AGAPI

2. Conflict

"You both have to get married to each other and I want to hear a pregnancy news from you both within six months." She says, which takes me by surprise as I did expect her to introduce me to her grandson, but not that she'd bring up about marriage or even bring up about having to be pregnant.

"Grandma!" The boy next to me raises his voice. Soon, he gets cut off by Ms. Mabel.

"You don't have a choice in it. You either marry or come join my company." She orders him which gets him irritated but did work on silencing him again.

"I'm sorry Ms. Mabel, I can't do that. At this point, you are just abusing your power." I say, losing my temper showing it clearly that I'm annoyed by this conversation.

"Iris dear, I'm not forcing you. It's clearly your choice. You either marry and give me a grand grand child or I'll take back my shares which will definitely be the ultimate downfall of your company, and may also end up needing to close down your company." She says with a mocking tone to which I close my eyes and breath deeply, trying to calm myself down. "Or I'll give you another choice. Try paying back all your debts within fifteen days and then you will no longer be involved in this marriage conversation." She says, making me think of all the things I could possibly do to pay off all my debts within the next fifteen days which seemed way too far to be possible but I had to do it somehow, no matter what.

The young boy sighs in relief at the last sentence and Ms. Mabel looks at him, "You will be married regardless, by the way. If she pays, she's getting out of it. Not you." She warns him, making him intrigued again.

"Why?" He asks, as patiently as he could.

"Because you can't just be dating girls all your life. You have to get serious with life." He sighs at her words.

"I'll be leaving Ms. Mabel." I interrupt, not wanting to be a part of this conversation anymore.

"Wait. If u fail to pay back all your debts within fifteen days, then on the fifteenth day, I will take all my shares back, but if you don't want that to happen, you will have to start preparing for your wedding. Alright?" She gives me a last warning to which I nod at her with a cold expression."And you leave too. Don't show me your sulked up face." She says, pointing at her grandson to which he gets up from his chair in the rudest manner and leaves the room.

I follow him, leaving the room too, without even saying farewell to Ms. Mabel, trying to be rude in the most possible way.

I see Ms. Mabel's grandson in front of the elevator waiting for it come up to the floor we were on and stand beside him, keeping a safe distance between us.

Soon, the elevator door opens and we both get in it but do not share a word or take glances of each other. It was more comfortable this way. After a few seconds, we both leave the elevator and part ourselves as we take our own directions.

I head straight to my car and take a deep breath, thinking of all the things I have been faced to, for the last two years and especially this day. I, then, realise that I only had fourteen days in actual to pay back all my debts. I soon call Denise to get all the documents of accounts of last five years to keep ready, to track on all the assets I had that could help me pay back my debts. I should, at any cost, get out of this situation.

11:45 p.m

Reviewing the accounts, I realise the already well-known fact that there were not much assets that could be sold to pay off the debts. I didn't even have the face to ask anyone to lend me such a lump sum money within fifteen days while having a company with a condition that could go bankrupt any time soon. Infact, no one would actually help me even if I was down on my knees.