Angela lowered her head after the first applicant followed the woman in. She didn’t want to demoralise herself and lose her confidence for this interview looking at the people she was competing with. Recalling what the woman said was making her lose hope already. She was already thinking her appearance will disqualify her.
While Angela was lost in her thoughts, the inner door was opened within two minutes and the applicant who had entered exited with confusion registered on her face. Angela raised her head when the applicant returned to the waiting room. She was now staring at the inner door and saw that the other applicants were equally just like her wondering what was going on with the first applicants coming out in two minutes. Susan entered the room again.
“Next,” Susan called out and went back.
The room was soon filled with murmuring with everyone asking the obvious questions what happened and what was going on?
Angela’s heart raced against her chest yet she couldn’t get up to leave. It was like something glued her to her seat.
The next applicant in the queue stood up. Adjusted his clothing, entered the room and the door was closed. All the remaining applicants including Angela stared at the closed door. The applicant who had entered exited the room immediately to the shock of the other applicants. It was as soon as he entered and closed the door, he was asked to get out. The man had returned to the room with a frown plastered on his face.
“Next please,” Susan came out and said to them. “Please, once an applicant steps out, the next in the queue should enter,” she added and went back in.
Angela wanted to ask the second applicant who spent the shortest time what happened, but she couldn't get up from where she was sitting to get to the man who hurriedly headed for the exit door. The next applicant, a lady, went inside and lasted five minutes before returning to the waiting room with a smile plastered on her face. Her smile gave the rest of the applicants some hope. The next person entered with confidence and Angela counted how many applicants in the queue before it reached her turn.
"Four," Angela thought, holding her file close to her chest.
The applicant who had just entered with so much confidence, lasted just two minutes and exited the room, but she was smiling. Angela wondered what was going on inside the room. The next person entered and exited the room after six minutes. The next person also went in and Angela checked again. Two more and it will be her turn. She inhaled deeply. She realizes she is the last person in the queue. The person who had just entered exited after a minute and the next person entered. One more and it was Angela's turn. She became nervous.
"Would you like to switch places with me?" the applicant sitting next to Angela asked, and Angela gulped, wondering why she wanted to switch places with her.
"No please, I am fine," Angela replied.
"Really. I don't mind," the lady said with a smile, staring at Angela.
"Thank you, but I would like to keep the turn given me," Angela replied, returning the smile.
"No, I want you to go before me," the lady insisted, and Angela frowned. "Once she comes out, you go," the lady added, sounding more like a command rather than an offer.
Angela stared at the lady for a while and decided to ignore her. The applicant who entered exited, and she was almost in tears.
"Now, you go," the lady said to Angela.
"Why?" Angela asked.
"Because I say so," the lady replied with authority and Angela wondered what was going on.
The inner room door opened and Susan entered the waiting room after the panel waited a while and no one was coming in. She frowned when she heard what the applicant next in line said to the last applicant for the day.
"It is not a request or an offer. I am asking you to go inside, or you won't like what I will do to you after this interview," the lady threatened Angela and gasped when she turned and came face to face with Susan.
"You," Susan said, pointing to the applicant sitting next to Angela. "You can go home," she said and moved her gaze to Angela. "You, come with me," she said, and Angela stood up feeling sorry for the lady.
"You got me disqualified. Are you happy now? Wait and see," the applicant said angrily to Angela before grabbing her bag and rudely pushing Angela to the side while exiting the waiting area.
Angela wondered who the lady was and what that was all about. She inhaled deeply and knocked on the door after exhaling. She heard someone inviting her in, and she pushed the door open.
It was a panel of six, including Susan. Angela stood next to the seat almost trembling, looking at the six pairs of piercing eyes staring at her.
"Good morning. I am Angela Anderson. Can I sit?" Angela said, trying to calm herself.
She was trembling and her anxiousness was so evident.
"Sure," came the deep voice of a very handsome man sitting in the middle of the six.
His dark hair was neatly styled, and he wore an expensive suit and a Rolex watch. His hand was resting on the table as he stared at Angela who was trying to sit on the provided seat. He goes by the name Bernard, head of IT and he doubles as discipline committee head when there is conduct issues.
"Are you nervous?" Bernard asked, his voice very commanding.
"Er, No please," Angela lied, managing a smile as she sat on the chair which she almost fell off from.
"Angela, relax. We are not going to bite," said Susan, and Angela nodded with a smile, adjusting herself on the chair.
"So, Angela. Tell us about yourself?" A lady asked.
