cooking when you have the maids and cooks at your service?" Liam asked his mother as he watched her sit across from him.

"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 cook alone, as I might end up becoming lazy and sick as I have already retired this year from the nursing home before you returned."

"Hmm," Liam hummed.

"It's okay, mother. So long as you're not stressed about it, I'm okay with that," Liam replied.

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

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

"What do you mean by that, son? Weren't they putting on clothes, or how else had you expected them to have dressed?" Mrs. Juliet asked in surprise, as she was confused by her son's claims.

"Decently, mother! That's how a professional female worker is supposed to dress for office work. Decent, not trying to seduce anyone at work," Liam replied, and his mother gasped.

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

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

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

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

"I'm sorry, mom. But that's how I will like them to start dressing from tomorrow onwards; I will have them inspected at the gate before they're allowed into the company and have already prepared the dress code, and Brown will give out the information to them tomorrow," Liam stated as he stood up from the couch while Mrs. Juliet was dumbfounded.

"Liam," She finally called him, and he stopped.

"I'm sorry, mom, but if my father interferes 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 distracted or 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 to the company's already-growing growth," Mrs. Juliet replied.

"Not at all, mother," Liam finally smiled to his mother, seeing that his mom already agreed.

"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," Liam said.

"Okay, son, I will be expecting you," Mrs. Juliet said as she watched her son climb the stairs in the living room and start going upstairs to the second floor, as their house is a standard duplex. Even as her husband has the money to purchase a multi-million dollar mansion, she still prefers them staying in the Benson Villa, as it keeps a lot of her past memories alive.

Mrs. Juliet sighed as she stood up to prepare the dining table with the maids, and just then her husband arrived home with another of his friends, Mr. Tunji Martin, and she welcomed them as they walked into the living room and met her walking towards the dining room.

"Welcome, honey," Mrs. Juliet said as she walked 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 said to his wife, and she smiled at him.

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

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

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

"Okay, honey. Welcome, sir," Mrs. Juliet smiled at Mr. Tunji, and he greeted her, "Well done, ma."

"Welcome," she replied.