Chapter 24: Chapter 24

THE PRESENT

APRIL 17,SATURDAY 2022.

8 am.

“Mom, why did you cheat on dad? If you hadn't cheated on him, maybe he wouldn't have hurt you like that.” He says to his mom who sits beside him smiling broadly but he wasn't a little boy this time around, he was all grown up.

“There are some things you wouldn't understand my son.I just regret the fact that I couldn't spend more time with you. I couldn't even watch you grow."

"I'm sorry mom, really sorry." He says as his eyes clouds with tears.

She smiles lovingly at him. He reaches for her face but it seems to be too far from his reach. He tries reaching for her face again so he could feel her touch, even if it's for a little bit but her face just keeps moving farther and farther from his reach. He panics as he tries harder but her whole body starts to fade away from him.

*****

“Mom! Mom please wait! Pleaseeee..." He screams desperately as tears roll down his cheeks.

“Underboss! Underboss!" Erica yells trying to wake him up.

Lexis suddenly opens his eyes as he springs up from the bed breathing hard with tears flowing down his eyes and his body filled with sweat.

Erica move close to him, "I think you should go back to your therapist, underboss. Please." She says desperately as she stares at him with worried look.

Lexis sighs and shakes his head, “It's fine Erica."

"The nightmare is..."She pauses when Lexis glares at her. He heaves a sigh and runs his hands through his curly hair and then his mind travels back to the nightmare. He has never dreamt of something like this before. It's always the scene where his mother died or scenes where he watches his father beats her up when he was young. He has never dreamt of talking to her while he's all grown up.

He climbs out of the bed in his night robe and walks over to the window. He slides the window blinds open and stares outside.

“Underboss, if you permit me, I have a question to ask.” Erica says looking at his back.

Lexis turns around to look at her. “Go on.”

“I was wondering em...You brought that girl who was supposed to be auctioned to your mansion. Do...Do you trust her?”

Lexis sighs and moves away from the window walking towards the mirror. He tilts his neck to the side trailing his hands on his Chinese letter tattoos as he stares at the mirror.

“Trust?..." He scoffs. “You don't talk like a capo Erica...” He turns to her. “She looked suspicious so l wanted to keep her around. You know..." He stares blankly at her. “-You should always keep your enemies closer right?”

She smiles and nods. “Whatever your plan is, you know best underboss."

Lexis nods before walking into the bathroom.

*******

William sits in the car looking through the side window while the driver drives him to work. At the Lawal company, he's the COO of the company while Lexis is the CEO. Yes, it's frustrating, that even at the company, Lexis is still the boss. Several times, William had confronted his father about why Lexis gets to be the boss in everything while he remains his subordinate but his father would only tell him to prove his worth if he wants to be the boss.

Well how would he prove his worth when Lexis does everything possible to make him look like he's useless?

William steps out of the car as they reach the company premises. He walks into the building with his hands in his pocket and then his personal assistant runs behind him carrying lots of files in a portfolio.

William sighs as he hears his footsteps and he turn around to him. His personal assistant stops on his track as he sees William looking at him. He quickly bows before him.

“I got caught up in traffic boss."

“What's the time Jeff?”

Jeff bit his lips, “It's 8:20am boss."

William nods, "Aren't you supposed to be here before your boss?”

Jeff bit his lips and then the files in his hands falls on the ground scattering all over the place.He quickly bends down and starts picking it up.

“20,000 naira would be deducted from your salary,Jeff." He turns around and starts walking away while Jeff keeps struggling with the files.

“Sir please, not...not my salary." He says before he runs after William. William enters into his office with Jeff following him from behind.

Entering the office, Jeff walks close to William and place the files on the table in front of him. William sighs before going through the files on the table and then he looks up at Jeff.

"So,what about the commercials?"

Jeff bit her bottom lips and shut his eyes. “There was a problem with the model, consigliere."Jeff says in a low voice as he looks down.

William looks up to him with narrowed eyes. “What problem?”

“Kira Martins would not be able to do the commercial anymore because she has a scandal and so it won't be good for our product."

"She's not the only model in the country,Jeff!" William clenches his fist.

“Actually..."

William cuts him off, “Why didn't you get another model, you f**king..." He trails off as he breathes out to calm down.“-Jeff! Do things right.”

“Sir... Actually, I did get another model after Kira." He takes out a file and opens it showing William the profile of the model. “-He's Eric Adams, a very popular model but...He suddenly pulled out this morning."

“What the f**k are you saying Jeff? What do you mean he pulled out this morning?”

“He...He refused to do the ads sir. He says some things just happened. I am already working on another model, it would only..." He stops talking when William hits his hands on the table glaring at him.

