Chapter 12: Chapter 12

"We have to steal her designs."

They all exchanged looks before dashing her disgusting looks, she looked up from her design book and their disgusting looks disappeared instantly.

"But ma…" the fabrics designer started but she was stopped with a deadly look.

"I spied on her designs and they were extremely cool and catching, see, our designs must be chosen as the best for the ready-to-wear for Christmas, we can't afford to lose that."

"But I don't think this is right," the pattern cutter countered.

"You're not to question my order but do as I say," she fired and they all swallowed whatever words they had in mind to say.

After the meeting she walked out of the production room and walked back to her office. On her way, she sighted Lisha who winked at her but she returned it with a smug smile, it wasn't until she saw Lisha enter Kemi's office that she remembered she had to go there too, they had to submit their stuffs to the head of design which was Kemi.

"Here is the copy of the designs," Lisha said as she pointed the design book to Kemi.

"Oh," Kemi collected it from her and the door swung open as Mopelola walked in.

"Hey," Lisha greeted her with an hint of mockery laced in her tone.

"Hey to you too," Mopelola replied before walking up to Kemi who had been smiling at their display.

She eyed Lisha's design book on the table and smiled inwardly before smirking.

"I presume you came with your design book right?" Kemi who had been noticing the way she eyed Lisha's design book.

"Um, no, one of the team members misplaced it, so, I have to start all over again."

Kemi opened her mouth to talk but Lisha beat her to it, "Wow, wow, wow." It sounded like the siren coming from a police car and that made Kemi laugh while Mopelola glared at Lisha.

"How is that possible? Don't forget it's the ready-to-wear designs which will soon be on sale by the beginning of next month," Kemi lectured.

"Why would someone be that careless?" Lisha snickered as she accompanied it with a clap.

"It's none of your concern," Mopelola fired obviously getting ballistic but Lisha was really enjoying it.

"This one that your hoarse voice is trailing off, I just hope you won't end up having vocal cord cancer," Lisha jested and Kemi shook her head.

Mopelola wanted to reply but Kemi hindered her, "Anyway, you have till Friday to submit them."

"Okay, ma," she proceeded to walk out of the room but not without glaring at Lisha who in turn eyed her.

"I'll leave too," Lisha announced immediately Mopelola walked out of the office.

"Okay then," Kemi permitted and immediately Lisha took a step, Mark walked in.

"E eh eh, I think this place is now your office oo, this one that you're always coming every now and then," she accused with a mocking smile as Kemi got up from her chair to sit on the couch.

"God, Felicia, you're something else, like this is the first time you're seeing me here oo," he replied before sitting beside Kemi who in turn smiled at him.

"So, there's no other seat in this whole office abi?" She sat at the edge of the sofa opposite them.

"I can seat wherever I like."

She rolled her eyes before replying, "Indeed, hmm, lemme leave the lovebirds to themselves, we that we are loveless, let's go and find something to do."

She stood up and eyed them and without waiting for their response proceeded to walk out of the room.

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

Later in the evening when almost everyone had left the company, Jimi stayed behind, he had a lot of work to do and if he should think of doing them at home, his parents and Kemi would certainly disturb him, they didn't like him working at home most especially Soil.

An hour later, he was done with his work, so, he stood up and straightened up before he heard the beep from his phone, looking at it, a smile crept up his face as he read Lisha's message asking if he was still in the office.

He decided not to reply but rather pick up his briefcase and walked out of his office ambling to the elevator.

Immediately he got down from the elevator, he walked to Lisha's office.

"What are you doing here?" He questioned immediately he switched on the light.

"Umm…" Mopelola stuttered as she glanced at her assistant who quickly slid the design book under her top.

Jimi squeezed his face while wondering why she was in Lisha's office, he opened his mouth to ask again but the door opened revealing the entrance of Lisha who was sipping water from a plastic cup.

"Hey, Gym, I didn't know you were still around," she smiled at him and Jimi smiled in return before returning his gaze to Mopelola and her assistant.

Lisha traced his eyes and she smirked upon sighting Mopelola and her assistant who quickly changed their looks to a nonchalant one.

"Wow, to whom do I owe this visit?" Lisha walked up to them with a smile lingering on her lips. She dropped the cup on her table before turning to them.

"I actually missed my way," Mopelola replied foolishly and that earned her a fit of laughter from Lisha.

"Oh, yes, our office look alike right, yours is the last room on the left of this floor while mine is the second room on the right," she threw her hand in the air sarcastically, "Now, tell me, do they look alike?"

She turned to Jimi who scoffed in response.

Mopelola quickly moved away from Lisha's table along with her assistant and proceeded to walk out.

"Please, return what you took when you're done with it."

The statement made Mopelola stop on her tracks while wondering how Lisha was aware of her taking her design book, she got hold of herself and turned back to Lisha.

"I didn't take anything."

"Yeah, I know," she dashed her a tight-lipped smile and Mopelola quickly rushed out of the office with her assistant trying to ignore Jimi's gaze on her.

