CHAPTER FOUR

~Elizabeth~

"Okay, thank you, I'll make sure Mr Badmus knows." I cut the call and let out a loud sigh.

It had been a week after that night. Mr Badmus left for a business trip and would be back by the end of day. So basically, I had a ton of work to do.

"Good day, this is B-Corp, how may I help you." I said my usual words to whoever called.

"Miss Adeyemi." I recognized the voice immediately.

"Oh good afternoon sir." I greeted my boss.

"Is everything ready?" He asked "Yes sir. The hall has been booked and the decorations are done already, invitations has been sent to everyone you listed and the entertainment is prepared and the workers has been told to leave earlier than usual so as to go get prepared." I explained to him. Even I am surprised at what I had planned down. I turned into a party planner.

"All workers excluding you." He corrected and I sighed.

I had to wait till he was back, so I could attend to some things. While everyone was busy enjoying themselves, I would stay and wait till my boss got back. I didn't even have a dress to wear.

"Yes sir." I lowered my voice. My mind wasn't  even at the party. All I wanted was to go home and lay on my bed and take sleeping pills and sleep without disturbance.

*****************

"Welcome back sir." I greeted as he came down from his plane. He just nodded and walked past me, adjusted the tuxedo he was wearing.

"Follow me." He ordered. And I thought my speech about him being bossy worked but obviously it didn't at all.

I gave a signal to the air hostess to get his luggage to his house and she nodded. Then I began walking with my boss and even with years, I still found it hard to keep a pace with him.

He kept speed walking till he got to his car, he got in and I followed still not questioning where we were going. But surprisingly, this time around, he didn't allow his driver drive us. He entered the drivers seat and I sat beside him. Then he drove off. In the wrong direction.

"Um...sir, your office is that way."

"I know that." He rolled his eyes. Great he's taking me to another anonymous place.

"W-where are we going?" I asked and immediately regretted it cos the glare he gave in response was enough to send someone to hell.

"I'm sorry I asked." I apologized so as not to start his anger.

..................

My jaw dropped slightly when he parked his car in front of the boutique he took me to the other day. I still didn't understand a thing. Well for starters, I know Sandra has nothing to do with it.

Maybe he wanted to get a gift for her here and he needed me to pick it for her.

"Are you gonna follow me or are you just gonna sit there drooling?" I snapped out of my thoughts and left the car.

Still walking behind him, my brain tried to process a question that won't make him mad at me. Why were we here? Shouldn't we be at the party? He was the host, his presence was important.

"I need a dress." He said to the girl behind the counter. "For her." He added and my eyes widened.

I never asked for one. I didn't need one and definitely not from him. I could just go shopping myself. Why is he doing this? Does he want to add to the work I'm going to do? Is that why he's trying to play nice?

"Sir...." I tried to input. "End of discussion." He snapped and walked away.

************

"I am not wearing this." I insisted to the lady in front of me.

"Why not, it looks amazing on you." She smiled in awe.

"No, I look like a prostitute." I glared at her already trying to pull down the zipper.

"I need another one, maybe the one that covers more." I told her and she pouted.

"But that's what Mr Badmus wants you to wear." She said and my brain tried to understand the meaning of what she's saying.

"That's what Mr....look, I am not his girlfriend, he is my boss, yes, doesn't give him the right to dictate what I wear. In fact, I'm just gonna leave." I picked up my clothes and entered the dressing room again.

"Okay, Fine I'll give you a better dress." She surrendered and I smiled in satisfaction.

****************

I got out of the dressing room and saw my boss sitting on a chair across, he looked up at me and then looked down to his phone again, only for him to snap his head back up.

Naturally, other male would check the lady out, which is disturbing if you ask me, but you see David, he just glared. He glared hard.

"This wasn't the dress I chose. Why..."

"This is what I'm gonna wear, end of discussion." I repeated his words and left the boutique. Not even caring about what could go wrong between us.

"Hey, do not use my words against me." He pulled me back by my arm, making me glare this time.

"Get your hands off me." I demanded and pulled myself out of his grip. "We're gonna be late." I entered his car and gave him enough time to process what happened.

This wasn't the dress I chose.

Just who does he think he is. He controls what I do at work but he doesn't have anything to do with what I wear. The dress on me now was great, I know that because I looked at a mirror. And I didn't need any males opinion on what I wore. Him included. So let him get over himself. He paid, so? Did I send him to? I could totally take care of myself.

"You know this attitude of yours nowadays, I don't like it." He said and you could hear that frustration in his voice which I'm glad to cause.

"Maybe if you stop prying into people's personal life, it could stop." I mirrored his tone. His eyes widened in surprise at what I just said but I didn't have enough energy to feel bad about it.

"What?!" He growled out.

