chapter 5🦄

Grace

I knew the names were similar, but never in my life had I imagined it to be owned by the same person, Neither had I also imagined working in the company or being the personal assistant to its owner.

I scrolled down the googled pictures of the company, as the taxi took me to my destination.

His name, boldly written under his picture, Kunle Rotimi Babatunde, inherited the company and three hotels from his Dad, Sharon inclusive. He studied business management at Lagos State University and proceeded to the United States for his master's. According to the internet, he was just 27 years old.

The picture of the old man from the club was attached with a beautiful old lady, he was a spitting image of her.

I scrolled down, tapped on his name, and more pictures displayed on my screen, one with a very fair beautiful slim lady who looked like a model.

Of course, he will be dating a supermodel, how does she handle his ego? I thought.

I scrolled down and read the write up underneath the picture, he was engaged to this beauty queen.

Shaking my head, I scrolled further again and more pictures of him came up.

How come I've not seen him on TV? I thought.

"Madam, you dey talk to me?" The taxi driver asked. I stared at him shocked, I never intended saying those words out loud.

"No oga, no vex,"  I said, turning my attention back to my phone.

"All this youth, na so madness dey start," I heard the driver said.

I ignored him and looked out the window while he drove through the street of Lagos. I checked my phone, I had just 15mintues to be in the office before I got fired.

"Why are you slowing down?"

"Hold up is at the front, I won use short cut," The driver answered, turning the steering wheel.

"Ok." I looked out the window as he did a U-turn.

Few minutes later, the car came to a standstill in front of the huge building. I paid the taxi driver and ran into the building not minding my heels.

"Sorry Miss, we have to search you, before you proceed into the building," A security officer said at the entrance gate.

"Ok, but I'm already late."

"Sorry Miss, it's a standard procedure, it won't take a minute," He said, using the scanner to scan my body and bag.

Seconds later, I ran into the reception area, breathing heavily not minding the curious look from the receptionist.

"Please can you direct me to the boss's office?"

"Do you have an appointment?" She inquired, narrowing her eyes and lifting her nose in an irritated manner.

What is wrong with this one? I thought.

"He knows I'm waiting for him," I answered, ignoring her attitude.

"So no appointment? sorry, you can't see him." She turned back to her system.

It was 7:30 am and more staff were trooping into the building.

I took out my phone, moved away from her desk and dialled Kunle's number, he picked before the second ring.

"I'm at the reception desk sir, she said I can't come in to see you without an appointment."

He hung up on me without saying a word. slowly, I turned to see the receptionist on-call sending hot bullet stares at me.

"What is really her problem?" I asked myself as I walked to her desk.

"Take this elevator." She pointed to an elevator, that had the name tag, Official use only.

"It will take you directly to his office, he is waiting for you."

I walked past her, not bothering to thank her for the direction.

***

"Good morning sir," I said, staring at Kunle.

He looked like he slept in the office, his black jacket was placed on top of his desk, with paper scattered on his desk and floor. He lifted his head, but went back to work, ignoring my greeting.

He stood from his black executive chair and walked to a large glass window, which gave an excellent view of the city.

"Your position requires you to be available at any time of the day or night."

"I didn't know," I said, standing like a mannequin in front of his desk, with my head down.

He walked back to his desk, took out a big dictionary-like book and dropped it in front of me.

"Go through this, I need your advice on something," He said, picking a blank paper from the floor.

I took the book, walked to the long white sofa next to the window, and sat down.

"What exactly I'm I looking for?"

"You can read the whole book if you want."

I stared at the book, reading its title.

GUIDE ON BEING A GREAT PERSONAL ASSISTANT BY STONE. R. CREAM.

"Really? you want me to read this?"

"Why not, you don't know a thing about being a-" The vibration of his phone cut him short from completing his statement.

"Ok, let him in," He said into his phone.

"Grace."

"Sir."

"I need my coffee." He said tapping a beat with his pen on his wooden desk.

"You need your what?" I asked,

I heard him but needed to know if I heard right.

"My coffee!"

"That's not my job, I'm not your maid."

"Open to page 46." He pointed at the book on my laps, I opened it and read the content with my eyes wide open.

Lifting my eyes slowly glared at him.

"No, you need too read it out loud,"  He said, now giving me a charming smile that lit up his eyes.

"Also, a personal assistant must attend to his or her boss's needs like making his favourite drinks or snack."

"This is slavery!" I slammed the book shut and waved it at him.

"Be careful that book cost me, Ten thousand naira."

"I didn't sign up for all this." I stood up from the sofa with a tight fist.

"Oh yes, you did."

"Now go get my coffee, you can ask Joy my secretary how I like it," He said, with a wave of his hand.

I stormed out of the office, the elderly lady called Joy looked up from her desk and smiled.

"He is not always that way you know, he slept in his office last night, I don't know why," She explained slowly, "I'm Joy, he needs his coffee right?"

I nodded, Watching her stood, walked to a door opposite her desk and opened it

"There is a door in his office that leads to this mini kitchen," She explained, while I stepped in behind her.

Bottle of champagnes, coffees, and tea was arranged in a very fashionable way on a shelf, while a coffee maker and a fridge, stood at the left-hand side of the white paint mini-storage room.

I moved to the fridge and opened it. Sensing my closeness to something eatable, my stomach rumbled.

"You didn't have breakfast right?" Joy asked.

I nodded.

"You can have anything you want here Grace."

"How did you know my name?"

"Kunle told me about you," she explained, demonstrating the procedure of making his coffee.

"At first I thought I was going to lose my job, cause I perform the role of both his secretary and assistant." She took out a cup from the fridge.

"But I found out, he was actually assisting me, I can't handle that boy alone." She handed over the coffee to me in a little white tray.

I took it off hers. "Thank you."

"Tho, I don't know why he employed you, he always prefers handling things himself," She said, confusion clearing written on her face as she stared into space.

For revenge. I wanted to say, but revenge on what? I never did anything to him. I only asked him a question at the club.

Not bothering to share my thoughts with her, I walked out of the office.

I opened the door to his office, but collided with a mighty rock-like chest, spilling the hot coffee on the individual.

I lifted my head, expecting to see my boss shooting arrows with fire at me, but rather, my eyes came in contact with Chris, the receptionist from Sharion hotels.

***

Glossary

Madam you dey talk to me- madam are you talking to me

No oga no vex- No sir don't be annoyed.

All this youth, na so madness dey start- All this youth that's how mental issues start.