1.

N'DJAMENA, CHAD.

"Treasure what you have, time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grief, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, Time is Eternity. For all you out there with someone special in your heart, cherish that person, cherish every moment that you spend together that special someone, for in life, anything can happen anytime. You may painfully regret, only to realize that it is too late. Do not value the things you have in your life. But value who you have in your life."

Like every other day, Suhayr remembered what her foster mother had said to her on her death bed. Like a broken recorder, she replays it whenever she feels down and when she is facing hardship. She's loved that woman like she would her mother and she misses her terribly, everyday. She was like her own oxygen, her life and happiness, that is in her definition.

Her thoughts of the beloved woman was cut short when she heard the shrilling sound of her sleaze phone ringing on the bedside drawer to her left. That's it, the morning has arrived and her phone won't stop ringing for the rest of that day. She often asks herself why her phone rings all the time when it is not money that is coming into her account. It is irritating answering unnecessary phone calls that is before she saw the caller ID.

"You should come here fast, Suhayr. They said they are on their way here and you need to be here before they come. If they don't find you here, you know what will happen right?" She rolled her eyes hearing her assistant's worried and anxious voice disseminating her brain.

Why is she worried because some people are visiting their company? It's not like she asked them to come early or something, they decided to do that themselves. Paying her a visit when she least expect and when she should be sleeping. They need some sort of punishment for that but then again, she is out of ideas in the morning with sleep burying her thoughts.

They could go to hell! It's her company and not theirs, no one will rule her when she is the owner. She is the proprietor, they should go back to school to learn what that means, honestly speaking.

"I'll be there in fifteen." She stood up from her Queen sized bed and left for her bathroom begrudgingly. All she wants to do is let her sour muscles relax after the endless sketching she did the night before for her next collection. She has full confidence that it will bring so much income to the company.

If not that it will look disrespectful for her to ditch the government, she would've gone back to sleep and go to work around twelve in the afternoon like always. It's not like anyone will be waiting for her there, she values her sleep more than anything in the world. No one ever comes between her and her sleep, that person is as good as dead. It's stupefying how she wasn't grumpy about waking up so early.

Fucktards!

She lives in an apartment just five minutes away from her office so she will be able to run in there even if she is late. The office is her foster mother's who handed it to her when she passed away so she could run the clothing brand she has. It is a small business but she is willing to make it great however, it is not happening anytime soon from the looks of it. There is this faith she has for the recent designs she is willing to try out but these people are trying to get in her way.

Her apartment has two bedrooms with bathrooms in both the rooms, there is a kitchen which is adjoined to a small storeroom. There is also living room as soon as you entered and she could say, her apartment is quite cozy and beautiful for a woman like herself in Chad. She's done good in picking nice yet not expensive place to stay alone by herself. Her best friends crash there too whenever they feel like giving her some company.

It is not everyday that a young woman like herself get so much independence and freedom. She has her own skeletons in her drawer but no one can dare approach her even if she let them out. She don't even get why this government people want to waste their time knowing she is unyielding. She is the golden orange fire that will never be discriminated by there mere presence, they know that perfectly.

After taking the quickest bath in record time because she needs to be in her office before the government reach there to add more to the company's bad record's book, she is not afraid though. She just wants to do everything not to disappoint her foster mother in her grave. The woman has taught her so much that she feels even her real mother can't teach her, that is if she was alive.

Someone from Nigeria wants to buy the entire block she has her office and home, they want to know how much she is willing to sell them off. If she won't, then she should tell them the use of it in the place and why won't she let this person that wants to buy it to build a school. She knows why the government joined in, building a school will be a great help in that country and someone is willing to do it. They won't let anything or anybody ruin that but she is also no quitter.

She will go to any extent for that place that means a lot to the person closest to her.

