Chapter 8

Tiara on the left, Anita on the right.

Song: Hillsong United - Good Grace.

Zara.

The next day was much better than the former.

Louis showed me my office which was one of the only offices on the 54th floor. It was just my office, Louis' and the conference room. He also gave me most of the existing paper work of the company for me to study so I can pick up from where the former COO stopped.

My office was really beautiful and very big. It was as big as Louis' only more beautiful. The office had purple walls and white curtains with lounge chairs and a plasma TV to the side and a glass desk in the middle with a big chair behind it. It also had two small chairs in front for visitors. There were shelves with a lot of books relating to the shipping business and oil.

I was in the middle of studying the papers when Lola barged into my office.

I looked up at her and she had a glare on her face, I glared back.

"Don't you knock?" I sternly asked.

"You told Louis that I was using you as a slave?" Lola asked still giving me a death glare.

I gave her my best resting bitch face "Weren't you?"

"Look I will not have you come out from nowhere and ruin a relationship I've worked years to build." Lola stated pointing at me.

I bent my head and chuckled "You don't want your relationship to be ruined but you still had the balls to mess with me."

"Look-"

"No you look Lola. I don't care if you've built your so called relationship for ten years or all that horse shit but one thing is clear. In this office environment, you are nothing but my subordinate and you will be reporting to me. Is that clear?" I stated, cutting her off. I was surprised at how calm I was sounding, but my voice was stern enough to make her flinch.

"I said is that clear Lola?" I asked reemphasizing on my words this time.

She mellowed and nodded her head. That was more like it.

"I was even about to call you." I said to her more calmly.

"What for." She almost whispered.

I cleared my throat and spoke "I've been going through all the paper work and that of your department seems very... Interesting. I've noticed that most people are being placed in the wrong departments and some aren't even qualified to work here. There will be a reshuffling and we will unfortunately be letting some people go. I will personally be interviewing and employing new people, understood?"

By the time I was done speaking, her mouth was wide open, I smirked.

"But that's my job, I can do it."

"If you could, then I wouldn't have to do it again would I?" I retorted, almost yelling at her. She flinched.

Good.

"That'll be all Miss Dorego." I said, going back to studying the paper work.

She looked confused and disappointed "No you cant-"

"Shut the door behind you Miss Dorego" I cut her off not sparing her a glance.

The last I heard of her was when she stomped out of my office slamming the door. I had a feeling she was going to tell Louis.

I sat back in my chair and laughed. It felt good to give her a taste of her own medicine.

----

I was about to knock on Louis' office door when I heard an argument from the other side so I decided to stay and eavesdrop.

"Louis you can't possibly expect me to answer to her." A female voice yelled and I automatically knew it was Lola.

"And what's wrong with answering to her?"

"EVERYTHING!"

"Lola stop screaming. Zara has the position now, end of story." Louis said and I chuckled. Good for you Lola.

"That girl is a nightmare. Imagine her wanting to sack people and do interviews. That's my job. She wants to take my job. Next thing will be to tell the board I'm incompetent." Lola complained. Louis started chuckling. I smiled.

"I'm sorry but if you did it right the first time then she wouldn't be doing this. Besides she's a nice person. She's only mean now because you were mean to her. I want you both to get along." Louis defended me. I loved my cousin.

"I know your mother put you up to this, and knowing you nah mama's boy, you can't say no to her. You let her ride you like okada. I should've known that you haven't changed."

"Lola, I will not have you insult me and if it will interest you to know, I was the one who suggested that Zara become COO."

"WHAT?!"

Louis started laughing all of a sudden. "So wait oh, What job did you expect me to give her when her family owns this company?"

"So this was your idea?" Lola asked sounding dumbfounded.

"UGH!!" Lola exclaimed out of frustration and I started hearing footsteps coming towards the door.

I took it as my cue to knock and almost immediately my hand met the door, Lola opened it, she looked at me with a scowl and brushed past me. I smirked.

I stepped into the office "What was that about?" I asked Louis who was sitting on his desk with his hat beside him on the table, as I shut the door.

"Nothing much, just Lola and her drama. How is your day going?" He asked me rather disoriented. I felt bad for him.

I went to the lounge chair and plopped myself down on it before answering "There's a lot of work to do around here. I've been so busy. I don't even have an assistant." I whined.

Louis sighed and rubbed his head "Well HR is taking care of your assistant problem. By tomorrow you would get someone."

"OK.. But by HR you mean crazy Lola" I said and he frowned. I smiled knowingly.

"First, Lola isn't crazy so watch your mouth, and secondly her deputy is handling it. Lola isn't in a good place right now." He scolded me and I just smiled. I expected his reaction because I intentionally looked for his trouble.

