"We'll increase the price by twenty percent, then we can make up for the loses in the international matket. Moreover, we are the
major exporters in this business and I think we ought to have increased our price a long time ago since the cost of production has increased. Now is the right opportunity to change it" Amarachi replied her boss who stood beside cross checking what she had on her computer
"Wow! I never thought of it like this" he said and stared at her face intently. " Amarachi", he continued calmly, I'm glad I met you. I've never met any Lady as intelligent and beautiful as you"
"Hehe", Amarachi chuckled and looked at the wall clock hanging on the wall.
Dennis also looked at his wrist watch. "Wow, its fifteen minutes to six already, it took us a long time to balance everything. I don't think the outing will work today anymore"
"Yeah, its late already." Amarachi smiled.
"How do you intend to go home now? You already told your friend to leave without you"
"I'll just take a cab", Amarachi replied packing her accessories into her bag.
"I'll drop you off"
"No, don't bother. I'll get a cab"
"No, I won't leave you to go through the stress of searching for a cab this night. Its late already and there'll be a lot of competition for cabs in the street"
"Yeah, but I'll get one easily"
"Naah, I'm dropping you" , He replied and he hurried into his office to get his car key, by the time he locked his office, Amarachi was waiting at the stairs. "Alright Lady, are you ready?"
"Okay, since you insist, lets go."
They walked down together and went straight to the car park. In no minute, they drove out of the company and hit the busy road.
After some minutes of no movement in the traffic, Dennis spoke up. "You see", he pointed to some people by the side of the road who were obviously returning from work also and waiting to get a cab, "I can't let you go through that stress"
"Come on, it's nothing. Those people are also like me, now I have troubled you and you have to drive back home alone in the traffic"
"Naah, I got my car and am a good driver. I know how to find my way quickly, so don't bother about me"
"Thank you so much", Amarachi smiled and held his right hand which wasn't placed on the steering wheel. "I appreciate all the kindness you've shown towards me since I started working with you"
"Amarachi, its nothing there's nothing I can't do for you" he replied tightening the grip on her palm.
"Thank you"
"Amarachi, there's I really need to tell you that I feel something deeper than just being friends with you. I ..." Just then the roads got free and cars began to move rapidly, Dennis had no choice than to stop the conversation and drive off immediately
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bola heard some noise at the gate, she peeped through the window and found Ken beating up her gateman who was obviously trying to deny him entrance into the building. She walked out in annoyance to meet ken.
"Ken, when would you learn to behave like a gentleman? What are you doing here again?"
"What kind of question is that?" He asked leaving the gateman to struggle on the floor as he walked towards Bola. "We have to finalise our marriage discussion and pick a date for the wedding now"
"What wedding? Please don't come near me", she said as she moved backwards. "I said I don't want to see you here again, its over between us and there's nothing that can bring us together again
"Thats a lie" he said with an evil smile. "You're carrying my baby"
"Hahaha" Bola laughed loud startling him, "who told you I'm pregnant for you? Oh! I guess you've discussed with my Dad, right?"
"Yes, your Dad told me already. Why didn't you tell me first?" He asked and held her by her arms. "Lets go in and talk"
"Come on leave me alone", she snatched her hand from him. "Go where? Don't you think Ken? How come you believe I'm pregnant for you?" I'm just a week pregnant and it can't be for you"
Realization hit Ken as she said that, it had been over a month he had sex with her last, so if she was a week pregnant, it couldn't be for him. He struggled not to accept the truth.
"That's a lie Bola, you can't keep my baby from me?"
"It's not your baby Ken, I'm pregnant for another man and I'm taking him to meet my Dad this week" she replied him" please close the gate when you're done"
She walked in leaving him to stand in awe, after some seconds of standing, he walked out and drove away angrily. As he drove through the street, he wondered who was the guy who dared to tamper with his girlfriend, he swore under his breath to deal with that person when he finds him.
He made up his mind to do everything possible not to loose Bola, not because he loved her so much but because he didn't want to loose the opportunity of getting married to her and using her to threaten the Chief to gain political advantage for he and his Father.
"That pregnancy is for me, Bola is for me, if I don't have her, nobody else would. I'll kill any nigga that tries to contend with me" he cursed under his breath as he raced down the road.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"The guy has a nice car"
"Yeah, he's a big boy now. What do you think?" Amarachi replied
"Yeah,Yeah, Yeah. So, its your turn to tell me how the date went"
"We didn't go out anymore"
"Why?"
