A CEO'S OBSESSION

4

"Mum..please..." Frank pleaded in a serious tone with a frustrated frown on his face. Ian had brought his phone to him when his mother called, and now he was regretting taking the call. His phone was on the table next to the laptop he was operating in his office. The phone was placed on a loud speaker with his mother's voice booming through the speakers. Ian stood beside him with a stern expression, and his fingers were entwined.

"Frank, listen to me. I am doing this for you. I am doing for our family. Our family name must continue." Her calm voice spoke through the speakers.

Frank rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. He was really not in this mood. "Mum, this is not the time. I have so much work to do. There is so much work to attend to at the office."

"This is definitely the time." She raised her voice. "You keep pushing this topic aside like it's not important. Marriage and children are also important to me, like the company is to you."

Frank opened his eyes and locked at the email he received on his laptop. "I didn't say marriage and family is not important, mother. I just said this is not the time to discuss this."

"Oh please... that's another excuse. Stop giving so many excuses and face the problem at hand."

"What will you have me do, mother?" Frank asked, frustration evident in his tone.

"Get married." She stated.

Frank rolled his eyes without saying anything. He knew it. He knew she was going to preach to him again about getting married and the benefits of it.

"You are 32, Frank. You are not a kid. Your mates are married with kids. Just take a look at Chidi, your cousin. He is three years younger than you, but he is married and even expecting a baby."

Frank let out a frustrated breath.

"Or is it Ernest?" She continued. "He got married...."

"Mother, please...." Frank begged. "I thought we've moved past this marriage talks."

"We can never move past it until you do the right thing. Get married and give me a grandchild. I am not asking for too much." She said.

Frank picked up the phone and brought it close to his ears as he slowly leaned back on the chair. "You are not asking for too much, mother, but now is not the time for that."

"You know, my best friend's daughter will be moving back to Nigeria from the States. She is really pretty and a medical doctor. I will arrange a meeting with her."

Frank let out a deep breath and sat up. "Mum, please. I am really not in that mood...."

Before he could finish talking, his mother started crying over the phone. Frank's heart broke at the sound of her wailing. That was his weak point. "Fine...fine...I'll meet with her. Fix a meeting." He accepted.

In between her sobs, she asked. "Really?"

"Yes. I'll see her. Just give me a date."

"Perfect.... I'll call her now and get back to you. Now, you can get back to your company work." She said with a smile. Frank knew she was smiling because of the sound of her voice. He also knew she had just pretended to be crying just to get his approval. "Thank you, son."

The call dropped, and Frank sighed before passing the phone to Ian.

Ian smiled slightly and received the phone. "Madame Williams knows how to get to you as always, sir." He teased.

Frank shook his head, frustrated. "She does this all the time." He complained and rubbed his temples again.

Ian smiled briefly before his expression became serious again. "Eden's group of companies launched a new product this morning, Mr. CEO."

"I just received the email." He said, his voice serious.

Despite the stiff competition from Eden's group of companies, Williams Inc. continued to reign supreme as one of Nigeria's top leading companies.

"What is the report from the product management team?" Frank asked. It was time to launch a new product.

"Sir, it's not easy to come up with a new product...." Ian was saying when Frank stamped his hand angrily on the table.

"Don't tell me that!" He yelled. He knew that it wouldn't be easy to come up with a new product, but he wasn't paying them to slack off all the time.

Ian stepped backwards a little, his heart raced slightly. "I'll meet with the product management team and report back, sir." Ian knew better than to give him a negative report.

"I want a report by the end of today."

"Today?" Ian asked and checked the time on his wristwatch. It was 3pm. How could they come up with a new product by the end of today? "Sir, it's 3pm."

Frank raised a displeased eyebrow at him. Ian was the only one who could talk back at him but not disrespectfully.

"Mr. CEO, the product management team will have to work overtime." Ian told him.

"I don't care if they have to work all night." Frank's voice dripped with venom.

Ian wanted to say something, but he knew better than to argue with the CEO. He could lose his job. Frank had always been cold. It was not the first time he would make them work overtime just to meet up with market trends. Williams Inc. had always been a leading company, and Frank wanted it to stay that way.

"Leave." Frank ordered dryly, and Ian bowed his head slightly before turning to leave.

Frank leaned back on his chair when the door was shut by Ian. He took a deep breath before sitting up to continue with his work. He read through the email he received when he was on a call with his mother. Eden's group of companies had just produced a new t-shirt.

'A remarkable idea,' Frank thought. He studied the t-shirt on his laptop. It was a long-sleeved customised t-shirt with the logo 'Eden' printed on the left breast of the shirt.

He sighed. What product could he produce to beat Eden's new product?