Dede was wondering what was wrong with him. Meanwhile, Julia was back in the apartment exploring her new environment.
Back at the hotel, Dede was pinned against the wall trapped in between Brian's arms who had his lips on her neck.
"Can I take a shower first?" Dede requested.
Brian raises his head to look at her face. He stared at Dede for a while and leaned in to kiss her but she quickly turned her head away and Brain ended up kissing her ears instead.
"Sure, take a shower, my seductress. I will wait for you," Brain groaned and took a step back freeing her from his grip.
Dede ran into the bathroom and quickly closed the door behind her. She placed her hand on her chest trying to calm herself down. She was scared thinking of what was about to happen. She looked at the bathroom and it was a bathtub with a faucet sprout and so many knobs lined up on the walls. She didn't know what controls what. She ignored it and only thought of a way to get out. She thought she could accept Brian's deal but no she couldn't bring herself to sleep with Brian. There was a small window above the toilet. She climbed onto the toilet and slid the window open slowly. She climbed out of the window and ended up at the back of the hotel. She heard the bathroom door open.
"You bitch," Dede heard Brian curse.
Outside she tried to find her way out of the hotel. An employee passing by saw her. Dede ran towards the man.
"Please help me. There is a bad man inside who wants to harm me," Dede cried and the man looked at her suspiciously.
"If you are in danger, go to the police," the man said.
"Please, help me. I don't come from around here. If he finds me, he will kill me," Dede cried and the man could read fear in her eyes. He decided to help her.
"I am Dede," Dede said.
"Fine, come with me," the man said and led Dede away from the place.
Meanwhile, Brian had left the hotel angry and was on his way back to his apartment. He didn't want to follow Dede but in his mind, he had a better plan to find her. He would get what he wants from her.
Inside the hotel storage room, the man sat with Dede trying to understand her situation.
"I am Jake by the way," the man introduced. " So who is after you and why?" he asked
Dede opened out and told the man everything that transpired within the last 24 hours.
"I just arrived from Ghana yesterday," Dede said.
"Well, I know of a restaurant looking to hire some people. My shift would be ending soon. I will take you there and you can stay at the shelter. For now, just stay here. I will be back in ten minutes.
Jake left Dede in the storage room and returned in ten minutes as he promised. Soon the two left the place heading for town. Jake took Dede to the restaurant and introduced Dede to the manager.
"You have quite an unusual name," the manager commented his eyes sweeping across Dede's body.
"I am from Ghana," Dede replied. "I came here with my friend and I am looking for a job," she added.
"What is your qualification," the manager asked.
"I only have my basic school education but I don't have my certificate here with me," Dede said as she couldn't collect her WAEC certificate following an incident that happened back in Ghana.
"You speak good English. You will start from the lowest level. I will put you in the kitchen. You start with washing dishes," the manager said.
"Thank you," Jake appreciated and Dede had a reason to smile.
"No problem. She can start tomorrow. Be here by 6 am," the manager said and Jake left the place with Dede to the shelter home.
At the shelter home, Jake spoke with someone and Dede was given a room.
"Thank you," Dede said to Jake.
"You are welcome. Take good care of yourself. Tomorrow, you know where to board the bus. You can have this for your transportation and food. I will bring you something every day until you are given your first pay," Jake said and Dede was very grateful.
Jake left and Dede went to the room given to her. She found a place to put her bag and sat on the empty bed. It was just midday and she had nowhere to go and nothing to do.
Later in the day, the girl she shared the room with came around.
"Who are you?" she said upon entering.
Dede was wearing loose Jeans, a big T-shirt and a hoodie. She pulled the hood down.
"I am Dede. You must be Gabrielle," Dede said.
"I see you are new. The rules are simple. Stay in your space and I stay in mine," Gabrielle said and changed her clothes.
She was wearing clothes that exposed her body. She changed her clothes into a more decent one and left the room. The day quickly passed by uneventfully. Dede patiently waited to start her job.