This lady was sitting at the end of the table towards Angela's right. Her hair was blonde with heavy waves flowing freely on her shoulders. She goes by the name Eva, Susan's best friend and she assists Susan with HR work as a deputy HR. Susan was equally sitting at the end of the table but she was toward Angela's left.
Angela inhaled deeply and took her time answering the question by telling them about her skills and how they could help the company. She explained how her skills would fit into the company's mission and vision.
"Nice one," Bernard praised, a little smile playing on his lips as he admired Angela.
"How old are you, Angela?" asked another man, more handsome Bernard.
His hair was brownish, and his eyes were hazy blue. It was like a deep ocean sucking one in. Angela averted her gaze and answered his question. That was Bryce Moore, the CEO of the company. Usually, Bryce does not sit in interviews with applicants and when he does, he is always silent but this time, he spoke to the surprise of his panel members.
"Twenty-three," Angela replied.
"How long do you intend to work with us, if given the opportunity?" Bryce asked a follow-up question staring at Angela coldly.
Angela could read the surprised look on the other five panel members' faces as the man asked her questions. She didn't understand why or what was going on, but she answered his question anyway.
"This is my first job after completing college. I intend to work with your company for ten years. In these ten years, I will work hard to achieve all the given targets and more. I believe I would learn more and sharpen my skills to achieve more and hit milestones," Angela answered and quickly moved her gaze away from the man whose stare was making her uncomfortable.
Bryce went silent and the other panel members asked Angela a couple of questions. Before Angela knew it, she had spent close to twenty minutes with five members of the panel throwing one question after the other at her.
"Thank you," came the voice of one-panel member.
"Thank you for this great opportunity and for having me," Angela appreciated, feeling more relaxed.
She stood up, excused herself and headed for the door. As soon as Angela was out of the room, the CEO of the company spoke.
"I like her. Prepare a contract for her to sign tomorrow and start her orientation the day after," Bryce said and stood up.
"Yes, Mr President," Susan acknowledged before Bryce exited the room using another inner door.
"I will give it to this Angela girl. She is good. I hope she will last that long," Susan said.
"Susan, you just said she is good, so why won't she last that long?" asked Britney, the lady who said thank you to Angela. She is the head of the PR team.
"Britney, don't act like you don't know the president is hard to please. I am surprised this lady wearing rags caught his attention," Bernard said.
"Is that what she was wearing? Rags? Yet, you will be the first to make a move on her once she signs a contract tomorrow," Ariana commented, making Bernard frown. Ariana is the head of security and doubles as head of the cleaners
"Don't give us that face. Did you not make a move on me?" Eva asked with a smile.
"Break time is over, guys," Susan said as she stood up, and the rest followed her out of the interview room using another exit.
Inside Susan's office, she picked up Angela's CV and dialled her number after getting some few files she had on her table cleared up.
Outside, Angela requested an Uber home. She paid the driver and headed for the apartment upon arrival. She was about to open the front door when her phone rang. She quickly retrieved her phone from her bag and answered it.
"Hello Ms Anderson, I am Susan McClean, from Diamond Corporation. Congratulations. You have been selected for the position. Kindly come by the company on Monday for your contract and other relevant documents," Susan said.
"Thank you," Angela acknowledged with a smile, and the call ended.
She pushed open the door and entered the house with screams of excitement.
"They picked you," Mr Anderson said with a smile as his wife joined Angela in screaming.
Mrs Anderson ended up coughing and Angela got her a glass of water after helping her to a chair.
"You are old, but you like to follow Angela to act like you are young. Now see you," Mr Anderson said, smiling.
"That is why you have a bad back. You are acting old, meanwhile, you are not that old," Mrs Anderson replied after drinking the water, making Angela giggle.
"Congratulations, my dear," Mrs Anderson said to Angela as they all took a seat inside the living room.
"Mum, Dad, thank you so much," Angela appreciated.
"So I guess you are picking up your documents on Monday?" Mr Anderson asked.
"Yes," Angela replied sharing a seat with Mrs Anderson.
They spent the rest of the day with Angela telling them everything that happened when she got to the company and about the lady who started bothering her for no reason.
