As another morning dawned, the company staff were seated and performing tasks. In a cream-coloured satin-sleeve shirt tucked into a black knee-length skirt, Mira walked into the building in her black stilettos.
She held onto a black bag and had her hair tucked up in a bun on her head. She looked better than the previous day, but her countenance seemed more sinister.
"Hey." Mira greeted warmly once she walked over to the workspace downstairs. Everyone there was within their own space, demarcated by knee-level doors made of fine wood but not too far from each other. It was like a cluster and for her, a cluster of familiar faces.
Abby freed the keyboard from her fingers, rested her back on the chair, and lifted her head to look at her. However, she rolled her eyes and folded her arms to pass on the message.
Mira could sense the feeling in that space and heaved a sigh.
"You look well," Abby said in a spiteful tone.
"Come on guys…" Mira replied, "I know I have been a little distant." She added,
- "A little?" We are your friends. We are best friends. Ever since the promotion, I don't even get to see you. You don't take calls or reply to messages and when you do take calls, there is always a reason to hang up. What is going on with you? How is it that we got to know you were at the hospital from whispers?" Abby asked.
Mira sighed.
"I know and I am sorry. Okay? I apologize to you all. I have just been busy with so much and at some point, I just want to be alone and then at other points, I just—am still trying to deal with Theo's death," she said.
"We all are, Mira but you don't have to shut us out. We can only heal together." Kate said.
Kate was a red-haired lady in her twenties. She was wearing a white sleeve shirt and medicated glasses. Her nose was pointed and her skin white.
"Yeah. I mean he took us like his own flesh and blood. It's only normal that we feel it more plus I don't think it's enough reason for anyone to break the circle." Jacob added.
Jacob was a fine man in his late twenties and had his hair neatly cut. Also dressed in a similar outfit as Kate, he had a black tie on. His eyes were thin and blue, and his beard was well trimmed. He was African American but had an excellent British accent.
"What? No. No one is breaking the circle. I was at the hospital because I passed out, okay? The doctor said it was stress and I needed to calm down. It was nothing serious. You know how cranky the new boss is. He doesn't give me space to breathe." Mira said.
"Isn't that how two people earn the title of lover?" Kate asked.
"That's disgusting. Do not even go there." Mira rushed the words in a tone of disappointment.
"It has to be disgusting before it gets romantic," said Jacob with a smile.
"Drop it," Mira warned.
"I don't see why you believe he is such a terrible person," Abby added.
"Don't tell me that you are also in on this fantasy. He being a terrible person, only I can judge that. I spend most time with him. What would you all know?" Mira said. She was upset at the moment.
"Which is why I am resigning." She added.
"You are bluffing," Jacob said.
"No, I am not," Mira replied, drawing out the letter in an envelope from her bag.
"Just like in the movies," Kate said.
"What?" Mira voiced.
"Because of him, you wish to quit on Theo," Abby said.
"Don't do that." This isn't about Theo. It's about that guy in there. I don't want to get killed or be the one who kills him. I should walk away now." Mira said.
"Bullshit. I bet a hundred dollars that you, my dear, will stay." Kate said.
"I am not staying and I won't lose your money," Mira assured her.
"Yeah, and I bet a hundred dollars that you two will be the craziest lovers," Jacob said.
"Hahaha. You wish. It's easy for you guys to make these assumptions when you are down here with each other. On the other hand, it's me up there with him. He isn't the kind of man women want." Mira said with dimmed eyes.
"I don't know, I actually think he is so hot," Abby said with a smile.
Mira's face instantly depicted disgust.
"Yup. Traced it from his trouser, he has a nice cucumber." Kate added.
"You have been staring at his dick?" Jacob turned to her.
"Don't blame me, you know my eyes love to explore and no one controls the eyes. We can only control our minds, Jacob." Kate replied to him.
"I wonder when you two are going to fuck at all." Abby said to them shaking her head from side to side.
"Well, I bet a hundred bucks that you and the cranky boss will have your first hot sex in his office," Abby said with devilish eyes.
"That's it, you all have given me more reasons to quit," Mira said, turning to walk towards the elevator.
"Your time starts now!" Jacob said loud enough for her to hear but she paid no attention and could hear them giggle to themselves.
Soon she got out of the elevator and walked towards Lucian's office. She knocked twice and he let her in.
"Mira. You are well." These were his first words as she slowly took his seat.
"Yes. I am. Thank God I didn't die." She said.
He sighed.
"Sit. " He ordered.
"I think I enjoy standing," she replied.
"Sit. Please." He said.
Reluctantly, she sighed before taking her seat before him.
"I know you think I am a monster. It was all too much for your heart to take. Careless and irresponsible of me to act in the manner I did. I apologise." He said.
She was shocked by his last words.
—"I put you at a lot of risk and anything could have gone wrong. I am glad it didn't but I am elated you were there. You pulled it off so perfectly, so much bravery. No one else could have done it better." He told her.
"Thanks but there is no need to patronize me. Here is my—" She said.
—"Resignation letter I suppose. I am sorry I can't take it. I can't let you go. You know too much." He told her once his eyes could see the brown envelop she held in her hand.
"I know too much? So what do you think? I am going to run you out? When I am involved. For real? Do I look like I want to end up in some polythene bag? Or the freezer? If they find us, they will come for us." She said.
"It was a clean operation, no one is finding us. You are safe. I have someone trying to crack the safe as we speak. When successful, we will get what we need and take it back to the site." He assured her.
"My prints are on that thing," she said.
"He is a professional. He will erase our prints leaving the prints of the last staff who carried them. He will even close it up like it was never opened. No trace, no nothing. It will seem like a miracle to the Wongs, and through their weakness, we will gain strength." He said.
"Must have cost you a fortune." She said with raised eyes.
"I will protect my own at any cost." He replied to her.
"I am not your own." She clarified.
"Don't get me wrong." He said.
"Just hold onto the letter a little longer. We have only just begun doing good work here. Tell you what? Let me make it up to you. Dinner's on me." He said,
"You want me to take me out on a date with the same man who almost got me killed?" She emphasized.
"It was never part of the plan to get you hurt. The moment I brought you in, I became responsible for you. I am many things but not a liar. I promise you, the moment I saw the car empty, I turned back. So don't. Don't leave just yet. One dinner. Not a date, just one dinner. " He said to her,