Joseph hadn't even said his speech yet and people already loved him. From his confidence, his charm, his manners, and his humor, it was impossible not to at least like him. According to those who worked with his father, he was just like him which was going to be a big help in people believing in him as the new CEO of the company.
After a lot of introducing himself more times than he could count, everyone was seated at their table and it was time for him to do his speech.
Having the pleasure of introducing him, Alyson took her position at the mic in front of the podium. She cleared her throat, gathering everyone's attention.
"Good evening, everyone. Welcome and thank you for coming. I know we are all very eager to hear about the future of Toujour Enchante, so without further ado, please welcome Joseph Thomas."
Clapping along with everyone else, Alyson steps to the side, letting Joseph take the stand.
"Thank you," Joseph clears his throat.
Everyone quiets down, listening attentively.
Joseph looks back at Alyson who gives him a reassuring smile.
"I uh," with a sigh, Joseph rubs his fingers through his beard. "I wrote this big speech, worked really hard on it, memorized it but now that I'm here, I don't know, I just uh, want to be real with you. Can I be real with you guys?"
Alyson's eyebrows raised in anxiousness.
Where the hell was Joseph going with this?
"Just from me pulling up on my bike, I bet a lot of you have already assumed that I don't know what the hell I'm doing, and you know what, I don't."
Joseph's bluntness caused murmurs around the room.
"Oh my God," Alyson whispered under her breath.
"Growing up, my father tried to teach me about the company he said I would one day be the head of. Of course, I was young, I was pretty rebellious. I didn't want to be like him, I wanted to do something different. And when I found out that I couldn't get what I really wanted, all I wanted to was run, and so that's what I did."
His eyebrows furrowed as he thought back to what was obviously a dark time in his life, "when I left, my father and I weren't on good terms. When I left, it was also the last time we talked. So, imagine my surprise, when I get a call that he's not only gone but, he left me the family company."
With one hand in his pocket, Joseph leaned on the podium with the other, "the first thing I thought was, 'what a dumbass?'"
Having not expected him to say such a thing, the guests started to chuckle which caused Joseph to do the same.
"I mean, why would you leave behind a whole company for a son that you've never really been close too. It's insane, at least to me it was, but," he shrugs, "here we are."
"My first thought was, I don't want anything to do with this. I was planning on giving it off to some suit-wearing SOB who knows what he's doing. No offense to you guys, of course."
