Ties That Bind Us

Forced Duty

Callum went through the last file before signing it and handing it over to Ariel,his secretary. "When is the meeting with our new investors?" He asked, resting back in his chair. "Tomorrow sir,precisely 9:30 AM." She reported with her head bent low. "We're going to have to reschedule, tomorrow's my mum's birthday and I can't miss it for anything. Call them up and apologize to them and then reschedule the meeting." Callum instructed. "Yes sir. And sir do wish your mother a happy birthday on my behalf." Ariel said and he nodded.

"You're dismissed." He said and she took a low bow before leaving his office with the documents. Ariel Denver had worked with him for about five years now,since he was made CEO of the company by his father's will. She was a very faithful employee,very hardworking and helpful in every way. He knew that she had feelings for him,she had confessed to him herself and he had taken advantage of those feelings as a man.

He had had s*x with her on countless nights but it had never gone past anything but physical because he never had feelings for her and neither did he plan to,she was just a medium to relieve his s****l urges and Ariel knew this very well. When she had professed her feelings to him,he had quickly made her understand that he wasn't interested in love or marriage and that if there were to be any relationship between them,it would only be based on s*x. She had agreed with some hope in her heart that during the progress of their relationship, there was a chance he would fall in love with her. Callum on his part held no sort of feelings for her,she was just to him an employee and f**k buddy,nothing else. They were hardly even friends.

When they weren't f*****g,he wasn't even nice to her,always maintaining his stance as her boss and showcasing only their work relationship. He didn't want her to get the wrong idea or create some kind of fantasy in her mind that they could ever be something else.

The truth about it all was that Callum had some kind of fear about love. He had grown up seeing his friends fall in love and become slaves to their wives and he didn't want that. He always wanted to maintain his dominance and felt that he didn't need to be joined to one woman in the ties of marriage and have to succumb to her every whim. 

Frankly speaking,he wasn't interested in love or marriage or even children for that matter,he had dedicated his whole heart and soul to building his empire and hr was glad about the immense progress he had made in only a space of five years. He didn't think he needed anything else in life,his life was practically complete in his own perspective.

He had great wealth,his darling mother by his side and his empire to look after. If he felt his urges coming on,it was no problem at all,that was what Ariel was for. And the day that she finally realized that he wasn't interested in love or marriage and she got tired of having to wait for him,he would quickly replace her with someone else.

She was a nice girl after all and deserved someone better,someone to love and care for her and not someone who just needed her to fulfill his physical needs and aside from that, wouldn't give two shits about her. Due to how hugely famous he was and the clear absence of a woman in his life despite his age,his competitors had began spreading terrible news about through the media. Many people just assumed he was gay and despised him for it. He really couldn't care less about what s****l orientation they thought he was,just as long as his business kept growing everyday. It was his life after all and only he would decide how to live it,it didn't matter whatever lies they chose to spread about him. The fact still remained that he was happy the way he was,without a wife or a child.

The thoughts had barely left his mind when someone barged into his office uninvited. He wondered who on earth would have the audacity to do such but his anger instantly dissipated as soon as he saw who it was. It was no one else but his dear mother.

"Mum,you're here? You could have just called and I would have visited you instead." He said as he stood up from his chair to acknowledge her presence. "There's no need for that, I'm here already and it's for something so urgent that I couldn't wait for you to come home." Matilda said and took her seat,flipping her slightly graying blonde hair to the side.

"What could be so urgent that you had to come here by yourself?" He asked wondering what the problem was. His mother was everything to him,he absolutely loved her to pieces because she had always been his pillar of support since his father's demise.

"Callum I need you to promise me something. Tomorrow's my birthday and I know you're going to throw a lavish party for me but I don't want that. I just need you to make a promise to me as a birthday gift. I want you to promise me you won't refuse what I have to ask because it's the only present I want for my birthday." Matilda said and Callum wondered what she was up to he knew he couldn't refuse her.

"OK, I promise. But what are you talking about? What is it that you want? I'll provide it no matter what and that's a promise I'm making." He promised, holding her hands. "I want you to get married and give me a grandchild." She finally dropped the bombshell and Callum removed his hands from her.

"How can you ask this of me mum? You know how I feel about marriage." He said but his mother would not relent.

"You've already promised and you can't go back on your word now. I really want grandchildren, I'm not getting any younger. I might die at anytime and it would give me immense joy if I'm able to carry my grandchildren before I die." Matilda pleaded and Callum released a strong exhale.

"Mum,don't talk like that, you're still very strong and healthy and you know I'll never let anything happen to you. You should know you're very precious to me but what you're asking for is just impossible." He cajoled, trying to make her understand that he wasn't yet ready for family life.

"You claim to love me a lot but you can't even fulfill this one wish of mine,how unfortunate it is for me to have a son who doesn't even care about my happiness. It's not like I'm asking for too much,just one grandchild at least, please. Do that for me and I'll never ask anything of you again." Matilda pleaded.

"But mum........" He still tried to protest but Matilda would have none of it. "I guess the rumours are true then. My son really is gay,why am I still alive to witness this. Lord take me now." Matilda said so dramatically that Callum had to shake his head in defeat.

"Mum I can't believe you'd think that of your son. You should know I'd never indulge in that, it's just that......." He began again but his mum cut in.

"Just what Callum? Just what? If you're not going to think about me at least thing about yourself. You're not getting any younger, you're already 29.  You're not a kid anymore, it's time to stop fooling around and settle down to raise a family. And if that still doesn't bother you think of the heinous lies that have been circulating around about you. You think I'm happy when I turn on the news to hear some shabby reporter talking about my son in such a bad way. You and I both know that you're not gay and the public only make judgement on what they see. Get married and shut them up once and for all,it would be better to be successful in all areas of life." Matilda explained.

"I get where you're going with this mum and I really can't blame you but getting married won't solve the problem. I'll barely have time for my wife and she'll get tired of me and probably want a divorce, plus all the girls would jump at the chance of marrying me because of my wealth." Callum elucidated.

"That will only happen if you neglect her and not all women are gold diggers, you just need to find the right girl. Callum all I want as a birthday gift is a grandchild,all you have to do is give me one and I won't trouble you for anything else." Matilda demanded.

"Alright, since a grandchild is all you want, you'll get a grandchild alright. But I'm not getting married, I'll just pay a girl to carry and birth my child and make her disappear forever after that. Do you agree to my terms?" He questioned. "You're just like your father,aren't you? As stubborn as ever. If that's the only way to get you to accept my request, then I agree to your terms but I also have my conditions. You only have a year to provide me with a grandchild and the mother should be a decent girl,the quintessence of a good wife. Do you also agree to my terms?" She questioned.

"Yes. Then we have ourselves a deal mum." Callum said and his mother got up to hug him. It was quite funny though, they were a business family, handling even their private affairs like they did business. Matilda could only hope and pray that her son found the perfect girl,one who would make him fall madly in love with her and change his perspective about marriage. After all,there was more to life aside business deals and she wanted her son to see that. He just had to see it,feel and experience the most beautiful feeling in the world. Callum deserAriellove.