Chapter 5: New Client.

Omotayo

 "Maria please bring me Mr Morrison's case file again, It seems I missed something important," I ordered my secretary immediately. She hands me my aspirin and she scurries away immediately. 

Every person in the office has been avoiding eye contact with me since the drama I created earlier this morning at the parking lot. It was partly suffocating but also another way I reassured my position as the no nonsense boss. 

Three hours earlier... 

  I hurried out of my car like a crazy woman trying to meet up with a scheduled meeting that started thirty minutes ago. I hated it whenever I wasn't punctual, it made me feel irresponsible and sick to my stomach. I blamed Ini and Lagos traffic for my misfortune. Ini had begged me to drive her to work because her car was faulty and Lagos traffic had the brilliant idea to be congested on an important day like this. 

I picked my pace and kept walking as fast as I could, turning a blind eye to the security men who greeted me and a few employees as well. My only aim at this point was making it to that meeting. Well, that was my aim till my entire body collided with a stronger build and due to the unexpected crash, we both ended up on the floor. 

 Our faces almost met but he's quick to move his face aside, something I was temporarily thankful for but now he's definitely going to hear me out. 

"Are you blind or what?" I yelled as soon as we both found our feet standing firmly. My question seemed to surprise him because instead of apologising, he furrowed his brows in confusion.

"I'm sorry but, shouldn't you be apologising?" he asked and you know that tick at the deepest, darkest part of your brain that makes that faint sound in your head almost like the sound of a working clock, well mine just exploded. 

"How dare you ask me to apologise when clearly, you could not keep your eyes straight to watch where you were going? Does that sound sensible to you?" I asked angrily and he smirked. Wtf! He smirked? Oh, he's definitely not going scoff free. 

"Miss, let's just both apologise and walk away, I see no reason for the noise. By the way, you crashed into me and I tried to stop you but you were already too close and there was nothing I could do. Just be thankful I did not leave the way for you and let you fall on your own, imagine the pain you'd be going through right now," he blurted out with so much confidence and pride that irritated my spirit to the core. 

"Mr man, listen to me and listen well. The next time a lady asks you to apologise, you better just apologise. Also, count yourself lucky that I have somewhere to be or else? I would have personally dragged your sorry ass out of this building myself. Idiot!" I hissed angrily and I tried to keep walking but he immediately pulled me back. 

"You know for a lady, your manner of approach is irritating as hell!" He spat out, sounding very annoyed. I was about to clap back but he quickly shuts me up and lets go of my hand. 

"Don't you ever speak to me the way you just did. It's not a very polite way to treat your clients," he added with a smirk and I rolled my eyes. 

"If my clients can't respect me in my own company, I'll happily show them the door. So don't try to threaten me with your mediocre words, it's of no use!" I responded with just as much anger. 

"Wait a second, Are you Miss Davids Tayo?" he asked unexpectedly. 

"Yes, that's me. And you are? You know what, don't tell me. I don't care so just leave!" I replied to him and he stared back at me with contempt. 

"Bunmi, please tell the firm to change my lawyer immediately or else, they should forget about handling the case. I can't leave something this important to a nutcase like her," he said to the tall man behind him, who I assumed must be his driver or assistant. The man nodded immediately, making me curious to know who the hell he was and why he wanted to change lawyers. 

"Who the hell are you and why do you want to change your lawyer? Also are you trying to indirectly threaten me with your case?" I asked and he scoffed. 

"Find out for yourself. Let's go Bunmi!" He gave a short reply and immediately walked away. I wished so much that I had the same strength he had to pull him back and make him answer me but I didn't and to avoid embarrassing myself, I walked away and that was when I noticed the pair of eyes staring at me. Some with disgust, some curiosity and the rest just looked unsurprised and bored. 

Three hours later...

  It was later on I found out that the client I was rushing to meet up with was the same one I had an altercation with earlier this morning. According to Maria, he was attended to by my father and the managing director who happened to be my cousin, Tunji. 

The rumours had spread and when dad heard it, he was furious. He wanted to publicly shout at me but when I reminded him of his high blood pressure, he relaxed. 

It turns out the idiot's case was actually very important.

His real estate company has four estates in Lagos state and were planning on the fifth one till their idea and land was falsely claimed by a notorious chief who uses his power and connection to rob others of their properties and even threaten them with thugs to back down. Despicable, am I right? 

The case was bound to be tough but it would have been a wonderful challenge for me and a plus one gold medal to my already successful career. Too bad I lost my chance to take the case and instead, Tunji is in charge. I totally agreed with dad's decision since Tunji was undoubtedly the best lawyer in the firm, after me of course. 

"How's the best baby sister in the world?" Temi's annoyingly familiar voice boomed through my office unexpectedly. 

"I was fine five seconds ago but your presence just ruined my day," I replied and he chuckled. 

