The Youngest CEO
Mark Keifer Watson didn't believe in small talk. Not with employees, not with board members, not even with family. At twenty-eight, he was already the youngest CEO in Watsons Company history—a title that came with admiration, envy, and endless expectations.
His office, perched on the top floor, gleamed in the morning sunlight. Glass walls, polished marble, not a single paper out of place. He stood by the window, hands clasped behind his back, staring at the city below.
"Profit margins are weak," he muttered to himself, eyes narrowing. "Weak is not an option."
A soft knock came at the door. Keifer didn't move immediately. "Enter," he said finally, voice low, measured, commanding.
It was his grandfather, the only family who stayed in his life. "Keifer," the elderly man said gently, "you've been at it for twelve hours straight. When will you rest?"
Keifer didn't turn. "Rest doesn't fix numbers, Grandfather. Only action does."
His grandfather chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You're relentless, boy. Your parents would've been proud… if they weren't so far away."
"They live abroad," Keifer said flatly, his tone neutral, but there was a flicker of something beneath—something he rarely allowed anyone to see. "And they chose that life. I chose mine."
His grandfather sighed, walking closer. "You focus on work so much, Keifer. Don't forget—life isn't only about deadlines and profits."
Keifer finally turned, eyes sharp, hands resting on the desk. "Life," he said slowly, "is about making sure the company survives. That's responsibility. That's reality. Everything else…" He waved his hand dismissively. "Everything else is distraction."
His grandfather studied him for a long moment. "You scare people, you know. Women, men… even me sometimes."
"I don't need to charm anyone," Keifer replied, voice calm but firm. "Admiration, envy, desire… it doesn't matter. Only results matter."
There was a pause. Keifer's eyes drifted to the skyline again. A small smirk touched his lips, almost imperceptible. "Let them whisper. Let them watch. None of it changes anything."
His grandfather chuckled quietly, shaking his head. "And yet, you're still my grandson. Always the same fire. Just… try not to burn yourself out completely."
Keifer's gaze hardened. "I am careful. Calculated. Always."
He returned to his desk, picking up a report and scanning it with meticulous precision. "Margins need to improve. Marketing strategy is weak. Operations are sloppy. I will fix it. I will fix all of it."
His grandfather sighed again, retreating slowly. "One day, Keifer, you might realize that controlling everything doesn't control life itself."
Keifer didn't reply. He rarely did. But inside—a thought he buried quickly—lingered. Maybe one day… but not today.
Leaning back in his chair, he muttered softly, almost amused: "Let them try to understand me. None of them will. And I like it that way."
Because for Mark Keifer Watson, youngest CEO, bossy, brilliant, feared, and admired by all—control wasn't just a habit. It was his life.