Assistant

"This is Rowan Cole speaking"

I furrowed my brows, that name sounded awfully familiar, it landed in my mind softly, like a feather, I was certain I had heard it before, I just had to remember where.

"Okay?"

“I work for Mr. Blackwood ma'am”

That did it. My shoulders tensed instantly, and it finally clicked, Rowan, the apparently hot assistant Mila was fangirling over.

"I hope you're having a good evening miss"

His voice was smooth, and deep, almost as deep as Mr. blacks, but with a low hum at the back of his throat whenever he made a sound. "God damnit Elera, why're you comparing the two men". I snapped out of it and put on my tough front.

“If this is about the contract,” I said, “I haven’t decided.”

“I know,” Rowan replied easily. “That’s why I’m calling now instead of tomorrow.”

If circumstances were normal, I would definitely shoot my shot at him on Mila's behalf, he sounded shit good.

I started walking again, the gravel crunching under my shoes. “Then you’re wasting your time.”

“Possibly,” he agreed. “But wasting time is still better than miscommunication.”

I huffed. “You people really love talking in circles.”

A quiet chuckle. “Occupational hazard.”

I stopped walking.

“Tomorrow evening,” Rowan continued, “a car will arrive at your apartment at six p.m.”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

“You’ll be ready.”

My jaw dropped. “I didn’t say yes.”

“No,” he said calmly. “You didn’t.”

“Then why would a car—”

“The car will still arrive.”

I was beginning to approach my boiling point, I was frustrated. “Does your boss usually make decisions for people who haven’t agreed to anything?”

Rowan didn’t sound offended. If anything, he sounded amused.

“Only when he believes the outcome is inevitable.”

I laughed, sharp and humorless. "Your boss is one arrogant Man.”

I rubbed my temple, feeling trapped in my own life, “Tell Mr. Blackwood he doesn’t get to schedule my life.”

A pause.

Then, gently, “Miss… I’m not calling to convince you.”

“Then what are you doing?”

“I’m informing you.”

My phone buzzed.

I frowned, pulling it away from my ear to glance at the screen.

HOSPITAL ACCOUNT UPDATE

BALANCE: ₦0.00

STATUS: CLEARED

The world tilted.

“What is this?” I whispered.

Rowan didn’t answer right away.

Then another notification came through.

RENT PAYMENT CONFIRMED

THANK YOU

My breath caught painfully in my chest.

“You did this,” I said, my voice shaking now. “Didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“You had no right.”

“I understand why you’d feel that way.”

I pressed a hand to my stomach. “Undo it.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s already done.”

My knees weakened, and I sank onto the nearest bench.

“This isn’t help,” I said quietly. “No, I know what this is, I'm being trapped.”

Rowan exhaled. Not impatient. Not rushed.

“I would say it's more like relief ma'am.”

I scoffed "That’s not your call to make".

“No,” he agreed. “It was Mr. Blackwood’s.”

I swallowed. “So this is how it starts?”

“How what starts?”

“Me owing him.”

Another pause. This one heavier.

“You don’t owe him,” Rowan said carefully. “Not yet.”

That scared me more than anything else.

“Why me?” I asked, an odd mixture of relief and anxiety washing over me “He could’ve picked anyone.”

“He could have,” Rowan admitted. “But most people panic when they’re cornered. You didn’t.”

I scoffed weakly. “You call this not panicking?”

“I call it standing upright when you had every reason to collapse.”

I didn’t answer.

“Ma:am,” Rowan said, softer now, “you still have a choice.”

My throat tightened. “Does it feel like it?”

“No,” he said honestly. “Choices rarely do.”

Silence stretched between us.

“What happens if I don’t get in that car tomorrow?” I asked.

Rowan didn’t dodge the question.

“Then nothing changes,” he said. “Your bills stay paid. Your mother stays treated.”

I frowned. “That sounds too generous.”

His voice lowered. “What changes is how closely Mr. Blackwood watches you.”

My pulse skipped.

“That’s supposed to comfort me?”

“It’s supposed to prepare you.”

The line went quiet for a moment.

“Oh,” Rowan added lightly, “you might want to get home.”

The call ended.

The evening breeze felt chillier

How did he know I was outside my house?

I walked home quickly, almost breaking in our into a run as I looked around me frantically, looking for any sign I was being watched, a car?, Someone following me?, I didn't know what to expect.

I had a false feeling of safety though when I got to my apartment, the one that was just freshly payed for, if I was going to be sold, I was at least going to enjoy the benefits for now.

I got to my door as I put my hand in my purse to search for my keys then I saw it

A black box, sitting on my "GO AWAY" entrance rug, I wasn't just just a black box though, the looked expensive, the brand name inscribed in gold bodly on the top, I looked around, left and right, then behind me, to make sure it was mine, and the delivery guy hadn't made a mistake.

I didn't know what was inside this box, but what I did know is that it looked so damn expensive, and it probably was.

Such an expensive package at my doorstep?, it had to be a mistake, I was broke, or was I imagining things?, Could this actually be for me?

Then I peeped the little white tag at the side, maybe that would tell me who it was from and who it's for

For: Mrs Elera Blackwood...