NARRATIVE
  "So?" Harriet took a sip from her cup of espresso, her eyes rolled over her twin kids before finally settling on her son, Ashton. "You plan to just believe everything your father said?" She continued and Ashton was taken aback by his mother's words.
  Harriet felt greatly disappointed by this news. Jamie Grey was hell-bent on ruining her plans but she was never going to let him succeed. 
  How dare he asked her much capable son to be an assistant to his obviously incapable yet inexperienced daughter? Just because she was birthed legitimately?
  Harriet knew she wasn't going to let Jamie have his way this time. 
  She regretted why she had been so relaxed no matter the position her kids had in the company for the past few years. She never fought Jamie or did anything to provoke him for fear that he might take it out on their children. She never watched his moves because she had been so relaxed and certain that there wasn't ever going to be an obstacle in her path in the future. 
  If only she knew. If only she knew Paige, even in death, could have played a fast one on her by making sure her child was safe and protected by that Aimee Brooke. How she did it? Harriet had no answer to that. But she was certain she would find out soon enough.
  "Then what, Mother?" Ashton swung his hands in the air in exasperation, interrupting Harriet's train of thoughts. 
  He was freaking tired of all these talks. After all he just said, his mother was still trying to sow doubts in his mind about his father? 
  As far as he was concerned, there was definitely something else their mother wasn't telling them. Why she was so much disturbed by Scarlett's presence and why she was in such terrible bad terms with their father for as far back as he could remember. Perhaps, she did something she wasn't proud of? He couldn't help but wonder.
  "Was I supposed to fight him and demand he made me the CEO right away, instead? Even when he already explained the situation to me?" He sighed. "Besides, mother, this isn't a permanent decision. It is only for a while." Imogen scoffed this time. She couldn't believe how gullible her brother could be. But Ashton ignored her and continued anyway.
  If only his sister was as sensible as himself, perhaps this wouldn't be difficult. He thought.
  "I think we should trust father and wait. I don't really get why we must make an issue out of this, especially since I am getting a really great promotion this time."
  Harriet sighed and dropped her cup. She needed to make things clear to this son of hers.
  Ashton avoided her gaze after saying his piece while Imogen carefully watched her mother. Within her, she was truly hoping her mother was thoroughly as healthy as she looked.
  "I didn't go through all I went through decades ago to have you two just for you to have mere positions in the company." Harriet began calmly. There wasn't any point in yelling, they wouldn't understand so she just had to make them understand. "And neither did I raised you up with such care, vision and purpose for many years only for you to be the VP and sales manager in the end. That is not the picture I painted for both of you. It is not. And until I get you to the very peak, I would never give up." She crossed her legs and looked out the quiet coffee shop they were in before she returned her gaze to them. "You have to OWN IT! And there's no stopping until that is accomplished. You both are meant to be served and not to serve. Do you both understand me?"
  "Yes, mother. What do you intend us to do?" Imogen eagerly responded. Ashton just sighed and facepalmed himself. He just couldn't understand his mother. What does she really want? He wondered.
  Imogen wasn't surprised her mother wasn't hiding her true intentions from her again. Perhaps Doctor Greg must have informed Harriet that her daughter now knew her mother's health condition.
  'Schizophrenia?' She sighed mentally. 'That word itself be damned.'
  Harriet's gaze lingered on her daughter, the mini version of her own self, and she was proud for a moment that she could rely on her.
  Imogen seemed ready and eager now even more than before and of course, Harriet knew why. Doctor Greg had definitely informed her.
  But Imogen wasn't asking any questions, at least not yet, and for that, Harriet felt very grateful.
  Her henchman, Otto whom she had tasked to spy on Scarlett, had already informed her on what transpired between them and a certain Palo Bryant earlier in the day. 
  Paige's daughter was causing her children so much stress and Harriet was more than willing to have her eliminated if things doesn't go as she had planned.
  Jamie Grey could make an outsider a COO without even batting an eyelid yet he wouldn't make his own most capable child the CEO just because he wasn't a legitimate heir? 
  Has the chairman become a different person overnight or is there something he's hiding?
  Perhaps there's a reason for this just as he had told Ashton. But whatever the reason was, Harriet knew she wouldn't sit still and trust him. She knew better than that.
  The only way the chairman would succeed in his quest was if he was successful enough to win over the board of directors with this decision. But of course, she already had plans on that to ensure he doesn't succeed.
  As far as Harriet was concerned, Ashton, her precious son, must be the CEO and within a short while too, Jamie's seat of power would be hers...
  Oh, she just couldn't wait for that moment. 
  She smirked.
  "You can return to work now," she smiled at her children. "I would see you later in the day at home. Your father seems to have an announcement to make over dinner, no one must be late." 
  "Alright, mother." 
  "Yes, mum." Imogen said, peering at her mother from her cup of latte. 
  Whatever her mom was plotting in her head must be really interesting to make her smirk like that.
  'Whatever you want, mom. I'm game.' Imogen smirked as well.