CHAPTER TWO

No Change

Stephany could only go forward because of the fact that this was her new job and she had signed a contract. The contract for the job was a 3 year contract. She was the secretary and personal assistant to the CEO of KOLEX.co Enterprises.

When she was called yesterday by the HR confirming the email she had received earlier that she had passed the interview, she was really happy. Eight years after highschool and she was still jobless after going through college for four years.

Her highschool mates had either found jobs or married with three, two or one of children.  She was also still single and was not in the mood of searching.

This job was one of the greatest things that happened to her this year. A year that she named as her year to shine. She had always taken herself unlucky, one of the extremest. But this year gave her a sense of belonging, a sense of success.

Little did she know that she was not as lucky as she thought this time. She had just met old wounds.

Stephany pressed the car key and the car at some steps away indicated with all its light. Juma was the first to reach the car and opened the door, leaving the door open. He sat on the back seat wearily. She passed by the door and went. to the trunk opening it and carrying the luggage into the trunk.

After closing the trunk, she cursed in her heart once again when she saw the door still open.

"huh! The door still opened? If you can't close it, why bother entering before I can open it for you?"

She took off her hat, rolled the braids together and wore the heart again to lock them in and avoid them falling and dangling on her back.

She went to the door and before she could close it. She saw him already asleep. She looked at the sleeping man, her tears threatening to fall. She took in a long breath of air, blinked thrice. and looked up to try to stop the tears from falling. She closed the door and smiled in defeat. She really realized that in her life, she would not have good days.

"Maybe this is my temptation in this world, to see if I am strong enough and I can stand stronger on my feet", she mumbled to herself and swallowed hard.

She climbed to the driver's seat and started the car after closing the door and wearing the seat belt, then drove off.

She adjusted the driving mirror above her and looked at him sleeping through it. This was once a man she loved with everything she had. But who would have thought...

"Even though he is still arrogant, he does look cute" her thoughts drifted and she almost slapped herself after shaking off the feeling.

How could she appreciate his cuteness, he is a jerk!

She drove off the airport exit gate onto the highway towards his villa. The company had given her all the details yesterday on her orientation and even pinpointed his home today at the brief information they had sent her.

On the way, she couldn't help but laugh at herself awkwardly. Laugh at her current situation, her current position.

"Will I ever be someone someday? Someone who can sit down and take my time looking at the mirror just for me and not be presentable to secure a good lifestyle for myself and my family. Just a joke, I am" she said to herself.

After rounds, she drove to a stop in front of a gated community. It was her first time here and the cluster of villas was admirable to her eyes. The architecture of the buildings really deserved a win.

The little gate was opened and out came a security guard in a jungle green with red stripe uniform. He had a funny looking face. Large eyes, broad nose, bushy eyelashes, tiny ears and pointy eyebrows.

He had with him a bow and arrow on his hands. He looked at the car and came to the driver's window. Stephany lowered the windscreen and smiled at him. More accurately, she was smiling at his choice of habit. It was during the day and he was carrying the bow and arrow at close proximity to his chest.

"Hi, will you open the gates to us? We are the ones who reserved court V515", she informed him as she withdrew a document and showed it to his face.

"Ooh! You have arrived. Until when will you be staying?" he asked, lowering the bow and arrow from his chest.

This behavior made Stephany smile amiably. Was the weapon meant to threaten her?

She rolled her eyes and threw that at the back of her head.

"This is private but can be solved with how our guest will love the place and your duty. So, will you?" she answered and asked another question with a hidden meaning.

"Okay madam!" He saluted and rushed inside the compound.

As soon as he was inside, the gate was opened. It was a remote controlled gate so he wasn't by the gate pushing it open.

Stephany drove inside the compound and as she passed the security guard saluted again and waved after the car went. This enlightened Stephany's mood a little.

She drove to the home with the plate V515 and opened the rare lights. The gate beeped and opened by itself as she drove to the tiny compound into the underground private parking space.

Juma was still sleeping and she wasn't going to wake her up, as she had thought.

On the front seat, she looked at the driving mirror and rolled her eyes.

What, don't tell me he is still sleeping. She opened the door and walked out of the car. She looked around the tiny parking place and sighed in admiration. The lighting was on point and it was able to accommodate six other cars without being congested.

Wealth was really luxurious.

A lift at the end and stairs at the right to the interior of the house. She walked to the backseat door after moving the luggage from the trunk and opened.

"Mr. Namu, Mr. Namu we have arrived", she called.

Juma turned but not to wake up. He was all drenched in sweat and he kept on mumbling something. Stephany felt strange and she shook her head. How could she not know that he was having a bad dream. They had dated for three years and had spent a night at his place once during that period so how could she not know.

She bent over bringing her ears close to his mouth to hear what he was saying only to widen her eyes.

"Steff, you don't have to change. I love you if you are you", he said.

Stephany was shocked dumb. Her eyes wide and tears gathered in her eyes. Her lips trembled and her breathing was heavy as her nose reacted to the in and out of air. She blinked but this time the tears did not stop and it fell on his shirt.

She hurriedly straightened herself but was too late as he pulled her to his chest. His heart was beating crazily and he clutched at her like he was afraid she might escape with a slight loss of his arm.

"Oh now what!" she yelled in her mind.

This was not how their first meeting was to be. He hated this man for what he did back then and her heart has never reconciled. She never would have met him even for a peak unless she was at the top and enjoying her career.

But now, after ten years, fate brings them together,. not as schoolmates but as boss and employee. Not lovers but exes. And yet, with all the hatred she had for him, he is here calling her real name.

He still remembers him but not on her face, in his dreams. Hugging her not letting go. Then the question popped in her head, how many have he hugged?

"Sir, sir, sir!" she called with no answer.

"Cain, you are hurting me!" she screamed.

He woke up and released her that she fell on. his thigh.

"What are you doing?" he asked as soon as she stood up from her position.

Her braids hid her face and her hat was on the seat next to Juma. She exhaled through her mouth to push the braid sticking on her mouth and moved to the back of the door.

"Mr. Namu, we are here. I was just waking you up little did I know I could fall from much strain from keeping up with my heels. Sorry", she said, not bothering to reveal her face.

She had tears down her cheeks and did not want to be in the position of explaining. Her heart ached and cheeks burnt.

"Stella right?" He asked.

"Yes sir", she replied.

"How many times do you plan on telling me sorry today?"

Stephany tightly holds the door. She couldn't believe her ears and thought she would wake up from this nightmare sooner or later. But the pain from exerting more pressure on her hand towards the door was real, so all these were true.

Stephany had long changed her name to Stella and that's what's on her ID.

All her information in the company had Stella as her name but this man here had called her real name's pet name in his dream. When he woke up, he couldn't be sure of her name and his looks totally towards her, his eyes showed the first encounter. Does this mean he truly loved her?