Mr. CEO Wants Me BAck

Chapter One

Lori’s POV

“Lori, you are still not ready? We will arrive very late at this rate,” My stepsister Olivia said.

“You know you can go without me right?” I asked her, as I saw no reason why she was hurrying me up. She had been insisting since I returned from work that evening that I would go to the party with her.

“Why? We are heading in the same direction, going together will be better,”

“Since when did it matter to you that we are heading in the same direction?” I asked, not sure what she was up to.

“I don’t care what you think, I just don’t want to be late for this party,” She said fuming as she stared at me with angry eyes.

I was still sitting on my bed, having had a stressful day, all I wanted was to go to sleep and not get ready for any sort of party, least of all my boss’ birthday party.

“It’s your boyfriend’s party, you should have been there already,” I said, trying to convince her to go away.

“He is your boss, you should have been there already too,” She responded.

“No one said staff needed to attend the party,”

“But Courtsey demands it,”

“And since when did you care about courtesy or what it demands?” I questioned.

“Since now,” She responded eyeing me.

“Olivia go to your party and I will join you later if I feel like it,” I said.

“I insist on going with you,” She said.

“You have never wanted to go with me anywhere, you barely even want to be seen with me or identified as my sister, so what’s all this noise you are making about this party?” I asked as it was obvious she was acting out of character.

“What if I decide I want that now?” She asked.

“You cannot just decide, it will be too out of character for you to do and things don’t have to go your way all the time,” I said.

“Moreover, you have been the same person warning me to avoid Jack since you guys started going out and have made such a big deal out of it,” I added.

“And so?” She asked as if she didn’t know what I meant.

“And so you shouldn’t be insisting I attend his birthday party. Let me remind you who you are, you are the person who would encourage me by any means not to attend this party,” I said.

“Be glad then, that I want you to attend the party and even more that I want you to attend it with me,” She said.

“But I’m not really feeling like it,” I said.

“Well, you don’t have to feel like it. Stand up from the bed and go shower.” She said stamping her feet on the ground.

“What are you planning on wearing?” She asked, opening my closet.

‘Was it possible she had changed and really wanted me to be at this party?’ I wondered though I refused to keep my hopes high. She could as well have set up a prank at the party for all I know.

“Olivia, Olivia,” I heard my stepmother call out as she approached my room.

“Yes mum,” Olivia responded.

“Why are you still at home? I thought you said Jack’s birthday party begins soon?” She asked.

“Yes mum,” Olivia responded.

“Then why are you still here?” She questioned why eyeing me, I averted my gaze immediately.

“Because of her,” Olivia responded pointing to me.

I was shocked and knew she was about to put me in trouble with my stepmother who already didn’t like me.

I could not understand how my not wanting to attend my boss’ birthday party or attend on time had anything to do with her or her attendance.

“What do you mean?” My stepmother asked.

“I want to go with Lori,” Olivia answered.

“Why?” She asked with a disgruntled look. I almost added ‘Please help me ask her’

“Because I want to,” Olivia said, not wanting to explain more.

“Why is that so hard for you to understand,” She added looking at me.

“Well, Lori you heard her, why are you still in bed?” My stepmother asked with a raised brow.

“Because I don’t feel like attending the party,” I said, hoping not to get scolded for speaking back.

“If she is not going, I am not going,” Olivia said, and I knew what I was up against then. I would have no choice but to attend the party with her.

“Now who asked if you feel like it or not?” My stepmother thundered at me.

“Ma..” I tried defending myself but she cut me shut with a wave of her hand.

“Now, this what you will do,” She said, ready to give me instructions like she has always done.

“You will stand up from that bed, go into the bathroom to have your bath and be ready to leave this house with your sister in fifteen minutes,” She said.

“Fifteen minutes?” I asked. There was no way I could get my hair and makeup done within that time.

“Your time has started counting and you don’t want me to come back in here to get you, do you?” She asked.

Knowing what that meant, I shook my head and quickly rose to my feet.

“You look lovely my darling,” my stepmother was telling Olivia when I dashed into the bathroom.

This is how it has always been, I always have to obey my stepmother and do whatever Olivia pleases.

Olivia is a year older than me. My dad had married her mother about five years after my mum died and since she already had Olivia it made the decision easy for my dad, who felt I would be having an older sibling and wouldn’t have to be worried about being alone.

Olivia was indeed the sweetest older sister until she moved into our house and was no longer who I thought she was. She and her mother began acting up and making life miserable for me.

Since my dad was always away on business trips, I was stuck with them and Olivia’s mischievous schemes that always landed me in trouble with my stepmother.

Though twenty-three years old and working, my dad made it a rule that I was to live with the family until I got married and moved to my husband’s house. He said he did not believe in ladies living on their own when their families are close by, that it is a waste of money and affects the family relationship.

I have since I turned eighteen been looking forward to escaping the hell of a place I call home. It was like I was in jail with no freedom of my own. I do as I am instructed like I was employed as a family maid.

Well, things were beginning to look good for me and I was expecting to leave the house soon since my relationship with Beck Cosmo has become defined and strong.

Beck Cosmo is the CEO of Akferd. Akferd is a fashion magazine-producing company, it is one of the best fashion magazine companies in the country. Though a CEO and a multi-millionaire, Beck is unusually humble, calm and sweet. He is all I have ever prayed for in a man.

I was looking forward to a future together with him and I had announced it to my family as he had informed me he would be visiting the family soon, to kick start our wedding preparations. I was so excited that I couldn’t wait to see how beautiful my life would become.

Having taken a quick shower, I rushed into the room to get dressed, applied light makeup and put my hair in a bun as there was no time to do something more with it.

Exactly fifteen minutes later, Olivia knocked on my door and kicked the door open.

“Time to go, Lori,” She announced from outside as if she wanted my stepmother to hear her.