Chapter 2: The New CEO

Mr. Taiye Jackson sits in the front seat of the conference hall, where they are meeting with the various board members who report to him. In his other firms, all of which are registered in his name.

He whispered softly into his personal assistant's ear, "Introduce the new CEO to them now."

 They are sitting in the conference hall, waiting to meet with the newly appointed CEO, whose name has been announced, but none of the employees have met him yet, as Mr. Taiye Jackson is the former CEO and his late father, Mr. Benjamin Jackson, was the first to establish the Benson Group of Companies, which refers to the Benjamin and Sons Group of Companies.

They sit and wait to see how Mr. Taiye's only son, Liam Jackson, will handle the new firm ownership. He's rumored to be cold and unfulfilling, and the employees are aware that if he resume as CEO of Benson Group, they will face consequences.

Some of the employees have described him as arrogant, harsh, and unappreciative, yet he is still very hardworking and runs some of the private businesses he has in the states. Even before his father revealed his retirement plans to him and urged him to travel to his home country to handle his multimillion-dollar businesses.

Liam initially declined because he does not want to return to his nation, as he does not appear to find anything intriguing there, except for his mother, who is a God-fearing Christian mother who dresses holy and does not miss church to pray for him and his father, as he is her only child.

Liam was supposed to understand that his mother went through a lot of marital strife at the start of her marriage with his father, because his grandfather, Mr. Benjamin Jackson, had refused his son, Mr. Taiye, from marrying Juliet, but because his father truly loves her, even though women had previously flocked to his side, attempting to seduce him and calling his wife barren.

Mr. Taiye insisted on marrying only his mother, Mrs. Juliet, and having no other extramarital encounters.

He remained loyal to his wife, despite his family's refusal and the fact that she was unable to give him another child, even after ten years of Liam's birth.

Liam's mother had a lot of miscarriages, and he knew it was because she was so worried about his father leaving her and marrying another woman. She lost all of the babies she had carried in her womb, except for him, who is only 30 years old, whereas his mother is 60 and his father is 68.

Liam still loves his parents, but his father had duped him into believing he was sick, even arranging for a fake doctor to call him and inform him of his father's illness, pleading with him to return home from the United States. And he was astounded to return home and find his father well, moving about, and even attending business class meetings.

Liam was furious that his father had tricked him into returning, and he refused him to return to the United States as well.

*"*

The headquarters of the Benson group of enterprises has oil manufacturing products, gas implants, steel production, and other basic amenities, since their company is well-known around the world.

Liam is in one of the second-floor private rooms, straightening his necktie while wearing a long white sleeve and black plain trousers, with his black suit on the table. His father had spoken with him about presenting him to the various boards of members and partners that manage their firms.

Liam exhaled deeply and eventually picked up his black suit to wear. Just then, his office assistant, Brown Anderson, whom his father had assigned to him on his first day at the company, knocked on the private room door, and he said, "Come in."

"Boss, it is time for the introduction to begin," Brown told him, and Liam nodded as he put on his black suit properly.

Just as Liam walks out of the hall, his father's spokesperson greets the other famous men and women in the enormous meeting hall, saying, "Welcome, Master Liam Jackson, New CEO of Benson Groups of Companies Limited."

As Liam strides up and gets onto the stage, the hall erupts in cheers. His father is also sitting in the front seat, while his father's assistant, Mr. Silas Greystone, hands him the microphone to deliver a few speeches to their employees.

"Thank you for accepting our invitation and witnessing my assumption as the next CEO of Benson Group. So, I'd like us to maintain our honesty and strive tirelessly to elevate our company's reputation for transparency and quality products. Thank you again for being a part of my new journey. Thank you," Liam remarked as he handed the microphone back to Mr. Silas Greystone, the spokesperson.

Liam came down from the stage, and the round of applause grew louder as he walked to his seat, while some of the few top-level executives stood up to shake hands with him as he approached to sit in the front seat made aside for him.

Liam shakes hands with them before sitting down, and they return to their seats, while his father, Mr. Taiye Jackson, grins weakly as he stands up to deliver his own address before Silas' last closing speech.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation and witnessing this new beginning with our new CEO, who is none other than my son Liam Jackson. I congratulate all of our previous employees who have worked really hard to improve our company's reputation and establish a sense of transparency that we are one of the greatest manufacturing firms in Nigeria. And I would ask you all, both old and new employees, as well as those in retirement, to appreciate and work peacefully with our new CEO and to support whatever choice he makes for our company's global growth, as you can all see from his global presence and recent return from the United States. Thank you all again, Silas. I give it to you now to close the meeting for today," Mr. Taiye stated, handing back the microphone to Silas, who read out some fresh information regarding the new products and prices.

Silas then concluded the meeting with his closing remarks, while the invitees and all of the senior executives stood up and exited the meeting hall.

Liam waited in the meeting hall with his father as the number of guests and workers dwindled, leaving only a handful to discuss. And he stood up and approached his father, whom he was talking with his acquaintance, Mr. John Patrick.

"Father, I want to have a word with you," Liam told his father, so he could finish his conversation with Mr. John Patrick, one of their top managing accountants who is extremely trustworthy with their firm assets.

"Okay, son, I will be with you shortly," Mr. Taiye said, as Mr. John Patrick finally turned to face Liam.

"Oh, Master Liam, congratulations on your new position as our CEO," Mr. John smiled weakly at Liam.

"Thank you, sir; it was an honor meeting you too and working here with you all," Liam said.

"Liam, you can always count on us. Your father is both my boss and a close friend, and I am thrilled to see you take over as CEO." Mr. John said, "I am confident that you will lead us to greater success than your father and grandfather did."

"Thank you, sir," Liam said softly, as he enjoys receiving praise from his friends, colleagues, and even seniors, which motivates him to work extremely hard.

"You are welcome, Liam. Mr. Taiye, I'm leaving immediately. My daughter will be very upset with me for not showing up today at her school convocation, even though she has called me to accompany her mother to the venue," Mr. John Patrick remarked, facing Mr. Taiye.

"You know I cannot miss your son being introduced to us as the new CEO, so I asked her mother and her elder brother to attend her convocation ceremony on my behalf, and she will be very annoyed with me on that," Mr. John informed Mr. Taiye, who said, "Oh, Mr. John, I am so sorry about that. I hope she understands."

"Yes, boss, she will," Mr. John gave a small smile, intending to leave while Mr. Taiye continued. "How about I make up for it by introducing her to my son and possibly extending our family connection into marriage? I am sure she will be pleased with that."

Liam scowled from where he stood alongside his father, waiting for him to finish his chat with Mr. John Patrick, but Mr. John promptly rejected it. "Oh, thank you, Boss, but that's if only my daughter will accept."

Mr. John understands his daughter's stubbornness and does not want her to cause difficulties between him and his boss, but Mr. Taiye promptly said, "Why won't she accept? Liam is handsome, and every woman wants him. What did your daughter study again at university?" Mr. Taiye inquired, but Liam's frown intensified as he looked from his father to Mr. John.

Women were not of his interest, and Liam dislikes his father's attempt to court him with a woman he has never met and doubts he will like simply because his father is acquainted with her father.