Jack

It was closing hours already. I looked at the wall clock and it told me 5:00pm, relieved that the day had ran pretty fast, I packed up my work bag and headed for the door. As I opened my door the receptionist who I found out was named Susan was leaning at the wall outside. I stood and looked at her without a smile on my face.

Since my father left my office that morning, my happy smile had found a way to disappear from my face. I tried very hard to avoid meeting or interacting with anyone in the office, just so that I won't transfer aggression to anyone. But this woman had chosen to make her self a scapegoat. She walked in and out of my office at intervals asking how I was doing.

I shook my head and tried ignoring her yet again. I locked up my door and walked away.

"Jack, please wait" I heard her hurried footsteps behind me, her five inches heels clicking on the titles, the sound very irritating to my ears.

"It's Mr. Jack. Miss Susan" I didn't like being referred to as Mr. It made me feel old, and being old was one of greatest fears. The feeling that one day I might not be as good looking as I am, terrified me. I made a mental note to correct my order the next day.

"Alright I am sorry, Mr. Jack" I stopped in my steps, having a little pity on the sexy lady that was on my heels. Why suffer such a pretty thing, if you can actually make her suffer in your bed. I felt a smile coming up on lips but it backed down almost immediately. Sex should be the last thing on my mind at this moment.

"OK, miss Susan, what do you want? "

"I just wanted to know if you were alright. To check up on you" I looked at her and she lowered her head, I felt her body shaking at my stare, did I have such effect on women? Oh yes I did. My eyes remained on the brave receptionist that wanted to check up on her boss's son. How sweet.

"I'm alright Susan. I'm pleased that you care." my hands acted on their own accord, finding it way to her face stroking her chin and raising her face to met mine. Even in her heels I still towered over her. I stared at her eyes and those brown eyes melted before me. Her lips were trembling and calling out to me. But this was not the right time for this. I shook my head twice and ordered my fingers right back from where they came.

But my body was adamant, the young lady in question was a sight to behold, her brown weave folded up in a messy bun.

"See you at mine house" I finally said and walked straight into the company elevator. She stood still, blinking several times where I left, looking shocked and happy at the same time. I love seeing women happy and the only happiest I could make them was in my bed.

Soon, I was already in my car heading home. I turned up the radio to search for the latest hits in town. Bop daddy by Falz came on I  hummed, bouncing my head to the beat and concentrating on getting home before my visitor would arrive. Images of sweet little Susan on my bed almost blurred my vision gaining me some bad names from the cab driver that over took me on the high way. I laughed it off and continued with my ride.

Aside from traffic jam it took only thirty minutes to get to my house from the office. But today the traffic was crazy and my backside was getting numb from sitting in my car. I looked at my wrist watch and it was almost seven. I wriggled my buttocks to get some life into it, giving it hope cause in just a few minutes we would be home.

I just really hoped that Susan hasn't beaten me to it and got to my house before me. Well she would have to wait by the gate till I was back then. Just right then the news started on the radio, that was a totally turn off and I hurried to change the station but something made me stop.

"Ben's textile company hits the rocks" the news reporter echoed from the other side of the radio. That was my father's company. What was the woman talking about? Numerous questions found its place through my head giving my brain an overloaded since I had no answer to them. But the reporter didn't stop.

Horns from the cars behind blasted and I woke up from my  evening dream. I drove  on a little found some space and parked just off the road. If the road were good, I wouldn't be stuck in traffic, I would be at home listening to this reporter state lies about my father's company.

"Ben's textile company, made available for sale." the woman shot another arrow directly at my chest. Which sale? Without my knowledge? Where does these people get these information? What are their sources?

The only one to answer these troubling questions was no other than the owner of the company, my dad. I pumped up my engine and found myself on the road again. Taking an easier routine that leads to my father's house. I haven't been there in months and I felt a little bad that I was going there to get information and not for a family get together.

I stood right in front of my father's mansion, my birth home, where everything had started and ended. I walked up to the front and gave it a gentle tap. A young teenage girl opened the door and I assumed she was the help in the house. I smiled cause I remembered how much my mum had kicked against having a help in the house. She took care of the house all by herself. But with her gone, I think my dad didn't have a choice than getting a help.

