Chapter three

Arjun Smith

When I was checking on my dad's company's analytics on the pc in my cabin, suddenly I turned my head to the sound of the knock at my door. Saw a woman standing out there holding the door's handle as if she was only waiting for my permission to come in.

That was my PA.

I nodded to come in.

Then she walked straight to my table and stood on the other side. She was holding both her hands together and squeezing them, showing her nervousness. Her eyes were scared and afraid to open her mouth and why she was here and what she was supposed to say or convey the message?

I put aside the files that I was holding.

But she seems like she didn't want to say anything.

She looks scared so I waited politely.

She was still busy clenching her palms and wiping her sweats with tissues.

I was being patient and waiting for her to say the reason why she was here?

The sweat drops were dripping from the side of her forehead.

From that second I was sure that she must be having some bad news for me.

"What?" I asked when I understood she wasn't going to say until I ask her to.

She remains silent, still squeezing her fingers together.

She took a deep breath before she speaks.

"Mr. Smith that... the..." her voice braked.

So that must be some of my bad news. Isn't it?

"Just say it already," I yelled, whatever that problem was she was acting like that was hers.

"Sir, the clients who signed our contracts were now canceling our projects." She said all that in one breath which didn't surprise me.

"What?" I shouted, didn't know what was happening in my life.

First, they told me to take his position as CEO and which I did for my dad's sake second they rumor about me in that newspaper, and then that wasn't enough for them. They still wanted to destroy me, damage my life, everything? I can't believe these types even existed. Now my clients who were already signed our contracts were canceling. But why? And why now?

Of course, I know that was nothing to do with her but still I couldn't control my anger. Before I try to kill her without my knowledge I told her to leave my office with groaning.

When she left my room the door behind her didn't close instead she held it for someone that I was familiar with. But that gentleman told her that she didn't want to do that. With a nod and blush, she was gone as he walked towards my office with an innocent look on his face. He sat on the leather seated chair across from me, started tapping on the table in front of us. It was his habit whenever he came to my office.

Charles.

"Dude, what happened, and why those people were standing and yelling at me to let them take an interview with you? Did you become an overnight popular or what?" Charles said as he nodded towards the door like he was referring to the media people outside our office.

I didn't answer.

"So what's the matter with those dudes out there?" he asked winking his eyebrows with a grin on his lips.

"Seriously?" I asked annoyed by his bro sense.

He just shrugged as he took the paperweight and started to spin it and that makes the scratching sound which annoyed me.

"Didn't you read today's newspaper?" I said to him with a furry face.

"Though, I did." He said narrowing his eye at me, sat tall as he took that paperweight in his hand.

"Whatever."

Talking to him or hearing his nonsense or seeing his face won't help. The only person I can rely on now was my dad who knows about to handle these types of situations perfectly. I need to talk to my dad that's the only choice I had.

I took my phone which was lying on the table which knows no seriousness as Charles. He was staring at me as I pick my phone from the table, "What are you going to do bro?" he said.

I ignored him and started dialed my dad.

He answered on the third ring which was quite a surprise.

"I need your help." I professionally greeted him.

"Hello, son" he greeted me back in a traditional way, anyway. His voice was still calm and polite maybe he didn't notice the newspaper today, I guessed, and that's why his voice was low and normal as usual.

I sighed in relief.

"Dad, the clients who signed our company's now canceling our contracts. Do you know why? Do you know what I wanted to do now?" I asked him, giving exactly what he wants to know, and hid that newspaper's matter.

"Didn't you see today's newspaper, son?" His voice raised in fury. "And you have any idea what did you done?"

He knew. He knew this all the time. I was a fool trying to hide it. Everyone knows about that newspaper. Even Charles knew then who didn't.

"You knew all this because of that stupid newspaper?" I asked, sounded like I was surprised.

"C'mon, son,"

I was listening.

"You're now not just any one of our employees, I guess you know that?" I nodded, even though I knew that he can't see me through the phone. "You are the CEO of your company." 'Your company', I muttered. "You are a newbie CEO so they would do whatever to get you popular at the same to get their TRB rating high." What? "Don't be happy when I mentioned that they'll make you popular." I didn't. "They'll take you in the wrong way."

I know.

"So?" I asked annoyed. He'd been making me feel I was still a kid.

When Charles looked at my annoyed face he turned around as if, if he sees my face one more time he'd laugh out loud.

I ignored him and started concentrating on dad's conversation, again.

"C'mon"

"That's not just a stupid newspaper and the words written on that paper weren't just words, son." He said, he shifted his voice into teaching mode. "Every letter they wrote about you in that newspaper is the letters that denote who you are. So if you want your life is to be good then the letters about you in that newspaper should be good, too." He said.

To be honest, I didn't understand what he just said or what he was trying to say. But still, I kept my "I understood and listening." Look on my face.

"So, what's the remedy for that? Is there anything that can help me?" I asked him my voice became stern. I couldn't control myself. Actually, 'Help your company' I thought.

"Your marriage," he said simply like this was just a dollar iPhone.

"It's all... my fault. I'm not going anywhere and I'm not marrying anyone." Now my voice was even angrier than before.

He didn't reply.

"I'd already started thinking, if I'm being the CEO of this company hurts these media people's heart I can resign my post, actually that was that easy," I told him because I wasn't interested in being CEO of my dad's company at all. Keeping that in mind I said, "All they have to do was come and meet me in person and say, 'We didn't like you being the CEO.' And why they were trying to spoil my personal life and future, too. I hate those reporters who always put their noses into another house. I just hate them."

"Look. This isn't just any start-up company or a bakery. Our enterprise is one of the top ten in America and you knew that. We need to save our image and our company that is nearly sinking. It's all in your hand I guess, you know what I was talking about?" He said. "And also you must know why I gave this company to you in particular." I was speechless.

That's what bothers me. Why not Rahul? Why not Venkat? And why me? Why me in particular?

They were all enjoying the life they want and why can't I?

"My wedding?" I said as I tried to hide my fury in my voice.

"Yes, your wedding is the only way that will stop you from any problems or media problems. Do this for your company's sake." 'Your company' I muttered. He requested more than he said.

When he didn't get any reply from me he took a deep breath before he spoke. "Look, son. Now that the media people got something for their breaking news and it's not like movies when it comes to media, once they published and put, 'the end'." He paused as if I have to take a time to understand. "It will last like series which means there would be no, 'the end' until they got bored and they have to stop. So we can't wait for them to get bored, we've to give them something bigger than this one, to make them talking and forget about that news."

I didn't interrupt him as he was going on.

"So if you want to escape from this trap which those reporters made you feel, you have no choice but marrying this girl your mother chose and gives them the grand royal reception in NYC that they would never imagine of. The wedding will be held in India." He said with a serious voice.

"Gotta go. Call you later, L Smith." He said. "L Smith" as "Little Smith" which he named me when I was five after I looked exactly like him the little version of him.

I wanted to ask him that why Rahul or Venkat can't take over this company and why he chose me instead? But before even I could ask him he hung up his call and I stood from the chair as Charles's eyes followed me. My mind wasn't thinking still. My mind was roaming around my problem which I didn't even know that I did.

"Where are you going?" Charles asked as I grab the door handle.

"You wanna go to India with me?"

Next chapter you'll get Anu's P.O.V...