CHAPTER 4

Amaka's POV

"Sorry, sir. I was mistaken. I thought you were someone I knew before," I say, as his blue eyes hold mine.

"It's fine. Come ahead for your interview. Why do you want to work here with us?" he asks, clicking on his laptop as if he goes through my credentials.

Seeing him affects me, but the fact that he acts like he does not recognize who I am makes me tremble.

"Hello?" He raises an eyebrow and looks at my face.

"Right. I am a digital marketing student, and I graduate with distinction. I believe I help your company market their products and services online," I say, lowering my gaze to avoid looking at his face.

He has changed and looks more masculine and handsome. My son resembles him, but Jason is fair like me.

"I see," he replies, clicking his mouse.

"I only employ staff who are committed to their jobs and do not breach my company's agreement. If you dare to breach it, you will have to pay a fine of five million," he warns.

"Okay, sir. I am an honest person, and you do not have to worry about that," I reply, lowering my gaze and avoiding his eyes.

"Alright," he agrees. "You can meet with Anita to sign up with her."

"Thank you, sir," I reply, standing from the guest chair as I look at his face once more. He has returned his gaze to his laptop, and I cannot believe he does not recognize me.

Do I change that much? My eyes well up with tears, and he looks at me.

"What's the problem, madam?" he asks, meeting my gaze. I search his dark, handsome face to see if he is affected by me, but nothing shows.

"Nothing, sir." I quickly reply, blinking away my tears as I move from the guest chair. I can feel his eyes on me, but I do not look back as I leave his office.

I want to resign right then. But this is my first job after graduating. How can my child's father own this company? Is that really Joseph Ericson?

I look back as his office door closes, revealing the inscription: CEO—Joseph Ericson Office.

My brows furrow upon realizing he is the one. I look away and meet Anita's curious gaze. She asks, "How did it go?"

"Oh!" I smile, seeing the other newcomers looking at me. They are all fresh graduates, five young men and four women like me.

"It went well, ma. I was just a bit emotional. Can I see the document?" I ask, and she replies, "Sure." She gives me the documents. I quickly read the terms and conditions of working for them.

It is an exclusive agreement, meaning I cannot work for another company or tarnish their group name.

I sigh and sign it, even though a part of me does not want to.

I want to know if Joseph has memory loss for failing to recognize me.

It has only been four years, and he acts like he never knows me. Why am I so affected by seeing him?

I take my copy of the agreement and keep it in my bag.

Anita informs me, "You will have to wait to meet your new coach."

"Okay, madam." I go to sit and wait. After a while, Anita comes and says, "Come with me. You will be working under Simon Braxton. He is our marketing manager, so you can assist him with his job."

"Okay," I reply and follow her into Simon's office. The company is a five-story building, and I am surprised to see Simon is the same man who has paid my transport fare earlier that morning. Unlike Joseph, Simon smiles and welcomes me. "Have a seat, pretty."

"Simon! You should know that such compliments are not allowed here unless you want to lose your job," Anita warns him, but he laughs it off.

"Do not be jealous, Anita. I know her already, so move away. It's nice meeting you again, pretty. What's your name?" Simon asks me, ignoring Anita's threat.

She grimaces. "Do not say I did not warn you."

She pulls open Simon's office door and leaves, leaving me alone with him.

I brace myself and sit down.

"Is everything alright, miss?" Simon asks, looking concerned. I am sure my face has turned red.

"Yes, sir. I'm fine," I reply, taking out my white handkerchief from my skirt pocket and wiping my face.

"Oh, please do away with the 'sir.' Just call me Simon, okay? I'm not that old, and the boss is older than me, if you ask." Simon flashes his nice set of white teeth, and I cannot help but smile at his words.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. So we get to work today. How fate works," he says with a grin, and I chuckle sadly.

"I will contact the company security man to set up your office here. You should know that we will be getting along, so I can lecture you before you move to your personal space," he says, leaning back in his chair as I look around his office.

Just like Joseph's office, Simon's is painted white, with a large desk and his laptop before him.

"Alright. So my work starts today," I say, and he replies, "Yes. Or do you want to go home?"

"No. I'm fine," I reply, and he smiles.

"Let me call the security man to set up your office. I think that will make our work easier." He picks up his telephone, places a call, and a security man comes in. The security man wears a white top, black trousers, and black boots.

"You sent for me, Simon," he says, and Simon replies, "Yes. Get a new office desk, chair, and a new laptop for my assistant." The security man looks at me and replies, "On it."

"Oh! I forgot my handbag. Let me go get it," I tell Simon, and he smiles.

"Feel free."

Once I stand from Simon's guest chair, I step out and exit his office. His office is on the fifth floor, as is the boss's.

Some staff work on the fourth and second floors, and the third floor is their meeting hall.

Anita has already lectured me about the company's floors when I accept and sign the contract with her.

I go back to the locker to take my bag and return the key.

As I turn to head back to Simon's office, Anita comes out of the boss's office and smiles at me.

"How is your work with Simon going? You should not pay any heed to him. Know that the boss's office is just next to his. Most offices have glass walls to keep watch of whatever is going on, and there is also CCTV footage," she says.

"Oh!" My cheeks flush.

"You do not have to worry about all that, Ma. Simon and I just coincidentally meet today on a bus, and I have not really gotten to know much about him," I tell her, and she gasps. "Oh! That's fine. You are free to reach out to me if you need further assistance. Take care, Amaka."

"Alright," I reply, watching Anita walk away to her office. I sigh and go back to Simon's office to join him.

I am consciously aware that the boss watches us from his office. They have cameras and glass walls demarcating the offices from one another.

"Are you alright?" Simon asks, looking concerned as I step into his office to join him as the company's new digital marketer.

"Yeah," I reply, and he smiles.

"Here is your new chair and small desk. It will keep you comfortable, alright?" he says, gesturing to the new set up in his vast office.

"Oh! Thank you." I grin at him, and he rises from his chair, walking over to the new desk and chair to meet me.

"You should not thank me, Amaka. We are like partners now, so my duty is to make your work easy." Simon leans beside me as I sit on the new chair.

"Alright," I reply, and he turns on the laptop to test it. I shift my focus to the screen loading and watch him set it up.

"You will have to fill in your name, password and register. For any further assistance, reach out to me." Simon rises from my desk once he finishes setting up the laptop, and I smile at him.

"Thank you." I watch Simon move back to his chair and focus on the laptop. I look around at the glass wall, wondering what Joseph is up to. The glass is dark, and I cannot see the next office. However, I feel nervous knowing I am under surveillance.