"I heard about the stunt you pulled today and if you're wondering how, dad told mom and mom told me and asked me to come talk some sense into you. I refused but she played the 'you're the only son I have' card on me and I didn't want her to be sad. So that's why I'm here," he explained and I honestly could care less.  

"You could have told me over the phone and we'll both just lie that you spoke to me," I retorted. 

 "Why would I waste such a perfectly good excuse to see my baby sister? Besides, I do think we need to talk. When was the last time we had a chat?" he said with a smile and I mentally groaned. 

I love my big brother but the fact that he's about to lecture me was definitely not appealing. 

"Brother Temi, are you also going to lecture me? If yes, you can forget about chatting with me cause I've had a bad day and I don't want to take my anger out on you," I told him sharply. 

"I have a lot of work to do and using my only off day this week to lecture my sister is not on my to do list. So are you in or should I spend my day alone?" he asked pouting and after much consideration, I agreed to go out with him. 

"You're paying for everything sha," I warned and he chuckled in reply. 

***** 

"Brother Temi, when is Simone coming back to Nigeria?" I asked randomly, putting a full spoon of rice in my mouth. His formerly happy expression turns sour, almost like I had brought up a bitter subject. 

"Don't know, don't care," he replied plainly, immediately fuelling my curiosity. 

"Did you two breakup or what?" I asked. 

"I think it's obvious that I don't want to talk about it," he tells me but if he thought I was letting him off that easily, he's delusional. 

"It's also obvious I don't care so you better spill it or do you want me to tickle it out of you?" I asked playfully and he raised a brow to dare me. 

"Are you really testing me? Oh, you think because we're in public I won't do it? Keep trying me," I threatened him again and he laughed dryly. 

"I'll tell you but first, you must answer my questions, if not forget it and change the subject," I knew exactly what he was trying to do but I wasn't falling for it. 

"Don't use that throwback scope for me please, better spill it peacefully or I'll make you spill the beans the hard way," I offered my last warning. 

"I'm not joking either, talk to me and I'll talk to you. Agreed?" he offered. 

"Okay, ask whatever you want to ask but make sure it's a reasonable question or else, I won't give you any response," I said to him and he nodded, taking his time to ponder over his question. 

"Why can't you let go?" he asked unexpectedly but I pretended not to understand what he meant. 

"Let go of what?" I replied, acting confused. 

"Let go of your past Tayo. You've never spoken to me about how you felt after the whole saga with Daniel and I wish you would. A huge part of me feels guilty about it because you knew Daniel through me and it hurts me to think that I allowed a good for nothing like him to play with my little sister's heart. I also sometimes think you hold it against me and that's why you no longer trust me enough to talk to me. So tell me now, am I right?" he explained, making me slightly uncomfortable. 

I pause to think for a while searching internally for the right words to say. Truthfully, I had nothing against my brother in regards to my failed relationship with Daniel. I agree that I met him through Temi but I also remember Temi warning me not to fall too deep and take my time but Daniel had his way with words and his lies and promises clouded my better judgement. So if anyone was to blame, it would definitely be me for letting my feelings and my emotions think for me.

"Just so you know, you're in no way responsible for what transpired between Daniel and I. I let myself be fooled and that's solely on me and as for why I never spoke to you about it, I guess it's because I felt ashamed. It's embarrassing to talk about it and the stunt I pulled at the wedding doesn't help matters. I also thought you might remind me that you warned me and I wasn't ready to hear it, so I chose to avoid the touchy subject." I explained to him, carefully picking my words. 

"I don't think I would have ever done that Omotayo. I still feel bad that while you were in pain and needed your big brother, I was too busy trying to set up a life with a woman who isn't even worth it and for that I'm sorry," he apologised and I'm quick to dismiss it. 

"Now tell me what went wrong with Simone. You two have been together for six years now, so what's happening? By the way, you need to explain to me why you've refused to propose to her," I asked and he started with a dry laugh before breaking into guffaws. 

"Marry her? Propose to her? That's exactly what I've been doing for two years now and she has rejected me every time saying she's not ready yet. I'm thirty four Tayo and I don't plan on waiting for one woman for the rest of my life so here is what happened, I gave her a last chance to choose us or forget about us and she chose to forget about everything we've been through together for the last six years. She says she's not ready to marry me and I gave up on pestering her cause I'm not stupid enough not to realise when something no longer has a way for me," he explained. 

 In my twenty eight years of knowing Temi, he has never sounded so angry and pained and for that, I felt bad. He looked genuinely sad and I felt his pain cause I know how much he really loved Simone. That wench had better not show herself in front of me ever again! 

"Should I set you up on a blind date?" I said jokingly to lighten up the mood and lucky for me it worked cause he smiled. 

"No thanks, I'll manage," he replies with a short laugh and I put my hand on his hand to show support. 

"No matter what happens, you always have me so don't forget that bro," I said to him with a genuine smile. 

"I love you little sis," he replied and pecked my forehead. 

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Too cheesy," I cringed and he laughed hard and continued to repeat himself to irritate me.