The Lives We Lived

2: Meeting time

"I'm sorry I'm late." Kemi apologized and Ijeoma mumbled the same words after she spoke.

"Apology accepted. We were just discussing the issue of mortgaging the Chief Owo's house in Ikeja." David, the head of the Personnel department replied, catching her eyes for a brief second. His pink lips broadened as he smiled at her. Kemi didn't miss the glint in his gaze. It seemed all too much like the one the taunt had sent her way this morning

"Are we mortgaging it or renting it out in parts?" Ijeoma asked. Kemi smiled at her friend. She usually liked to keep quiet during meetings and listen. She was just coming into the meeting and David wanted her to contribute something when she barely knew anything about the house in question.

"We are thinking of mortgaging it but at the moment renting seems to be the only option. Especially considering the latest scandal the man has got himself involved in. No one wants to take such a huge risk with him," David's voice lost its jovial warmness as he regarded Ijeoma.

"The best thing to do at the moment is for all of us to go back to the drawing book and draw up different proposals," Kachi, a man in his middle-ages answered, leaning into his chair and watching David with his hawk like-eyes

'That's a great Idea. We'll be split into two groups. The first group will propose in favour of mortgaging and the other will propose for renting. This will give us a clearer perspective on this," Mrs Afolabi replied.

"In that case, everyone in the financial and estate department will propose for mortgaging while everyone else will work on renting it out. We'll meet her next week Monday to discuss this. Get to work everyone." Jude, the managing director, got to his feet and left the room. Other workers clustered around discussing various things but Kemi made her way to the door. She already had a hundred things to work on without adding Chief Owo to the list.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mrs Afolabi's shrill voice stopped her dead in her track. "If you and that rat think you're going scot free then think again. None of you will go for your lunch break until you submit today's report."

"You can't do that! That's against company policy." Ijeoma said.

'I am your supervisor and I do what is in the company's interest. Whenever you finish your work, you can go home." Mrs Afolabi replied and left the room with a dramatic exit. Kemi sighed and watched Ijeoma shoot Mrs Afolabi a murderous glare. It was at times like this that she wished she listened to Osa and quit her job.

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"You had better pay me my money oh." The girl's shrill voice was loud enough to wake the dead and with so many skeletons in his cupboard he wasn't taking any chances.

"What right do you have to hold me like this and shout at me?" He glared into her flaming beady eyes. Her grip on his shirt's collar tightened. With the way she was yelling, it wouldn't be long before everyone in the office found out the problem.

A mirthless laugh escaped her lips as she laughed at him. "See this foolish man. Abi you wan make I expose your ynash?"

*or you want me to expose your dirty secret?*

"Ssh.. It's okay." He tried to place a finger on her lips but she slapped his hand away.

"I did not come here to play oh." She said. "I will shout and everyone will know what you have been up to. You shameless he-goat."

He couldn't believe who this treat was coming from. He was being threatened by a common cleaner. The worst part of it all was that this cleaner was barely seventeen years. She wasn't even part of the permanent staff. She was just a casual staff that was going to land him in hot waters.\

"Or better still, I will just tell your good for nothing wife." The girl threatened. His eyes widened in fear at the thought of what that would do to his wife. His marriage would collapse. He didn't know how his hand moved so fast and landed on the girls' face. She screamed out in pain as she held her face releasing her hold on his shirt.

He gripped her wrist as venom poured into his voice making it deeper than ever. "Don't you dare refer to my wife in that manner."

The girl sniffed as her shoulders shook with sobs. "D..DO you think.. that Nobody knows that your..child is not yours... You can't even do a si..simple thing and get your own wife pregnant but you can-"

He decided he had had enough of the bratty teen and pushed her out the door of his office. He glowered at her in the condescending manner he was known for. He only wondered how she knew so much about him and his wife. He wondered how he ever agreed to let a slimy snake like her to work at his office and now she was pestering his life day and night. "Get Out! "

"Get out and never come back!" He yelled. "You are fired."

She eyed his figure with wrath in her eyes. "Do you think this is over you foolish man? I will deal with you ! I will deal with you. " She yelled.

"Leave before I call the police and release dogs on you."

"Beware oh! You people should be careful around this man. He is not the saint he thinks he is. Beware oh. This man is a devil," She yelled at the staff that had gathered around his office to watch the commotion. He almost didn't care if she told them his secret. Then he would really have a reason to kill her.