Painting Paper Hearts | ✔

Chapter 13- Let the Fake Relationship Begin

Marcus was not the person I typically pictured in my head who had lived large his whole life although he admitted that he had taken advantage, on more than one occasion, of his name and money.

"Do you not like your job?"

"Don't get me wrong, I acknowledge my privileges and am very lucky to be at the pinnacle of the business even before reaching thirty," He glanced back at me, smiling. But that smile slowly straightened. "Sometimes I hate it, sometimes I like it, and for the past year that I took over as the new CEO after my dad, the scrutinizing barely stopped."

It twisted my heart to hear that other people actually couldn't accept him as the new CEO yet. "Can't you fire those who think badly of you?"

He only chuckled. "I wish I could, but thinking wrong of me is not a very valid and acceptable reason to fire somebody who had worked at the company longer than I did. It'd be a bad business ethics. Plus, they are an asset so it'll be my lost if they work for the competition. It wouldn't be a very smart move now, would it?"

I thought about what he said for a brief moment and he made sense in some way. "So you're just really going to allow them to step all over you and... don't have the say?"

Marcus shook his head. "Of course not. I'm a sole believer of the saying: 'No one can make you feel inferior without your consent'. I know what I'm capable of doing. I know the business like the back of my hand, and I can manage even with the old geezers doubting my decisions on purpose. Sure, they are a pain in the ass when it comes to collective decisions but being a CEO is not just about pulling ranks when necessary. It's also my duty to create a healthy culture for the company— a company where my employees are happy and proud to work in and devout their time until the time they retire."

Marcus leaned back to the soft armchair, deep in thought as he stared at the horizon again. "But sometimes, I can't help but think sometimes what my life would be if I wasn't the CEO."

His response made me pause for a second, possible occupation for someone as good looking as Marcus bombarded my mind.

"You're probably going to be a model or some kind of a hot celebrity," I blurted out, a sudden gush of blood rushed through my body and tinted my cheeks a deep crimson shade. Marcus's beauteous amber orbs settling on me, an obvious grin drawn on his face.

"You think I'm hot?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "I mean... I can imagine you as an actor in one of those Nicholas Sparks movie."

"Really? One of his movies won an award for best kiss right?" He asked again, amused. "I think I'm too good for that."

I smacked his shoulders lightly. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

My respect for Marcus grew. He was a genuine person in nature who absolutely cared about the well-being of his people, his subordinates, even those who had misjudged him in the past. He accepted his fate and deliberately sacrificed and neglected his own personal interests, and left his easy-going lifestyle to prove those who second-guessed him otherwise.

I could only imagine the hardship of walking behind the shadow of your father who had accomplished so much before you. Marcus's situation was just like that.

"Have you ever thought about what you could be now if you didn't choose to be a painter?"

His question led me into a prolonged silence and an acrimonious smile slowly crept up the sides of my mouth as images of my disappointed mother clouded my mind. I pursed my lips together in an uninviting line then sucked in my breath before saying anything.

"I'd be pursuing music, I guess?"

"You play?" Marcus was astonished, his conspicuous amused beam written all over his face.