Chapter 8: Chapter 8

I have been working in Access bank headquarters for two weeks now and that two weeks was the most physically and mentally exhausting moment of my life.

Do you remember how I said working for the arrogant boss for a year can't be that bad? Well, that's a lie because it is freaking worse. Working with that Yoruba demon named Alexander Adebayo, popularly known as Billionaire Alex has been tormenting. There was nothing I ever did that pleased him. Everyone naturally assumed that pregnant women and women on their period are the only nagging people in the world. Well, who knew a certain billionaire jerk nags as well.

Whenever he told me to do some calculations, he never failed to tell me to redo them at least, fifteen times a day. Well, maybe I'm that bad in mathematics. And when he tells me to print out something, he ends up scolding me claiming the print out isn't clear enough. His never-ending demands of excessive print outs due to my punishment made the printer end up damaging. Now I have to go to the third floor to print out anything.

Ngozi has been helpful. She showed me around, put me through some things. Taught me how to be the perfect personal assistant Mr Alex expects me to be. She is like a mentor who patiently shows me the pros and cons of how the office works.

It is currently 7:20 am and the boss is nowhere to be found. Pretty strange if you ask me. I took a long sip from my coffee to counter the sleep that is beckoning on me softly. I now work like a robot with no time for sleep and rest just like Alex promised. Well, good things don't come cheap, or do they?

My office is painted grey colour with pieces of furniture classically matching the theme. On my grey desk, sat my official mac book pro, a notebook lying open, a stack of papers sitting under a turtle-shaped paperweight, and my photograph in a grey frame.

In a corner, the air conditioner is blasting at medium. A few pens are lying on the papers and I swivelled around in my swivel chair. Sunlight illuminated my office from the glass window, the view from my office is one of the best I have ever seen. Staring at huge modern houses with mind-blowing architectural designs and blue sparkling pools, huge exotic cars driven around by exotic people. The island itself is a beauty to behold.

The elevator opened and revealed a frowning Alex. I hurriedly stood up making the things on my table fall but I didn't care. I'd rather rush to get him his usual coffee to avoid early morning scolding.

The boots on the linoleum marched in perfect rhythm while I followed behind like a bodyguard ready to go fight in the next world war three.

"Good morning sir," I said loudly while he snubbed me, walked towards his office and opened his door.

His fingers jiggled his car keys and his face mirrored seriousness till he settled comfortably in his opaque glass office.

"Where is my coffee?" His baritone asked authoritatively.

"I will rush to prepare it, sir." I bowed and rushed out of the office with my heart beating so hard. I couldn't tell if my heart was beating out of fear or out of physical attraction, but I will prefer the former. The last thing I need is having a crush on my irresistible yet arrogant boss.

The aroma of the coffee soon wafted the air when I served him his hot steaming coffee. I stood still waiting for his next set of instructions while he typed away.

"What is on my schedule for today?" His eyes shifted between his laptop and me and for the first time, a smirk took over when he noticed the change in my appearance.

"You have a meeting with the central bank of Nigeria in the next four hours and you have to meet up with your sister for a family lunch." I closed my journal as my eyes settled on his face.

His brown eyes shone brightly, reflecting the warmth of the sun. Their light brown colour was soft, the exact shade of a latte. A ring of gold hung inside of his iris, adding another layer of depth to his already beautiful eyes. This particular pair of eyes has tormented my sleep and imagination for weeks. What the hell is happening to me?

"I can see you are trying so hard to fit in." He smirked, tapping his jaw.

"Nope." I shook my head. "I'm trying so hard to make this place fit into my lifestyle." I grinned and began heading out of his office.

"Stand rooted." He hollered, making me standstill with my heart beating faster.

I could hear the heels of his black boot and his masculine scent powered the aromatic smell of the coffee as he walked towards me. He took some curly strands of my new brown and gold twenty-two inches curly weave and tucked them behind my ear.

"Poor people have no choice." He chuckled. "Remember?" His voice came out low and masculine as his breath fanned my cheeks. "

"Why do you always rub my nose in my situation? You know it isn't a crime to be poor, right?" I fired back, balling my fist as my face furrowed in frustration.

"I'm only acknowledging the fact, I can't remember when being factual became a crime either." He shrugged, giving me the innocent look.

"Why am I here?" I queried, going straight to business. Having a conversation with him is evidently pointless.

"You look presentable at least," he folded his arms to his muscular chest and circled me.

Now someone has got to be kidding me. Presentable at least? I look good, hot, best. Or why the hell did Harriet force me to have a makeover all through the weekend? This is probably one of the best moment of my life knowing I look great. This is the period where I wish I can stumble upon all my exes and step on their faces while they worship me.

