Femme Empire

Answers

"I need a job.", I said to the man sitting at the opposite head of the table. He was bedecked in a long, white, airy gown- a trademark Saudi-Arabian dress. His chin had a light dusting of a five o'clock shadow just below his aristocratic nose, hooked like a hawk and startling, clear grey eyes that had the focus of a bird of prey.

Jamal Bint Syed Al-Qahtani was a hunter if I had ever seen one. His personality took after his favourite bird- the falcon, favoured for its impeccable eye and instincts. Jamal was a shrewd businessman to the core and he had agreed to gamble on a home-grown entrepreneur like me instantly even though I had no Ivy League MBA. Somehow, he had known what I would become one day. Though his fortune came mostly from black gold that was worth billions, he invested in everything from real estate to aviation to defense and fashion. Our goal of making sustainable clothing at affordable rates and contributing towards a better future had aligned perfectly. No amount of money however could put a dent on his 24-carat heart. He was royalty yet he could mingle with the poorest, the down-trodden with enviable ease. He was good with people and his money or status was the least impressive thing about him.

And he had been my first investor. He knew talent, he could taste it. Now, I had come to him for advice, for a job and for counseling.

"You are a lion, Sana. You are a leader.You cannot work under another lion.  You can't work under somebody's command. Your personality is at odds with following orders. You will always be in a power struggle in the workplace which could be damaging to the company.", he assessed.

I sighed and clenched my fist. Every word he had said was true. I wasn't a woman to do anyone's bidding. I was a lone-player but every now and then even an ex-CEO needed a lesson in humility.

"It will be......interesting to experience to work for someone. I must remain rooted to the ground. I have to learn everything again and experiencing it is the best way to learn."

He looked away, out of the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of the 56th floor. The entire city looked tiny from this height. People were simply black dots on the horizon, crawling around like ants. No one would even hear Jamal if he screamed from this height. The thought was scary.

"Have you talked to her?", he asked bluntly.

I didn't bother pretending that I didn't know who he was talking about.

"No, I haven't yet.", I confessed. " My situation does not permit it. I barely have a moment to breathe. My son..... I don't know when he will wake. I am just..... I am trying to make it through the moment", I confessed.

He shook his head in sympathy.

"I am a stakeholder at Boss Lady. Your sister Jules, is now the CEO. The board has outvoted you. The company 70 million in one financial quarter under your leadership. I am not supposed to have any loyalty to you."

He was right. He was absolutely right.

"I have gained the company as much as I have lost it. We are in 70 countries with more than 200 retail stores and have a monopoly in the market. I set the bar way too high for that loss to even hit us. Nonetheless, it was a mistake to learn from. It won't happen again. But, there is  a reason why I became the CEO and not Jules. I am the company, I am Boss Lady. You know that. I know that."

Now he couldn't argue.

"For old times sake, I can find you a job."

It was suspicious how easily he agreed or perhaps he had always meant to find me one. Perhaps this was always his motive. It was hard to get a read on Jamal.

"Am I going to regret asking you for the job?"

"You will. Probably. You may not. But, the job's not gonna be easy. The man you are gonna be working for won't be easy.", he said cryptically.