The day slowly passed and Angela decided to tell her friend Zora, a college bestie about her new employment.Inside Angela’s room, Angela was lying on her bed chatting with Zora on her phone. She swung her legs happily behind her as she laid on her belly holding the phone to her ears.“Trust me I was very scared with the way applicants were coming in as quickly as they entered the room,” Angela expressed.“Wow. You are brave. I would have left the place the moment I realized I didn’t fit the profile,” Zora said.“Well, the only thing that prevented me from leaving was my outfit and fear,” Angela said and Zora laughed on the other end of the call.“Your outfit and fear? How?” Zora asked.“Well, I was the only one who appeared to be poorly dressed. I couldn’t bring myself to walk in front of the expensively dressed applicants. That would be so embarrassing,” Angela said.“Good you dressed poorly then, if not panic would have taken you out of the competition,” Zora said. “You know what.
An hour earlier, before Angela and Zora entered the VIP 1 Section. The bartender heard his phone vibrate. Seeing the caller, he exited the bar into the backroom to answer the call.“Hello,” the bartender said, once he was alone inside the backroom of the bar.“I just got an alert that the target is in the club. She is heading towards the VIP 1 section with her friend as we speak,” said the caller.“How do I identify her?” the bartender asked.“She will be the only girl in a black dress in the VIP section,” the caller replied.“Noted,” the bartender replied and returned to the bar to continue serving the customers.His eyes hungrily scanned the people in the section but there was no lady in a black dress anywhere. After an hour, two ladies walked in, Angela and Zora. Angela was wearing a black cocktail dress and Zora was in a dark blue close-fitting straight dress whose length was just up to her thigh. The two were approached by a man who walked them to the bar. The man bought a drink
Zora left the club and went to sit in her car. She was hoping she would see Angela once the people began to leave. Meanwhile, inside a room, Angela was asleep wrapped in the arms of a man both naked. Outside, inside the car, Zora could no longer fight nature. She dosed off to sleep.Angela slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes widened when she saw the ceiling she was staring at. She tried to move but her gaze quickly got sight of the man lying down next to her. She raised the blanket, looked inside and quickly brought it down with shock plastered on her face. They were both naked. Angela panicked and fell off the bed. Her fall woke the man up.Still sitting on the floor holding the blanket as a cover. She stared at the man who slowly sat up on the bed not caring about his current state. She recognized the man as the one who had interviewed her at Diamond Corporation. She held on to the blanket and pushed herself back while sitting on the floor away from the bed as she stared at the man who
Angela lay on her bed tossing and turning, trying to come up with something to tell her parents so they would allow her to leave home and move in with Bryce, but nothing came to mind. She defeated all the ideas that came to mind with the excuse her parents would see right true her. She had not had a reason to lie to them before. This was going to be her first time. Zora came to mind and she remembered she never saw her again after leaving with the strange man to dance. She fetched her phone which had charged up a little and dialled Zora's number."Hello Zora," Angela said."Girlfriend, where are you?" Zora asked sounding relieved. "I am home," Angela replied sounding downcast."I am glad you are safe, but why would you do that to me? I looked for you everywhere and ended up sleeping in my car outside," Zora said sounding unhappy."I am sorry, but something happened. Can you please come over to my place? I really need your help with something," Angela requested."Okay, fine, but you o
Angela and Zora stared at Mr Anderson who stood there for a while not saying anything. Angela started feeling anxious thinking Mr Anderson had seen through her."Honey, come listen to something," Mr Anderson said and returned to the living room."I thought you said it was going to work," Angela whispered to Zora as soon as Mr Anderson went back into the living room."It was a suggestion. I didn't say it was going to yield the needed results," Angela raised an eyebrow hearing Zora's reply. "Well, we need to know what is going to happen next. Let's go inside," she added pulling Angela towards the living room."Our daughter is moving out," Mr Anderson said to his wife who was sitting on the sofa reading a magazine. "What?" Mrs Anderson reacted lowering the magazine and placing it next sofa to her side, but just then Angela and Zora strode in. "Why?" she asked taking her eyeglasses off."Her new job came with an accommodation," Mr Anderson said and found himself a seat."Angela, are you
"Good. You are here," Bryce said and started descending the staircase.The servant seeing Bryce, bowed to him and left the place. Angela remained rooted to her spot holding the roller handle of her small travelling bag. She stared at Bryce as he descended the staircase and she couldn't help but admire him. In the interview room, she was nervous and hence didn't pay much attention to him. His eyes were something else so she avoided looking at him. At the club when she woke up next to him, she was terrified and confused. So again, she could not look at him. All through her time with him, this was the only time she was taking a good look at him."It is rude to stare," Bryce said when he was now standing in front of Angela."I am sorry," Angela apologize and lowered her head."Come with me. I will show you to your room. We can have supper was you have settled in," Bryce said calmly."Yes please, " Angela acknowledged and Bryce called one of the servants to come for Angela's bag.Bryce and
