The CEO [Full Version Available Until 24/02/2024]

T W E L V E||

"You have a question." My boss speaks up, I look up at him like a deer caught in headlights.

For a few minutes we just looked at the ocean in silence then he called for someone to bring blankets and cushions and a speaker up here, then we just ate in silence but my mind has been running around like crazy.

"It's probably inappropriate." I brush it off taking some more fried chicken and rice into my mouth.

"You can ask me anything, and I'll be the judge of it." He states, taking a sip of his water.

I take in a deep breath, "Why do you hate your father?" I ask upfront, he visibly tenses.

Maybe I shouldn't have asked, "You don't have to answer the question." I add nervously but deep down I really want to know.

"You know I was eighteen when I took over the business, it wasn't supposed to be my duty but rather my older brother." He starts off.

Jason Grey.

I've only ever seen one picture of him and that was when it was said he was to take over until there was no mention of him ever again.

"Stupid reason for me to despise him but I still remember the day my brother came home, packed up every last belonging of his and ran away.

I was the only one home that day, my father came in looking for a fight. He was fuming, I was only fifteen then. When he realized that Jason was gone, he pointed his eyes at me and told me that I'd be taking over.

To the world I took over Grey Enterprises when I was eighteen, but I did so when I was fifteen. He took me out of school that same day, and took me to work with him everyday, he taught me everything there was to know in under six months.

I couldn't go out with my friends, I had no freedom to do whatever I wanted. It was business 24/7. I wanted to run away like Jason did, but I couldn't do that to my sister's and my mother.

He told me if I took over he wouldn't force it on thirteen year old Janet, that he'd stop everything. And I believed him, but every hour I spent at the office, he caused more damage than when I was at home.

First everything I made went to him but I made a second account where everything went to me, I thought I'd do well enough, become stronger than him and manage to get him out of our lives. But everything only got worse.

To this day, I still try to get him out of our lives but he lingers like a bee to pollen." His eye aren't focused on me, he's zoned out.

I honestly didn't understand a word he said, to me everything was in code.

What damage did his father cause? How did everything become worse?

I want to ask those questions, but I feel like he's disclosed as much as he could, or wanted to.

"Twenty questions?" I ask to get him to forget about everything, he nods taking a box of noodles in his hands and eating.

Mr Grey, sitting cross-legged on a blanket, his jacket off, and shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows eating Chinese from the box. A sight I'd pay to see again.

"Worst first date." I state, he chokes on his noodles making me laugh.

"Pass." He states, I lean forward grinning.

"Now I really want to know." I laugh, his ears are tinted a light pink making him look so cute I could squeal.

"I was twelve, there was this girl Suzie Baxter..." I remember the girl he's speaking of, we were in the same class from middle school to highschool, she was known to be a bully.