Chapter 03: Jaxon’s POV
1085 Words
That was not my father. I knew him well enough not to make such a decision.
I tried to wrap my head around the whole question, but it did not make sense. What the hell was happening?
“Hey, Mr. Alex, can you please repeat Mom’s part? I perhaps didn’t hear clearly.”
“Oh, you heard clearly. I get the mandate of choosing the son of my choice as CEO. Yeah, you heard that correctly.”
“No, that doesn’t sound true. That’s something I know my father won’t make.
Hold on a minute, is that even possible?”
I looked around, “somebody say something.” They just stared at me, perhaps thinking I was stupid.
Everyone hated Mary, so I wondered why they didn’t feel the need to counter the father's decision.
Then again, they hated her and at the same time, feared her. So I wouldn’t blame them for being mute.
“No need to make a scene out of this. Your father loved and trusted me enough to make the right decision.”
She wore the look of someone with a mystery behind every one of her actions. Power and mischief etched on her face like they had always been.
“I think I’ll have to excuse myself now…” Mr. Alex said, rising to his feet, with his briefcase in hand.
“No, you’ve got to stay. We need to understand what the hell is happening here.”
I knew something was going on here. Something was fishy and I couldn’t quite pick it out. If there’s something I’m more than sure about and could swear on, I could swear that my father cannot make such a hideous decision. Never.
“Mr. Jaxon, I don’t think I have a hand in this. I’ve done my job to read your late father’s will. If you’re not satisfied with it, I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”
I met his hands fidgeting and sweat trickling down the side of his face. It was not hot in here. The air conditioner was working. So why was he sweating?
Oh, yeah, something was wrong.
I hung my gaze at him, watching him turn his back and leave.
“I know something is wrong somewhere, so start talking,” I said, shifting my gaze to Mary.
“What do you mean Jaxon? I know you and Mom are not on good terms but what truth are you talking about here? Father decided to make her the person to choose who the CEO will be, what wrong has she done?” Steve said.
He made sense, but I knew father well enough and I’ve seen him make decisions, but not this kind.
I stared at him, “Stay out of this, Steve.”
I moved over to Mary, our eyes locked in each other as I grabbed her by the arm.
“How dare you?” she removed my hand from hers.
I care less. I grabbed her again, going into the verandah. It was that place where we would go and no one would intrude on our discussion.
“How dare you grab me like that? It’s obvious you lack manners, you fool.” She yelled, trying to squeeze her hand out of mine. I held on tightly.
“You did something. I know it.” My cold voice sank into her ears. “This was your plan.”
“Let me go, you moron” she yelled once more as I let go of my grip on her. She might have tried, but she should know I let her go on purpose.
“Tell me the truth.”
“No need to rant about this, Jaxon. I know you’re scared and you’ve always dreamed of becoming CEO and your fear is whether you’ll be CEO or not –“
Her pointing that out was something she never did. It made me a bit surprised.
“Get straight to the point.”
“You want to be CEO, and I’ll make you one, but on one condition.”
Ha, I knew it. I was waiting to hear that part of her drama.
“What condition, Mary?”
"You know you should start calling me mum."
"f**k that!" I rejected. "Just get to the f*****g point, woman."
"Suit yourself." She replied.
“I know you want to be CEO, and to be honest, you’ve got to do what it takes to be one,” she said, moving her finger by the side of my face, with her seductive eyes.
“Can you just make your f*****g point, Mary?”
“You must get married in the next thirty days or I’ll hand it over to Steve,” She abruptly replied.
"There, the f*****g point has been made."
I felt a chill down my spine and a twitch in my chest. I couldn’t possibly be hearing this. My greatest fear and the one thing I despise - marriage.
I couldn’t find myself having anything serious to do with a woman talking more about getting married to one.
“I’m sure you want to honour your father’s last wish. There’s no two ways about it.
Forfeit your stupid ego of not having a woman by your side, or have a woman and attain your dream of being a CEO. I’ll draw up the papers, hand over papers, and get the board members to vote you in, so that’s no big deal. Are you in?”
“What do you stand to gain if I get married?”
“If that’s what you’re saying then I’ll give it to position to Steve, never mind.”
“Steve barely has an interest in father’s business. I’m the passionate one, and I’ve got what it takes to build up that company; why would you want to give it to someone with less capability and passion than I?”
“The last time I checked, I was given the power to choose who I want to rule, not you. I get to make the decisions, Jaxon.”
“OK, Mary.” I calmed myself. “Please, come up with something else. Something much more tangible and reasonable.”
I hated that I had to be at her mercy. It was obviously what she loved – me begging and being at her feet.
“No, Jaxon. I’m not going back on my words. Get a wife in thirty days or forfeit your dream of being the CEO.”
- Writer
