New Management

Grayson’s pov

I was still lying on the bed when my phone rang. In fact, it was this call that actually woke me up from sleep. Just like a normal call, I leapt from bed. This was a call I wasn’t expecting from the caller, but when my eyes fell on the screen of my phone, I widened my eyes. It was a call from no one else but Maya. Instead of picking up the call immediately, I glanced at the time. It was still very early in the morning. Such a call, I thought, wasn’t official, and it must have to do with what I’ve been asking Maya for. Has she finally accepted me? What could she possibly have to say that couldn’t wait until the sun had risen? So many unanswered questions raced through my mind before I finally picked up the call.

“Hi Maya,” I greeted, my voice warm and welcoming. Just imagining her calling me was a feeling I hadn’t experienced in so long. But her voice on the other end was harsh and urgent.

“Good morning, Mr Grayson…” she started. I was about to compliment her for not adding “sir” to my name when she cut me off briskly.

“Have you checked your mail?”

“No, I’m just waking up,” I replied, confused by her tone.

“Please check. It’s very important,” she said and hung up before I could respond.

I stared at the phone in disbelief. The entire conversation hadn’t lasted more than ten seconds. Why couldn’t she speak gently to me? I had plenty of time to call her back later after checking the mail she mentioned. Shrugging off the abruptness, I got up, walked to the table a few steps from my bed, and powered on my laptop. The first email I saw was titled, “Approval.”

The moment I clicked on the message and read just the first two sentences, my heart raced. Without wasting another second, I grabbed my phone and dialed my father’s number.

“Dad, what is this?” I demanded, skipping any form of greeting.

“Grayson! Isn’t that good news for you?” he responded, his voice calm and composed.

“Good news? You call this good news?” I retorted.

“Yes, it is. You’ve never wanted to be part of the company’s day-to-day operations, as long as you got your hefty monthly pay. Nothing has happened to your pay, in fact, it’s doubled.”

“You… you just changed the name of the company,” I stammered, struggling to make sense of his words.

“Technically, I’m not in charge anymore,” he admitted. “Now you have all the freedom you’ve been looking for. All you had to do was secure a contract with Mr Wale, and you failed to make it happen. I know you dislike being confined within the walls of an office. You love traveling, and I saw how much you enjoyed it during my few months of vacation.”

“Wait, Dad, are you telling me you sold the corporation without even informing me?”

“Correction, I didn’t sell it. I’m just no longer the CEO. I still own shares in the company. To stay competitive with our rivals, the executives and I agreed it was best to bring in new management. I’ve heard the next CEO will be a woman.”

“A woman? What about my position?” I asked, my mind reeling.

“Are you deaf? You’re no longer the CEO. But as I mentioned, your pay has doubled, and you can travel as much as you like, with all expenses covered by the company. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”

Hearing that the new CEO would be a woman momentarily calmed my troubled mind. I didn’t want to dwell on the negative aspects of this change. In fact, not being the CEO might even give me more time to focus on winning Maya over.

“Hello, Grayson,” my dad called out when the line went silent. “Have you gone through the email I sent you?”

“Hmm… is there any need? I’m no longer the CEO,” I replied bitterly.

“There’s a meeting at 12 p.m. tomorrow,” he continued, ignoring my tone. “You must be there to introduce the new CEO to all the staff via livestream. Everyone will be present. That’s when the new name and CEO will be formally announced. I’m having the time of my life here, and this is exactly what I needed at this stage of my life. The board’s decision was what’s best for the company. The new investor has significantly boosted the corporation’s financial standing.”

“But at least you could have informed me about this development,” I said, trying to hide the frustration in my voice.

“The decision was finalized in one night, and the deal was signed immediately. The amount involved left no time for hesitation. I needed freedom, and I knew you did too, which is why I agreed to it. The offer was too tempting to pass up.”

After the call, I sat on the edge of my bed, my thoughts scattered. In a single moment, my dad’s decision, made without consulting me, had turned my life upside down. Twice my current pay? It sounded appealing, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of betrayal. And how was I supposed to explain this sudden change to Maya? No, she already knew. It was obvious from her call. I needed to figure out how to handle this situation without it tarnishing my image. Such a monumental change, done behind my back, it was all my dad’s fault.

I picked up my phone and dialed Maya’s number.

“What’s happening?” she asked the moment she answered, her tone impatient.

“I’m sorry I didn’t inform you earlier,” I began, trying to sound sincere. “This was a decision my dad and I had been considering, and it all happened last night…”

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” she interrupted, her voice sharp.

“I was planning to come to your house today, but unfortunately, the email was already sent out by the new management. I’m still a key part of the company’s plans, and there’s a meeting tomorrow at 12 p.m.,” I explained.

“I saw the email,” she said curtly.

“I’ll be introducing the new CEO during the meeting,” I added.

“Who is the new CEO?” she asked.

“It’s a secret, and honestly, I don’t care,” I replied nonchalantly.

“What about my position? Will I still be the assistant CEO?”

“Stop worrying,” I reassured her. “I’ll make sure you’re taken care of. This is an opportunity for us to explore new possibilities together. Then travel to places.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice skeptical. “We’re not even dating.”

“Don’t tell me you’re considering going back to your ex-husband, who treated you so poorly,” I countered.

“No, I can’t do that,” she admitted.

“Then why not give me a chance?” I asked, my voice softening. “I would never treat you the way he did. You’ve already cared for my daughter like she’s your own. What more do I need to prove?”

“Grayson, I’m enjoying my single life right now,” she said after a pause. “I’m not ready to jump into another relationship.”

“Maya, you and I are practically a family already,” I pressed. “You’ve been there for my daughter, and I can’t imagine anyone else by my side.”

“Technically, we’re not a family,” she corrected. “The contract was with Mr. Hudson, not you.”

“I’m not asking for a legal arrangement,” I said quickly. “I’m asking for your heart.”

There was a long silence before she finally spoke. “Grayson, I need time. I can’t make this decision right now.”

Before I could respond, she added, “I have to go. I just received an important phone number,” she said excitedly.

“What kind of phone number?” I asked and I was kind of confused.

“You wouldn’t understand,” she said, and then hung up.

I stared at my phone. Maya’s walls were still up, and I didn’t know how to break through them. What will I do to get her?