Chapter 1

“Dad, what is the meaning of this?” Alexander Taylor barged into the other office on the second floor fuming.

An older man sat in his chair and frowned. He was the splitting image of Alex but one could tell he was older and from the irritated look in his eyes, angry too.

“I believe your mother and I raised you better than that,” Lyon Taylor scolded as he scowled at Alex. “Where are your manners?”

“Cut the drama Dad. Why didn’t my ID card work when I tried to sign in?” Alex asked not to be interested in an etiquette class.

LYon blinked in surprise before his expression turned dark. “If it wasn’t obvious already,” he started, then paused to take a deep breath. “You are fired,”

Alex spluttered, his words coming out incoherent. “You can’t fire me, I’m your son!”

Lyon let out a humorless chuckle. “I guess I just did,”

“Dad, you can’t be serious. I’m your son, you can’t kick me out.” Alex continued somehow hoping his words would get through to his old man but Lyon was unmoved. “What does Mum think about this?” he asked, hoping at least that his mother was on his side.

Lyon’s next words proved him wrong. “She agrees with the decision.”

Alex couldn’t believe his ears. “You can’t be serious. Mum would never…”

“Alex, why is it so hard for you to settle down and find a wife?” Lyon suddenly asked and realization dawned on him.

He held up a finger, gesticulating as he spoke. “Is that… is that what all this is about?”

Lyon let out a sigh, running his hand through his hair. “You aren’t ready to take this seriously so your mother and I decided it was time to take drastic measures.”

Alex scoffed. “So you thought it would be a good idea to kick me out of the company that is as much mine as much as it’s yours?”

“It’s my company son. I built it from the ground up and I get to decide who stays and who leaves.”

After speaking, Lyon turned his attention back to the desktop in front of him signalling that he was done with the conversation.

But Alex wasn’t done. “Dad, you can’t be serious. I will find a wife when I’m ready. I just haven’t found the right person yet,” he lied.

Truthfully, he never had any intentions of getting married, especially not after one event from his past that still haunted him.

“Leave my office Alex before I call security to kick you out,” Lyon said looking up briefly. “When you are ready to be responsible and settle down then come back and we’ll revisit this conversation.

“No security in this damn building can touch me Dad and you know it,” Alex boasted and Lyon shook his head.

“You seem to forget that I hired them and I pay them so they answer only to me.”

Alex stormed out of the office and went to his office, slamming the door behind him.

“Fuck!” he cursed and threw all the things on his table off it.

Suddenly someone barged into his office.

“Did you send for me, sir?”

Alex glared at his PA, Dennis Peteson. “Why are you so useless? Where have you been?” he shot at the young man who recoiled at his words.

Dennis avoided his gaze and turned to leave.

“Did I say you could leave?” Alex barked and Dennis jumped, turning back to face him again.

“I apologize sir,” He said with his head lowered.

Alex rubbed his temples and let out a sigh. “Get me a cup of steaming coffee, now!”

Dennis jumped at the snap in his tone and ran out of the room like a scaredy cat.

He leaned against the closed door and cursed Alex under his breath. Why did the man always have to be such an insufferable idiot?

He brushed a few strands of his wavy black hair back and took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

Alex had always been like this and he had managed just fine for two years so now wouldn’t be different.

He pushed himself off the door and started walking towards the small cubicle that had been created for him.

His phone dinged with a new notification as he sat down and he frowned as he read through the new message.

He shot out of the chair as he read the words on the screen in disbelief.

“Come quick D, your mum has been hospitalized,”

***

“You’re joking,” His friend and lawyer remarked as he let out a laugh.

Alex gritted his teeth. “This isn’t funny, Mark”

Mark Benson bit his lip to stop more laughter from slipping out but he couldn’t help it and it slipped through causing Alex to fume even more. “Okay I’m not laughing anymore. I’m sorry,”

ALex looked around the empty VIP lounge of the 5-star bar they had chosen to meet up at. “I’m not getting tied to any woman who I don’t love or care about just to satisfy my parents. It won't happen,”

Mark was silent for a while before speaking again. “How about this?” He chucked his drink back and set the glass down. “I watched one movie where the man paid an actress to pose as his wife just to get his parents off his back,”

Alex scoffed. “Where am I supposed to find someone on such short notice?” he couldn’t believe he was actually considering it. But he was desperate to get his father off his back.

He had worked his ass off for that company and getting kicked out like this wouldn’t do. He had to get it back.

Mark shrugged. “Just get your assistant to search for something for you. Place an ad in the papers, websites, I don’t know. I was just telling you about a movie I saw.”

Alex scowled at his friend but didn't say anything as he threw the rest of his drink back. It burned but he welcomed the feeling as he reached for his phone and dialed Dennis’s number.

It rang severally and just when Alex was about to curse him out, he picked up.

“Sir,”

Alex scoffed at how timid wondering why the man didn’t have a pair of healthy balls. “Place an ad in the papers asking for actresses to apply for a job. Drop your number in case they need to make further enquiries and don’t you dare let this trail back to me,”

“Alright..” Dennis was saying but Alex hung up, cutting off the rest of his words.

****