HER MOTHER'S DAUGHTER! Episode 9.

Sebastian drove away. Nelly, Naomi and Nelson were still in the boardroom. This time, they were on their feet.

“Do you believe we have made the right decision?” Nelly asked them. He had a troubling look on his face.

“Yes.” Naomi replied him. “We are not going to lose. They would. Olivia thinks she is smart but we will outsmart her.”

“In as much as we are eager to pay our debts, I am very concerned.”

“You don’t have to be concerned,” Nelson said and moved closer to him. “If you are not comfortable in how to spend the money, leave it for Naomi and I. We will come up with a plan on how to make one hundred million naira in a year. We can do it.”

Nelly gave him a disapproving look. “Do you expect me to trust you with that money, especially when it involves both of you?” He gazed at Naomi while pointing at the two of them.

She gently pushed his hand away. “We are not going to squander the money.”

“I don’t trust both of you.”

Nelson didn’t want to argue with his brother. He had every reason not to trust them considering what happened in the past, but this was different. He spoke. “Are you aware if we don’t make that money or if we can’t come up with the money we owe, we are going to sell the Company? That is the only way to pay our debts. We don’t want to lose our establishment. We are definitely taking it serious.”

“Then we will do it together. Let’s sign the documents first and when she releases the money to us, we will come up with a plan. If both of you can brainstorm on the product, work together and discuss it with me when you are done.”

Naomi and Nelson glanced at each other and nodded in agreement.

Nelson said to Nelly. “No problem.”

“I need you to work on the office for Miss Olivia King.” Nelly said. “She will use the empty space I wanted to use to store old equipments.”

“Is it not too small? Is it not the empty room beside my office?”

“Yes. Contact the builder tomorrow to come here to inspect it. I am sure he will have an idea on how to expand it a little.”

“I will do that.” Nelson checked his wristwatch. “It’s 4:15 pm already. We all should start preparing to go home soon.”

“Yeah.” Naomi said and enthused to open the door.

“Wait for me in my office, I am coming.”

She shrugged. “Okay.” She walked away and closed the door.

Nelson looked at Nelly with a muddled facial expression. “I think you are going through something that you have refused to talk about.”

“Nothing.”       

“I don’t believe you.”

“It is the truth. Maybe it’s the debts that have been bothering me.”

“Are you sure that is why you are bothered?”

“I think so, but we have found a solution. I don’t need to think any more about losing the Company or selling it for one dollar to Miss King. Can you imagine? She is ridiculously funny to think that way. She has money to waste.”

He chuckled. “You can say that again. You saw how I laughed when she mentioned it. Anyways…” Nelson paused but continued. “Do you still think there is something about Olivia King?”

Nelly dipped his hands into his pockets and blew out a sigh. “I just don’t know.”

Nelson set his hand on his left shoulder and smiled faintly. “We are all going to be fine. I need to see Naomi, she would be grumbling by now.”

“Okay.”

“My regards to your family.” he said. “Say Hi to my little niece. Tell your wife I will be coming for dinner very soon.”

Nelly smiled broadly. “She would like that.”

He walked out of the boardroom, leaving Nelly to think deeply.

*******

“What is wrong with you?” Naomi asked Nelson as he walked into his office. She had been grumbling three minutes ago, pacing around the four corners of the wall.

“I’m sorry, please sit.” He said. 

“I hope you won’t waste my time.” She sat down.

“I won’t.” He placed his hand on his desk. He had a laptop, some documents and a photograph of himself and two kids he had with his ex-wife. He didn’t regard the other child from his babymama despite he sent her monthly allowance. “You and I know we need money. I know Nelly, I am sure he has savings.”

“My twin brother knows how to safe, so what?”

“When Olivia releases the money, we can invest fifty million naira while we share the rest.”

“What! Are you out of your mind?”

“Calm down and listen to me. I told you I am into Olivia.”

“So?”

“I am going to ask her out after the first month she would start to work here.”

Naomi offered him a look without saying a word. She crossed her hands. He knew she was interested in the conversation and ready to listen. Nelson continued from where he stopped.

“I will try as much as possible to be Mr. Nice Guy. She looks wealthy and I am sure she and Sebastian are just business partners, nothing attached. I will find a way to get to her, be her man and believe me sis, I know how to manipulate the mind of a woman when she has too much money and her marital status is single and searching.”

“Are you going to ask her to marry you?”

“Why not? Don’t you think she is desperate to get married?”

“What if she finally falls for your strategy, what next?”

“She will pay the debts without requesting to have the Company. Even if she demands for it, I am already her husband. I will take control over it.”

“Hmmm,” Naomi thought for a brief moment, she dropped her hands and began to tap on the table with her right hand. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Sebastian Akande is a potential target too.” Nelson smiled wide.

She giggled and shook her head methodically. “My younger bro, you never stop to amaze me. You are always planning ahead.”

“Well, what do you say concerning it?”

“I have my eyes on Sebastian Akande but will he be ready to have an affair with a married woman?”

