Mr. & Mrs. CEO

Chapter 1

For your average College graduate, you wouldn't imagine standing alone after your ceremony. The ideal picture I gave myself was those you loved cheering around you, I'd lift my cap to throw, wink and the boy who I'm most likely going to marry, watch my parents smiling and holding each other, and in one quick lunge - throw my cap into the world to show them I'm ready.  I gave my father the grades, the scholarship despite the fact that we didn't exactly need the help, and I studied the specific business course he wanted, to take over the family business.
My father owns one of the largest social media marketing corporations in America. Somewhere between a very expensive bottle of whiskey, and what should've been a drunk and disorderly charge while my father could barely stand on the sidewalk walking home, became Brown Enterprises. A few years after that, father took it upon himself to sell half the company (The cheeky man actually only sold 40% having that extra 10% of control to give him more control) to Andrew Berkley. The two had actually been together the night my father came up with his idea and since my dad started it directly after college, Andrew decided the real world sucked, and decided to work for my dad. Over the years Mr. Berkley proved himself far more worthy than any employee, and already handled majority of the things my dad could which lead to their partnership.

Cue my graduation where my father Ezra, and Mr. Jeremy Berkley continue to co-own Brown Enterprises, both of them being busier than ever. It was 2019 and investors were seeing a huge return, the market fluctuated more than my moods on my period, but innovators were on the rise as were their IPO's. The two have created different projects on the side together, funding a marketing agency and a newspaper which resulted in an even larger network for Brown Enterprises and extra money our family so helplessly needed. Not.

Today, he couldn't make it to my ceremony. My. Berkley and my dad were in China meeting with some important clients. So, by important I mean extremely rich.

No, this isn't a poor me story, where my father couldn't even make it to my graduation. I love my father deeply, and I know he cares about me, but I still wish he could be here with me. When I was a kid he never missed a single one of volleyball games, or recitals (even though I was kicked out of ballet because apparently the objective is not to beat everyone else and drag your partner across the room while the rest of the group is pirouetting across the floor). Now he's preparing for the next couple of years for retirement, and eventually I will take over the life he lives.

As the dean continued his list of names, I looked out to the sectional seating Reserved for the Browns among the front row. There sat my mother and Mrs. Berkley, with two of the most whole hearted smiles you could picture. But the other seats remained empty. I glanced behind me to the others waiting to hear their name, although it was filled with smiles that reached ear to ear. Apparently no one else felt like we were in the Hunger Games and waiting to see who's name would be called. Am I the only one shaking?

At that moment my eyes dart across the room and land on a pair of ocean blue eyes I so quickly could familiarize myself with. Ethan Berkley, who was giving our family seats just as much attention as I had been doing moments before. A pang of sadness filled my body, because I too knew what he was feeling. As quickly as it appeared, was as quickly as he stormed away.

"Miss Jaqueline Brown" the dean announced.

I straightened my posture as I stood up, please don't vomit now you're going to be trending Jaq. As I strutted towards Dean Carter, I realized my legs were definitely going to give out.  My steps weren't as confident as I hoped, so I started chanting my usual mantra whenever I was beginning any function in front of large groups.

left foot,

right foot,

left foot,