Helpless by: Acenth Bowmen
"Francois de La Rochefoucauld once said: 'There is a kind of greatness which does not depend on fortune; it is a certain manner that distinguishes us, and which seems to destine us for great things; it is the value we insensibly set upon ourselves; it is by this quality, that we gain the deference of other men and it is this which commonly raises us more and above them, than birth, rank or even merit.' That is our motto, those who fail to adhere are fired. I'm sorry Miss Martinez but Bowmen Industries does not employ people who loaf around. You are fired, please take your things and move out. The quicker the better", I snap her file shut and walk out of my office.
I shove my hands into the back pocket of my jeans as I walked around the close to vacant corridors. Working hours were over and the only people left were employees with deadlines right round the corner. The company was expanding and reaching new heights. Who ever thought that a fifteen year old boy would be able to save a company on the brink of bankruptcy.
My life was filled with press-conferences, business meeting, interviews, photo shoots and calls from modelling agencies. I barely had time for myself; juggling between my schoolwork and drawing up business plans for the company or hanging out with friends and supervising employees thrice my age. All want to be is a normal teenager with a normal life, not some billionaire. But the more I try to fit in, the more I stand out.
I come to an abrupt halt outside a large oak door. The words 'Harry Bowmen-CEO' were imprinted on a gold plate situated on the middle of the door. I reach for the doorknob, not bothering to knock only to flinch as I hear my mothers tearful voice.
"Harry, Acenth is too young to run the company. He's only sixteen for crying out loud. Please reconsider your decision", she pleads.
"Celeste LEAVE!", My fathers tone is authoritative, dominant and demanding. I want to barge in, the anger bubbling up inside of me, waiting to spill. But I have to keep my emotions in check.
"Ace is my only son whose shown more grit then the rest", I could literally picture my mother shiver at the tone of his voice. It took all my self control to stop myself from breaking the darn door down and giving my father a piece of my mind.
"Harry please, just spare Ace. He's my only son", my mother cries again. "Please Harry, I beg you." Why is she kneeling down and begging for me? What have I done to deserve that? Why is she jeopardizing her own life in hopes of saving a son like me. I'm pathetic, stupid and hopeless, I'm the kind of person who is incapable of protecting the people he loves. So why? Why is she doing this for someone like me?
"Shut up, Celeste. You are nothing but a child bearing ani-", I slice my father short. That despicable man, didn't even deserve to be called human. Sure he was my father, the head of the Bowmen family and the CEO of Bowmen Industries but that didn't give him the right to own me or to speak to my mother like that.
"I'm not your son only, nor am I your only son", I clarify. He had multiple affairs -most of them at the same time- which led to multiple things being born which proves that I'm not his only biological child.
"Secondly working for the company as the next heir is my choice not yours", I glance in my mothers direction "one wrong move and this company will be in ruins."
"Thirdly, I'm tired of being told what to do, I'm tired of being controlled, I'm not an emotionless puppet on some string. I'm not that helpless", I yell in frustration. I'm exhausted from being controlled, constantly told what to do, I'm tired of being toyed with.
"Acen-", my mother reaches out but I cut her short "I fired dad's secretary, who knew that she was a whore from some third rate strip club."
I walk out slamming the door behind me, my shoes click against the tiled flooring. My father is like a slab of ice, stone cold, rigid but scheming. My mother is like a ray of sunshine but weak. I thought that she'd be the one to melt my father's frozen heart but she made it ten times worse. My body collides into another snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Watch where you're going", A very familiar voice snaps. Max Heesters, the most egotistical, narcissistic, self centered jerk on the planet. He can win Academy Awards for being a notorious heart breaker. Instead of his signature smirk his features were defined by an emotion that wasn't even present in his dictionary -sadness, devastation, grief, sorrow, misery and are those dark circles under his eyes! I've known Max for eleven years and as his best friend, Max cares more about his looks than anything else. He is so picky when it comes to aesthetics that he fired fifty two stylists in one month and the scariest part is that there aren't even fifty two days in a month.
"What happened, who did it?"
"Love life issues", Excuse me, my eyes nearly bulge out of my sockets at his response. Max doesn't even know the meaning of a committed relationship how does he have 'Love Life Issues'?
"Didn't think you'd have any", I mock.
"This one is unique, she's innocent but has a raging fire in her eyes. She might be sassy and sarcastic but she's selfless and kind. She's...you know...different", He rants. My patience running out by the millisecond as he continues ranting on and on about some mysterious girl. "What do you want me to do?" I ask airily.
"Teach me how to sweep a girl off her feet", he nervously rubs the nape of his neck and my jaw drops. Either I'm going deaf or unicorns are real. There's no way in hell that Max Kevin Heesters has fallen for a girl. He dates them to relieve stress. He's the biggest playboy on the planet. I text my secretary Micheal, telling him to urgently book an appointment with the audiologist. I need a hearing aid ASAP cause I'm either going deaf or hearing things.
"I think... I'm going deaf", I mumble gaping in awe.
"You heard me right, just because every girl drops to your feet doesn't mean you have to be such a jerk."
"Lemme make one thing clear, you're the one asking for my help. I'm not the helpless one here. If a girl dumps me, I take revenge. Its that simple" I step in to the elevator sighing "I've always taken revenge, cause its what I do best."
But who would've thought that it would all change once I met the 'Mystery Girl'.