She heard that the man owns some well renowned architectural company in Nigeria, apart from the branches he has almost everywhere in Africa and Europe. She's heard how powerful and sturdy he is. They want to scare her not knowing that nothing on earth could scare Suhayr Imraan Khalid. That is not how she got brought up by her mother, she is fearless and stout.

She needs to make some perfect story and also impress them. She wants her office to keep running as it is the only source of income she has and she never went to university for her to get a job. Her foster mother died when she just finished highschool a year ago and she focused on building her mother's clothing brand after that. Not that she would've agreed to go to college, she hates school.

She got dressed in berry blue skinny jeans and black shirt, an onyx boyfriend jacket to finish up. Happily skipping to her hanger of veils, she removed an arctic blue veil then slipped her black slippers as she doesn't have any blue slippers to match it, it slipped from her head to get some with the problem of money too. She took her famous and only expensive black backpack purse and left her home in a hurry. If it is in her own hands, she wouldn't be there till when she wants. But that company is very close to her mother so she will have to save it by force or by fire.

Shortly, she's arrived at the small office and got in just as she saw some magnificent expensive black cars pulling up outside the company. She ran to her office and prayed to God her assistant has set the minimum sized meeting room in the office then got into her own where she saw her assistant pacing in fast strides. Always anxious and nervous for both of them.

"You are just on time. Let's go to the meeting room, I've set it up." And they walked to the meeting room greeting the three other employees in the office.

The office has only four employees with herself, five. They help with the clothes, there is a tailor, the one that sells fabrics and the one that delivers them to shops around. She don't need too much people to take every little bit of money she has. As it is, the company doesn't bring much money so adding more people will only charge her head and her pocket money.

Arriving at the tortilla painted meeting room that has a black rectangular table, six black chairs by the sides and a small shelf that has the company's PowerPoint's, she huffed. She is half tired of managing the company that doesn't bring much profit to shelter her with her own home and her own motorcycle. All she has is that apartment and little savings she's done when her foster mother is alive. Now she needs this company more than ever, it is the only place she has for any financial needs.

She don't even know how she made a name in the country only that she is untameable! Even the government want the company to be taken from her because they don't like reading her never ending pranks on papers. She is always up to something and she being nineteen years old is just making things worst. They badly try pursuing her to go to college but she wouldn't budge, she hates anything that has to do with studying.

"Good morning." She didn't bother standing up to show respect and greet the three men that walked in. They are all government officials wearing their finest expensive suits from their clothes.

"Morning, Ms. Khalid." They greeted at the same time and sat down on the other three chairs leaving one unoccupied, they said four of them were coming but they are only three. Well, less trouble for her in convincing another headstrong old man.

"The forth person isn't here?" She inclined her head and gave them all a once over as they are taking in her office, painting it in their minds so they can go and report her of anything amiss. She knows how to keep everything clean and clear too. Two can play.

It's fortunate that her mother forced her to learn English or she wouldn't have. She didn't want to take English classes in school even though it's compulsory but she was a rebel back in highschool and made it to the papers even there. She hates English and likes speaking in her mother tongue Arabic/French all the time but lucky her or she would be there looking at them like aliens.

"Yes, his plane got stuck where he is but he will be here tomorrow." One of them with bald hair replied and settle some files on the table.

"Down to business then." She straighten her spine from the relaxing position she was in, she needs to be serious if she wants them to leave her company alone.

Not from the looks of it though! They are ready to cause her trouble.

"We are offering you a huge amount of money to sell this block for us, Ms. Khalid. Everyone around this street has agreed and they are all about to pack up except for you. What is so special about this place might I ask?" Another man with full hair and fair skin asked looking around the office for some seconds. His question was rude but it didn't show any sign in his voice or face so she let it slip.

"This place is my mother's and I'd like to help her run it till it's a success." Came her firm reply, never looking intimidated and could see her assistant giving her a proud smile. As if she will ever be intimidated by anyone's presence.