Susan smiled staring at Angela but the smile vanished immediately. She stood to her feet, went round her chair and stood behind it, resting her elbow on the backrest."Now this is very important. Write them down or memorize them like your life depends on it," Susan began, sounding like they were in a military and Susan was the commander."Your work starts like now. For today, the President would be here at exactly 10 a.m. He is currently at a meeting outside the office. Since today is your first day, he will pardon you but in subsequent meetings, you are expected to be present. The president move you move," Susan said. "Understood?" she asked and Angela nodded."When a question is asked you answer with your lips, not your head," Susan snapped slamming her hand on the table causing Angela to jump in her seat."Yes, ma'am," Angela replied and Susan continued pacing up and down as she delivered the rest of her instructions."You must always be on time. No lateness would be tolerated. A m
"Where are your shoes?" Bryce asked staring at shocked Angela. Angela blinked twice to make sure she was seeing right. Bryce left home Sunday morning and never returned. He didn't even call her and this morning she walked into the president's office to find him sitting in the president's seat. Is he the president? Angela thought staring at Bryce. I am married to the president. She thought still staring at Bryce."I asked you a question?" Bryce said, his expression changing into a frown."What?" Angela said trying to remember the question Bryce asked earlier snapping from her short daze."Where are your shoes?" Bryce repeated the question and Angela stared at her feet which were without shoes."I..I..," Angela began shifting her gaze back to Bryce but she had nothing to say.Bryce pressed a number on the phone on his table."Hello Mr President," came Susan's voice."Come to my office, now," Bryce said and Angela took a step back wondering what was going on.Bryce was acting like she
Susan after making multiple turns finally found her way to the staircase. She quickly went down the stairs and found herself in the open space. The exit door was just a walk away from her left, and the living room was also a couple of walks away from her right. She requested an Uber and was soon out of Bryce's home. Josephine locked the main door as Susan left before returning to her room.Inside the Uber, on her way back to her apartment, Susan called Eva."Have you found Angela yet?" Susan asked."No, it's like she just vanished into theme air," Eva replied."Keep looking, I am sure she is hiding somewhere. Bryce seems to like her and I want to know why," Bryce said and the Uber driver looked at Susan briefly in the rearview mirror before focusing his gaze on the road."And about Bernard. When are you going to help me with him?" Eva asked. "Let the sun come up and I will tell you what to do," Susan replied before ending the call."Who are you, Angela? Why does Bryce like you?" Susa
Bryce stood there frozen to his spot as he stared at the back of his father, Devon, as he walked majestically out of his living room towards the exit. Every step Devon took, made Bryce feel like his father, Devon, had him where he wanted."So, are we going upstairs now?" came Susan's voice as she hung herself from Bryce's shoulders sounding seductive. Bryce's shifted his gaze to Susan who was still hunting from his shoulder with smiles covering her face and a stare of seduction."Get your slutty hands off me. Are you that desperate for a man to the extent that you lower your standard to a level of begging and throwing your dignity out of the window?" Bryce said with disdain and a frown on his face.Susan let go of Bryce's shoulder immediately and stared at him, her anger gradually rising as she processed Bryce's words. Bryce squeezes his face staring at her."Calling you a slut is even giving you credit because we know they at least charge their clients for their service. You are jus
The day slowly went by and soon the morning came. Bryce woke up and got ready for the office. He skipped breakfast and was soon in the car heading for the office. "What is the latest news on Angela's location?" Bryce asked."Sir, we still don't have anything on her. It appears she didn't have any friends and she didn't go to her family home either," Marcus replied. "You are not doing a good job then. Search everywhere," Bryce almost yelled."Yes, boss," Marcus replied and shifted his gaze to the road.They soon arrived at Diamond Corporation. Bryce got out of the car and went up to his office. When he walked in, he was surprised to find his coffee sitting on his table. "Angela!" Bryce whispered her name and went out of his office.He stood behind Angela's office door and knocked. After the knock, he tried to open the door and it was locked. He frowned and pulled his phone out."Maybe she went to meet up with Don," he thought as he dialled Don's number on his phone. "Hello Don, how
