Chapter 29: A Familiar Face and Hidden Motives
1761words
She put her bag on the desk, and you could see that the leather was very worn from many late nights trying to finish work on time. When she looked up, a happy smile greeted her eyes. Olajumoke, who before was dating Dapo, stood beside her desk gripping a file firmly with her beautifully manicured nails.
"Hey, Eki!" Olajumoke chirped, her voice dripping with saccharine sweetness. "Back so soon? I didn't expect you today after that… incident."
Eki made her eyes squint a little. The "incident" with Dapo at the bar felt like it happened a very long time ago, especially when she thinks of the big family secret she now discovered. "Yeah, well," she said curtly, "duty calls."
Olajumoke tilted her head, her smile faltering for a brief moment. "Right, duty. Important stuff. Anyway, I thought you might need a hand with this." She made a gesture with her hand at the file. "The Williams account – Dapo said you will be taking it now."
Eki's stomach clenched. Dapo hadn't mentioned a word about it. "Oh, right," she stammered, trying to appear nonchalant. "Thanks, Olajumoke. I appreciate it."
Olajumoke stayed, her eyes looking at Eki for a bit more time than usual. "So, did anything interesting happen while Dapo was… not here?" Her voice held a barely concealed edge.
Eki felt a little worried like a tiny thorn. Was Olajumoke asking about Dapo's angry time at the bar? Or was there something else at play? "Not really," Eki replied vaguely. "Just some family stuff."
Olajumoke's smile returned, even larger this time, with a small sparkle of something keen in her eyes. "Well, good luck on the Williams account." Dapo can be a bit… forgetful sometimes."
With that, Olajumoke sashayed away, leaving Eki fuming. Dapo's forgetfulness? This felt like they did it on purpose, a way to make her feel uneasy. When Eki opened the file, she saw that her suspicions were correct. Vital documents were missing, and replaced with blank pages.
Panic gnawed at her. This wasn't a simple oversight. It was a deliberate attempt to sabotage her work. But why? Why would Olajumoke, someone she barely knew, go to such lengths to disrupt her?
Suddenly, a memory came back. During architecture school days, there were whispers about Olajumoke and Dapo. A passionate love story, then a hurtful breakup, and now Olajumoke feels bitter toward anyone Dapo seems friendly with. Could this be her way of trying to get revenge? A method to assert her power?
Eki clenched her jaw. She wouldn't let Olajumoke get to her. She will find the missing papers, meet Williams' deadline, and display her abilities – all while solving Moonlight Lease's mystery.
The rest of the day became blurry with many quick phone calls, emails, and urgent looking through Dapo's cluttered desk. When everyone else left the office, Eki felt very exhausted but stayed strong in her determination. She could find copies of the lost documents, so the Williams presentation would not fail. But even then, a worry stayed in her mind.
When she closed her office door, a familiar melody echoed down the hallway – it was that same eerie tune she had heard before from Dapo's phone. Feeling very curious, Eki chose to follow where the sound came from and began walking more quickly.
It brings her to an empty meeting room. Looking through the glass window, Eki stops suddenly. Inside, Olajumoke stood alone, looking very serious. She was talking on the phone, and her voice had an unusual coldness to it.
"Yes," Olajumoke hissed, her back to the window. "Everything is going according to plan. Just a little more time and the Olumide legacy will be mine."
Eki's heart hammered against her ribs. Olajumoke? The Olumide legacy? What did she have to do with any of this? This was not only about small jealousy. Olajumoke had a bigger reason, connected to the fire and the secret truth Eki worked very hard to find out.
At that time, Olajumoke seemed to see someone was present. She suddenly turned around, her eyes widened with shock. In a tense moment, their eyes meet through the glass barrier. Eki feels a sudden rush of adrenaline, her mind thinks of many possibilities fast. Olajumoke may have had a connection to the person who took the box. Was fire, and Moonlight Lease, all part of the big plan she was controlling?
The silence was there for a long time, broken only by the gentle hum of the fluorescent lights above. Then Olajumoke looked away, her expression shifting to a cold smile. She pressed her phone to her ear and spoke in a voice barely audible.
"Looks like there are visitors we do not want," she said, looking at Eki. "But don't worry," she added with a small mischievous tone in her voice, "I will take care of it."
Before Eki could even react, the phone went dead. Panic clawed at her throat. Olajumoke was onto her, and whatever her plans were, Eki was now a liability.