"There was no time anymore, we finished our work late, it was almost 6pm before we did."
"Okay, so you stayed together in your office for about four hours together?"
"Yep"
"And you want to tell me that work is all what you did?" Ini questioned giving her a suspicious look.
"Yes, I had to do a lot of research and after then, some calculations"
"Hmmm... I find that hard to believe o. You mean he was touching you while you were doing the research?" Ini askqed again giving a short wink.
"Taaah! Naughty girl, touching me ke?"
"Okay o, we will catch you and your manager one day"
"Catch and do ni"
"Okay o, let's see." Ini replied and picked up her phone to reply a chat message before looking up at Amarachi again." You know, I think that guy is in love with you"
"Taah, he has not said anything like that"
"Hmm"
"Wait, I think he was trying to say something that I didn't get due to the noise of the cars" Amarachi said after thinking deep for some seconds.
"He loves you, I know"
"You always know everything"
"I saw the way he looked at you as you left his car and walked in. That look in his eyes wasn't ordinary"
It was Friday already and Frank was still undecided on whether he should visit Bola's father or not. She had called him on Thursday morning to remind him and also warn him of the consequences of not going. His friends had also advised him to go hear what the man had to say, they even offered to go with him.
But it is always easier said than done; he was the one to face the man, not them. He wondered what the man would ask him. Was he going to ask him why he didn't want to accept the pregnancy? Or was he going to ask him to marry his daughter? The two options scared him, he knew that he could be severely dealt with if he refused to marry her asked to or probably killed and he didn't know what to answer when he was asked why he didn't want to accept his responsibility.
His thoughts drifted to Amarachi, he thought of what she would be thinking of him. He wondered if she had been told that Bola was pregnant for him, then she would take him as a total jerk, an unserious fellow.
He was still deep in his thoughts when he heard an argument outside his office,
"My Boss wouldn't want to see you, he doesn't want you around here anymore"
"Stop shouting at me, just go in and tell him I'm here to see"
"Let her in please" Frank said to the stylist.
She walked into his office and stood silently for some seconds while Frank walked back to his seat and fixed his eyes on her waiting for her to talk.
She walked close to the table and sat in the visitor's chair. She brought a sheet of paper and placed it on the table. Frank picked it up and scanned through, it was the pregnancy test result.
"But this doesn't still prove that the baby is mine"
"Come on Frank, stop this. I'm only doing this because I love you, if it was another guy, I would have allowed my father deal with him"
Frank was scared by her response, he didn't want to be dealt with by her father but he put up a bold face, he didn't want to give her the impression that she succeeded in making him afraid.
"Nonsense", he replied. "I told you before I would have nothing to do with you anymore. Go and tell your father that I'm not responsible for the pregnancy"
"Okay, lets see" she said standing up, she put back the test result in her bag. "I'll deliver your message, but don't say I did not warn you" she walked out of the office.
Frank wondered if he had done the right thing, what if she went ahead to deliver his message or she said something bad about him to her father? He thought about calling her phone to apologize but discarded the thought because she probably would think he had given in to her threats.
He decided he would go and visit the Chief the next day and face whatever the man would bring his way. He brought out the Chief's business card from his drawer and read out the address to himself.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Amarachi was smiling all alone to herself in her office, she just got a call from her mother and was told her father was hale had been discharged from the hospital, she also spoke to her father over the phone and his voice was clear enough proving that he was better.
She read through the report she prepared for the research work she made on that Tuesday, she was to submit it to the chairman the next week. She walked out of her office and walked to the Dennis' secretary.
"Please make photocopies of this and give them to Mr. Dennis" she was walking back to her office when she heard her name.
"Amarachi, come here"
She looked back to be sure if it was the secretary that called her. Yes, it was . Tayo was signalling to her with her hand to move closer. Amarachi walked back to her surprised at the manner at whichbshe was called.
"Yes, is there any problem?"
"Yes, there's a problem and the problem is you"
"Excuse me"
"Yes, you are the problem. What relationship are you having with the boss?"
"What kind of question is that?" Amarachi asked obviously getting irritated.
"He was in your office throughout yesterday"
"And so?"
"See, I know you will deny . But let me tell you the truth, if you think you can seduce the Boss to get favours or promotions, you are joking. So many of us have been here years before you and we won't let you get promoted before us. That's all."
Amarachi looked at her and shook her head pitifully. She walked back to her office without saying anything.
TBC......
