THE BLACK WIDOW

CHAPTER TWENTY - SEVEN

The company's chief accountant stood up with a smile. "Congratulations Mrs. Rogers." Sonia was not impressed with him.

"Mr. Ajayi, you are not doing your job well. I went through the financial records with an external auditing firm and our records are a mess. I think we need to get the police involved because there is a lot of mismanagement of funds in this company and that clearly explains why it was going under."

"Sonia!" Benjamin called her out.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I apologise. I meant Mrs. Rogers."

"What do you want to say Mr. Owolafe?" She asked.

"You are being unfair Madam..." He began to say.

Sonia was not backing down.

"Unfair? Have you taken a look at the world around you lately? What the Chief Accounting Officer did is pure fraud! You are stealing from Nigerians! You own people! What kind of people are you?"

"Listen Sonia, you have no idea how business is done! You have been elevated to a position you are not qualified for and without any experience too!"

"Mr. Owolafe, I see you did not check my credentials... but let's leave that aside. But I don't understand your HR teams generally in business and the corporate world. You demand extremely high levels of experience and where do you expect fresh graduates to start from when they are not given a chance. But anyway, that's okay. We move."

She stood up and she stared right into Benjamin's eyes.

"I would request you put your personal issues with me aside Mr. Owolafe because this is a professional environment and we need it to be tension free for the rest of the staff. I urge you to deal with your emotions and act like the matured business man that you claim to be."

The room went silent as the rest of the board members watched the exchange. Benjamin Owolafe had met his match.

Meanwhile, Julianna Rogers was throwing tantrums at the Rogers' mansion.

"There will be no peace in this house if you do not dethrone Sonia! You didn't even consult me! You didn't think that I deserve to be CEO!"

"Julie, you are forgetting that business management and operations are Sonia's specialty. She has the experience, exposure and qualifications to take that company forward. She even brought a ground breaking proposal to me to revive the company and expand ROGERS INDUSTRIES. I thought you would be happy to see that she is making progress and looking out for our family too." He was perplexed about his wife's outburst.

"I want to be the CEO of OWOLAFE INDUSTRIAL." Mrs. Rogers demanded.

"That is not possible! Sonia worked hard, day and night before our board could even consider it. She did her homework and did it well. Why should you even care who I appoint there? You are acting this way because you still hate Sonia, isn't it?" He shook his head in disappointment and left his wife with her thoughts. There was no pleasing her.

Mrs. Rogers picked up her phone from her bag and dialed some numbers.

"Meet me at my office in the next 20 minutes!" She ordered and ended the call.

"You cannot get away with this Sonia. You can't!"

====

Sonia looked around Rogers Hypermarket's Headquarters. The massive five-storey building was a beauty to behold, with high glass walls and windows. She looked at the magnificent and super – organized sections and smiled to herself. She was smiling a lot these days and it pleased her. It could only mean progress in her healing process. Rogers Hypermarket chain store exists in 20 States in Nigeria, with each State boasting of not less than five Rogers Supermarket. Mrs. Rogers was heading one of the biggest branch in Lagos and it was ROSEBUD's biggest competitor.

"I like this place...One day, I can become a part of the Board of Directors or a major shareholder."

Mrs. Rogers arrived and saw Sonia looking around. She walked up to her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked softly.

"Oh, mother! I was just looking around and also to do some shopping." Sonia replied sweetly.

"Leave now." Mrs. Rogers ordered.

"I just arrived, but if you say so. I will head out, mother."

Right at that moment, Benjamin Owolafe entered the building too. The atmosphere became really awkward.

"Goodbye. Enjoy your meeting." Sonia said and left them to scheme.

"I hate that girl! We must do something about her!" Benjamin said through gritted teeth.

"Come with me." Mrs. Rogers said and they left for her office.

====

Upon arriving at home, Sonia found Caroline moving her luggage out and loading them inside a car. Sonia recognized the car: it was David's.

"Where to dear cousin?"

"Don't let us fight Sister. I'm moving out because I know things are really tense around here especially after...."

"Where to? Are you moving to David's place? Goodness!" Sonia scoffed.

"You Christians are so hypocritical! You live under one roof cohabiting, all in the name of engagement."

"Sista mi, you know you taught me well. I cannot live with David without getting married first. And sis, are you not a Christian too?"

Sonia ignored her question.

"I have rented a small place not far from school."

"I guess David is paying for your tuition..."

"I paid with some of what you gave me sis, and even the apartment, I paid from the same money."

"How could you Caroline? Why did you hide your relationship from me? Am I a witch that will give you bad luck? Am I going to destroy your relationship?"

"No Sista mi, it's not like that."

"Caroline, if you step your feet out of this house, I will disown you." Sonia threatened.

Caroline hugged her cousin.

"Allow me to go Sis. Please let me go. I already feel bad for hurting you this way. I can't bear to see you hurting each time David comes here to see me or I say I am going out with him."

Caroline made sense but Sonia was done. She went inside without uttering another word. Caroline broke down in tears and closed the boot of the car, and drove out; out of Sonia's house and out of her life.

Through her extremely tight schedules, Sonia managed to find a way to see Jakes at prison. But this time around, she was not joking. She sat across him with her legs crossed, and her gaze piercing deep into his soul.

Jakes Olumide looked at her, rolled his eyes and said,

"You are back, and the question is 'why?' And congratulations on your new position."

Sonia responded by throwing some pictures on the table. It was another set of pictures of his family, this time with his father and others, some of his friends.

"I need to know your accomplices."

"Why? I'm in prison remember?" He mocked.

Sonia made a smirk and stared him down.

"Oh wow! What do we have here? What love could be greater than a man laying down his life for his friends? Now, I am wondering whether your family also needs to lay down their lives for yours."

"Don't you dare!"

"Mr. Jakes Olumide, you will pay heavily for trespassing into my life. Do you know what it is like to have nightmares every day? Do you know what it's like not to be able to look into your own eyes and see yourself? But no more! If you cannot point out your accomplices, I will descend on your family." She made her threat very clear. She got up, took the pictures and said,

"Prepare to receive some bad news from home, rapist!" With that said, she stormed out.