Taming Mr. CEO

“Dad, I can’t–no, I don’t want!” I raised in finality as I stood up and was about to walk out of his office when I heard how he suddenly slammed the table making me flinch and drove back. “Dad… I am not your only son, for goodness’ sake. Lyndon is still there, so please, spare me. I can’t take the responsibility of being a CEO.”

Dad stared steel at me, not letting out at least one word. He just stared at me in a way that seems scanning or perhaps, skinning me alive. I scratch the back of my head and leaned my back on the chair. Heaving a sigh, I prepared another reason so Dad won’t go to choose me as his replacement.

“You know that business is not my thing. I am not good at it, I even failed my college course, right? And have you remembered that you have to pay the principal so I can graduate?”

“Shut up, Logan.” He heaved a deep sigh, placing his chin in his knuckles as his eyes still creeps on me. “I remember everything but it won’t change my mind. My decision is final and you will replace me whether you like it or not. I already talked to Lyndon and I’ve already put him in the finance department because I know, he suits there. And you, I know, you will be fit in my position.” He stood up, putting his hands on his pockets, and before I could protest again, he once twirled around and pointed me his index finger. “I’ll be expecting you tomorrow, son.” With a proud and bright smile on his lips, he left me in his office.

Frustrated by his decision, I know it is already too late for me to protest and disagree. Just like what he has said, whether I like it or not, I will replace him as the CEO. I know Dad, once he made up his decision, he’ll be deadly serious about that, and no one could stop him. Not even Mom, Lyndon… not even me.

“Woah! That’s going to be so awful, bro. Imagine, from being the free willy Logan Ivanov, you will be tied up in a company. That’s like you’ll going to marry as early as tomorrow.” Yuri laughed, clutching his stomach as he make fun of my situation which based on him is ‘awful’.

I threw him my empty beer can and opened another one. “There’s nothing funny, jackass,” I said, roaming my eyes around the bar we are in. And as I roamed my eyes around, the realization hit me, throwing me into an even more devastating situation I couldn’t even imagine myself to be in.

I am Logan Ivanov, known for being the free man and the most sought man on Earth. (Okay, that’s an exaggeration.) Most sought man of town will do. In my thirty years of existence, being tied up to anyone or anything is the last thing I want. Well, except that night when I was ready to vow myself to the woman of my dream but unfortunately, things didn’t end up the way I wanted it to be. Ynez, my fiancee, is the woman whom I see myself spending the rest of my life with. I proposed marriage to her but one fatal night ruined all the plans I have in my mind. She died in a car accident before she could even reach the church where I am waiting for her, where we were supposed to have our grandest wedding.

Losing her seems like losing my mind too, my life. Ynez is my whole life, I made my life revolves only around her so when she died, I died too. My human body might be alive, but inside me, I am already dead. I’ve lost my interest in all, her death changed me-turning me into Logan I don’t even know. After she died, I suffered from an accident too, the night when I last remember is I was inside a place, wild beat of the music, party women are tuning in the beat in the flirtatious and seductive way. After that night, I lost everything… not just Ynez, including my memory of that night.

“I’m sure you’ll going to love my office, son.” Dad patted my shoulder manly as we walked through the hallway. And as I take my steps towards his office, it felts like my near-death is coming too.

Heck! What’s fun on sitting on a swivel chair all day? That will only bore the hell out of me!

“We’re here.” As soon as Dad opened the door for us, my heart stopped beating for seconds. It stops not because I am facing my nightmare, but because I saw a familiar face of someone whom I didn’t name who. A woman in a peach blouse, knee-length pencil cut skirt, and a ponytail is standing beside my brother Lyndon. My eyes stopped on her, scanning her and trying to remember where I’d seen her but my damn brain couldn’t process what I asked for so I ended up shoving my thoughts away. But what catches my attention is her face, her undeniably gorgeous face with a hint of visible surprise written on it.

That’s when I jumped to the conclusion that I really knew her and it was just my amnesia that is hindering me to remember who she is.

“Are you sure? Is that a joke, son?” Dad’s face is showing me his bright aura. “Didn’t you tell me that you’re just giving it a try? What changes your mind?” he asked.

“Nothing.” I shrugged and emptied my whiskey. “I just realized that maybe, I have to be serious this time. I’ll quit my bad habits and give my whole attention to the company,” I lied.

That’s not what is running in my mind as I said those words. It was that woman’s face, my dad’s secretary’s face that seems plastered in my eyes making me see her image only. I’m sure I know her and I will find out who she is, sooner or later.

So after accepting my Dad’s offer to replace him as the new CEO of his company, my journey to find out who she begins. I also found out that her name is Alice when my Dad gave me her background. I tried to remember if I knew someone named Alice but to no avail, I remember nothing. My memories stopped at my last memory in the bar and that’s it, everything went blur. And when I tried harder to dig more, my head aches like it was being hammered. So instead of digging her on my past, I stopped myself to think about her and if ever she is part of my past that I have forgotten. But it was too late for me to realize and stop when one morning, I woke up feeling the excitement to go in the company. Not because I embrace my job, my Dad’s offer… it was because of her. I was so excited to come into the company so I could see her face and after that, my day is already complete.

