Affairs Of The Hearts |✅

50| Complicated...

Abuja, Nigeria.

"This is absurd! More like impossible!" Alhaji Abdurrahman pounded the hard coffee table in his spacious office.

His secretary, visibly shaken by his fury and the situation, attempted to speak.
"Y-yes, Sir. That's what I thought as well, but the email clearly stated it," she stammered.

"Arrange a meeting with the board of directors—now! And make sure Jalal has no excuses," he ordered through gritted teeth. She nodded fervently and left.

"Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un," he muttered, burying his head in his hands. Soon, he headed to the bathroom, performed ablution, and offered two units of Salah, praying to Allah for strength to overcome the looming crisis.

In the boardroom, tensions were high despite the multiple air conditioners working to cool the room. Present were the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Managing Director (MD), twelve board members, and twelve shareholders of Marshall Groups. Silence hung thickly as Alhaji Abdurrahman took the lead.

"You weren't called here to stay silent. We need solutions—our company is on the verge of bankruptcy!" he announced.

One of the board members spoke up, directing his attention to the CFO.
"I think the CFO should explain this," he said, casting a heated glance in the CFO's direction, who maintained a neutral expression.

"How did this happen in just a week that I was away? The last time I checked, our finances were perfectly stable!" Alhaji Abdurrahman struggled to maintain his composure.

"On the 6th of September, our finances were around $2.5 billion. How did we fall so low in just two weeks? CFO, you have some explaining to do," COO Jalal added, fixing a penetrating stare on the man.

"As we've all seen, Jaan Groups miraculously took control of nearly all our activities. I have no further questions to answer," the CFO responded for the first time since the meeting began.

"Impossible! There must be spies—someone among us is surely in league with Jaan Groups," the MD interjected.

"I want all financial records from the 6th of September to date. Now!" Alhaji Abdurrahman demanded, his gaze landing on his cousin and longtime confidant.

"Unfortunately, all records were lost in a fire last night. Only a few documents survived; here they are," the CFO said, handing a thin stack of papers to the CEO.

Alhaji Abdurrahman reviewed the documents, quickly realizing they were useless—they weren't from the dates he requested.

"What a convenient move, CFO! So, you're telling us the records from September 6th onward are all destroyed? And what about the ones stored in our system?" Jalal asked in a dangerous tone, undeterred by the fact that he was addressing his uncle.

"The ones in the system were lost as well," the CFO replied, squirming slightly in his seat, a reaction that did not escape the CEO and COO's notice.

"When did this fire happen, and why wasn't I informed?" Alhaji Abdurrahman asked, his voice commanding and aristocratic.

"With your daughter's recent disappearance, we didn't want to burden you further, Sir," one of the directors offered.

"I still have every right to know what's happening in my company!"

"Did the fire break out solely in the finance department?" the COO inquired ominously.

"Yes, Sir," the CFO answered, his voice trembling slightly, which again did not go unnoticed.