ARJUN SMITH (P.O.V)
It's been five years since my father forcing me to take over his company. And I was refusing every time
he tried to talk about that. That doesn't mean I wasn't interested in being a CEO. Who wouldn't desire?
But what I was thinking was he's my inspiration like, how he built his empire like zero to No.1. I was
also wanted to be like him, and he was trying to make me sit on his chair without letting me fall and rise
on my own. I don't know why most of the parents didn't have the guts to see their kids falling and rising
like the sun?
I grabbed my laptop from the bed on the way to the dining room. While descending the stairs I watched
the time and realized I still have time to kill.
When I got to our dining room Alice, chef, welcomed me with her affectionate smile on her face. I ate
my breakfast as she served me. She'd always serve with a smile on her face and sweetness in her
voice.
And... Speaking of foods, this was the perfect time for my mom's intro but where's she? This was her
regular time to shout, "Arjun!" there she was. Her voice echoed in that huge room as I turned to see her
face with a smile as always.
"Mom, I was just thinking about you," I said as my eyes followed her as she took a seat beside me.
"Like, I'd believe." She gave me that annoyed look.
"Where's dad?" I asked her when I realized that she and I was the only person in that room except for
Alice. He was the one who supposes to come first for the intro.
"He'd already left for Miami for a meeting. Didn't you see him while leaving?" she asked, surprised in
her tone. "Aah!" she said like she just remembered something. "He came to your room by four before
leaving but when he saw that you were sleeping tight he didn't want to disturb you."
"Okay, I'll call him later, then." I shrugged, making clear that we were cool here.
"Ahh!" she said, again with her "just remembered something", tone.
"Now, what?" I groaned.
"I forgot to mention that he asked me to say that he was retiring tomorrow and you're going to take over
his company from tomorrow on." She smiled a motherly pride of her son's smile.
So from tomorrow onwards I'll be the "Arjun Smith, the CEO of the Smith industries of my father's
company." I tasted the bitterness of those words while thinking about that.
"How's Charles?" she asked after some moments.
From when did she start missing Charles? He'd always annoyed her. By the way, Charles was my one
and only friend from my childhood.
"Fine," I said like it's no big deal.
There was nothing to say about him, we were the main partners in crime, who stalk girls, share secrets,
laughs, and sometimes even friendly fights.
"Didn't he come to pick you up, already?" she asked annoyed by his topic. But she was the one who
started it, with no doubt. She also adores him as much as I do but when it comes to mock, she loses
and he always wins, so she'd always put that annoying look whenever she talks or asks about him like
now. She'd always been pretending that she didn't care about him but the truth was, she did.
"Mrs. Smith! I'm glad you missed my presence." Some voice shouted from the doorway. I and mom
turned our faces around to see the owner of that voice. The voice was familiar though, the kindest
voice I'd ever heard.
"He came?" she muttered under her breath but better enough for me to hear.
"Yep," I whispered to her as her eyes go wide.
"Then it's my due to go." She said as she stood from the chair like someone placed the bonfire under
her seat.
When she was about to move, the same voice made her pause on the place where she stood.
"Are you in a hurry, Mrs. Smith?" Charles asked as he walked towards her and stood in front of her and
blocking her way.
"No, Mr._" she stared.
"Dickinson" he finished. "But you can call me Charles, you know that."
"No, I don't." She dared him. "Arjun, could you please say your friend to get out of my way?" she said,
not turning back to meet my gaze but still she was staring at him as this was some kind of challenge.
"Will you?" this time she said to the one and only Charles.
"Of course, Mrs. Smith.," he said, moving out of her way, gesturing his hand, and bowed like the fifties
gentlemen would do.
When my mom was gone I walked towards him and clapped him on his shoulder, friendly. But he
shouted "Ouch," like he was hurt.
"Don't be such a drama queen," I said. "C'mon,"
He laughed a throaty laugh.
"What's so funny?" I asked him.
"Nothing,"
"Nothing?"
"Yep,"
I sighed.
After some minutes of traveling in the car, taking some rights, lefts, and even some u-turns we reached
our office. Our staff greeted us as we walked to our cabins. Charles went to him and I went to mine with
one nod as if that was our secrete handshakes.
I and Charles were working on the same company but the founder and the owner were not our dad's so
we can work here with our full-heartedly. Not that I hate my dad's company. I liked him and his hard
work which was his company. But I'd always thought about being the CEO of my own company like my
father not in my father's company.
So I took this job when Charles told me about this job vacancy but I also knew that one day or another
he'll going to make me the "second CEO" of his company, which I didn't expect from him was that
another day will be tomorrow.
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