But then again, my ego came. Ruining all, turning me into the rude Logan again. Just when I realized how Alice affects me, it makes me think and served my ego first. I once believe that women are just decorations for me, for the whole male species. So, I started to become rude to her. Trying my best to fight back the effect she is slowly giving to me. Every day, I made her day in the company like hell. I show her the beast inside me and then hurt her most possibly. Not physically but emotionally. I insulted her, I threw harsh words at her that I know, will hurt her. I did care for every word I’d thrown her but that day, that moment, I only think what is best for myself. What I think will benefit me in the end…

But just like in the movie, where destiny decided to make her move, the memory of that night that is been buried for a long time slowly came back. And then I remembered her, I saw her in my memory. Seeing her in my forgotten past surprised me but what surprised me the most and shake my world is the fact that she is that woman I bedded years ago. The night before I lost my memory…

“Are you ready?” Alice smiled sweetly at me while looking at my reflection on the mirror where she is currently facing while combing her hair.

“I’m so excited to know what’s our child gender is. Aisle is excited as well and she badly wants a baby sister so she could have a playmate soon.”

“Whatever the gender is, I am so excited. But I hope, it’s a boy.” I laughed and she rolled her eyes on me before she stood up and cling her arm to mine. Together, we stepped out of our room and headed downstairs where Aisle is currently waiting for us. When she saw us, she hurriedly run and with open arms, I catch her.

Today is Alice’s doctor’s check-up and this day is the day when we can finally know the gender of our child. And the heck! Now I know how is it feels to be so excited father. This was the first time where I can monitor Alice’s pregnancy and stayed on her side. And I promised her after fixing all the misunderstandings between us that I won’t be going to be an asshole ever again. She already had enough and I don’t want to stress her more.

“Congratulation Daddy, it’s a boy!” I almost jumped on my place upon hearing the doctor’s announcement.

It’s a boy! A boy!

Out of happiness, I leaned towards Alice who was still laying on the hospital bed-her big tummy is still exposed. I then kissed her lips which she immediately condemned because of the doctor that is in front of us and Aisle as well. But I don’t care. The feeling is so surreal for me to still care about my surroundings.

“Thank you for giving me the life I once dream, Alice,” I uttered while we are both laying on our bed after the foreplay we did. My arm serves as her pillow while her soft hand is caressing my bare chest, playing with that tiny and soft hair on it.

She buried her face on my chest afterward. “I wonder what’s your heart is beating,” she mumbled.

I brushed her hair, gently. “Isn’t it obvious? Of course, it beats for your name. Since the day I met you, it started to beat for you–ouch!” I complained when she suddenly pinched my nipple and drastically pulled herself from my arms.

She then glared at me. “Liar!” she accused. “How could you say that? You didn’t even remember me when you first laid your eyes on me when you stepped in your dad’s office.” she rolled her eyes and as always, I find her cute while doing that.

I made a chuckle and pulled it again. “Fine, I admit it. I didn’t remember you but it’s because I have amnesia. But if I didn’t have, it is too impossible for me to forget the most beautiful woman I ever bedded.” But again, she pinched my nipple and pulled out from my arms again.

“You’re lying again!”

“No, I am not.”

“Yes, you are. How can you say that I am the most beautiful woman when you dared to compare me to Ynez before. You even told me that I didn’t reach her level.”

“Silly.” I sat up and caged her face on my palms. I then leaned closer and put kisses on every part of her face. To the forehead, nose, eyes, and most especially in her lips. “I told you, I am drunk that night.”

“So what? That doesn’t mean that you can compare me to another woman. Do you know how I felt insecure that time, huh?” She crossed her arms around her chest, making her cleavage appear behind the mattress that is covering her.

“You don’t have to feel so insecure cause in every angle, you are already gorgeous and I wanted to beat myself for telling you such things. You’re beautiful, Alice… the most beautiful in my eyes.”

“Really?” A smile appeared on her lips. “Beautiful than your exes?”

I nod. “Yes. And I never regret being so head over heels in love with you. As long as I am breathing, I won’t stop loving you. I will give you everything you need and if it is needed, I will give my everything to you. You and our kids are the best gifts I have ever received in my entire life and I couldn’t ask for more. As long as you and our kids are on my side, I will be happy and contented.” Alice didn’t make a word, she just threw herself on me and buried her face on my chest before I heard her silent sobs.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Don’t cry, baby… you know that I made a promise to myself right?”

A promised that I won’t make you cry ever again. That I won’t make the woman of my life cry again. You’re the best gift, Alice, and I vowed myself to you. I’ll stay on your side, I’ll love you like how you love me. And whenever you’re in your darkness, I will get you there and bring back the light in your life because that’s what you did to me before. You brought light to my life. You have tamed the untameable beast inside me, inside that Logan who gets drowned in the darkness of his life.

THE END