Episode 4

AMAKA

“I’m sorry, sir. I was mistaken. I thought you were someone I knew before,” I said as his blue eyes held mine.

“It’s fine. Come ahead for your interview. Why do you want to work here with us?” he asked, clicking on his laptop keyboard as if he were going through my credentials.

Seeing him again affected me, but the fact that he acted as if he didn’t recognize me made me tremble.

“Hello?” He raised an eyebrow and looked at my face.

“Right. I’m a digital marketing student, and I graduated with distinction. I believe I can help your company market its products and services online,” I said, lowering my gaze as I tried not to look at his face.

Joseph had changed. He looked more masculine and handsome. My son resembled him, except that Jason was fair like me.

“I see,” he replied and clicked his mouse.

“I only employ staff who are committed to their jobs and do not breach my company agreement. If you dare to breach my company agreement, you will have to pay a fine of five million,” he warned.

“Okay. I’m an honest person, sir, and you don’t have to worry about that,” I said, lowering my gaze and avoiding his striking blue eyes.

“Alright,” he said. “You can meet with Anita to sign up with her.”

“Thank you, sir,” I replied, standing up from the guest chair as I looked at his face once more. He had returned his gaze to his laptop, and I couldn’t believe that he didn’t recognize me.

*Did I change?*

My eyes welled up with tears, and he looked at me.

“What’s the problem, madam?” he asked, meeting my gaze.

I searched his handsome dark face to see whether I had affected him, but I saw nothing.

“Nothing, sir,” I quickly replied. I blinked away my tears as I rose from the guest chair. I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn’t look back as I left his office.

I wanted to resign from working there, but this was the first job I had received after graduating. How could my child’s father own this establishment? Was that really Joseph Ericson?

I looked back as his office door closed. An inscription read, “CEO—Joseph Ericson’s Office.”

My brows furrowed when I realized that he was the one. I looked away and met Anita’s curious gaze.

“How did it go?” she asked me.

“Oh!” I smiled when I saw the other newcomers looking at me. They were all fresh graduates, five young men and four women.

“It went well, Ma. I was just a bit emotional. Can I see the document?” I asked.

“Sure.” Anita gave me the documents, and I quickly read the terms and conditions of working for the company.

It was an exclusive agreement. That meant I couldn’t work for another company or tarnish the group’s name.

I sighed and signed it, even though part of me didn’t want to.

I wanted to know whether Joseph had lost his memory and failed to recognize me.

Only four years had passed, yet Joseph acted as if he had never known me. Why was I so affected by seeing him?

I took my copy of the agreement and kept it in my bag while Anita informed me, “You will have to wait to meet your new coach.”

“Okay, madam.” I went to sit and wait. After a while, Anita returned and said, “Come with me. You will be working under Simon Braxton. He’s our marketing manager, so you can assist him with his job.”

“Okay, Ma” I quietly followed Anita into Simon’s office.

The company was a five-story building, and I was surprised to see that Simon was the same man who had paid my transport fare earlier that morning.

Unlike Joseph, Simon smiled and welcomed me. “Have your seat, pretty,” he said.

“Simon! You should know that such compliments aren’t allowed here, unless you want to lose your job,” Anita warned him.

Simon laughed it off. “Don’t be jealous, Anita. I know her already, so move away. It’s nice meeting you again, pretty. What’s your name?” he asked me, ignoring Anita’s warning.

She grimaced. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

She pulled Simon’s office door open and left us alone.

I braced myself and took a seat.

“Is everything all right, miss?” Simon asked, looking concerned.

I was sure that my face had turned crimson.

“Yes, sir. I’m fine,” I replied, taking a pristine 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. The boss is older than me, if you ask.” Simon flashed me his nice set of white teeth, and I smiled at his words.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. So, we get to work today. How fate works.” Simon grinned, and I smiled back.

“I will contact the company’s security men to set up your office here. You should know that we will be working together, so I can lecture you before you move to your personal space,” Simon said, leaning against his chair. I looked around his office.

Just like Joseph’s office, Simon’s office was painted white. He had a large desk with his laptop in front of him.

“All right. So, my work starts today,” I asked.

“Yes. Or do you want to go home?”

“No. I’m fine,” I replied, and he smiled.

“Let me call the security man to set up your office. I believe that will make our work easier.” Simon picked up the telephone and placed a call. A security man soon came in. He wore a white top, black trousers, and black boots.

“You sent for me, Simon?” he asked.

“Yes. Get a new office desk, chair and a new laptop for my assistant,” Simon told him.

The security man glanced at me and replied, “On it.”

“Oh! I forgot my handbag. Let me get it,” I told Simon.

He smiled. “Feel free.”

Once I stood up from Simon’s guest chair, I stepped out and exited his office. His office was on the fifth floor, as was the boss’s office.

Some staff members worked on the fourth and second floors, while the third floor held the meeting hall.

Anita had already lectured me about the company floor after I accepted and signed the contract with her.

I went back to the locker to take my bag and returned the key.

As I turned to head back to Simon’s office, Anita stepped out of the boss’s office and smiled at me.

“How is your work with Simon going? You shouldn’t pay any heed to him. Also, know that the boss’s office is right next to his. Most of the offices have glass walls to keep watch over whatever is going on. The building also has CCTV footage,” she said.

“Oh!” My cheeks burned even redder.

“You don’t have to worry about all that. Simon and I just happened to meet on a bus today, and I don’t really know much about him,” I told her.

She gasped. “Oh! That’s fine. You’re free to reach out to me if you need further assistance. Take care, Amaka.”

“Alright,” I replied, watching Anita walked away to her office. I sighed and returned to Simon’s office to join him.

I was consciously aware that the boss was watching us from his office. The building had cameras and glass walls that separated the offices from one another.

“Are you all right?” Simon asked, looking concerned as I stepped into his office to join him as the company’s new digital marketer.

“Yeah.” I smiled, and he grinned.

“Alright. Here’s your new chair and your small desk. They will keep you comfortable, all right?” Simon said, gesturing toward the new set up in his vast office.

“Oh! Thank you.” I smiled at him.

He rose from his chair and walked over to the new desk and chair to meet me.

“You shouldn’t thank me, Amaka. We’re like partners now, so my duty is to make things easier for you.” Simon leaned beside me as I sat on the new chair.

“All right,” I replied, watching him setup the laptop.

Simon switched on the laptop to test it. I shifted my focus to the screen as it loaded and watched him set it up.

“You will have to fill in your name and password and register with the company. If you need any further assistance, reach out to me.” Simon rose from my desk once he finished setting up the laptop, and I smiled at him.

“Thank you.” I watched Simon move back to his chair and focused on the laptop. I looked around at the glass wall, wondering what Joseph was up to.

The glass was dark, and I couldn’t see the next office. However, I felt nervous knowing that I was under surveillance.