The next morning, Dede woke up at 5 am. Took a shower. She put on a straight loose dress and her hoodie. She left the shelter for the restaurant. She dropped off at the junction Jake had shown her and walked into the Kings and Queens Restaurant. It was fifteen minutes to 6 am.
"Good, you are here. Put this on and help them clean the place," the manager said and Dede took the apron from the man and joined the other workers to clean the kitchen.
After 10 minutes, used plates and cups started coming into the kitchen. Dede stood on her feet and washed them. There was another girl she was doing this job with.
"I am Lina and you are," Lina asked with a smile.
Lina is a smallish girl who is always happy and smiling. She has a very sad story and currently has a terminal health issue but working in the kitchen is something she loves doing.
"Dede," Dede replied.
"Nice to meet you," Lina said and Dede smiled.
They continue washing the dishes. Later in the afternoon with all the fire, Dede was beginning to feel hot. She took off her apron and took off the hoodie leaving the T-shirt over the loose trousers on. The manager walked in and saw Dede returning to the dishwashing area and he admired her features. The day before she was covered in a hoodie so he didn't see her figure.
"You Dede, see me in my office now," the manager said and those present looked at her.
There were only two reasons, the manager would summon you into his office. Promotion or termination. Dede was just a couple of hours old in the restaurant. So everyone concluded it was a termination. Dede knocked and entered the manager's office.
"I am going to train you to be a waitress. I like your face," the manager said. "The pay as a waitress is better than washing dishes," he added.
"Thank you," Dede appreciated and smiled
She had a beautiful natural smile which made the manager smile.
"Go down the hall and see the HR. You will start your training immediately.
Dede was happy and she thanked the manager unaware of how she would be dressed while serving strangers in the restaurant.
Dede was happy and she thanked the manager unaware of how she would be dressed while serving strangers in the restaurant. As requested, Dede went to see the HR who had already been informed by the manager that she was coming to see him. "Ah you must be Dede," came the voice of a man. "Yes, please," Dede responded excitedly "What you are going to do is not difficult. You will be waiting on tables. I will give you two tables for a start," the man said. "Sit down," he said standing up from behind his desk. Dede sat down on the chair in front of the desk. The man continued to talk with one hand in his pocket as he paced up and down his office. "All you need to do is. If you see anyone sitting at that table, you attend to them. It is that simple. Take their orders and serve them," he said and tossed a book onto the table startling Dede. He slammed his hand on the table and stared at Dede on his left as he bent over the table. He smiled looking at her face but his face became serious a
"You can't run away from me. I always get what I want," Brian said with a smirk and Dede's heart began to race. "Let's see. You lied to me at the motel and you ran off," Brian scoffed. "And now here you are. A worker in one of my many businesses," he added with a smirk. "I will scream," Dede said leaning against the door and Brian laughed so hard he held his stomach. He stood up from behind his desk, leaned against the desk facing Dede, and folded his arms across his chest. "Since you said you only have a basic education. Let me ask you this question. Do you know what soundproof means?" Brian asked and Dede just stared at him in silence. "Let me tell you what it is," Brian said. "Soundproof simply means not allowing any sound to go through something," he explained. "Guess what, that is what this room is. Soundproof. You scream your lungs out, no one will hear you," he said with a smirk. "What do you want from me? You have a beautiful girl who loves you. My sister Julia. So why ar
"We are going for a ride," Brian said. Steve went for the car key and soon, they were out of the building with Steve behind the wheel. "She was behind the building. So use the back street," Brian said and Steve made a turn onto the road leading to the back street behind the restaurant. Dede was out on the street, not sure which way to go. She walked on the pavement trying to find her bearing. She had come in from the front, now she was behind the restaurant. "Okay, Dede think," She said to herself. "If this is the back of the restaurant," Dede said and looked at the road behind her. "This road should lead to the front of the restaurant. I can find my way back to the junction and return to the shelter," she said and decided to use the road. Dede had only taken a couple of steps when she saw a car heading in her direction. A couple of cars had driven past her earlier but this particular car seemed like it was heading for her. When the car was close she saw Steve behind the wheel an