"Keep it up." He grinned and walked back to his chair while I ran out of his office, clearly not able to breathe the same air with him which will eventually lead to my passing out.

Why is he purposely tormenting me physically and emotionally? I didn't prepare for this kind of job.

The intercom buzzed and turned out he requested for my presence in his office. Why couldn't he just give all instructions while I was still there?

I adjusted my blue business casual knee-length gown and strolled calmly to his office.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you?" He gave a knowing smirk while I bit my lip in sheer anger.

"What would you like me to do for you, sir?" My voice came out strict as my face held a frown.

"I have some notes which need to be typed up from the last meeting and I will need you to write out some emails for me." He typed away on his laptop.

"Right, I will do just that sir." I turned to leave when he stopped me again.

"Don't forget to set up the fiftieth floor for today's important meeting and lastly, prepare to travel with me to Abuja this weekend for a met gala." He snapped his finger in my direction and continued typing.

Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of the country within the federal capital territory. It is the second state that consists of the second highest population after Lagos. The state is defined by Aso rock. The president and top politicians reside in the Aso villa. The state is mostly dominated by the northerners.

"I'm afraid not sir, parties are not really my things."

"I don't need it to be your thing." He slammed his fist on his table making everything on it reverberate. "I need you to fly with me because your job demands it. Understood?" He snapped.

His voice held no room for argument so I only nodded my head and began exiting his office.

"Oh!" His voice stopped me again while I turned to face him with a tired face.

"Any problem?" His brow cocked up.

"None Sir." I sighed heavily waiting for his next instruction.

"Have you taken a look at the company's plan to expand?" He asked suddenly after a few moment of silence.

"Yes, it will be a great asset for the future purpose of this company. Mr Adebayo." I said in a robotic voice.

The dots began connecting themselves and immediately, I understood why everyone had to act prim and proper like robots. It is the requirement of the job. We are meant to be perfect and make no mistakes because the bank wants perfection in everything.

"It is Alex to you." He cracked his knuckles.

"I don't understand." I shrugged my shoulders as I tried to comprehend what he just said.

"My name is Alex-- call me Alex." He corrected, annoyance clearly evident in his tone.

"Yes of course Mr Adebayo," I replied smirking knowing fully well that I have succeeded in frustrating him when he gulped his whole coffee, slammed the mug on the table and glared at me.

__

There are invisible jail bars here. These bars hold me with eighteen others, while the chairman's end chair blocks the door. Leaving this boring office with a boring atmosphere and a boring man analyzing a boring calculation with the boring projector will only be inviting a bleak winter of unemployment.

All I did in the last two hours was serve the men coffee and endure with how their eyes feasted on me with Alex glaring at them in return. I shared files, documents, and pen to them all before taking my seat next to Alex.

I stared on with a bored face trying so hard to understand what they seem to be discussing about. To find meaning in this report would be like discovering protein in lettuce, a wasted effort. All I'm busy thinking about is how to beat the traffic and return to the mainland in time. Since the last two weeks, I returned home at ungodly hours of the night.

Sometimes, I get home around midnight, only for me to be up by 5 am again trying to beat traffic in my bid to get to work in time. It is stressful and tiring. I have no friends in this office. Ngozi is more like a mentor, she isn't even within my age grade so discussing with her will be pointless. Most especially when her office is a floor away from mine. Food on the other hand is also a problem because I can't go on my own alone to get food across the office without people whispering that I slept with the boss to get such a position.

My phone though on silence, kept vibrating repeatedly reminding me that I have twelve urgent missed calls to return to mom. She is probably just paranoid and wants to know if I have left the island. A dark-skinned man across the board room table sees the agony in my eyes and gave a pitiful smile. My whole insides are screaming and clamouring for freedom and independence since I'm being colonized by these boring set of men.

Alex clears his throat and clasps his slender hands together. His jaw is rigid and firm like he is clenching his teeth from within probably out of boredom as well. My insides jubilate instantly because it looks like he is about to conclude or probably adjourn the meeting.

"Coker," his tone called authoritatively.

"Yes sir." I looked up curiously, my brain is dancing out of excitement that I will be free soon.

"Get me another mug of coffee instantly." He commanded while I gave a look of disappointment and went to get him his coffee.

"I hope you are still jotting down the reading of the last minute because we clearly still have a long way to go." He took a sip from his coffee.

"Ye-- yes sir." I swallowed hard and picked up my pen to continue.

My head mentally groan. I need a person, anybody, or even somebody to get me two pencils and stick them in my ear because I am so done with everything.