“I thought all these are supposed to be f**king taken care of before now,Jeff!"

Jeff lowers his head, “I thought everything was going fine but he suddenly said he would not do the ads anymore just this morning. He said he's ready to pay the penalty for breaking the contract..."

William curses out loudly in anger as he hits his hand on the table again. It doesn't make any sense that a model will disagree to do the ads because the pay is very high.bIf he attends the meeting without a model for the new wine commercial, it would be terrible and he would look more inferior to Lexis.

“F**king get another model Jeff!"

Jeff bit his lips scratching his head. “That would...That would not be easy sir. It would take some...It would take some time..."

William takes up the files and throws them at Jeff giving him a slight cut on the face. He presses his body against his fist on the table.

“What sort of PA are you? You can't even do a simple task!”

Jeff bows, “I'm sorry boss.”

"Get a new model now, Jeff!” William yells loudly at him and he quickly takes some of the files over to his table to start working on it. He starts making several calls trying to get a new model at the last minute while William sits down frustrated. He knows very well that it would be hard to get a new model at the last minute.He had employed Jeff as his PA two weeks ago after his previous PA quitted. Over the last two months, he has employed more than three Personal Assistants and because of his high expectation from them to compete with Lexis and his bad temper, they all quit.

It's really going to be hard getting a new model to shoot the commercial before the meeting.

*********

AT LEXIS'S MANSION.

1pm

Kemi sits down on the chair in the hearth room trying to take a rest before she would continue cleaning.She has been cleaning the already sparking house since 6am in the morning and has not even eaten anything.

"Where is that useless girl?" She stands up quickly as she hears madam Teju's angry voice close to the room.bShe quickly continues cleaning and then madam Teju enters into the room.

“Pause with what you're doing and come with me."She says to Kemi who quickly drops the cleaning items in her hands wondering what's going on. What has she done this time? She slowly follows madam Teju from behind out of the room to the staircase. As she climbs down the Stairs with her, madam Teju suddenly turns to her making her stop in her track. This woman scares the hell out of her.

“I thought you bought some clothes that day,why are you still wearing this rag?" She looks at Kemi from head to toe eyeing the old looking gown is wearing.

“I don't want to wear them...yet."

Madam Teju scoffs, “So when will you wear them? At your grave yard?"

Kemi didn't say anything but simply looks down.

“You had better wear them and stop trying to give the impression that you're not into money." She eyes her before continuing walking down the stairs. Kemi sighs and walks behind her.

Reaching the foyer, Kemi sees a young girl standing with a bag in her hands. She is fair skinned and has short black hair which matches with her black eye balls. Her small round face makes her look really pretty. She could see the girl's forehead shining brightly and could tell that her short hair was forcefully made into cornrows which makes it look very tight.

The girl smiles brightly at Kemi and she smiles slightly back at her.

Madam Teju points at the girl. “This is Rose. She's going to be assisting you with cleaning the house." She turns to Rose. "And Rose, this is Kemi..." She points at Kemi. “You will both be cleaning the house... thoroughly." She emphasizes the last word.

Kemi stares at madam Teju in disbelief. She has a cleaning partner? Have they suddenly realized that she would die of overwork and so decides to pity her?

“Hi." Kemi says in a low voice.

"Hii." The girl says smiling brightly at her.

Madam Teju turns to Kemi. “Rose would be assisting you with few chores. She would also share your room with you. Tell her everything that she needs to know.”

After saying that, she walks away.

Rose stares around the house in awe.

"It's pretty big right?" Kemi says making Rose turn to her.

She nods, “Yes, I have never been to a house this big.”

Kemi smiles lightly, “Come and drop your things in the room first.”

Rose nods and follows Kemi who leads her upstairs to the room. As they enter into the room, she points at the wardrobes.

“You can put your things in the wardrobe.”

Rose nods and walk over to the wardrobes. There are two big wardrobes so she opens one and place her things inside. Kemi sits on the bed fidgeting with her finger. It's nice to have someone around but she also wonders if this new girl is just a maid or a spy just like her.

Rose turns around after placing her things and walk towards the bed where Kemi sits.

"This room is big too." She says smiling broadly.

Kemi nods, “Yes it is.”

“How long have you been working here?" Rose asks still looking around the room.

"Em... It's not been too long."

Rose turns to her beaming while Kemi looks back at her wondering why the girl looks so happy being here. Does she think there's lots of enjoyment in this place justbbecause it's big and beautiful? Or has she not been briefed about how things are done here?

Rose blinks at her, “So you have been the only one cleaning this big place?” She asks with widen eyes.

Kemi didn't say anything but only nods.

