Chapter 2 The New CEO

In Benson Group, Mr. Taiye Jackson sits in the front seat in the conference hall, where they're having a meeting with their different boards of members working under him in his other companies, all of which are registered underneath his name.

He speaks to his personal assistant softly in his ear like a whisper, "Introduce the new head to them now."

While they sit in the meeting hall waiting to meet the newly appointed CEO whose name has been announced, none of the workers has seen him yet. Mr. Taiye Jackson is the former CEO, while his late father, Mr. Benjamin Jackson, was the first to establish the Benson Group of companies, which means Benjamin and Sons Group of companies.

They sit waiting to witness the new handling of company ownership to Mr. Taiye's only son, Liam Jackson.

He's rumored to be cold, unfilial, and the workers know that once he resumes the position as the new CEO, they will be dealt with harshly, as some have heard of him being arrogant, mean, and unappreciative. Nonetheless, he is very hardworking and runs some private businesses in the states before his father finally announced his retirement plan to him, asking him to return to his country to run his multimillion-dollar companies.

Liam had initially refused, as he didn't want to return to Nigeria, as he didn't find anything interesting there, except for his mother, who is a god-fearing Christian mother. She dresses modestly and never skips attending church to pray for her husband and him, as he is her only child.

Liam was made to understand that his mother underwent a lot of marital crisis at the beginning of her marriage with his father, as his grandfather, Mr. Benjamin Jackson, had opposed his son, Mr. Taiye, marrying his mother, Mrs. Juliet.

But because his father truly loved his mother, even though women were trying to seduce him and calling his mother barren, his father insisted on marrying only his mother, Mrs. Juliet, without having extramarital affairs.

He stuck to his wife, Mrs. Juliet Jackson, and stood by her, even though his family refused and stated she couldn't bear him another child even after 10 years of Liam's own birth.

Liam's mother had many miscarriages, and he knew it was because she worried so much about his father leaving her and marrying another woman, which caused her to lose all those babies she had carried in her womb, except for him. He just turned 30 years old, while his mother is 60 years old and his father is 68 years old.

Liam loves his parents nonetheless, but he is angry that his father tricked him by lying about being sick and arranging a fake doctor to call him and tell him about his father's ill health over the phone, asking him to return from the states. Liam was annoyed to return home and see his father healthy and attending business meetings.

Inside the headquarters of the Benson Group of companies, where they have oil manufacturing products, gas implants, steel production, and other basic amenities, Liam is in one of the private rooms on the second floor, adjusting his necktie as he wears a long white shirt and plain black trousers, with his black suit on the table.

His father had spoken to him about introducing him to their different boards of members and partners managing their businesses.

He breathes out heavily and finally picks up his suit to wear. Just then, his assistant, Brown Anderson, whom his father had first assigned to him on his first day at the company, knocks on the door of the private room, and he responds, "Come in."

"Boss, it's time for the introduction to begin," Brown informs him, and he nods and puts on his black suit properly.

Just as Liam steps out, his father's spokesperson announces to the rest of the prominent men and women sitting in the large meeting hall, "Welcome Master Liam Jackson, New CEO of Benson Group of Companies Limited." The hall immediately erupts in a round of applause as he steps to the front and climbs onto the podium. His father is sitting at the front seat, while his father's assistant, Mr. Silas Greystone, hands him the microphone to address their staff.

"Thank you all for acknowledging our invitation and being witnesses to my appointment as the new CEO of BENSON GROUP. I would like us to continue with our integrity and work hard to build our company into a beacon of transparency and quality products. Thank you all for being a part of my new journey," he hands the microphone back to Mr. Silas and steps down from the podium. The applause increases as he walks to his seat, and a few top heads immediately stand up to shake hands with him as he approaches to sit in the available seat.

Liam shakes hands with them before sitting, and they return to their seats. His father, Mr. Taiye Jackson, smiles faintly at him and stands up to give his own speech before the final closing remarks from Silas.

"Thank you all for honoring my invitation and being witnesses to this new beginning with our new CEO, who is none other than my son, Liam Jackson. I appreciate all of our past workers who have worked hard to uplift our company's name and create a reputation of transparency. I would like all of you, old and new workers, and those in retirement, to respect and work harmoniously with our new CEO. Please follow whatever decisions he makes to help our company grow globally. Thank you all once again. Silas, I hand it over to you to close the meeting for today." Mr. Taiye hands the microphone back to Silas, who announces some new products and prices before delivering the closing speech. The invitees and workers stand up and exit the meeting hall after the meeting with their new CEO concludes.

Liam remained in the meeting hall with his father after the numbers of guests and members reduced, leaving just a few discussing. He stood up and walked over to meet his father, who was talking with his friend, Mr. John Patrick, one of their managing accountants.

"Father, I want to have a word with you," Liam told his father, so he could finish his conversation with his friend, Mr. John Patrick, who worked as one of their managing accountants and was very trusted with their company's funds.

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

"Oh Master Liam, congratulations on your new position," Mr. John smiled faintly at Liam.

"Thank you sir, it is an honor meeting you and working here with all of you," Liam replied.

"You can always count on us, Liam. Your father is my boss and a very good friend, and I am so happy to see you taking over his position. I know you will lead us to much better growth than your father and grandfather ever did."

"Thank you, sir," Liam smiled faintly, as he loved praise from his friends, colleagues, and even elders, as it motivated him to work hard.

"You're welcome, Liam. Mr. Taiye, I am leaving. My daughter will be very upset with me for not showing up at her school convocation today, even after she called me to come with her mother to the university," Mr. John said as he turned to face 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 on my behalf. She will be very annoyed with me about that."

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

"Yes, she will," Mr. John nodded with a faint smile on his face, wanting to leave.

"How about I make up for that and have her introduced to my son, and maybe extend our family friendship to marriage. I am sure she will be happy about that," Mr. Taiye proposed, but Liam frowned immediately from where he was standing, waiting for his father to finish his conversation with his friend, Mr. John.

"Oh, thank you, Boss, but that's only if she will accept," Mr. John quickly rejected, knowing how stubborn his daughter was and not wanting her to cause any problems between him and his boss.

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

Women weren't his interest, and Liam didn't like how his father was trying to set him up with a lady he hadn't even met and doubted he would like, just because he was friends with her father.