Chapter 10: Breaking Point
(11:47 PM, Ayo's Apartment)
The Lagos night sky shimmered with a million twinkling stars, a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within Ayo's apartment. It was 11:47 PM, and the weight of the evening's confrontation with the board hung heavy in the air. Newspapers lay scattered across the coffee table, their bold headlines screaming of the "Awolowo Enterprises Scandal." Ayo, his face pale and drawn, sank onto the plush couch, a sense of exhaustion warring with a burning determination.
Across from him, Sarah sat perched on the edge of a chair, her brow furrowed in concern. "Ayo," she began, her voice gentle, "are you alright?"
Ayo let out a shaky breath, his gaze drifting towards the incriminating notebook on the table. It was the key that unlocked the truth, a truth that had shattered the carefully constructed image of his father and his company.
"I don't know, Sarah," he finally admitted, his voice hoarse. "Everything I thought I knew… it's all a lie."
Sarah reached out and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "It's okay to feel lost, Ayo. This is a lot to process."
He closed his eyes, the weight of his father's legacy pressing down on him. The philanthropist, the respected businessman – it was all a carefully crafted facade built on a foundation of exploitation and suffering.
"What do I do now?" Ayo asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Sarah squeezed his arm gently. "You fight," she said, her voice firm. "You expose the truth to its full extent, no matter the consequences."
Ayo looked up, a flicker of determination rekindling in his eyes. He wouldn't let his father's crimes be swept under the rug. He wouldn't be a part of their web of deceit any longer.
"We need a plan," Ayo said, his voice gaining strength. "We need to leak the information in the notebook, get it to the press. The world deserves to know what Awolowo Enterprises has been doing."
Sarah nodded eagerly. "We can use my hacking skills to anonymously leak the documents. But we need to be careful. The board will be desperate to contain the damage."
"They can try," Ayo said, a steely glint in his eyes. "But the truth has a way of coming out. We just need to give it a nudge."
Suddenly, a loud crash from the living room sent shivers down their spines. Ayo and Sarah exchanged a startled look, adrenaline surging through their veins.
"Someone's here," Sarah whispered, her voice trembling.
Ayo grabbed a heavy lamp from the coffee table, his heart pounding in his chest. They had exposed a powerful company, and the consequences could be dire.
Slowly, they crept towards the living room, the silence broken only by their ragged breaths. Ayo reached the doorway, his hand gripping the lamp like a weapon. With a deep breath, he slammed the door open.
The sight that greeted them sent a jolt of surprise through Ayo. Standing in the middle of the room, his hands raised in surrender, was Mr. Akintola, the goateed board member.
"Mr. Awolowo," he stammered, his voice tight with fear. "I… I come in peace."