Chapter 3

Mr. John grinned and responded to Mr. Taiye, "Oh, my daughter studied Business Administration in the University of Nigeria."

"That's fine then. Have her submit her CV to us once she's home. I'm sure we have more vacancies for newbies like her. I will be expecting her response."

"Father!" Liam quickly cut his father's speech off as his frown deepened.

"You cannot just court me with her yet," Liam said, and his father smiled at him.

"I know, my son. I'm only just trying to compensate Mr. John for his goodwill and commitment in working with us for twenty-plus years," Mr. Taiye responded, while Mr. John only smiled faintly at Liam as he bowed a little to leave.

"I will be taking my leave now, boss. Thank you, and congratulations once again, Liam."

Liam nodded as he heard Mr. John's last words, and he walked up with his father back to the front of the meeting hall, standing near the exit door. He spoke, "I don't like all you just did right now, Father. There are many other ways to compensate Mr. John, not at my own detriment."

"What do you mean by that, Liam? Mr. John has been a committed worker. I know you won't understand all this because you're new here with us, but it's okay. Besides, he said only if his daughter agrees. So she might not even accept to work with us, and there's no need for you to worry about all I've just said now." Mr. Taiye turned to leave the meeting hall too, and Liam replied to him.

"I hope she doesn't accept. Women aren't of my interest for now."

"Liam!" Mr. Taiye stopped and stared back at his son and shook his head.

"You don't say that to your mother's hearing. Someday you'll find a good wife, but that's all by the way. Let's focus on business and forget about all I've just said."

"Okay, Father!" Liam sighed, and he watched his father exit the meeting hall, leaving only him in the hall. His personal assistant strode back into the meeting hall to meet him immediately after his father left.

"What should I do now, boss?" Brown asked as he now stood in front of Liam.

"Prepare the car. I will be going back home for today. All official duties start tomorrow."

"Okay, boss!" Brown exited the meeting hall on the second floor and walked back downstairs to inform Liam's personal driver to prepare the car.

"Israel, get the car ready. Boss is about to leave," Brown informed Israel on the ground floor, and Israel nodded.

The Benson Group was a magnificent five-story building with lots of staff in it.

Liam stepped out of the elevator and strode toward the car park while some of their workers stood out and beside their cars, discussing, as it was a free day and not much work was available to be carried out. His father had given them the break the previous day to witness him as the new CEO.

Liam sat in the back seat while Israel ignited the car's engine and drove him home to the Benson residential villa.

***

Liam stepped down from the car and walked straight into the living room downstairs. His mother was not in the living room, as she was in the kitchen cooking, even though they had lots of maids working for them in their home. Mrs. Juliet still preferred doing the cooking herself, as she loved cooking their local dishes.

A maid stepped out of the kitchen to welcome Liam as she heard the sound of the arriving car. She bowed to him and greeted him courteously. "Welcome back, Master Liam."

"Thank you," Liam replied briefly and stared away from her as he made his way toward the kitchen to find his mother.

The aroma of the food she was preparing had filled the entire living room, as she was preparing the popular egusi soup garnished with beef and fresh fish.

"Good afternoon, Mom," Liam greeted his mother as he strode into the kitchen, and the two maids assisting his mother in the kitchen hastily bowed their heads lower to him. "Welcome back, Master Liam."

"Thank you," Liam replied dismissively to them, while his mom washed her hands in the kitchen sink and dried them with her short kitchen towel. She strode up to meet him and gave him a warm hug.

"Welcome home, my son. How was your day today in the office?" Mrs. Juliet asked.

"Fine, Mother. Hasn't Father arrived home yet?" Liam inquired in return, and she replied, "No, my son. Probably he's with his friends. You know he's happy you finally returned and now resumed the position as the new CEO."

"I know that, Mom," Liam said with a faint smile to his mother as he stepped out of the kitchen first, while his mother instructed the cook on what to do, as her meal was almost done.

"Nora, just keep a watch on it so it won't get burnt. Once it's ready, serve it right out," Mrs. Juliet instructed a maid.

