CONTRACT MARRIAGE
Contract Marriage – Episode 2
He pushed the barbell with all his strength as he continued his routine bench press exercise, which he had grown accustomed to.
But this time, he was stretching beyond his endurance capacity as he repeatedly lowered the barbell up and down his chest height, with his back resting on the bench.
He counted… “ 17… 18….19…..Arrghhhh!
And with all his might, he pushed through, screaming as he pronounced the last number.
“20!…..Arrrghhh!!!!
Ifedola Mike Davis, dropped the barbell on its stand, completely exhausted.
He mopped his face and chest with a fluffy hand towel as his heartbeat gradually regulated itself, before hopping into the bathroom to take his shower. And in the next 30 minutes, he was up and ready for work.
His schedule was usually crazy, especially on Monday mornings, ranging from the loads of files piled up on his desk, to the never ending meeting he had with the company’s staff.
He pulled up his Range Rover latest model in front of the company and entered through the entrance automated glass doors.
“ Good morning sir.” Mark; his Personal Assistant, greeted.
“ Good morning Mark…. What’s my schedule for today?”
Mark scrolled through his tabloid trying to access the schedule file on his screen.
“ You have a meeting with Director Chang; the manager of Chang sin resort center, in two hours from now…… as well as a stack of files on your desk awaiting the appending of your signature.” Mark announced, following his boss to his spacious office.”
Ifedola sighed as he settled on his executive chair.
“ Prepare a memo for a meeting by 3pm with all the members of staff and make sure to pass it round to ensure my staff are duly informed…… because I won’t be listening to any excuses whatsoever if anyone fails to attend” Ifedola instructed, as he scrutinized the files one after the other on his desk.
“ Right away sir.” Mark replied and turned to leave.
“ Wait!” he halted Mark who was midway.
“ Who brought this files?” Ife asked his PA.
Mark paused for a while, trying to recollect the last person to submit the files.
“ It’s Mr Perkins…. He was the last to submit his file sir.” Mark informed his boss.
Ife creased his brow into a frown, with irritation visibly inscribed in his expression.
“ Tell Mr Perkins to see me with immediate effect!” he instructed Mark angrily.
“ Yes sir.” Mark said and hurried out wondering why his boss was angry on a Monday morning.
After a few minutes, Mr Perkins entered into the office.
“ Good morning sir….. You sent for me.”
Ife lifted up his gaze to meet the company’s accountant. His eyes shooting daggers.
Mr Perkins had been the company’s head accountant for 20 years now, and he was no doubt good on the job.
He was quite elderly, and would have passed as a father figure, but he wasn’t looking for any father figure.
“ Care to tell me what this is?” Ife asked, waving the file to his face.
“ This is the statement of account you asked me for.”
Ife chuckled, tapping his fingers on the surface of his desk, and wondering if this was a prank or something.
He stood up and faced the familiar accountant he had known all his life. His expression hardened more as he flashed him a questioning look.
“ I need a good explanation as to how a whooping sum of 90 million Naira disappeared from the company’s account between a space of two freaking days!!!” Ife queried.
Mr Perkins sighed.
“ 80 million Naira was transferred to a domiciliary account on the forex domain, plunging us to the investment quadrant in the binary sector. Together with 10 million which was wired into Kimberly’s trust fund account.”
Ife mused. Mr Perkins must be frigging kidding him.
“ What!!!”
“…Forex domain? Binary and trust funds!!!!…. I never remembered having such discussion with you as regards that…. So you need a candid explanation as to how you can take such decisions independent of me!!!” Ife fired angrily.
Mr Perkins lowered his gaze, fumbling with the adjustment of his recommended glasses, as he shifted uncomfortably.
“ I’m sorry sir, but this happened when you were away to Florida….. and there wasn’t much time to brief you of the happenings.”
“ On whose authority did you carry out this instruction?” Ife threw the question, raising his voice.
“ Mr Richard gave the instruction sir.”
“ Richard gave you the instruction!…. “ Ife repeated, and gave a hard laugh.
Then suddenly paused and glared at the accountant as if he could tear him into pieces.
“ You know,….. for once I thought I could trust you, given the history you had with my father, I can see right now that you lack credibility…..”
“ Ife it isn’t what you think!…..” Mr Perkins was saying but was interrupted by Ife’s angry outburst.
“ Don’t call my name!!!….. don’t just dare!!…. You are a disappointment to this establishment as to carrying out Richard’s instruction….. Who is Richard to give out such authorization? …. Is he an heir of the company? How dare him!!!”
“ It was authorized and signed by your father.”
Ife charged towards the accountant and held him by his collar.
“ Don’t you ever call him my father….. my father died seven years ago!!!…. And so the next time you call that greedy beast my father, I will not hesitate to drive a punch on your face!!” Ife threatened the ruffled accountant and marched down to his step father’s office, pushing the door open without an invitation.
“ I need a candid explanation as to why you’ll endorse a transfer to a binary account without my consent!!” Ife demanded angrily.
Mr Dele Coker sat gazing at his step son, who had just barged into his office without invitation.
He had a female guest but Ife never cared. He only cared about one thing!
And that was to embarrass him and he will give him a dose of his medicine….
Such a thwart !!
He quickly signalled to his guest to excuse them, with a smile plastered on his face.
“ You have no right to barge into my office uninvited!!”
“ And you have no right to call the shots in my company!!”
“ I am your step father…. And I have the legal right to run the company on your behalf till you come of age…… Isn’t that what was written in the will?” Mr Coker questioned him, with a countenance that was ready for a confrontation.
Ife calmed down, completely taken aback by Mr Coker’s last statement.
“ You are right!…” Ife said and clapped his hands in a mocking manner.
“……. The only reason why you are still seated in that position, is because of one thing……which is…. I am single!….I guess it’s time to fulfill my mum’s last wish by getting married, so I can have the full ownership of my father’s company.” Ife said, stressing out his last statement.
Mr Coker chuckled, he would not be intimidated by this small boy. He had cracked people who were tougher than this, and had them broken.
“ Suit yourself lad.” He muttered.
“ Watch me.” Ife threatened and banged the table with his fist, before walking out of his sight.
(Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH’S HEART stories)