"Look," I cut in, trying my best to take in as much oxygen as I can. "I'm tired. And stressed out. It's been a very busy week for me. Busier than usual. Now my tiredness is making me transfer aggression. So please, let's just get this over with....." I trailed off. "I'm sorry I yelled. I shouldn't have. And I shouldn't have chosen another dress. But in my defense, the dress you chose for me was too revealing. I couldn't put it on." I added feeling relaxed a little.

There was silence between us, only the sound of the vehicle moving. Till he scoffed. A sarcastic kind of scoff.

"You think using a lame excuse of being tired is going to change the fact that you yelled at your boss?" His gripped tightened on the wheel.

"You can't be serious." I muttered but loud enough for him to hear me.

"Oh I am damn serious." He looked at me then back at the road.

"Do you really want us to start this argument again. I apologized. What else do you want?" I crossed my arms.

"The argument wouldn't have started if you had just obeyed. You find it really hard to do so. Simple obedience."

"If it's about that dress, I am proud to say that I don't regret my actions. I could never wear that piece of clothe out even if it cost me my life." I defended myself.

He pulled over in front of the large building where the celebration is supposed to take place and I sighed. Thank God.

"This discussion isn't over." He pointed at me as he hopped out. I hissed silently and left the car too.

**********

It's been about thirty minutes since we arrived the venue. And I have been trying my best to avoid my boss and I think he's doing the same thing. We try not to get too close, we try not to start up a conversation so as not to bring that childish talk we were having in the car.

"Babe you look awesome." I turned to face my friend. Chidima. At least someone thinks positively.

"Thank you." I smiled at her and took a sip from my drink.

"So are you going to tell me the truth?" She looked at me with wide eyes of expectation.

"Tell you what?" I frowned slightly.

"C'mon, there's a crazy rumor that you and David are together." She said and I choked on my drink. I took my time to cough it out, also using the opportunity process her words. Together as in?

"Tell me please." She placed a long emphasis on the last word.

"What?" I shouted, dragging some attention to us.

"Don't lie to me. I saw the both of you come here together." She insisted.

"Because it's my job. I'm his PA I'm supposed to be with him." I said out with frustration.

"But you like him. "

"No, I hate him. He's the number two person in this life I wish never existed." I admitted.

"Really? Who's number one?" She asked. I felt my heart skip remembering who the number one person in life I hated. My father.

But, I'm not going to let him ruin my night. And I'm not gonna let my boss ruin it too for me.

**************

"Mummy. Eku rolè ma." (Mummy good evening) I greeted in Yoruba.

"Omo mi. Bawo?" She asked how I was doing with a smile.

It's been a long week. But whenever I see that smile on her face. It's like everything is alright. That's one of the reasons I come to visit her.

"I'm fine." I smiled back at her. This time around it was a genuine smile. Not the ones I give at work.

"Where're you coming from?" She asked eyeing my dress.

"Didn't I tell you. There was a party at work." I told her and she smiled more.

"You look beautiful." Coming from her, it meant a lot to me.

"Thank you." I kissed her cheek.

"Oh thank you for the gifts you've been sending." She kept her smile but I frowned.

"What gift?" I asked and she also frowned.

"The ones you've been sending this last few weeks." She added, pointing at the roses and pamphlets at the other end of the room.

"I-I didn't send anything." I told her already walking towards the gifts.

"Then who did?" She asked. That question just kept repeating itself in my head. Who did?

Dad?

My heart was beating madly in my chest. Like I just ran a marathon. I couldn't even breath properly, I had to support it with my mouth. It can't be dad, it's been so long. Why would he come back. What does he want?

Questions were spinning around my head. Who could possibly know about her being here. It definitely wasn't my brother, he had other things to do.

Unless....

"Mum. How about we call it a night. I need to attend to something. Okay. I promise I'll be here tomorrow." I told her already picking my purse.

"You want to find who sent these right?" She asked and I sighed. She knew me too well.

"I need to. Incase it's a threat." I admitted.

"I am not Dangote's wife. How is it possible that someone is after me?" She rolled her eyes at me.

"Prevention is better than cure." I kissed her forehead and left.

"Just be careful." She shouted before I locked the doors.

*************

I drove my car down the road in the silent street. Only nightlights and my car's light highlighting the road. I knew where I was going and it wasn't far. But somehow, it felt like I was making a bad decision. It felt like I lost my mind. Like I was driving to my demise.

But I had a lot of curiosity in me. And that kept me going. I needed to know. I needed to know for my mother. What if it was danger in disguise?

It was raining heavily outside and the thunder was striking hard but I didn't mind. I was safe in my car. And I still needed to know who sent those things to my mother.

Parking my car in front of the very familiar house, I sucked in a large amount of air and left my car. I ran to the door of the house and rang the doorbell immediately.

After about seconds under the rain, I rang the bell again hoping for a quick answer. I was getting really soaked under the rain. When no reply again, I stretched my arms out to ring it again and the door opened ajar. Only for me to meet the oh so familiar brown eyes.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He growled and I gulped.

I knew it was my demise.