Chapter 1: Him

London:

"There's nothing of the sort 'no' in my business world Mr. Carter. It's either a willing yes or a forced one. If I were to be you, I would have preferred the former '' He spoke with the most authoritative tone making it impossible for further discussions. 

"But Mr. Evans, it's a really futile offer for us. The profit margin of this merger is really low for us. How can you expect me to sign a contract which hardly lets me have payback?" Owner of Carter & Co., David Carter was actually pushing his luck even if he had practically no choices left. 

"Thank your fortunes Mr. Carter, that we are still letting you hear a word called profit in this deal. I&E is acquiring an entirely dead asset and you expect me to pay you a hearty sum for it? If you were to be so optimistic about your company, you wouldn't be here for this conversation. So give me a quick yes before things turn out dirty. You probably wouldn't want to be on my bad side."

He pushed the contract file towards the opposite side of the table and plopped on his seat. David couldn't argue any further and messing with the Evans will be the end of his business life. So after a long silence, he picked up the pen and signed the contract sheets without further delay. Thus the famous Carter & Co. became part of I&E Industries. 

"You're really a business monster Mr. Evans. Hope your ruthlessness wouldn't cause havoc in days to come" David warned the young man in front of him. 

"Thanks for your concern Mr. Carter. I would keep your suggestions in mind" He smirked at the old man in front of him. That's the way things work for him, its highway or his way. 

Ian Evans, the most hard-hearted businessman London city has ever witnessed. The handsome man in his 30's, was master of his own empire I&E. At the age of 21, he started his own business with a tiny loan from HSBC by pledging the ancestral property that his mom had. But after 5 years, the boy managed to grow his business to the point where you name a thing and you will find it under the tag of I&E.

The young businessman has seen the treacherous sides of the business field and grew up to be a practical and pitiless owner today. With all the glitz and glams of the money world, his personal life was a real mess. The only person whom he could call his family was his mother Anna Evans, a strong lady who stayed by his side throughout his journey from rags to riches. When her husband decided to call it quits on the marriage, she didn't think twice taking her little Ian with her, even though she had to work twice to feed him and take care of him. 

Ian started working part time and studying on scholarships to let his mom rest for some more time in a day. He applied for distance learning to save time and money so he can fund his dream business. But once his ideas hit the market and received the deserving recognition, there were no signs of turning back. He grew each day and today his name would be easily found on top of the Forbes list. 

With his swoon worthy looks and richness, he was popular among the ladies section. Though he was one among the most eligible single men out there, he firmly believed in the concept of love. But unfortunate to his destiny, the girls he met were nothing but gold diggers, so his relationship status kept changing from committed to single from time to time. 

Since it was Friday and he hadn't visited his mom for a long time he decided to make his way to his mom's mansion rather than going to his own bungalow. Unlike the typical CEOs, he preferred staying in a quiet and modern bungalow in Sheldon avenue than an extravagant mansion in the city. He didn't want to get lost in the busy life of London city. 

His mom lived in a mansion in Richmond. She is a lady in her late 50's who is now busy in handling an NGO named U&I, where a community of specially abled and orphan kids were taken care of. She was in tears when her dear son gifted her a mansion during her 50th birthday as she had to pledge her property when he was in need. Ian and Anna usually shared a bond that's different from the typical mom and son, they were like buddies who can actually troll each other for any silly thing and laugh at it. 

He walked into the mansion and his coat and briefcase were taken by one of the maids in the mansion. He went ahead to the dining table where he could see his mom cooking their dinner in her favourite kitchen. 

"Hey mom, looks like I'm having a delicious dinner tonight, how did you guess that I would crash-land tonight?" He asked her out of curiosity. 

"That's called motherly instincts my kid, not a rich businessman's thing . Anyways, how did my busy kid get time to meet his mom though?" She asked as she started plating the dishes. 

"It's Friday mom, you know your son does get a weekend off, so yeah I'm here to meet my lovely mom. That's all" 

"If that's the case then I feel honoured to have my dinner with one of the richest men of London. Get freshened up quickly while I finish setting the table."

He nodded and walked towards his room. Though he usually didn't stay in the mansion, everything that's necessary for his stay was already in his room. Whenever he felt extra lonely he would drop in and have his sweet time with his favourite human. The only person who was capable of bringing a genuine ear to ear smile to his face was his mom. 

He freshened up real quick and came down in his regular clothes. Anna was a really good cook, though she had maids to help her, she preferred cooking on her own. It gave her the sense of satisfaction to see her child enjoying her dishes. 

For a snobbish business tycoon, Ian wasn't a picky eater. He would eat anything as long as it was tasty and edible. But his mom knew his favourites and she cooked her classic chocolate tarts for dessert. 

"Mom... As usual the tarts are to die for... Have you ever thought of turning this into a commercial cause, I mean.. You would be the most loved dessert maker in the town" He asked as he devoured the tarts without minding the calorie intake. 

"No Ian, these are custom made for my loved ones. At least someone in the family has to keep business away from their life right? Spare me from your cruel world. Please " She laughed at her clumsy child. 

"Business isn't cruel mom, its just some stupid people who bring out the worst side of me. Why would I want to show a frowny face when things work my way? I would be glad to spare their time and life if they agree to my conditions without any drama. Money making isn't a complicated thing, it's always the people involved." He wiped his chocolaty lips with the napkin.

"Anyways, let's not spoil the mood. Tell me how's your work with U&I going? How are your angels and fairies?" He asked her with a gentle smile. 

"Everything's great there Ian. Why don't you visit them some time? They already miss their playmate Ian. It's the only time I can see an all smiles Mr. Evans" 

"How about this.. Let's visit them tomorrow if you are fine with it. I'm sure I don't have any work tomorrow. Even I would like to spend some stress-free time away from meetings and conferences" 

"I would be happy to join you Ian. Since you are not planning to give me any grandkids soon, I should enjoy my time with these babies itself" She spoke with her obvious concern. 

"You know the stories, you know the epilogues. So let's not discuss it now. I have had a hectic day. So let me get some good sleep" He wished her goodnight and went to his room after finishing his routine, he drifted to sleep without any dreams. 

Next day the mom and son pair paid a visit to the NGO and spent an entire day there with the tiny angels. For an outsider it would be a really shocking thing to see the hardcore industrialist playing games with a constant carefree smile on his face. But for Ian it was his personal therapy.