CHAPTER FOUR

Rita took a taxi home and felt thankful to see her friend's car parked outside the house. She strolled into the house to find Olivia dancing to loud music. immediately she saw Rita, she turned down the music and smiled at her. She was looking sweaty which only implied that she had been dancing for a while. 

"Why are you home this early?"

"I had a bad day," Rita said, slumping onto the sofa. 

Olivia takes a seat beside Rita and then asks, " what happened?"

"I was doing my job as I do it every day, then I bumped into this sophisticated lady. It wasn't purposeful I promise, but the water stained her dress accidentally. The next thing this lady could do was to hit me"

"What?! She hit you?" Olivia questioned, sitting upright. 

"Yes, she did but that's not even the worst part. She made me lose my goddamn job!" 

"Did Rita Peterson swear right now?" Olivia asked with a chuckle. 

"I'm not joking Olivia" she retorted. 

"I'm sorry. But how did she make you lose your job?" Olivia asked with a serious tone. 

"She seems to be part of the fundraisers for the hospital. Plus her mum is a patient with cancer according to what I heard" 

"Woah! That's huge. How do you intend to get another job now or do you want to focus on the job at the restaurant? That would be barely enough for you"

"I quit everything… I'm not doing paychecks anymore" she said dismissively. 

"Hold on! What do you mean you're not doing paychecks anymore?"

"I'm ready to join you"

"What? Stop playing with me" Olivia says chuckling. 

It was no news that Olivia was into the business of trading her body for money. That was the only way that she could afford to own a big house in the city and a Porsche truck. 

"Olivia, I'm not. That weird lady humiliated me and everything I live for, simply because I worked as a janitor. I'm tired of all that shit" 

"No, you can't do that. I could make some calls and you'd get a better job"

"Why? I thought you wanted me to do this all along" Rita asked with a quizzical look. Olivia has always wanted her to join her in her shady businesses but she declined because she thought that earning an honest living was the best way to level up even though it might take longer than expected. 

"I changed my mind. Plus you're still a virgin, it would hurt if you lose it to someone you barely know"

"Olivia, my mind is made up. Let me meet your boss tonight"

"I still don't want…"

"Don't worry about it…"Rita cuts in, "I've made up my mind"

"if you say so then! I can say that weird encounter gave you 

courage"

"Sure" 

"But you're still a virgin… How do you want to handle that?"

"Take my mind off it and do what I gotta do" 

"You seem different"

"What do you mean?"

"You seem bold and ready to take anything" 

"Look, Olivia, I'm tired of taking insults. I want to have enough money to take care of my siblings so I can withdraw them from my aunt" Rita retorted.

"We need to see Emily tonight but first, we need to get you glammed up," she said, scanning Rita's look from head to toe. 

"Uh… Who's Emily?"

"My boss" 

"Okay. So don't worry about what I will wear. I've got a blue dress that I could wear"

"That old retired dress that you wore to my birthday last year? Don't even think about it" Olivia declared with a grimace. 

"So what would I wear then?"

"Leave that to me," Olivia said with a tone of finality. 

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

Benjamin's Pov

The evening looks perfect in his million-dollar villa, and the best part is; there's no one sharing his space with him. He walked to the terrace to take some air when he felt a buzz in his pocket. He picked up his phone to find his dad, calling. 

God knows what he wanted this time because every chance the man gets, he controls his life. 

"Hello," his dad says with a husky tone over the phone. 

"Dad," he replies curtly. 

"How are you doing, son?" 

"I'm doing good" 

"That's nice to hear. Well, I called to tell you that I have a date planned for you and Victoria Allyson on Wednesday, next week."

"What?! Without my consent?" Benjamin questioned with a grimace. 

"Well, I just told you what I know is best for you as my son"

Benjamin didn't expect his father to go to that extent just to make sure he gets married. 

He rolled his eyes and rested his back on the wall, took a deep breath before responding, "I'm not getting married to Victoria, for god sake, I don't even love her and I barely know her!"

"This isn't a matter of love because you will learn to love her, eventually" 

"Dad, you're pushing me to the wall and I'm not finding it funny. Your dad let you marry who you loved so why not do the same for me?" 

"That is because the future of the company depends on you. We deliberately had just you so you won't have to go through any power tussle between siblings. Now is your turn to pay us back for that favor"

"Let me make something clear to you dad, you had me and I didn't ask to be born. So whatever decision you took before you had me, isn't my business" he said sternly. 

"Listen, son, I do not care about whatever you say. What we want for you is final. I cleared your schedule and you are to have a date with Victoria next week Wednesday. Deal with it!" 

As Benjamin was about to respond, he heard his mother's voice over the phone, "Hey honey…." She said, 

"Hi, mom" his mother's voice makes him calm and settled. 

"Benjamin, we want the absolute best for you okay? Your dad just wants you to expand the company for your good" 

"Mom, I don't want to get angry at you. Please could you stop taking dad's side? Why would I even expect otherwise, he's your husband" 

"It's not the way you see it, we love you so much and the best way to make us happy is by getting married to Victoria. She used to be your friend during your school days and her father is a friend of our family. Why don't you like her anymore?" His mother appealed to him. Her voice was making it impossible for him to get angry because of how soft and solemn it sounded. 

"That was when we were younger, mom! Can't you see it? She's not my kind of woman anymore. She's saucy and disrespectful and every bad attribute is found in her. Do you want such a daughter-in-law?"

"She would learn to love you and act right. I spoke to her earlier and she was elated to hear that you're going out on a date with her"

"So it has gotten to the point where you and dad plan a date without my consent?"

"No, sweetie…"

"Mum, it's enough. I will talk to you some other time"

"What?…" her voice trails off as he ends the call with anger. 

The rage inside him almost made him throw his phone at the wall but he restricted himself. He picks up his car keys and makes his way to the door, he has to distract himself or he might do something drastic about his situation.