"Patricia, calm yourself," Devon said. "Even if you are against my decision, you should not do this in front of our guest," he added."Then you should have discussed with me first before making an announcement I know nothing about in front of the so-called guest," Patricia said angrily."What is wrong with you Patricia? This is Susan. She grew up together with Bryce. What do you have against her?" Devon asked."You know. I am glad you asked this question because I wanted to ask you the same question. I don't know we may have the same reason for our objections," Patricia said with a frown. "What do you have against Angela," she asked.Susan who was sitting at the table was surprised by the hostility displaced by Patricia but after hearing her question she understood why."So this is about Angela," Susan thought and grabbed a glass of water for herself."Angela is a slut and a gold digger. She is only her to amass wealth for herself. I would not sit and watch such a woman take away ever
It was five minutes after the hour five in the evening when Zora returned to her apartment. She opened the front door and entered her room to find Angela still lying on the sofa where she had left her."Hey, girlfriend, don't tell me you haven't moved since I left," Zora said as she kicked her shoes off her feet carrying two paper bags in her hand with her bag hanging from her shoulder.Zora walked to the sofa and placed the two paper bags on the centre table leaving her shoes at the door. She dropped her bag on the sofa and she sat down on one of the sofas. She then tapped Angela on her shoulder. "You are back," Angela opened her eyes and turned in the direction of where the tapping had come from only to see Zora sitting on the sofa next to where she was lying asleep."Yeah, I am and it looks like someone just slept off as soon as I left," Zora said and opened the two paper bags releasing the aroma of french fries into the air."I am tired. I can't cook so I ordered something from K
"How dare you barged into my office like that?" Devon barked standing up to face Bryce who was equally standing in front of his desk facing him squarely.The two gentlemen stared at each other angrily for a while in silence before Bryce decided to break the silence. "Angela is my wife and now that I know she is carrying my child, I am not going to let her go," Bryce said sounding very serious."Then you leave me no choice. I shall take the company away from you," Devon said and Bryce scoffed."So be it. You can have your company back," Bryce said and was about to leave. "I am not just taking the company away from you. I am freezing all your assets. Good luck running that house in the Estates with no money. And Bryce, I need you to pay the rent for that apartment by noon today. Starting from the day of acquisition if not, you move out," he said."We own that estate so why do I have to pay you rent?" Bryce questioned. "I am a Moore," he added."Since you started disobeying my orders.
After Bryce left to get food for Angela, the doctor came to Angela's ward."Great, you are awake now. Your test results came out fine. So you are free to go home for now," the doctor said and Angela nodded. She grabbed her bag and quickly searched for her phone. She dialled Zora's number and waited for her to answer."Hello Zora, I want to come over to your place. This is urgent," Angela said on the call."Okay, I went to get something in town. I will hurry to my place. If you can make it in within the next half an hour, I will wait for you," Zora replied."Thank you. I will be there shortly," Angela said and ended the call before dropping the phone into her bag.With Bryce away, she seized the opportunity to leave the ward. She knew if he returned it would be difficult to leave. She grabbed her bag and was soon out of the ward. She exited the hospital and used the pavement heading for the exit. She kept her eyes on the lookout for the car park. She was happy it was on the other side
"Why?" Bryce asked wondering if his father had said anything to her."I don't want to be married to you anymore," Angela replied because she didn't want to tell him she was requesting a divorce because she thought his family had something to do with her parents' murder."Why?" Bryce asked again feeling uneasy hearing her request for a divorce.Why does she want a divorce now that she is carrying his child? Is it a way to run away with his child?"Our marriage was a wrong idea. We were not supposed to be married in the first place," Angela replied. "It is never too late to rectify a mistake. It's only been like four months. We are not compatible. We may have some che ... er some er, chemistry, when we are, erm," she stammered trying to make her last statement as her eyes looked everywhere except him while she fidgeted with her hand and the cover cloth.She cleared her throat and continued. "When, erm, you know," Angela said and Bryce frowned trying to understand what she was trying to
Bryce after the call cancelled all his appointments for the day at the office and stayed with Angela at the hospital. A couple of minutes to hours went by before Angela opened her eyes. Her gaze fell on Bryce sitting on the chair next to her bed with his gaze fixated on his phone."Angela," Bryce called out to her putting his phone aside after noticing the small movement from Angela. "How are you feeling?" he asked leaning forward and taking her hand in his.Angela tried to get up but Bryce prevented her from getting up."Relax. Just lie down for a while," Bryce said and Angela just stared at him.Her mind quickly went to the artefact and memories of the night her parents were murdered flooded her mind. Her breathing became unsteady and started trembling. Her hands flew to her ears as she closed her eyes terrified."Angela," Bryce called out to her seeing her panic."Leave me alone. Go away from me," Angela cried."Angela, it's me, Bryce. Calm down," Bryce said trying to calm her down