"Bryson, which other girl are you bringing in this time?" Melissa thought as she descended the staircase. "Hello, Bryson is doing it again. Find out who the girl is," Melissa said on the phone and ended the call before exiting the building. Alex returned to the hospital and was directed to the ward where Dede had been kept. He pushed the door open and frowned immediately. "Who did this?" Alex asked the nurse who was with him. "She was being difficult. We strap her to the bed because we didn't want to sedate her," the nurse replied. "You should have used the sedative. Now she looks like a criminal," Alex said and stood by the bed. "What do you want from me?" Dede asked with a frown but even with her frown she looked pretty making Alex blink twice. "Nothing," Alex replied. "Left to me alone, I would have just given you the bundle of cash and left you but my boss wants to help you after hearing your story," he added and Dede's frown deepened. "My story?" Dede repeated. "Yes. I k
"No, no, this can't be happening," Dede whispered on her lips taking some steps back. She turned to walk away but heard someone call out to her. There were two people she recognized from the people sitting together. One was the man she had seen on the television the first day she arrived in the country and the second was the lady she met at the restaurant who spoke to her harshly. "Does Mr Jackson own this place too?" Dede thought, not sure what to do as she continued taking slow steps backwards. "Hey, are you not supposed to bring the drinks here," came a lady's voice. There were two men and four ladies. Bryson sat relaxed in his seat with his arms stretched on the backrest of the seat. Melissa sat next to him and the other gentleman sat opposite Bryson with the three ladies sharing a seat with him. Eva sat on his right side and Jolie and Christina sat together to his leftDede paused in her steps, walked towards the group and with trembling hands, placed the tray of drinks on the
"Scream and you are dead," the man said pointing a gun at her. "Come in and have a sit. We are just going to chat like adults," the man said and used his gun to gesture for Dede to sit down. Dede sat on the sofa furthest away from the man. "I am here because you mess with the wrong person. You kissed someone's boyfriend," the man said and Dede frowned. She was the one who got abused if this man sitting in front of her was referring to what happened in the club, so, what is he talking about? "Where is your sense of humour? I was only making a joke," the man said and stood up. "I am here to do just one thing and that is to kill you," the man said nonchalantly "I'm gonna put a bullet in between your eyes and no one gonna know about it," the man said and tears filled her eyes. Dede had thought her country was the worse place to be and maybe coming to the state, she would have better opportunities and life would be more easier. Her decision was a result of her and Julia hearing peopl
The security men proceeded immediately towards the presidential suite to confirm what the receptionist had reported. Two men strode into the room and found someone lying face down in a pool of blood. The first person walked past the body and looked around. The second person checked the body after taking some pictures first. "Who was using this room?" he asked after checking the body. "A young lady," replied the receptionist who was standing at the entrance trembling. "Where is she?" the man asked. "I don't know," the receptionist replied. "No sign of forced entry and nothing was stolen. This is not a theft case. Looks like an attack," the other security man said. "I think we should inform Mr Adams ASAP and bring in the police," he continued. "This man lying here looks suspicious," the security man who checked the body said and flipped the body over. He removed the mask to reveal his face and took some pictures. The other security man called Mr Adams while his colleague continu
"Ma'am, sir had brought in another girl. This one looks like he picked her from the gutter," Mable reported with disdain. "Yes ma'am. I will keep you updated on everything that goes on here," Mable said and ended the call. She exited the room and returned to her duties as if nothing happened. Upstairs, Dede sat down quietly on her bed thinking of what to do with her life. She had come to make ends meet. Looking at how things were going, she realized she made a wrong decision by coming to the State. "Well, I am already here. I need to make this trip count," Dede said to herself and scanned her environment. In as much as she had met bad people, this man seemed very nice and something about him made Dede feel she could trust him. She recalled what happened at the club and a smile appeared on her face as her hands went to her lips recalling the kiss. She didn't know how long she had just been sitting on the bed recalling the kiss and smiling but a knock on her door startled her. The do