Chapter One:

Fiona's POV:

"I love you and I'm

proud of you," my dad said.

"Thank you, Dad, I

love you too," I replied.

"Congratulations,

Fiona," Thomas chipped in.  

Thomas was my younger

brother and as stubborn as ever. I wonder what life would be like without him

or Dad.

My mother left us 12

years ago, just when she had given birth to my brother Thomas. I do not know if

she was scared or something else.

I was only 8 then and too

young to understand. So, it's just my brother and dad attending my graduation.

"Now, would you look

at that? I am looking at the best graduating student," Uncle Victor said

as he made his way to us.

Uncle Victor was my

father's best friend and the only one of his friends that I know.

"You can come to

work at my company if your dad's company refuses your job application," he

said with a laugh, and I smiled.

"Now, why would she

go to work at your company?" Father asked.

"Well, for starters,

you could just offer her the job, but you want her to be interviewed and

tested," Victor noted.

"What type of man

would that make me? Or how do you think my employees will look at me from now

on? I'm just trying my best not to be biased and show my children and employees

that business is business. And not even family should influence that,"

Father explained.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Doing the right thing will only get you into trouble," Victor warned.

After eating and drinking

with a few of Dad's employees in attendance, the house became as it was before,

empty.

The graduation was over,

and I wondered, what next? I never really planned how or what I was going to do

aside from working for my father and that too hung on a balance, being a

probability.

"Prepare for your

interview in two days. I hope you understand why I have to do this. Life

doesn't always come easy," He explained but I didn't need to hear it.

"Yes, I do," I

answered curtly.

Two days later, I was in

the queue waiting to be interviewed. I cannot believe Father wanted me to go

through all this.

If anything, at least, I

should not have to be in the queue.

"Miss Lawson, they

will see you now," The receptionist informed me, and I quickly stood up.

The receptionist led me

into a room where I was met by a pair of gazing eyes. There were about 8 of

them in the room and I tried to calm my nerves.

"Miss Lawson, you do

look familiar," One of them noted.

"Are you Mr.

Lawson's daughter?" Another asked.

"Yes, I am," I

answered, and they looked at each other, whether in shock or excitement, I

could not tell.

It turns out my dad never

mentioned to them that I'd show up here. He must have wanted them to torment me

with questions.

They did ask me a few

questions and I attempted to answer all. Only the last question tried to

unnerve me a bit.

"Do you think you're

entitled to this job just because your father is its founder and owner?"

One of them had asked.

Not that it was a bad

question, it just threw me off balance as I did not expect them to be so

reckless with their questioning.

I took a deep breath and

said calmly, "No, I do not. I believe everyone out there who is here for

the interview is entitled to the job. Not because of who my father is, but

because I am capable of doing this job, it is the only thing I know how to do

well."

They dismissed me and I

went home with my father refusing to want to hear anything about the interview.

"I think I must have

spoiled you a bit too much. You complain about almost everything," He had

noted.

"Daddy, that is not

true," I opposed.

"It is. You're 20,

Fiona. You should grow up for life is not always as it seems and I won't always

be here to answer to your every whim," He had warned.

"But Dad, I just

need the job so I can fully grow up and be a woman of my own. Just give me the

job," I begged.

"It is not in my

power," He answered angrily, I moved to my room.

Two weeks and still,

nothing. Not even a rejection email from the company and Dad was silent about

it.

Just when I thought to

forget about the job, Dad walked in and said, "8:00 a.m. on Monday, do not

be late. I'm sure you can find your way around it. You better make good use of

this opportunity."

And like hell, I did. For

three months in a row, I have been crowned the employee of the month. It has

been two years now of working here and Dad seems excited about it.

He was celebrating with

the employees today.

"Just a few months

ago, we could have gone bankrupt had Fiona not come up with that brilliant idea

of hers," He started with them cheering in applause.

"Thank you all for

being very hard-working and dedicated to the growth of this company. I promise

it's only a matter of time before we take over the world," He finished,

and they cheered him on until he sat down.

"Dad, I am tired and

would like to go home," I complained to him.

"Oh, dear. The

celebration is just getting started. You can go on; I'll finish up here and

meet you at home. Thomas must miss us too. Drive safely," he said as I

turned to leave.

I got home just in time

to tuck Thomas into bed and decided to take a warm bath, thinking of all the

memories at the company today and all the many possibilities we could achieve.

Dad was right, it was

only a matter of time. And the world was not ready.

Took a while to get out

of the bathroom and I got back to the room to a ton of missed calls from an

unknown number.

Who would call me this

late? I wondered.

"Hello," I

started when I answered the call.

"Miss Lawson?"

The caller asked.

"Yes," I

answered cautiously.

"I'm afraid you

have to come to the hospital..." The caller began to say.