The little girl smiled at me and I returned it. Seemed like she knew me cause her composure was running dry.

"Good evening sir" Her greeting was high pitched, almost  a shout. I smiled and waved her away leading myself into the house. It still looked just like I left it a few years back. It was still cold and felt empty. After my mum and brother died in that accident, this once happy home turned into an opposite of it self.

I found my way to the sitting room and sat in mum's favorite sofa. It was single seat just right besides my father's triple seat couch.

"Look who we have here" I knew that voice so well, I smiled and stood on my feet to lock eyes with my younger brother, Wilson.

It was just the three of us, my elder brother, me and then him. We were very close growing up, cause my mum had taught us that together we stand, divided we fall. That had been our watch words right from when we were kids. But she died, and so did my elder brother, fortunately her words died between Wilson and I. We were too different to be together.

He wanted to stay, I wanted to run. He wanted to go to school, I wanted to travel round the world. Most especially he didn't like the women, but those women were my life.

"Little bro, you look good" I tapped him on his shoulder and beamed him a smile. He smiled back too and took me into a warm hug. My muscles tensed and soon relaxed since he was not letting go. I haven't seen him in years, and now I felt stupid by just tapping him on his shoulder.

He let go of me and frowned almost immediately.

"You don't look happy, what happened?" he asked. I knew my eyes would betray me, they always smiled with me when I was happy and when I was not, only someone that knew me just well would figure out that my eyes were sad.

"It's nothing bro. I just want to see father" disappointment padded Wilson's face. Well who wouldn't be disappointed by my choice of words, insensitive and selfless. Yea that's what I was.

"Oh, OK. He will return soon" Wilson said turning to leave.

"Hey, I missed you" I managed to voice out. I really did. I wasn't one to show that kind of emotion tho.

"Yea you did" with that he walked out of the sitting room, stinging my heart. I returned to my seat staring at the blank plasma TV till I heard the teenage girl opening and shutting the front door. I stood on my feet to meet cold old eyes looking at me. I lowered my head, in shame this time.

"To the study" he ordered

Soon I was in a room filled with cabinets, files and a huge table just at the other end of the room. I walked into the room and locked the door behind me. My dad was already seated behind his desk with his head lowered.

"Dad, I heard on the news..." words failed me now cause my father's eyes were on me now. I still saw the disappointment that lingered in his pupil. I had traveled out of the country, stayed years away just to get them out of his eyes, but no it was still there.

" I'm selling it" Dad said his eyes returning to his desk.

"Dad you can't" for once I thought my words mattered. I imagined my father would listen to me, hear my opinion for once.

"I can't do anything now son. I have lost everything, the company is a debt, the employees are running away, I have lost everything Jack" I heard a crack in his voice along with a crack in my heart. I can't stay and watch my father's sweat go into another person's hands, in an exchange for money.

"we can do something. Bring something new into the industry. We can  get banks to loan us some money. We have to do something"
My brain was spinning, coming up with several ideas and also searching for the best way to convince my father to listen to me.

"We?" that was the last response I expected.

"We? Are you sure something won't spoil while to take your time to bring our family back at the top" his face slowing came up, his close sliver eyes searching mine for some sincerity.

"Dad, I won't let anything happen to this company. I want you to trust me. This once, please" I sat down at the armchair opposite him, seeing that the anger in his eyes were reducing.

"Unseen Treasures" he took a deep breath. I  should have known that our greatest rivals were some how behind this.

The both companies have been in  an ending war to see who remains at the top for over twenty five years now. I never was interested in their fight cause it just made them even more popular around the world which meant more cash to spend.

But now their rivalry won't bring in more cash, it was about to get the source of the cash taken away from my family and I wasn't going to allow that.

"Dad, I know they had something to do with this. We won't quit."

I saw my dad smile and that made me happy.

"Let's think" he said.

"and act" I finalized with a smirk.

A/N: what are your thoughts loves?

Any theories about what's going to happen?

Don't forget to vote if you enjoyed it please. ❤️❤️