Her Aunty advised her to return to her place, but she refused, that her reputation had gotten tarnished already in her street. Nobody believed her innocence. She decided to secure for an accommodation in another environment.
The Aunty accepted her idea and promised to be visiting her everyday to know how she was faring.
The next day, she resumed work but was shocked to be bagged with a sack letter.
She never knew the news had reached her office, and when Mr Edwin intentionally asked her why she had been absent from work. She lied that she was involved in a ghastly accident.
Ifeoma was not the type who fancied lies, just that she was lost of how to explain her ordeal to her employer because she felt nobody would believe her.
“Miss Ifeoma, I knew everything that happened, I intentionally asked you this question to hear your response, but see, you lied, which proved you are guilty. You are thereby relieved of your duties. Leave this premises with immediate effect” The manager said handing her the sack letter.
Ifeoma left herself on the floor and burst out in tears.
“Sir, please, don’t do this to me. I have no other source of livelihood. Please consider my unborn baby sir. It was a set up, I’m innocent. It wasn’t my intention to lie, just that I felt nobody would believe my story. Please don’t do this to me, sir, please.”
“Young Lady, I’m done with you, please leave my office and out of this company”
“Hei, chim oo, o kam si jee , my God, hope you are there watching what is happening to me? What have I done that you are punishing me like this?……..Sir Edwin, please have mercy on me, I’m ready to accept any punishment given to me by the company, but let me still have my job, please Sir, please”
“Miss Ifeoma, you are really disturbing my peace, I said leave my office now!” Mr Edwin said as he phoned the security, and one of the security men came and led her out of the company.
Her former coworkers watched her dragged out of the company. They shuddered and clapped their hands in disgust.
“I never knew Miss Ifeoma could be so evil. Whenever you see her, she will be walking like a person who can not even match a fly.”
One of the workers said as she nudged a fellow colleague
“My dear, you are so right, she is such a pretender and a chameleon. That is one thing with all these pretenders, whenever you see them, they will be so quiet, deceiving you with their fake calm nature. It’s a good thing she got kicked out of this company before she kills anyone of us, evil bitch. She got served with what she deserved.”
The two ladies were still gossiping when the manager came out from his office.
“Now everybody get back to your work…..” He ordered
And they all rushed back to their positions.
Ifeoma couldn’t believe how everything happened. She asked God why he allowed a challenge that was bigger than her to befell her. When she went back to the hotel, she called her Aunty and told her how she was sacked from her job.
The Aunty became disturbed and pleaded with her husband to allow Ifeoma stay with them.
“Stop this thing you are doing my husband and allow her stay with us. We are the only family she has to care for her. Her only brother who is in Cotonou is still hustling for a greener pasture, please try and help Ifeoma. She is your brother’s child, anybody can make mistake, please don’t reject her because of it. You have to know that anything that happens to her will be on our head because she is our responsibility as a member of Omelogo family. Just think about this. The world will point accusing fingers at us should anything happen to her.”
“Its OK Ogochukwu my wife. I don’t know why I allowed my anger to get in the way in the first place. Thank God I married a woman like you, you always help me see the light when ever I’m straying……..
Where is she now?” He asked
“I lodged her in a hotel” she answered
“OK let’s go and bring her home” he requested and they left.
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“God since you have decided to forsake me, its better I die and be with my parents. They will never reject me. First I was disappointed by the very man who got me pregnant, rejected by my only best friend, my own uncle who I see as my father rejected me as well, the people in my neighborhood rejected me, my employers and fellow coworkers rejected me, infact the whole world has rejected me. God, hope you are satisfied watching all these things happening to me, only me oo, only one person oo Lord, its not fair. I have decided to die and meet my parents. They are the only people I need right now. ……….My baby, don’t worry, we are going to meet your grand parents. They will shower you with lots of love. There is nothing for us on this earth anymore, they have rejected us.” She told her baby in the womb, crying profusely. She grabbed a rope she bought.
As she was still tying the rope on the ceiling fan to hang herself, her Aunty arrived and knocked on the door.
Immediately she heard her voice, she started tying it fast so that she won’t obstruct her from committing suicide.
Suddenly the door clicked a sound. They thought she had opened it, but no other sound was heard, so the Aunty grabbed the handle and twisted it and the door opened.
And they entered and saw Ifeoma hanged to the ceiling fan.
“Ifeoma! Oh my God.” They screamed as they rushed and pulled her out from the rope. They thanked God for arriving the hotel on time, if not, Ifeoma would have been a forgotten person. They wondered who opened the door.
Her uncle was touched deeply on the challenges his niece was faced with and swore to protect her from the wickedness of the world.
Two months later, Kanayo was already making plans of showing his face to Osonye.
Osonye was so eager and anxious at same time. They had already fixed a date for that purpose.
“What if he is ugly, what if he suffering any physical challenge? Is he having any ailment?…. Whatever, all I know is that he is rich and that is the main thing” Osonye calculated.
In his best look, Kanayo took off to meet Osonye with full hope of winning her heart even after finding out she was the same Kanayo whom her friend dated in the past.
And finally, they met.
To be continued .
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Contact Ngozi Lovelyn @ Xperiawithngozilove@gmail.com