“Why are you still married to that loser?”

“I don’t want to be a divorcee… yet. I am not ready to be alone.”

“Sebastian Akande is there. I am certain he is not in a serious relationship.”

“I will keep my eyes on him and see how it goes from there.”

“What about my plan about Olivia King?” Nelson asked Naomi.

“It’s a good plan but how do we syphon the fifty million naira without Nelly finding out. Remember, he wants to be involved on how we are going to spend it.”

“Leave that to me. I will sort it out when it is time. Don’t forget I am in charge of the Company’s account.”

Naomi stretched her hand for a handshake. “It is an honor to be your elder sister.”

He shook her hand. “It is an honor to be your younger brother.

Nelson and Naomi burst into laughter.

******* 

Sebastian and Olivia sat opposite each other at a fancy restaurant eating an early dinner. As they ate their meals, they discussed about their meeting at the Empire Company.

“I have been wondering about something regarding your deal with them.” Sebastian said in a serious tone. “Even though we are going to win at the end, we have to think for the worst to happen, I hope you know that.”

“I don’t understand.” Olivia sounded confused.

“What if they make one hundred million naira after a year? We have to think about that too.”

Now she understood where he was coming from concerning his statement.

“They won’t. Those three are very greedy.”

“I can see that, but Naomi called it a challenge after you said it was a game. She might want to prove you wrong.”

“Then we will find a way to disrupt their plans. I just don’t want them to lose the money, I want them to suffer. I am sure one of them knows what happened to my mother. Nelly is top of the list.”

“Naomi treated you badly. In fact she was worse than all of them.”

“I know,” Olivia said sadly. “She didn’t hide it, Nelly too and he was a thorn in my flesh. He never wanted me to have friends, always complained and ready to scold me. Sometimes, Nelson comes to save me from his wrath.”

“What are you going to do about Nelson?”

“I don’t know yet but I will find a way to get close to him. As for making them suffer, when I get the Company, they would find a way to pay their debts by selling all their properties.”

“They would be left with nothing after that. Don’t forget, it includes your mother’s house. Nelly and his family occupies there.”

“It is the price I have to pay. That Company was my mother’s sweat and legacy.”

Sebastian gave a nod and focused on his food. He did not want to extend the discussion any longer. Olivia could bring up The Ark City. He didn’t know what he would say if she brought it up. He had nothing to say.

******** 

When they arrived home, they were obviously tired but Olivia wanted them to rewrite the contract. Sebastian insisted she rest. She declined. 

“Okay.” Sebastian said. “Let’s shower and come back to the living room to talk about it and write.”

“Okay.”

Both of them went to their rooms and fifteen minutes later, they sat together to discuss the proposal before putting it into writing. They concluded on the percentage the Empire Company would receive. The money Sebastian and Olivia would bring in together and how the Company would become hers if Nelly, Naomi and Nelson did not fulfill their deal in the contract.

When they started to write and go through some documents, Sebastian noticed how exhausted Olivia had become. He felt it would be unfair to watch her like that. She needed to rest.

“Olivia, please go to bed.”

“I am fine, Sebastian.” She couldn’t control it when she wanted to yawn.

“You see what I mean,” he said. “I am a very busy person but I will need two days to focus on this. I know what you want. When I am through, I will give you the documents to read before we give the lawyer.”

She gazed into his caring eyes for a moment and smiled.

“What?” he asked while touching his face. “Is there something on my face?”

The smile didn’t stop. “No. Goodnight Sebastian.”

A faint smile arose on his lips. “Goodnight Olivia.”

When Sebastian watched her leave his sight, he asked himself when he started to care for a woman like that. Should he call it pity? He shook his head. He didn’t feel that way. He took a deep breath and told himself to pay attention on his task. 

*******

“I am sorry!” Nelly screamed as he woke up from his sleep. He was sweating profusely under the fully air-conditioned room. His wife, Nneka woke up immediately and touched her husband’s hand.

“What is it?” she asked in a worried tone. “The nightmare again?”

“It wasn’t a nightmare!” He released his hand from her hold forcefully. He grabbed the hand towel from the lamp table and wiped his body.

Nneka frowned. “You will never admit it was a nightmare.”

He scowled at her. “It wasn’t!”

“Then why do you always scream when you wake up? For the past eight months this dream has been reoccurring?”

 

“How would you know that? You are not inside my dream.”

“That’s because you keep mentioning the same thing ‘I am sorry’! Nelly, who did you offend?”

He hissed, rose and went to open the door.

She glimpsed at the round wall clock. “Where are you going at 2:45am?”

“To check on our daughter!” He banged the door hard. He motioned to his seven-year-old daughter and saw her sleeping peacefully. Staring at her made him smile for a short while until he recalled why he woke up. He shut his eyes tightly and when he opened them, his eyes were red. He walked to the kitchen to boil some water.

