CHAPTER 3

Mr. John Patrick smiles at Mr. Taiye, "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 his father's speech off as his frown deepens.

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

"I know, Liam. I am only 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 as he bowed slightly to leave. "I will be taking my leave now, boss. Thank you and congratulations once again, Liam."

Liam nodded as he heard Mr. John's last words, then walked up with his father to the front of the meeting hall. He stood near the exit door and spoke, "I don't like all you just did right now father. There are many other ways to compensate Mr. John, not at my own detriment."

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

"Liam!" Mr. Taiye stops and he stares back at his son and shakes his head. "You don't say that to your mother's hearing. Someday you'll find a good wife, but that's all by the way. Let's focus on business and forget about all we have just said."

"Okay, father!" Liam sighed and 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.

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

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

"Okay boss!" Brown 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."

"Okay." Israel nods. The Benson Group is a 5-story multimillion-dollar company with lots of staff and workers. Liam steps out of the elevator and walks towards the car park while some of their workers stand beside their cars, discussing. It's a free day, and not much work is available to be carried out, as his father actually gave them a break the previous day to witness him as the new CEO.

Liam sat in the back seat while 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, even though they have lots of maids and servants working for them in their home. His mother, Mrs. Juliet Jackson, still prefers doing the cooking herself as she loves cooking their local dishes.

A maid stepped out to welcome Liam 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 prepares 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 immediately bowed their heads lower to him, "Welcome back, Master Liam."

"Thank you all." Liam responded to them while his mom washes her hands in the kitchen sink and dries them with her short kitchen towel, then she walks up to meet him and give 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 now resume the position as the new CEO."

"I know that, Mom," Liam smiles faintly to his mother as he steps out first from the kitchen, while his mother instructs the cook on what to do as her meal is almost done.

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

"Okay, Ma'am," Nora responded, as she's the cook and head to all the maids and servants in their home. Mrs. Juliet finally walks out to meet her son as he sits on the long couch stretching his long leg. She steps out dressed 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 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 asked, as he watched 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 cook; I might end up becoming lazy and sick since I have already retired this year from the nursing home before you returned."

"Hmm," Liam hums. "It's okay, mother. As long as you're not stressed, I'm okay with that," he replies.

"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 did you expect them to have dressed?" Mrs. Juliet asked, with wide eyes open as she's confused with her son's claims.

"Decent mother. Decent! That's how a co-operative worker is supposed to dress for office work. Decent, not trying to seduce anyone at work."

"Oh, Liam!" Mrs. Juliet had 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 everything. 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 resume 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 am 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 are allowed into the company. I have already prepared the dress code, and Brown will give out the information to them tomorrow." Liam stood up, and Mrs Juliet is dumbfounded.

"Liam!" She finally calls him and he stops."I am 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 wouldn'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 to 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 Benson watches as her son takes the stairs in the living room and walks up to the second floor. 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 walked back to welcome her husband. Even though he is 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 asked.

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

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

"Welcome, sir" she responded.