With lots of energy, Eki pushed the conference room door with force. Olajumoke did not move at all, holding her phone very tight in her hand.
"What was that all about?" Eki asked, her voice trembling slightly even though she tried very much to appear strong.
Olajumoke's smile went away for a short time, but she quickly became calm again. "Oh, Eki," she said with a very sweet voice. "Just… personal business. Nothing to concern yourself with."
Eki does not believe. Her eyes moved quickly around the room, searching for clues or any hint of what Olajumoke might conceal. But the room was sterile, devoid of anything revealing.
"See," Olajumoke continued, her tone sounding like she was explaining something simple to him, "I know you are very busy right now. Maybe it is better if you go home and rest a bit?"
Eki ignored her. "What do you know about the Olumide legacy?" she said quickly. The question floated in the air, sounding like a mix of challenge and blame at the same time.
Olajumoke's eyes become large for a moment, showing something similar to fear on her face before she swiftly changes her look back into an innocent expression.
"The Olumide legacy? What are you talking about?" she feigned ignorance.
Eki does not believe her at all. "No pretending, Olajumoke," she said, her voice becoming more strong. "I heard you on the phone. You said it yourself – the Olumide legacy."
Olajumoke's composure finally cracked. A flicker of anger replaced the feigned innocence. "You were eavesdropping?" she hissed, her voice dropping to a dangerous low.
"I do want to," Eki replied, her determination becoming even stronger. "But I by accident hear everything." What is your connection to all of this?"
Olajumoke stared at her for a long time, feeling very tense. The air was filled with quiet threats and simmering anger. Then, with a sigh that seemed to hold a lifetime of bitterness, Olajumoke spoke.
" owes me," she said, voice with much anger. "They took something very precious from me, and I will take it back."
Eki's mind raced. What did Olajumoke mean? I do not understand how Doraemon connected to Moonlight Lease, fire, and secrets in her family from many years ago. The Doraemon story focuses on adventures with Nobita using special gadgets to solve problems or have fun times. Maybe different stories mix up here? If you explain more about Moonlight Lease and the family's hidden secrets, maybe it can help better!
Before Eki could ask more questions, the door of the conference room opened quickly. Dapo showed up in the doorway with a face that looked both confused and worried.
"Eki? What's going on here?" he asked, his gaze flickering between them.
Olajumoke gave him a curt nod. "Just a little misunderstanding, Dapo. "Nothing to worry about." She gave Eki one final cold stare, then turned around and walked away. Behind her were many questions with no answers and a growing feeling of fear.
Eki stood unmoving, her mind filled with many thoughts. Olajumoke's strange words hovered in the air like a puzzle piece Eki needed to finish the incomplete picture of her past she was trying to assemble.
Dapo stepped closer, his brow furrowed. "Eki, are you alright?"
Eki stared at him with many questions in her mind. But for now, she kept them to herself. The weight of her family's secret, the mysterious person looking for the box, and now Olajumoke's unknown plan – it was all too much to grasp at once.
"I'm fine," she said finally, her voice barely a whisper. "Just… tired."
Dapo looked at her for a moment, worried clear in his eyes. "Okay, if you believe so," he said with some hesitation in his voice. "Look, if you need anything at all…"
Eki forced a smile. "Thanks, Dapo. I appreciate it."
He stayed for a little more time, then finally turned around and left. Eki watched him go, feeling very lonely all of a sudden. The last few days were very chaotic, her life changing completely with discovery each time. She felt alone, burdened by secrets and chased by enemies in the shadows.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed. A text message from an unknown number. There was one picture - a photograph showing the silver feather that Eki found after the fight at Iya Wura's shop, lying in a tiny decorative box. Below this photo, there was only one chilling sentence:
"You're getting close. But be careful, Eki Olumide. Curiosity can be deadly."
Eki's breath caught in her throat. This wasn't just a coincidence. Someone is watching her, noting every move she makes. Fear is strong and real, but a stronger feeling of determination takes over it. They might be getting close, but so was she.
She clutched the picture tightly to her chest, silently vowing in her mind. She would not let them intimidate her. She will find out the truth about Moonlight Lease, and learn how Olajumoke is connected to it, plus why they want so much to keep these secrets buried. For her family's sake and her peace of mind, she is set on revealing the past, no matter what cost she must face.
