Five

I stormed into my office and flung myself into my swivel chair in annoyance. 

Who dared stand up to me? Who dared talk back at me? Who dared to have the last say except me? Who dared to rile me up like this?

"Draw up all files on that man," I said smoothly to Cassidy. 

I was working so hard not to let this altercation affect my always cool demeanor. 

"Ummm, ma'am. That can't be possible," she mumbled. 

I snapped my gaze to her and squinted my eyes. "Why?"

"Well, we do not have a lead on him. No name, no voice recognition, no..."

I interrupted her. "Were you blind or are you so slow and dumb? Did you not see him. Can you not fucking describe him?"

"B..b..."

"No buts. I do not care who you call or what you do. I need to crush that man and you would have to find out who he is so I can do so. If I do not get any info about him in two days, kiss your job goodbye." I thundered. 

Cassidy looked visibly shaken. "Y...yes ma'am."

My eyes widened in reminiscence. "Ah yes." I pointed my forefinger at her. "The next time I talk with a client, do not ever butt in. Hold your opinions and questions to yourself. Do you understand me?" 

She nodded frantically. 

I powered my laptop on. "Tell the Director of Construction that I would like to see him in five minutes."

She nodded and went to make the call. In a minute, the man knocked and waltzed in. 

"Sit down," I gestured to the chair opposite me. "What's your name?"

He looked surprise and answered, "John Jonson."

I folded my palms on the table, "Mr. Jonson, I need us to demolish that motherless babies home right now."

His eyes bulged in surprise, "Right now? Ma'am, I would advice that we let it get to the two days we had earlier agreed on. My men would be ready by then."

I scrunched my face defiantly, "I do not care. I want it now and it has to be now. I need to get your report in twenty four hours. Complete demolition."

He nodded, "Okay ma'am."

"Good. You are dismissed," I told him brusquely and he left. 

Cassidy watched me from her little cubicle.

"Is there a problem?" I questioned her. 

She shook her head tautly and went back to making calls. I checked some reports on my desk and finished up around nine pm. I dismissed Cassidy and rode home, joining Grandma and Aunt Joan for dinner.

"You would not be going to work tomorrow," Grandma informed me as she sliced her chicken. 

"Why?" I asked coldly, raising my fork to my mouth. 

"The party. You always return home late from work, which is commendable. But you will need your strength tomorrow," Grandma spelled out. 

I nodded in understanding. 

"You are to rest, freshen up and go shopping for new clothes. We are expecting the high and mighty. Do not mess this up," Grandma grated. 

I nodded again and finished my dinner quietly. As I climbed up the stairs, Aunt Joan stopped me. 

"Are you alright?" She asked me out of concern. 

I forced a smile, "Yes."

She placed her palm over mine. I looked down at it. The comfort the little gesture gave me was amazing.  

"You know you can always confide in me, right?" She cooed.

I nodded. 

"You can always tell me anything," she continued. 

I nodded. 

"I just needed to remind you. You have not told me anything personal about you since three years. I am worried about you. How can you bottle everything up and still seem so unaffected?" She rambled. 

I smiled genuinely this time, touched by her affection. "I have always been fine. Grandma taught me well."

She smiled sadly. "I fear for you my dear. I hope all those emotions do not come for you one day and disarm you."

"They would not. I have learnt to fight them," I whispered. 

She nodded, "Go to bed now. Take a rest. You have got a long night ahead of you."

I nodded and clambered up the stairs to my room. I laid on my bed but could not find it in me to sleep. The words of that stranger tugged my mind. And even though I tried to push the thoughts away, they would not just go. 

I climbed out of bed and took my cigarette pack to the balcony. I lighted a stick and took a drag. 

'Your father would be ashamed to call you his daughter. You are nothing like him.' That voice kept ringing in my head. 

What was my father like? He hardly ever had time to be with me; always travelling the continent, left for work before I wake and returned when I was asleep. What did that man mean? Was Grandma not the one who trained Dad? There was no way she would train me differently from the way she trained Dad and Aunt Joan. How could I proudly call him my father when I could not even say for sure what he was like? 

I frustratedly smoked on three sticks. My mind running wild with thoughts. 

'Grandma can never lead me on the wrong path. I am on the right path.' I assured myself.

I dragged myself to bed and forced myself to sleep. 

I woke the next morning and my maids dressed me up in a casual but expensive frock. I searched for Grandma and Aunt Joan in the mansion but did not find them. 

"Where are Grandma and Aunt Joan?" I questioned my chief maid. 

"I saw them leave early," she informed me. 

I hummed in response and set down for breakfast. I later went shopping and returned to get some sleep for a long night ahead. I woke by six fourteen pm and called my maids to get me ready for the party. 

I catwalked to the garden where the party was to be hosted. The lights around bounced off my black glittering dress. The cool breeze hit my bareback and my right thigh was exposed through the thigh-high slit of my dress. My golden heels clicked on the stone tiles and my hair was done in an exotic style on my head. 

I found Grandma and Aunt Joan in the crowd and made my way to them. Cassidy was soon by me, looking good in a lilac jumpsuit and flats. Her brunette hair was done in a French plait. Grandma took me around to introduce me and make acquaintance while Cassidy typed in her tab, making a list of my newly made acquaintances.

My lips hurt from forcing smiles, my knees hurt from the heels, my back hurt from being too straight and my shoulders hurt from being too high. I was getting ready to call it a night when Grandma dragged me to another man in a gray suit. His black shoe was polished so clean I could see my reflection in them. 

"Ivory, this is Monsieur Florent Dubois. He owns and runs Finesse Restaurant," Grandma introduced. 

He smiled graciously and raised my knuckles to his lips, "Miss Ivory Stone, a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is also mine, Monsieur Florent Dubois," I smirked. 

"Your company is magnifique. I am so impressed and cannot wait to venture into business with you," he praised. 

I nodded, noticing then that Grandma had disappeared. 

"Could I interest you in a game of chess?" He asked out of the blue.

A game of chess? That was strange.

He smiled indulging, "Mrs. Stone said you loved to play."

Grandma had been talking about me with this man?

"Sure," I replied curtly and led him away to the game room. 

We sat at the chess table and began to play. He moved a piece first. 

"How old are you?" He asked. 

I gave him a short glance before moving a piece. "Twenty one."

"I am thirty," he said and moved another piece. 

Why should I care? 

After we had moved two pieces each, he asked again. "I am divorced. What is your status?"

I cocked a brow at him. Did Grandma not tell him that too? "Single." I replied curtly. 

He moved another one. "Did you enjoy the food?"

I have not had the time to taste anything since I arrived the party but I replied. "Yes."

He smiled proudly, "I am glad you like our services."

I nodded and moved my last piece. I had won. I smiled triumphantly at him and he bobbed his head in approval. 

"You are the very first to be the victor with me in a round," he said. "Maybe a drink to celebrate?"

I nodded and relaxed in the chair. He clapped his head and I heard footsteps approaching.

"I enjoyed the game. We should play again next time," he entreated.

"Maybe," I mumbled. 

The waiter was pouring a drink into the glasses he had kept on the table. I raised my head to look at him and recognized him immediately. He was the black man who had the weird accent. He avoided eye contact with me, smoothly doing his job like we had never met before. I looked at his name tag; it spelt Jide.