AN: Hey guys. This is my first fanfic so go easy please. Its AU and Leyton. For those of you may recognise the story line, yeah I took the story from the film Ghajini, its a bollywood film for those of you who don't know, and for those who do, I only took the happy parts, so there won't be any dying or revenge/angry/hate scenes.
Chapter 1- Taking Advantage
Lucas Scott stepped out of his private jet observing his new surroundings. As the inventor of the technology, he had personally decided to head up his company's latest project that could potentially double their market share and presence. Lucas Scott at the age of 25 was the CEO of ScottCom, a telecommunications company founded by his grandfather and his great uncle in the early 60s, which primarily had dealt in converting military grade telecommunications technology for the smaller towns and cities in the US, thus effectively diversifying themselves from the large conglomerates that had dominated the market at the time of ScottCom's inception. Lucas's father Dan Scott and his uncle Keith Scott, took over from their father and uncle at the end of the 80s, through shrewd investments in technology development and better infrastructure, the company was able to develop a consistent presence in the market, however the rise of mobile telecommunications technology from European competitors in the late 90s and early 2000s, had limited ScottCom's growth and market strength, however with its government contracts and strong regional presence ScottCom limited foreign expansion efforts through the raising of the barriers to entry.
Lucas graduated early from Yale at the age 17 and quickly made his way up the organisation through his innovative ideas and new technological developments, at the age of 21 and due to his father's ill health Lucas became the head of R&D and the second-in-command from his uncle Keith, having been instrumental in the development of the LS358 mobile telephony broadband standard allowing for greater range and clarity of transmission allowed the mobile telecommunications division of the firm to become the predominant profit generator. Lucas's proficiency and acumen in technology and the knowledge of new market trends that would require significant organisational changes was the reason for his appointment as CEO. His uncle Keith decided it was best to hand over the reins to his nephew, given Lucas' dedication and drive to make ScottCom one the biggest and the best organisations in the world. Lucas quickly appointed his brother Nathan as CFO and Nathan's wife Haley as the new head of R&D, Dan, Keith and Lucas' grandfather Royal remained on the board of directors to help him be flexible in his roles in the organisation as both CEO and inventor as well as the reclusive billionaire role he had developed. Lucas never did any interviews, and the ones he did do were in print and without his picture. This anonymity helped ground him and allow him to do his job better. The new project was based on testing new technologies developed by Lucas. The location that was chosen for the pilot study was Tree Hill, a small town in North Carolina.
As he stepped off the last step he was greeted by his assistant Marvin "Mouth" McFadden who ushered him to his car and towards the headquarters of the project on the outskirts of the town. As part of the project installations of antennae and other communications technologies in the suburban areas of Tree Hill would be needed which would mean the acquisition of these locations. Lucas loved his job as CEO, but also glad to focus on his other role for the next 9 or so months, he had left his brother and his brother's wife with the joint responsibility so that not to overload them, however he also surmised that if they were to need him he would be there and it wasn't like he wasn't going to check and perform some of his responsibilities as CEO while he was in Tree Hill.
As Lucas was in the full flow of his day by 8 am, Peyton Sawyer was as usual running late.
"Shit! Shit!" She exclaimed as she ran towards the building with the large letters stating "Max Ads". She quickly dispensed her morning coffee in the nearest trash can and adjusted her unruly curly blonde hair so that she didn't look like she just got out of bed. As she approached her director she noticed his agitated and annoyed stance while he was talking to the lights technician.
"Well if it isn't the great Peyton Sawyer, what an honour for us to be graced by your majesty's presence" Max sarcastically said turning towards a sheepish looking Peyton.
"Sorry Max, but the traffic..." She said trying to think of a valid excuse.
"Traffic? In Tree Hill? Right, why don't you go to the makeup room an get ready we've already wasted an hour and half waiting for you, and by the way you look terrible" He said offhandedly knowing it would get his annoyance across to her. Peyton was about to reply to the jibe but thought better of it. She had worked for Max Ads since she came back to Tree Hill after college, now at the age of 23, she worked as a model for the multitude of advertisements that came to Max Ads, however she was not the main model, she was still very much a peripheral model, the honour of the main model went to Rachel Gattina. God knew why? Its not like its her fault that she has trouble waking up at the ungodly hour of 5 in the morning or that she constantly managed to annoy Max. But one thing that Peyton knew, that she would one way or the other usurp Rachel's position. Alas! she sighed, that would probably have to wait another day. As Peyton finished getting ready to shoot the advert about washing powder made locally in Tree Hill, Lucas Scott and his engineers arrived at the first location that they needed to acquire so that they install the equipment. They arrived at TRIC a local night club, however what they were interested in was the location above the night club, that of an apartment belonging to a certain Peyton Sawyer.