"Okay, ma'am," Nora responded, as she was the chief maid.

Mrs. Juliet strode out of the kitchen to meet her son as he sat on the long couch, stretching his long legs. She stepped out dressed in her usual long brown gown, and she removed her white apron from her chest and handed it over to a maid who stepped out next after her.

"Here, take this to the laundry room and wash it."

"Okay, ma'am." The maid collected the apron and left, while Mrs. Juliet sauntered up to sit on the opposite couch across from Liam.

"Mom, why are you stressing so much on cooking when you have the maids and cooks at your service?" Liam inquired as he watched his mother sit.

"I know that, my son, but you know cooking is part of exercise, and I enjoy cooking too. I cannot leave all the work to the maids. I might end up becoming lazy and sick, as I have already retired this year from the nursing home before you returned."

"Hmm," Liam hummed.

"It's okay, Mother. So long as you're not stressed with it, I'm okay with that," he replied.

"Not at all, my son. Tell me, how did the event go?"

"Fine, Mother. It was just a simple meeting of the new staff, but I don't like how some of the young female staff dressed," Liam stated, as his face twisted in irritation.

"What do you mean by that, my son? Weren't they putting on clothes, or how else did you expect them to have dressed?" Mrs. Juliet asked, with wide eyes open as she was confused by her son's claims.

"Decent, Mother. That's how a corporate worker is supposed to dress for office work. Decent, not trying to seduce anyone at work," Liam responded.

"Oh, Liam!" Mrs. Juliet had a faint smile on her face.

"They're young females and probably searching for a husband. You don't expect them to dress like a married woman covering everywhere. And besides, they might want you to admire one of them."

"No, Mother! That's not something I will allow. Tomorrow I will give a new dress code order to Brown, and any of the new female staff and old staff that cannot follow suit are expected to quit."

"Liam! You won't do just that. You just resumed the CEO position. You won't be harsh to your workers and colleagues at the office just because you're their boss," Mrs. Juliet frowned.

"I'm sorry, Mom. But that's how I will like them to start dressing from tomorrow. I will have them inspected at the gate before they're allowed into the company, and I've already prepared the dress code. Brown will give out the information to them tomorrow." Liam stood up, and Mrs. Juliet was dumbfounded.

"Liam...." She called him, and he stopped.

"I'm sorry, Mom, but if Father interjects in this, then I will have to resign from the company, as one must keep his or her focus, and I won't like to be tempted by any of my female staff."

"Okay, my son. If that's how you want it, I just hope there won't be any backlash in the company's already growth."

"Not at all, Mother," Liam replied with a smiled, seeing his mom already agreed.

"I will have to go upstairs now and freshen up. The aroma of the soup is inviting. Let me freshen up first and come back downstairs to join you for dinner."

"Okay, my son. I will be expecting you."

Mrs. Juliet watched as her son climbed the stairs in the living room and strode up to the second floor, as their house was a standard duplex. Even though her husband had the money to purchase a multimillion-dollar mansion, she still preferred them staying in the Benson Villa, as it kept a lot of her past memories alive.

Mrs. Juliet sighed as she rose from the couch to prepare the dining table with the maids. Just then her husband arrived home with another of his friends, Mr. Tunji Martin.

Mrs. Juliet greeted them as they strode into the living room and met her walking toward the dining room.

"Welcome, honey!" Mrs. Juliet walked back to welcome her husband. Even though he was 68 years old, she did not fail to call him honey.

"Wow, the aroma of the soup is inviting," Mr. Taiye said to his wife, and she smiled at him.

"Where's Liam? Isn't he back yet?" Mr. Taiye inquired.

"Liam is back. He went up to freshen up," Mrs. Juliet replied.

"Okay. Meet my friend Tunji Martin. We have a little business discussion, but that will wait, as Tunji will be joining us for dinner," he said.

"Okay, honey," Mrs. Juliet smiled at Mr. Tunji, and he greeted her. "Well done, ma."

"Thank you," she responded.