5: "Olivia Peters"

I walked up to the conference room where the scheduled meeting was supposed to take place, my heart longing to discover more about this child. Every bit of my being felt on edge, I felt restless in my spirit. Something kept pulling at me from the inside, the connection between Olivia and Jumia; the little boy had just met. Just when I couldn't hold on any longer, I announced the adjournment of the meeting and requested the presence of the principal in her office.

“Sir, you called for me. What can…” she trailed off as I raised my hand to stop her.

“I need the report and information on a certain child named Jumia, probably in kindergarten.”

“Oh! That. You mean Jumia Peters, sir?” she inquired, a grin spreading across her face as she bent to open the computer on the table.

“What’s that for?” I asked, feeling slightly awkward at her sudden grin.

“He’s such a smart child and was just registered yesterday.”

“Yesterday?” I cut in, almost stunned that Peters’ suspicions were actually true. But I needed to confirm this from the files. I ignored her continued praise of this particular child, my heart racing with the discovery I was determined to make.

But then, that lingering resentment crept in once more, and I swallowed hard. The name "Peters" sounded strange, it could have been a coincidence because Olivia was known as Smith, not Peters.

“Sir, I’ve sent it to your email. Is there anything else I can assist with?”

“Not really. Just make sure to maintain the good work in ensuring compliance and staff adequacy. I’ll be on my way now,” I replied, moving out abruptly.

My heart longed to see the child again, but by the time I reached the entrance, the break was already over, and the kids had all dispersed to their classrooms. A little bitterness swirled in my chest. Feeling disappointed, I walked straight to the car. Without delay, I unlocked my email to access the information, but Dad’s call came in at the worst moment; just almost immediately I slipped to view the mail. I already knew what it was about, but I couldn’t resist picking up; it would only escalate things if I didn’t.

“H…”

“What have you done? Did you check the news this morning?” Dad demanded almost immediately, not waiting for my pleasantries. I knew how bad things always turned out when he sounded like this. It reminded me of four years ago, when Olivia left.

“Dad, I’m…”

“Come to the house now,” he yelled before abruptly ending the call.

I sat in the car, feeling worried and nervous. Dad was one hard nut to crack, and his tone suggested trouble.

*****

Stepping out of the car, I took a deep breath before stepping into the mansion, fully assuring myself that I had mustered the strength to stand in defense and plead if the issue escalated more than anticipated.

"There you are," he cut in, placing the glass of wine he was holding onto the table as he lowered his glasses to glare at me. Without a word, he tossed the newspaper at me, and I flinched, crouching to retrieve it from the floor. I already knew what to expect; being seen with a lady that was my ex.

The first caption my gaze landed on swept me off my feet: “BILLIONAIRE CEO, LIAM MOORE, UNWITTINGLY ALLEGED IN DRUG SCANDAL AND DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER.”

"What!" I gasped, clenching my fists tightly.

"You see how worthless you've become, trying to drag this family's name down with your silly mistakes?" Dad roared, shoving his hands forcefully into his pant pockets.

I was speechless. I grabbed the file to read more. The details and events were stated with pictures showing me with a woman I could barely recognize, certainly not Olivia.

"Dad, this isn't true," I tried to defend myself, but before I could continue, my phone beeped. I answered the call.

"Sir, there’s an issue. The investors are scheduling an urgent meeting, and from the looks of things, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be good news," Peter reported. The phone almost slipped from my hands as my gaze met Dad's furious, unforgiving expression.

What was happening? I had worked hard and had never soiled my hands with anything that could tarnish my reputation or the family's name.

"I entrusted the company to your care, and you let your recklessness destroy everything I’ve worked for all these years? How could you be so careless? Now the damage is already done and there is little or no way out" Dad yelled. But more painful than his words was the knowledge that I was being accused of something I knew nothing about.

"Now I understand everything your younger brother has been saying; you are not worthy of being my first son," he said, slamming his hands hard on the bar table. I felt a tear in my heart.

“Dad, I don't know what's happening, but I will get to the root of the matter” I asserted bitterly, turning to leave. It hurt so well, but then there was something underneath this accusations that I couldn't wrapp my hands around.

Sitted in the car, my head placed on the car rest, and my eyes scanning the news papers in my hands.

It was supposed to be the earlier report I suspected of capturing Olivia and I and the normal juice comments that followed, but there was more to what I expected and now it’s dragging on the company's reputation. My heart was a bit full of bitterness and I instructed the driver to drive to the company.

Half way, I noticed a barrier in the road and bustling of people in the distance, obstructing the normal and easy flow of cars in the route.

“What is going on there?” I asked Peter who was also marvelked.

“I think we would find out once we get to the spot” he asserted, but my heart was already in great pain to think I would get any more obstructions on my already fragile state.

Already close to the spot when I spotted Jumia at the other end of the road. My heart quickened at the instance as I looked once more to be certain he was the one. The hurt and pains dissipated immediately as I turned to Peter.

“Stop the car “

I walked up, amidst the crowd to where he was standing and as soon as he saw me, he ran forward in an embrace, hopping onto me tightly, that I couldn't comprehend in a seconds what had happened but I could tell from his grip and the intensity of his racing heart that he was in great fear.

“What's the issue? Are you…” I asked once his grip was a bit loosened, but trailed off as I managed to picture the scene before us amidst the crowd thanks to the corps that had just arrived at the scene.

“An accident?” I huffed and Jumia lifted up his head, tears welling at the corner of his eyes, and that was when I realised the slight cut at the corner of his head. My heart skipped thousands of beats at the spot as the thought of Olivia struck me real hard. What if I knew this “Olivia Peters”? What if she is actually the one as my ex? Or probably a mere coincidence as suspected? Fear gripped my entire being, sending chill bumps all over my skin.

“Boss, the investors are already seated and from the report, they are furious already, we are ten minutes late” Peter reported and I turned to meet his concerned gaze. Torn apart in anguish…..