"So have you been able to get this location" Lucas asked one of his employees.
"Unfortunately no, its seem Miss Sawyer is unwilling to sell." He replied.
"Okay, may be I should speak with... Miss Sawyer was it?" Lucas asked in clarification and at the nod of his assistant Marvin he continued. "May be I could convince her, arrange the meeting Marvin" Lucas said authoritatively.
"Yes Sir" Marvin replied and opened the door to Lucas' car and waited for them to leave so he could track down Miss Sawyer.
Marvin arrived at "Max Ads" having tracked down the location of Miss Sawyer's employment. He approached who looked like the director of whatever this was.
"Hi, my name is Marvin McFadden and I'm the assistant of Lucas Scott, the CEO of ScottCom and I was looking for Miss Sawyer is she around?" Marvin asked hoping to get the attention by name dropping.
"Miss Sawyer? Oh you mean Peyton, she's in the make up room over there" Max replied pointing towards the room intrigued by this development, quickly seeing the business opportunity Max ordered one of the extras to grab a coffee and take to the assistant of Lucas Scott, he also wondered what someone like Lucas Scott would want with Peyton. He watched as the guy seemed to be pleading with Peyton, who remained impassive, as the coffee arrived causing the door to be opened the pleading phrase of the assistant could be heard.
"Please Miss Sawyer be reasonable he just wants to meet you..." and at closing of the door Max watched on intrigued. Peyton seemed even more impassive if that was possible. He also saw a dejected looking Marvin walking towards the door leaving Peyton. Max approached him.
"Is everything okay?" He asked.
"I don't know, she's just being unreasonable he just wants to meet with her..." Marvin sighed.
"Well Marvin, I'll talk to her, be sure to mention Max Ads to your boss, okay" Max stated escorting Marvin out. Max quickly made his way towards Peyton, the crowd that had gathered having heard the name Lucas Scott had not dissipated and waited for Peyton emergence for any kind of gossip.
"Miss Sawyer" Max began in his best sycophantic voice.
"Huh?" Peyton replied confused at the tone of voice and the use of the formal greeting.
"You talking to me?" She asked looking around.
"Who else would be talking to Peyton" Max said smiling towards her.
"Okay?" She replied still confused.
"So why don't you just meet him, I mean he went through this trouble to locate you" Max said hoping to not let this potential networking opportunity go.
"What? Oh you mean Lucas..."
"Yes, Lucas Scott, come on Peyton it's not like everyday you get asked out by someone like Lucas Scott" Max explained trying to change Peyton's mind.
"What?..." Peyton asked even more confused.
"I mean just think about what it could do for your career or Max Ads, I mean the possibilities are endless, I mean we can finally go national it would be because of you Peyton." Max said oblivious to Peyton's confusion.
"Oh! He wasn't..." Peyton paused to think about what she should do, on the one hand she could come clean, and on the other hand she could finally become the top model and dethrone Max's precious Rachel, and besides it's not like she ever going to have to meet Lucas Scott, she could just pretend it didn't work out, or he wanted someone else.
"You know what Max you're right, I shouldn't dismiss his proposal"
"What? Proposal?" Max asked shocked.
"Yeah, he proposed but I wasn't sure, I mean it's not like we know each other very well, but thinking about he does love me, so I say why not?" She said smiling milking the situation for all its worth.
"Wow, oh you call him and let him know right away" Max said handing Peyton his phone.
"Hi...It's Peyton could you patch it through to Lucas." She said without waiting for the person on the other end to inquire who it was.
"What?" Came the reply
"Yeah thanks, I can wait" She replied nonchalantly, rolling her eyes for the benefit of her audience.
"I don't know who you are...wait Peyton Sawyer? Thanks for wasting our time, we know you don't own the building you just lease it and you haven't even paid the rent for the last two months! Don't bother calling here again" He said hanging up the phone.
"Yeah, hey Luke... yeah I wanted sincerity" pause for effect "but I realised it was heart felt so the answer is yes, yes I will marry you" perfect "okay I know you're busy so I'll talk to you later" She answered to the dial tone before hanging up.
"So yeah, I'm engaged!" She exclaimed towards the audience.
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