"Honey, when last did you hear from Cecilia?", Chioma asked Mr. Garnahweh as she sipped her coffee.
"When did you start worrying about that brat and since when did you start discussing family issues while at work, darling?" Mr. Garnahweh asked as he was reaching for his wife's hands across the table.
Chioma rolled her eyes.
"Of course, I've always been worried about her but I never showed it because she detests me. And for the office thing, a mother must always place her family first".
"Wow, am I day dreaming or something? Is this really you, Chioma?", He asked surprisingly.
She withdrew her hands from his hands and frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Oh come on, don't frown your beautiful face because of that" Mr Garnahweh muttered.
"I'm asking again, Peter, what do you mean?', she sounded more furious this time.
"Okay", he raised his hands up. "I meant, it's surprising to see an ideal woman like you getting worked up over such petty matter".
She smiled at him and took his hands back.
"That's the mother in me, you know. But you really need to check on her. Will you call her later in the day?", She glanced at the numerous files on his table. "After you've dealt with these", she pointed at the files.
"Alright", Mr Garnahweh said.
"I don't trust you", she said.
"I will call her", he assured her.
She pecked him and left for her office.
"Well, Ceci baby you'll be dead by the time your father calls", she whispered underneath her breath. She smiled and adjusted her coat.
Chioma got to her office and thought of strategizing her new plans as Cecilia is about to get out of her way. She picked up her phone to call her doctor, Ifunanya.
"Hello dear", she said.
"Madam CEO, or should I say Odogwu?", Ifunanya asked hysterically on the other end of the phone.
"Oh, anyone that soothes your mouth, darling", said Chioma.
They both laughed.
"So, how is family and business?", Ifunanya asked.
"We're good, how about you?", Chioma replied.
"We're good too, but, you know I'm always very busy with work. My husband seems not to understand that anymore" Ifunanya said.
"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Those men need to be put in their place, if you try to be too nice with them, they'll start to misbehave" Chioma said.
"Yes, dear. Anyway, hope there's no problem because it's been ages since we've talked", Ifunanya asked.
"There's no problem at all, I just need your little help with something" Chioma said.
"Okay, I hope it's as little has you've said, Chioma? We all know you always get yourself in big deals and then, call a big deal help little", Ifunanya said snarkily.
"Oh come on, it's very little, dear. I would have asked us to meet if it's a big deal" Chioma replied.
"Okay then, go on" Ifunanya said.
"I need you to change Peter's medicine to something that will kill him within a year" Chioma whispered.
"What! You want your husband dead? And you call this little? Chioma, I've always known you to be desperate but not as desperate to be a murderer!", Ifunanya yelled.
"I'll pay you two million dollars, a huge amount of money you can't even earn in twenty years of continuous hard labour" Chioma said.
"Don't think you can entice me with money. I have my dignity to protect unlike you", Ifunanya growled.
"Oh please, cut the crap. You think I don't know you're having an affair with your senior colleague at work?" Chioma asked.
Ifunanya fell silent.
"I didn't mean to be so harsh but since you've proved to be strong headed. I had no other choice. I gave you a fair choice" Chioma muttered.
"I didn't have an affair with him. It was— it was just a night. It was a mistake", Ifunanya said as her voice cracked.
"At least, it happened and you've failed your dignity" Chioma said.
"I will never do what you want, Chioma. Bye", Ifunanya hung up.
Chioma smiled devishly and forwarded the video of Ifunanya and her colleague in the hotel room to Ifunanya.
"Let's see if you won't do what I want, darling", she murmured and crossed her legs awaiting Ifunanya's call.
Ifunanya called her right away, begging her not to forward the video to anyone.
"I will never see my friend's family shattered because of a mere one night stand; if only you do what I want" Chioma said.
Ifunanya fell silent for a while, thinking deeply.
"Ok, I will do as you say", she said finally.
"Very well, you'll get the quarter payment tomorrow morning. Peter's medicine will finish next week so, replace it with the poison"
"Ok", she exhaled sharply.
..
..
..
"So you mean my step mom sent you here to kill me?", Ceci asked shockingly.
"And she told me, you wanted to kill her and her son to make your father's wealth only yours. But I watched you and found out that you ain't capable of doing that".
"I've never even thought of living by my dad's wealth. I work all by myself to make my life better. And I'm not even thinking of ever inheriting my Dad's properties", she paused.
"I left dad's house just to avoid something like this. I used my personal savings to secure this apartment immediately I graduated from school. I've been living all by myself since two years ago. I actually took the decision when my Dad asked Chioma to be in charge of my finance. She questioned me on every request I made. I'm very sure she would insult me if I graduate from school and still move in with them. So, Dad thought I was being full of myself when I told him I had rented an apartment and secured a job in another organisation apart from his. I gave up my father, status and happiness for her and she still wants me dead?", her eyes were brimmed with tears.
Joe moved to the couch she was sitting on. He took her hands.
"You've really been strong all these while, you can't let her make you feel weak", he consoled her.
"I endure all sorts of rants and insults from my boss 'cause of that bitch. I will kill her before she even thinks of killing me", she said furiously.
"Hey! Calm down, we need to figure out what to do", he scratched his head.
"Yeah... But why are you working as an assassin? You're evil! You've been hired to kill people. Why?"
"I've never killed anyone before, this is my first assignment in killing. I was rescued from the bomb blast. I don't know how but, I know I survived and the person that rescued me is a mafia. He wants .e to take over his dirty business. I don't know what he would do if he knows that I've failed him now by not carrying out my first kill", he muttered.
"That means I have to pretend to be dead?", she asked and he nodded.
"But I don't know how, you've not told me about us", he demanded.
Ceci exhaled sharply.
"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it now", Joe muttered.
"We were so close, we actually dated", Ceci said.
"Oh!", Joe exclaimed.
"Oh?", she asked. Joe had a look of what do you expect me to say.
"Never mind, what do we do now?", Ceci asked.
"I'm really not sure, I thought I would just tell you to relocate and tell Mrs. Garnahweh that I disposed your body. But now, that can't work, you can't leave just like that", said Joe.
"We can report her to the police", said Ceci.
Joe laughed and said, "You don't really know Mrs. Garnahweh. She has power, wealth and manipulative ways to make people take her side. And the person I work for has almost half of the police force wrapped in his fingers. He has connection in every section of Nigerian Police Force. He works for politicians and they wouldn't want to be his victim so, they would do anything he asks of them".
Ceci thought about it for a while, then, snapped her finger.
"We can still use that your plan. I'll disappear for a while. My friend stays at Mowe, I'll go stay with her. Then, we'll figure out how to reveal her dirty ways".
"But if we'll reveal your step mom, we must let Makanaki know about this. Before he finds out," Joe said.
"Who's Makanaki?", Ceci looked puzzled.
"Sorry, that's my guardian. The person I work for", Joe replied.
"Before your guardian finds out?". She got confused.
"How on earth is he going to find out?," she furrowed her eyebrows.
Joe simpered.
"He has spies all over the city. So, it's better I tell him before he knows," Joe said.
Ceci rolled her eyes and relaxed on the couch.