"I know your mother would like you to move this company to where it's going to be more successful. This place won't bring you any customers and we are offering an amount that will get you build another company anywhere you want." The man further explained, keeping his palms on the table as though he thinks she is going to give up soon.

"With due respect, Sir, I'd like to continue running this place like she did. No amount of money will replace memories or I'm I wrong? You should know better than me, memories are special, aren't they, Sir?" Her eyes are looking dead in the man's eyes since she knew about him.

His wife died and it took him long enough to come out of depression so she could use that sour spot to her advantage. She doesn't care if she is been ruthless, everything is fair in love and war. She knows about everyone's weakness, any important person. The word Sir came out as a mockery in a way that will make him recoil back from crossing her again with his words. There are little she could swallow and taunts are not one of them especially when her mother is included.

It takes two to tango!

"You are right but this is for your own good, my dear." This time it's the older man amongst them with greying hair around his full hair and a kind smile gracing his lips. It is like he is talking to his own daughter not some investor. That alone made her tremble a little, old kind people are her weakness all the time.

"I want to meet the man that wants this place first if you don't mind, Sir." She requested, leaning back on her chair and sighed. She is giving up because they are right, she needs money and that place isn't giving her much. A lot of things need to be done and that place is not the place to get what she wants.

She won't take less money than the one that will build her a house, a new car, some other necessities and another company. Yes, they are offering a handsome amount of money but she wants more and would like to talk to this man face to face. It is said that he is a millionaire who started from the scratch with help from his equally rich family. Not to talk about the countless of businesses he has all around Africa and Europe. He must be rich and why won't she get what she wants if he is desperate? She likes situations like that.

"He will be here tomorrow like we said. You can finalise it with him when he comes In Shaa Allah. We shall take our leave." The older man concluded and stood up along with the others.

"It was good meeting you." The other two said at the same time before they made their way to the door and leave her office leaving her in deep thoughts and on scale.

"I wish I could say the same, old men." She grumbled underneath her breath knowing one of them might've heard her, not that she cared who does though. She's been through a lot because of them so she don't mind if they heard and come to take her to the station, not happening neither is it the first time.

"You think this is a good idea, Sali?" Her assistant and also friend Salima asked with concern etched on her face.

Salima has been her friend for the past two years when she started working with her mother in the company. Though she is older than her with two years, she still is like her close friend. She likes how she gets all possessive and concerned whenever something is about to go wrong, she is like an older sister she never had. Her thoughts and concerns are always round up around the company which is another reason why Suhayr is reluctant.

With her slightly darker skin, people always point fingers at her since her father is a Ghanian but married her mother who is Chadian. Her parents also died in an aeroplane crash few years ago resulting to her living with her cruel Aunt. But what can she do? She has no one other than her and even when Suhayr offered her her apartment, she refused.

"I don't know anymore, Sali. You see, this company doesn't bring any profit to us and you know how much I'm struggling to pay the other workers. I don't know whether mom will be disappointed after I sell this place or not. I'm tired of the business, I just want to live life like my age mates do. What do you think I should do?" She asked, lying her head on the cold table to look at Salima like she is the solution to every problem that grace the world.

She is amongst the only people she's ever been weak to. No one ever sees that side of Suhayr Imraan Khalid. No one!

"Whatever it is you feel, I will always be there to support you no matter what. Do what you think is the best and your mom will never disappointed in any decision you make. She is always proud of you, you are her pride and joy." Salima placed a hand on her shoulder and left the office.

Suhayr sighed and left the office all together to her best friend's home to rant. They like insulting people to get herself out of tough situations and only her friend will help her get the frustrations out of her cells. She loves that girl with every fibre of her being and knows how much she loves her back though Suhayr has always been wary of people around her, she never is wary in her friend's presence.

She has two best friend's though, a girl and a boy but since she has only right to stay in a room with a girl and not a man, she will go to her best friend's then call him. They all grew up together in the same neighbourhood before she moved when her mother died and the house became so big for her and the memories haunt her.