SHALEWA

"I'll be there soon."

"Alright, ma'am." Shirley, my assistant texts back in response.

Well, today is the day I finally make myself known in the office.

As I prepare to leave the house, the door bell rings, signalling a visitor. Who could that be? Asides the girls who came here to pick me up for our outing, no other person, apart from my immediate family who are in Lagos, has this address.

I hasten up and walk down the flight of stairs before looking through the peephole at the person behind the door.

The Neighbour. Strange.

"Hi." He smiles, one that I want to wipe off his face.

"Hello. You want anything?" I ask, my voice and stance laced with attitude. Eyebrows raised and arms crossed, I give him a stern look.

"Can we talk, please?" He asks.

"No." I am still really pissed at what happened. Plus, I have to be at work.

"Please." He pleads.

"Alright, but that would be later in the evening, say 7pm. I have to be at work." I say, giving him the stink eye.

"Thank you." He gives a small smile.

"Ehnn. You're welcome." He's still standing there after my tone of dismissal.

"Anything else, Mr. Amadi?" Raising my eyebrows for the second time since he came, I enquire.

"No." He responds, scratching the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable.

"Alright. Bye, then." Not caring to hear a word from him, I walk back into my house and lock the door behind me.

To be honest, it took all my restraint to not slap that idiot woman back. They should sort their family problems and never transfer aggression to me.

Had it been Kaima did not insist on me not leaving, I wouldn't have even followed them. What even prompted me to stop at the car's honking in the first place? I should have just ignored.

I was both shocked and angry when she slapped me. It happened in a flash. My brain cannot register till this moment, why the woman did that.

Taking out a pack of fried rice from the fridge and turning on the microwave oven, I began heating up the food.

While waiting, I quickly set a reminder for my therapy appointment by Wednesday.

The ding sound indicates the readiness of my food and I slowly eat, before heading to the hotel.

My dad sure has alot of establishment and this hotel is one of them. I'm so proud of the man for laying a foundation of good leadership for we his children.

He made me the Hotel Director when I was to relocate here for two reasons. Firstly, so I am not idle and channel my energy into something productive. Secondly, the hotel has always been ran by a manager who reports to him. This time, he wanted me to fully be in charge. Since Deji has his own establishment, he decided to push this one to me.

"Good morning, ma. Welcome to Wilsons. How may I be of help to you?" The receptionist gives me her best smile. Dad named this establishment with his English name. Just as I am about to respond, a voice interrupts.

"What else will this slut be here for? If not to see one of her sugar daddies?" As if being a jealous wife is not enough, she has chosen to also be stupid.

"Excuse me?" I ask in shock.

"Ehen? Am I lying?" The unmistakable accusation in her tone drives me on edge. Wait till she gets the shocker of her life.

"Living in such an expensive estate, coming to this 7-star hotel. What is the obvious source of such luxurious lifestyle for a woman such as yourself? A Sugar daddy, of course." She shrugs, clapping her hands and glaring daggers in my way. Very professional.

I snicker in disgust and make a decision to ignore her for now before turning to face the receptionist.

"Can I see a 'Mrs. Shirley Kings'?

"And what exactly do you want with my staff? I am the Hotel Manager." I chuckle in my mind. Externally, I just smirk and say nothing, tapping on my phone.

Small world.

"Shirley Kings, please." I repeat.

"You will not call her until this woman explains why she wants to see her and if you do, you're losing your job this instant." She threatens the receptionist who gasps and immediately looks at me with pleading eyes.

"I'm really sorry, ma." She mutters.

"It's alright. I understand." This stupid woman. Imagine I was a guest, this is how she would have destroyed the hotel's reputation with her insolence.

Tapping furiously on my phone, I send a quick message to Shirley. Meanwhile, rude woman's eyes still follows my movement like a hawk.

"Good morning, ma. Sorry for the delay." A smiling Shirley says.

"Shirley, to your office now. You know we have important matters to attend to today." She says in an authoritative manner.

"Well, this is the in quote, important matters." Shirley supports her statement by making air quotes with two fingers, one from each hand.

"I don't get." She says, her stance unstable as her gaze shifts from Shirley to me and back to Shirley.

"Well, in simpler terms, meet our boss and Hotel Director." Shirley says, smiling before we exit and take the elevator to my floor where my office is situated.

"I heard about what happened. Please, pay no attention to her, she's a crazy woman." Well, seems someone else holds the same resentments towards this woman.

"Oh. I know that first hand."

"Welcome. This is your office." She says, opening the door and handing the keys to me.

"And this is my office just beside yours." She says.

"Thank you so much, Shirley." I respond, all smiles at her warm reception.

"Also, I have a spare key to your office since I'm your assistant."

"Alright. That's not a problem." She explains some things to me before leaving to hers. Immediately, I call dad.

"How are you doing, Shalewa?" He asks.

"Fine fine." I respond, smiling. It's not like he can see me, anyways.

"And Shirley? How is she? You don't remember her?"

"No. Am I supposed to?" I ask, confused.

"Remember my friend, Bayo from the last time we visited when we were younger?" I remember Uncle Bayo, his long time acquaintance.

"Yes, what about him?"

"Remember the young girl he visited with at that time?" The memories are vague but I remember bits and pieces.

"That young girl is Shirley." He finally solves the puzzle in my head.

"Ohh. I never knew." Realisation sets.

"I made her your assistant on purpose. She was actually the Assistant Hotel Manager." He informs.

"Ohh. Okay." I respond, not knowing what to say.

After settling in and ending the call with dad, I ring the intercom.

"Please, send in the Manager."

"Alright, ma'am." She says. A few minutes later, a knock sounds on my door.

"Come in." I know it is her.

"Ehen? Did you call me here to fire me?" She asks immediately she steps in, her voice laced with venom and attitude from earlier.

"I need the hotel's report from you. Submit it before work closes tomorrow." L-O-L. She is shocked.

"Alright." She responds reluctantly. I raise my eyebrows at her, as if daring her to spew trash.

"Alright, ma'am." Her voice comes out choked as she speaks. I could see the annoyance in her as she takes her leave.

I won't fire you, Nnenna. I'll just teach you to be humble.

•••••later in the evening•••••

"Your house looks lovely." He compliments, to which I roll my eyes. Oga, that's not why you are here.

"What do I get you?" Even if I'm angry, I can't forget my manners.

"Nothing, thanks." He responds with a thin-lipped smile.

"Water it is, then."

"I..." Before he even gets a chance to speak, I walk to the kitchen to get a bottle of water and come back, handing it to him.

"Thank you." He smiles.

"So, what are you here for?" I ask him.

"Well, how do I start. I am so sorry for what happened." I scoff and keep watching him, not saying anything.

"Look. Everything is just messed up and I am sorry you had to be on the receiving end of that." He says, looking tired and frustrated.

"Alright."

"Thank you for hearing me out. I'm really sorry."

"Wait..How is Kaima?"

"She's fine. You know Children, they easily get over things."

"Alright."

"Good night."

"Yeah. Good night." I close the door after he leaves. Having nothing to do, I head to my room and change to a pair of bikini and go for an evening swim.

The last thing on my mind before diving in is what to do to teach Nnenna a lesson. I need suggestions as I keep racking my brain for answers.

Well, I guess I am not as wicked as she is. I'll just keep it professional and ignore her.

Or do I turn the heat up for her?

HAPPY VALS DAY, GUYS♥️
Love you all.

However, I want to specially dedicate this Chapter to @Teefabulous
Thank you for the support so far!