CHAPTER 2

In the Benson Group, Mr. Taiye Jackson sat in the front seat in the meeting hall, where they held a meeting with their different board members.

He whispered to his personal assistant, "Introduce the new head to them now."

They sat in the meeting hall, waiting to meet the newly appointed CEO.

The company had announced his name, but none of the workers had seen him yet.

Mr. Taiye Jackson served as the former CEO, while his late father, Mr. Benjamin Jackson, established the Benson Group of Companies, also known as Benjamin and Sons Group of Companies.

They sat waiting to witness the handover of company ownership to Mr. Taiye's only son, Liam Jackson.

Rumors described Liam as cold and unfilial. The workers knew that once he assumed the position as the new CEO, he would deal with them harshly.

Some had heard that Liam acted arrogant and mean, and that he showed no appreciation. Nonetheless, he worked hard and managed private businesses in the United States, before his father announced his retirement plans and asked him to return to his country to run the multimillion-dollar companies.

Liam refused at first. He did not want to return to Nigeria, as he found nothing interesting there—except for his mother, a God-fearing Christian who dressed modestly and attended church regularly to pray for her husband and him, her only child.

Liam understood that his mother endured many marital crises early in her marriage to his father. His grandfather, Mr. Benjamin Jackson, had refused to let his son, Mr. Taiye, marry his mother, Mrs. Juliet.

His father loved his mother deeply, even though women flocked around him, seduced him, and called his mother barren. His father insisted on marrying only Mrs. Juliet and avoided extramarital affairs.

Mr. Taiye remained faithful to his wife, Mrs. Juliet Jackson, and supported her, even though his family insisted she could not bear him another child after Liam's birth, ten years earlier.

Mrs. Juliet suffered many miscarriages. Liam knew her excessive worry about his father leaving her and marrying another woman caused her to lose those babies, except for him.

Liam had just turned 30 years old, while his mother was 60 years old and his father 68 years old. He loved his parents nonetheless, but his father tricked him.

Mr. Taiye lied about his illness and arranged for a fake doctor to call Liam and report his father's poor health over the phone, urging him to return from the United States.

Liam grew annoyed and returned home to his homeland, only to find his father healthy, active, and attending business meetings.

Liam felt angry that his father had tricked him into returning and now refused to let him go back to the United States.

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Inside the headquarters of the Benson Group of Companies—which handled oil manufacturing, gas plants, steel production, and other basic amenities—the company enjoyed global recognition.

Liam stayed in one of the private rooms on the second floor. He adjusted his necktie while wearing a long white-sleeved shirt and black plain trousers. His black suit lay on the table.

His father had spoken to him about introducing him to their different board members and partners who managed their businesses.

Liam breathed out heavily and picked up his suit to wear it. Just then, his assistant, Brown Anderson—whom his father had assigned to him on his first day at the company—knocked on the private room door. Liam responded, "Come in."

"Boss, the time has come for the introduction to begin," Brown informed him. Liam nodded and put on his black suit properly.

As he stepped out, his father's spokesperson announced to the prominent men and women sitting in the large meeting hall, "Welcome Mr. Liam Jackson, new CEO of Benson Group of Companies Limited."

The hall erupted in applause for Liam as he entered the front and climbed the podium. His father sat in the front seat, while his father's assistant, Mr. Silas Greystone, handed him the microphone to deliver a few speeches to their staff.

"Thank you all for accepting our invitation and witnessing my assumption as the new CEO of the Benson Group. I want us to maintain our integrity and work hard to build our company into a brighter symbol of transparency and reliable products. Thank you all for joining my new journey. Thank you."

Liam handed the microphone back to Mr. Silas and stepped down from the podium. The applause grew louder as he walked to his seat. Some top executives stood immediately to shake hands with him as he approached the seat prepared for him.

Liam shook hands with them before sitting down. They returned to their seats, while his father, Mr. Taiye Jackson, smiled faintly at him and stood to deliver his own speech, before Silas gave the final closing remarks.

"Thank you all for honoring my invitation and witnessing this new beginning with our new CEO, none other than my son, Liam Jackson. I appreciate all our past workers who have worked hard to elevate our company's name and establish transparency that positions us as one of the best production companies in Nigeria. I want you all—old and new workers, and those in retirement—to respect and collaborate with our new CEO. Follow whatever decisions he makes for our company to grow globally. As you can see, he brings global experience and has just returned from the United States to join us. Thank you all once again. Silas, I hand it to you to close the meeting for today."

Mr. Taiye handed the microphone back to Silas.

Silas read a brief about the new products and prices. After that, he closed the meeting with his ending speech. The invitees and workers stood and exited the meeting hall after the session with their new CEO ended.

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Liam remained in the meeting hall with his father after the number of guests and members dwindled, leaving only a few discussing matters.

Liam stood and walked over to his father, who discussed business with his friend, Mr. John Patrick, one of their managing accountants.

"Father, I want to speak with you," Liam told his father, so he could finish his conversation with Mr. John, whom the company trusted with their funds.

"Okay, my son. I will join you shortly," Mr. Taiye responded, while Mr. John finally turned to face Liam.

"Oh, Mr. Liam, congratulations on your new position," Mr. John said with a faint smile to Liam.

"Thank you, sir. It honors me to meet you and work here with you all," Liam replied.

"You can count on us always, Liam. Your father is my boss and a good friend. I feel happy to see you take over his position. I know you will lead us to greater growth than your father and grandfather achieved."

"Thank you, sir," Liam said with a faint smile, as he enjoyed words of praise from friends, colleagues, and elders—they motivated him to work hard.

"You are welcome, Liam. Mr. Taiye, I am leaving. My daughter will feel upset with me for not attending her school graduation today, even after she called me to come with her mother to the event," Mr. John said as he turned to face Mr. Taiye.

"You know I could not miss your son's introduction to us as the new CEO, so I asked her mother and her elder brother to attend her graduation on my behalf. She will feel annoyed with me for that."

"Oh, I feel sorry about that, Mr. John. I hope she understands," Mr. Taiye apologized.

"Yes, she will." Mr. John nodded with a faint smile, ready to leave.

"How about I make it up to her? I can introduce her to my son and extend our family friendship to marriage. I feel sure she will like that," Mr. Taiye proposed, but Liam frowned immediately from where he stood beside his father, waiting for him to finish his conversation with Mr. John.

"Oh, thank you, boss, but that depends on whether my daughter accepts," Mr. John quickly rejected, knowing how stubborn his daughter was. He did not want her to cause problems between him and his boss.

"Why would she not accept? Liam is handsome, and every girl wants him. What did she study at the university again?" Mr. Taiye asked, and Liam's frown deepened as he stared from his father to Mr. John.

Women held no interest for him. Liam disliked how his father tried to pair him with a lady he had not even met and doubted he would like, just because his father was friends with her father.