"I'm sorry Lou, I don't just like her because of what she did to me." I said sincerely. I wanted to let him know that if she was actually nice to me then we would have gotten along.

I hate rubbish.

"Wow, Mom hates her, now you hate her too. How convenient." He muttered a little too loudly.

"Why does your mom not like her?" I asked dumbfounded.

Louis just shrugs "Its a really long story that starts with illegal transactions that lead to an arranged marriage and ended in a pretty bad divorce."

My jaw was literally on the floor at this point "You were married?" I asked in deep shock.

He started to scratch his hatless head, "Well I still am."

I gasped.

What in the entire world?

"Say wha?"

"I'm still married that is until next year when the divorce will be finalized" he explained.

I was still confused "And Lola agreed to wait for you till then?" I asked and he nodded.

"Wow, I go love oh" I said and he chuckled.

As if on cue, his office phone rang and he pressed a button, answering it and putting in on speaker.

"Sir, sorry to disturb you, but Miss Tiara and Miss Anita are here to see you." Nonso, Louis' assistant's voice boomed through the phone.

Louis' face lit up immediately and I recalled that Tiara was the girl that Tayo, one of Louis' friends was getting married too.

"Send them in." He said and the line went dead.

Soon enough two young, beautiful and rather overly cheerful girls burst through the doors. They were really happy to see Louis, given the way they ran and gave him a bone smashing group hug. They didn't even notice me, that's how excited they were.

One of them had dark skin and was shorter, about 5'4 while the other one was fairer and taller than the other one. They looked really happy to see Louis and Louis also looked happy to see them.

"You guys really look good, I must say" Louis told them, grinning like a cat.

"I know right. I think its a pre wedding glow, right Anita?" The short one cheered asking the taller one who I now knew as Anita which means that the shorter one was Tiara, Tayo's fiancee.

"Yass girl. But wait till it's a week to the wedding, you will literally have a halo on your head." Anita answered and they  laughed.

Afterwards, Louis acted like he remembered something. "Please come, meet my cousin" he said while guiding them to where I was sitting.

I stood up awkwardly while they were coming to where I was. Tiara, the short one ran to me and gave me a bone crushing hug. I felt weird and looked at Louis who was just smiling at the scene.

"Aww a new friend" Tiara said in a cute voice.

What is this one now. I thought to myself.

Tiara pulled away, beaming at me. "I'm Tiara" she told me with a smile, sounding like something out of a Disney Channel cartoon.

"I'm Zara." I said back, smiling at her. At least she's nice to me. "Uhh by Tiara dohh you mean the Crown or..l

She laughed and nudged me a bit "No it's Tiaraoluwa it means 'body of God'" she finished and I understood. I actually really liked the name.

"Your name is beautiful" I complemented and she started jumping, startling me. "Nita come say hi to our new friend"

Our what now?

"I would have said hi since, its you that was busy blocking everywhere." Anita said coming close to me. Tiara just turned around and skipped to Louis. This girl was just a child in a woman's body.

"I'm Anita..." She started grinning at me "I'm Tayo's sister. And that bundle of craziness over there is going to be my sister in a few months." She said, reducing her voice and pointing at Tiara discreetly. Although I knew she was joking.

I laughed.

"You have to join the bridal train." Tiara chirped up, looking at me.

Bridal who now?

"Um no I don't think I can, I just got here." I stuttered.

"No no no you really have to. You're family now. Even Lakisha is on the train" Tiara whined. I was confused as to the name she just called.

"Who's Lakisha?" I asked.

"The Garba bitch" Anita said rolling her eyes. This earned her a jab from Tiara.

"Don't mind her. Lakisha is an absolute sweetheart. She's Aminu's sis." Tiara said while glaring at Anita.

I never knew Aminu had a sister. We didn't talk to that extent though.

"Oh, okay. But still I don't think-"

"Please Zara please.. I want you there, it'll really make my day." She cut me off and gave me puppy dog eyes.

She must have been really good at it because I found myself nodding my head.

"Okay fine I'll do it." I found myself saying.

Tiara jumped shouting "yay yay yay" making all of us start laughing.

After her jumping frenzy she finally turned to Louis. "Can we talk?" She asked and Louis lead her away to his table.

As they talked, Anita and I sat on the lounge chair together and started gisting.

I must say I had a wonderful time with them.

---------------------------------------

And it's done.. Phew!

I spent days writing this.. Mainly because my phone has an issue that slows me down in writing. That's why I'm so happy that I've finished this.

This is a filler chapter.. Zara has finally made new female friends. Next chapter , Aminu is coming back.

Please Vote.. Comment and share.

All my love xoxo 😘😘♥♥❤❤♥♥💥💥