One

IVORY

I nodded stiffly but satisfactorily at the black suit that was picked out for me by my chief maid. I sat quietly and looked into the mirror while my other maids did my hair and make up. My striking blue eyes took in the winged eyeliner, mascara and dark red lipstick. My porcelain skin was flawless and smooth. 

"That became tighter," I mumbled to the maid who did my hair. 

"I am sorry, Miss," she fidgeted and bowed to my reflection in the mirror. 

I felt her loosen the braids she had done while I sipped the coffee on the vanity table. There was a knock on the door and a maid by the door opened it. 

"Is the princess not ready for her first day?" Aunt Joan's voice rang excitedly. 

My lips tugged in a tight smile and I turned stiffly to her. She was already by me, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

"Your father would be so proud of what you have become. We raised him a fine daughter," she said proudly, tears gleaming in her eyes. 

My father had died three years ago, when I was seventeen, from heart failure. My mother eloped a week later with her lover without a second thought of how I was to survive alone. Thank God for Grandma and Aunt Joan. They trained and homeschooled me. 

"Thank you," I said quietly. 

She smiled and then her face turned serious, "I am sorry but I bring bad news."

My eyebrows shot up in curiosity but I was quiet. 

"Your grandmother is furious. She says you should have been ready by now and asked me to come bring you down immediately," she informed me.

I rolled my eyes. Typical Grandma. I snapped my fingers at my maids. 

"You all should be done in three minutes or you are fired," I commanded. 

"Yes, Miss," they whispered and quickened their fingers. 

Aunt Joan smiled at me and walked to the door. "I would be waiting in the hallway. Do not keep me waiting."

"Get my diamond nose ring, quick," I commanded and a maid obliged, fixing it on my thin nostrils. 

My blonde hair was in a single long braid and tied in a bun. I stripped from my white robe, revealing the beautiful red and black vine tattoo on the length of my spine, and my maids quickly dressed me up in my black suit. A diamond necklace was clasped around my neck and a pair of diamond earrings dangled from my ears. Two fingers on each of my palms spotted dazzling diamond rings. A pair of black stiletto heels cladded my feet and I carried a black purse with black diamonds on them. 

Taking one last satisfied look at the mirror, I exited my large bedroom. Aunt Joan was patiently standing by my door in the hallway, waiting for me. 

She beamed at me, "You take my breath away."

I smiled at her, stiffly. She led the way down the long hall way and we climbed down the stairs. Grandma was pacing the patio, agitatedly waiting for me. Her guards and maids stood behind her, backing the exit. She looked up at us when she heard the click of our heels, flashing her furious eyes on me. 

"Good morning, Grandma," I greeted. 

"What time did I tell you we were leaving?" She asked in a low angered voice. 

"Seven-thirty," I answered her. 

She glanced at her golden wrist watch, "And you are two minutes late. What were you doing up there? Throwing a party?"

She was in front of me in an instant and gave me a resounding slap. My face turned to my side at the impact but I felt nothing. I was used to it now. 

"What did I tell you about business?" She questioned again. 

She told me a lot about business, but since I was late, I knew she wanted me to repeat a lesson she had taught me about lateness.

"'Arriving late is a way of saying that your time is more valuable than the time of the person who waited for you.' Karen Joy Fowler." I droned. 

"And what is that?" She asked again. 

"Disrespect," I replied mechanically, looking ahead of her. 

"And what does that do?" She asked yet again. 

"Is that not enough for the morning, Mother? She has learnt her lesson. You should be on your way now. You both are late already," Aunt Joan intervened. 

Grandma fumed. "Let us go," she ordered. 

She led the way while I, Aunt Joan and some guards trailed behind her. We all got into a blue tinted limousine while the guards escorted us in three cars. Grandma still gave me a smoldering look. 

"On your first day," she mused, shaking her head and looking out the window. 

Grandma looked quite young for her age of seventy three. My dad took after her features while Aunt Joan took after late Grandpa. 

Grandma had always told me she was never in support of my parents' marriage and blamed my mother for the death of my father. Aunt Joan told me that I should not take her cold attitude towards me to heart, that she loved me and wanted the best for me. 

Aunt Joan had somehow become my mother, even though I was still learning to warm up to her. She was quite cheerful and had sworn to bring a smile to my three years old rigid lips. 

The car rolled to a stop in front of Stone Culturist, the family's company building. We entered the building and some employees stopped to greet us. The walls were adorned with paintings of crop plants and animals. We took the elevator to the 56th floor which happened to be the last and went into a conference room. 

The Board of Directors and Stakeholders were already seated, awaiting our arrival. The conference room was a large room that looked like a stadium. A podium was located at the far end opposite the entrance, below the projector. A desk was in the middle of the room. Grandma sat at the desk while Aunt Joan stood by her right and me, by the left. 

"I am sorry for keeping you all waiting," Grandma spoke into the mic on the desk. "Let us begin."

A woman descended from her desk at the top of the room to the podium. "Minutes of the last meeting..."

The woman read from a tablet, her presentation was displayed on the projector above her. After five minutes of reporting about who said what and which of the agenda was accomplished, she climbed down the stage and up to her seat. 

"Good job," Grandma said. "Agenda for the day."

Aunt Joan mounted the stage and read out from her tablet. "The inauguration of the new CEO."

"My son, Rowland Stone served you all diligently but it was sad death had to take him away from us. I had to stand in for him because his heiress was not ready yet. Now, she is ready to serve. I have done my best in training her adequately in all that she needs to know and I can assure you she would not let you all down," Grandma inputed. 

"Welcome the new CEO of Stone Culturist, Ivory Stone," Aunt Joan announced and there was an applause. 

I bowed to the three corners of the room, flashing a smile I had mastered for these occasion. Aunt Joan beckoned on me and I walked to the podium. 

"Give a good speech," she whispered to me and exited the podium. 

I was nervous standing in front of so many people. I wiped my palm stealthily on my skirt and cleared my throat. 

"My father had so much passion for this company. Mostly because it was a family business and he did not want to let us down. I am here to continue his legacy. I will put in as much, and even more effort as he and my grandmother have done in the past. I know I am inexperienced, but I promise to learn fast and not let you down. Thank you."

I smiled as everyone stood up and applauded, even Grandma. Aunt Joan smiled at me. I walked back to Grandma, who gestured that I sit on the chair she had just sat on. I wanted to question her but I knew better. 

'No questions. Obey every last order.' I remembered her stern voice warning me some years ago. 

I sat, still plastering that signature smile on my face.