"I never saw her take anything, so, how did you know she took something?" Jimi inquired as soon as Mopelola's assistant closed the door.

Lisha picked up the almost empty cup from her table and returned sipping the water.

"It's empty already, do you want to eat the straw or the cup?" Jimi jested and she eyed him before dropping the cup on her table.

"Ehn, to your question, I know because I know."

He shook his head in disbelief, "Is that a response to you?"

"Yeah, anyway, Fiola told me she heard some girls from Mopelola's design team discussing about stealing our designs."

Jimi wrinkled his nose before sitting on the sofa, "That's outrageous."

"I know, does she think she can just steal my designs and I'll let her go, that's a no-no for me." She wiggled her index finger and Jimi smiled.

"She needs to be fired," Jimi commented and Lisha dashed him a scowl.

"What did she do that you want to fire her? No, tell me, did she do anything bad?" She clapped sarcastically and Jimi shook his head in wonderment.

"Anyway, why are you still at work?"

Lisha sat on the sofa opposite him before replying, "My dad and his wife are actually at home," Jimi didn't fail to notice the sadness that laced her tone.

Concern washed over him as he tried pondering on what could be wrong.

"Then I guess you should be happy to see them."

Lisha scoffed a laugh before replying, "Happy? More like the obverse."

"Why?" Jimi found himself questioning curiously.

"I always feel invisible amongst them, whenever they visit, every one forgets about me like I don't exist at all, and again my dad doesn't like seeing me."

Jimi raised the inner ends of his eyebrows, "Why wouldn't he like seeing his daughter?"

Her eyelids drooped, "He dislikes me, he believed my mother died because of me."

His brows puckered, "How is that your fault?"

Lisha sucked in her breath before responding, "Gran told me, well she blames me too, the doctor had warned her that her life was in danger with me being kept alive in her but it was like she wanted me bad." She paused and suddenly became emotional, "Even after she was asked to choose between her life and mine, she chose to save me, so, she merely gave up her life for mine. After she gave birth to me and lost her life, dad went berserk, insane, I must say, or how could you reject or at the least hate your own child?" Like being relieved to have poured out her mind, she continued "Ever since then he didn't want to see me, more like, he actually dumped me at Gran's place and never showed his face, never turn back until he was forced to get married to Nikki's mom."

Jimi digested her words before sighing heavily, "That's really bad."

Lisha smiled before standing up as she carried her bag, "Let's go, abi, you want to sleep in my office?" Her face stretched to a wide smile and Jimi wondered how her expression had changed instantly.

"Let's go nau," she caught his hand and pulled him up forcefully and that made her fall to the sofa along with Jimi who was now on top of her, their eyes met and locked like magnets, that moment, everything stopped, all around them stopped, their lives skipped and all they did was stare deeply into each other's eyes. Jimi sucked in his breath as he got lost in her dark eyes, his gaze fell on her heart shaped lips and all he could think of was the taste of her lips. Lisha felt her heart race speedily and she tried pondering on what could be wrong with her, she noticed his eyes on her lips and she couldn't help but bite her lower lip, just then, the door swung open and with impulse she pushed him away.

A loud thud was heard and Lisha jumped up quickly as she rushed to Jimi who was beside the other couch with his face down, apparently, he'd hit his head on the edge of the chair.

"Oh, sorry," Mopelola ran to him as she threw Lisha's design book on the couch before squatting beside him. She'd actually realized Lisha had fooled her, the design book had been empty when she checked it, everything was blank and she'd ended up slapping her assistant in frustration while wondering how Lisha got to know.

"Gym, are you okay?" Lisha queried as she tried lifting his head.

Jimi lifted his head and Lisha gasped upon seeing his forehead swollen, "Oh my goodness, your head is swollen, ha! oti yo konto."

"And I have a splitting headache," he added with a smile and Lisha felt like slapping him, how could he smile at such situation?

"Gosh, I'm really sorry."

"You need to go to the hospital," Mopelola interjected and Lisha eyed her.

"Don't worry, I'm okay," he rose to his feet and the ladies did the same.

"Gym, are you sure you're okay?" Worry etched in her voice and Jimi smiled.

"I'm fine," he assured her and she moved closer to him, trying to rub the swollen side but he just held her hand.

"Don't worry," he then turned to Mopelola, "Why are you here again?"

Mopelola pursed her lips and opened her mouth to respond but Lisha beat her to it, "Thanks for returning it, I believe you've seen what you wanted to see right?"

She rolled her eyes and hissed before storming out of the room shamelessly.

Lisha cackled like a hen for some seconds and Jimi shook his head in disbelief.

"That was hilarious," he commented and she nodded in return.

"Yeah, anyway, I'm really sorry about your swollen head, it looks twice your big head," she jested.

"Are you mocking me?"

She raised her palm in surrender, "No, why would I mock you?" She had a tugging smile playing on her lips and Jimi chuckled.

"Anyway, it's time to leave," he uttered and Lisha picked up her bag while he did the same, minutes later, they were out of the building.