“Wow, it must have been hard..." She gives Kemi a pitiful look before smiling broadly. "-Well not anymore because I'm here to assist you now." She winks at her.

Kemi couldn't help but chuckle lightly. The fact that this girl has been smiling since she came also seems funny to her. It's as if she came here willingly, or did she?

“You seem happy to be here." Kemi says when she couldn't help it.

"Happy?.." Rose furrows her brows at her making Kemi think she has said the wrong thing but then...

“-That's an understatement! I'm excited!" Rose suddenly exclaims with excitement slumping on the bed.

Kemi turns to her in bewilderment. “You...You're excited?”

Rose sits up. “Of course! It's not everyday you get to leave the slums and come to a paradise like this.

“Pa...Paradise?”

She nods, “Yes of course. If this place isn't paradise, then what is it?”

Kemi scoffs, “Paradise? If this is paradise then what would hell be like?" She mutters to herself.

Rose tilts her head, “What did you say?”

Kemi shakes her head quickly. "Nothing! Nothing at all!"

Rose nods before leaning close to Kemi to look at her hair.

“Wow,your hair is so long and full. How do you do it?”

Kemi touches the tip of her hair and smiles. “Nothing. It's naturally like that.”

“I thought it's only fair people that have long hair." Rose says with her eyes still glued to Kemi's hair.

Kemi laughs lightly,“What? Who told you that?”

Rose shrugs, “No one, it's just from what I have seen.”

Kemi shakes her head, “That's a wrong perception.”

She shrugs before asking, "So, you are Yoruba?"

Kemi nods, "Obviously, yes."

Rose puts her second finger between he lips and starts nibbing on it before she says. “Let me guess, your full name is Oluwakemisola."

Kemi smiles and shakes her head, "It's actually Oluwakemi."

Rose smiles, “Well, mine is Rosental and I'm Igbo by tribe."

Kemi nods, grinning lightly. "Nice. Do you have an Igbo name?"

Rose nods proudly, "Chinaza."

Kemi smiles, "That's a nice name."

"So, where should start cleaning from?" Rose asks standing up from the bed.

"I was actually cleaning the hearth room before you came. I will show you the places we are to clean and then you can start.

Rose nods.

After showing her around, she walks towards the door so she could go back an complete her work but pauses when she hears the sound of her phone ringing. She quickly runs over to the cupboard she had kept it and takes it out.

"Oh Jesus, I forgot to put it on vibration." She mutters to herself.

She glances at the screen and sees William's name displaying before she answers the phone.

"Hello." She says in a low voice.

"I have an assignment for you." She hears his voice says rapidly that she almost didn't catch what he said.

"What assignment is that?" She asks dreading whatever the consigliere is going to say.

“There's a document I want from Lexis and you're the only that can get it for me.”

Kemi bit her lips knowing she's at her dead end. How is she going to get something from someone she dreads?

“What...What document is that?”

“I will send you a picture of what it looks like.Look for it and get it for me."

“But...But how would I know where it is?" She asks whispering in a low voice.

“That's for you to figure out darling. You need to bring it to me in two days time, I will send the location of where we should meet." And then, he hangs up leaving Kemi to stare at the wall in confusion.

She withdraws the phone away from her ear and slumps on the ground.

“How...How am I supposed to get this now?" She runs her hands through her hair and sighs. Suddenly, the door opens and Rose walks in.

Kemi quickly stands up from the floor and hid the phone behind her.

Rose stares at her puzzled. “Are you okay?”

Kemi nods,“Yes I am."

“I saw you run upstairs so l came to check if you're good."

Kemi nods again, "I'm good, I just came to pee, that's all."

Rose nods, “The room with the golden handle wouldn't open.”

Kemni looks at her confused. “What room is that?”

"It's on this floor, you told me it is the boss's room.”

Kemi nods, “Oh, I have already cleaned it.”

“Oh Okay." Rose nods.

Kemi shrugs, “You can clean the gym room."

Rose nods and walks towards her. Kemi moves backwards wondering why she's coming closer.

“Have you seen the master of the mansion before?” She asks Kemi stopping beside the bed.

Kemi moves her eyes to the door as if checking if someone's standing close by. “Yes." She answers curtly.

Rose sighs before sitting on the bed. “As a rich CEO of the most popular company in the country, I bet he's handsome.”

Kemi moves her eyeballs from side to side wondering how the underboss being rich relates with his looks.

“CEO?”

Rose nods, “You don't know he's the CEO of LAWAL COMPANIES?”

Kemi shrugs. Why would she care about that? The only thing she knows is that he's the underboss of a Mafia family. She stares at Rose wondering if she's aware that Lexis isn't only a CEO but also a soon to be mafia boss.

XOXO

Thank you for reading