When Nneka didn’t see him after a few minutes, she left the room and met Nelly drinking a cup of hot tea at the dining room. “This is unbelievable. You are drinking coffee by this time of the night?” She could tell by the aroma. “Don’t you want to sleep?”

Nelly didn’t look at her direction. “I can’t sleep.”

She looked at him with concern and touched him on his shoulders to give him a light squeeze. “I am worried about you.”

“My dear, go to bed.”

“But…”

“I said go to bed!!” Nelly screamed at her.

She trembled at the sound of his loud voice and ran out of the living room. It was rare for him to shout at her but of recent, it had become a routine whenever he had that same particular dream or would he call it an occurrence. He loved his wife and hurting her was the last thing on his mind. He finished his coffee and returned to the kitchen to prepare another one. 

*******

The following day, Olivia woke up and met a note on the table in the living room. It was obvious Sebastian had gone to woke. She picked the paper and read with a grin.

Hey Olive. I didn’t want to wake you up with a knock on your door. I have informed the chef to prepare a delicious delicacy for you. Stay at home and rest. Andy will run a few errands for me during the day. Be safe my friend.

Olivia didn’t understand why she couldn’t stop grinning after reading the note. She looked around the place and pressed her lips together. She looked down and up, and now she knew why she was happy. Living in Sebastian’s abode felt like home. She went to have a long shower while singing.

*******

Samson followed Naomi behind as she motioned towards her car to drive out.

“Naomi, am I not talking to you?” He asked her.

She turned to him in anger. “I don’t have anything to say!”

“If you don’t want me to follow you, give me an appointment to see your brother. He is the CEO; at least he can offer me a job or give me something to do for him that will put a little change in my pocket.”

What came next was a hot slap. He didn’t see it coming. Samson widened his eyes in shock. The gateman standing beside the gate put his hands on his head, his mouth agape.

“How can you stoop so low to do something for my brother? Are you so daft? You want his wife to disrespect me! Why don’t you go to Nneka and tell her you want to be her houseboy, rubbish!”

Naomi put her hand on the handle of her car. She removed it and turned. She pointed a finger at him. “The next time you mention such to me again, I won’t hesitate to give you divorce papers. Respect yourself, Samson respect yourself! I don’t want to see you in my office.” She turned to enter her car and zoom off. Samson remained dazed. No sound or word could come out from his mouth.

********

After Olivia read the proposal and gave it to the lawyer, Sebastian booked an appointment with Nelly Badmus. On the day of the meeting, the five of them made the deal by signing the documents and everyone had their own copies. 

Empire Company’s lawyer was present too to witness it. Everyone shook hands and sat down. Refreshment was served and a smile hanged around their lips.  

Sebastian, Olivia, Nelly, Naomi and Nelson booked a date for the sampling of the energy drink before the massive production with Sebastian’s money. Olivia made plans to transfer one hundred million into the Company’s account after her office was ready which would be in a few days’ time.

After a short chat, Sebastian and Olivia prepared to leave. The three siblings escorted them to their car. They stepped in and waived at them as Sebastian drove. 

“Can you contact the detective that found out about the debt?” Olivia asked.

“Yes, but why?”

“It wasn’t a rumor. He was right. Is it possible for him to tell us his source?”

“He can’t. It is unethical to reveal his source. He won’t say.”

“I would offer him money he can’t refuse.”

It surprised him. “I know you have money and it’s none of my business but you can’t be spending it as you like. He is a professional. Detective Genevieve and Tiwa won’t assign him to me if he wasn’t.”

Olivia’s face fell. “I am sorry. You have done more than enough for me.”

He looked at her while driving slowly. “Don’t be sorry. Why do you want to know anyway?”

“I was wondering. If his source could give him such information, it means the person is close to Nelly, Naomi and Nelson. He or she could be working in that Company. Don’t you think we should know? I will be working there soon. Both of us are part of the Company.”

Sebastian heaved a sigh. “You are right. I will make a call to Detective Genevieve. She can be more persuasive. I think she can get the information from detective Akin. She knows him very well.”

“Okay.”

“I will call her when we get home.”

“No problem.” Naomi stated.

When they arrived, Sebastian called Genevieve and told her what he wanted. “I owe you one if you can do this for me. My business partner and I won’t disclose it to anyone.” He listened for a short time and said. “Okay. I will be expecting your call.”

He informed Olivia what she said. The detective would give him a call later at night or in the morning. Both went to their room to shower and rest. Later in the evening, the chef informed them that their dinner was ready. The two of them ate to their satisfaction. 

After dinner, Olivia decided to stay at the living room to watch her favorite series ‘Criminal Minds’. Sebastian returned to his bedroom to go through some files on his laptop. He glanced at his phone and saw two missed calls from Genevieve. He quickly called her back.

A few minutes later, Sebastian hurried to meet her while holding his phone. “The detective just told me the source. You won’t believe who it is.”

Olivia who appeared curious and asked. “Who is it?”

“Samson Ejiofor, Naomi’s husband.”

*******

To be continued…. on Saturday!