Helplessly Bound

Chapter 12

 The only way to have a friend is to be one.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson                      

The scene that greeted Fola the next day caused surprise to swell within her.  She chided herself for not being used to Chief Naade's surprises. 

She forced down her shock as she gazed at what played out in front of her.  Chief Naade sat at the head of the table flanked by his wife on the left and the children next to her. He and his wife were grinning at each other while eating their meal.  The irony didn't escape her. In the early days of her marriage to him, he made sure to eat breakfast with her but now times had changed. Someone else was sitting in her place.  

A lump formed in her throat but she pushed it down alongside her thoughts about what happened in the past. She arranged her face into a neutral expression and ambled into the dining room.  Without sparing anyone a look, she gave a greeting and took her seat.  Her eyes remained plastered to her plate  throughout the meal.

Moments later, her bowl was still full but her stomach was filled with enough sustenance to last until evening.  She slipped out of the room without saying anything. However, she felt eyes follow her out of the room but she didn't dare turn back. 

Her chauffeur and the car assigned to her were waiting for her in front of the house. She exchanged a greeting with the driver and slid into the car.  Most of the journey was filled with silence. Both parties were not interested in making small talk. 

The car skidded to a stop in front of the cream building with huge windows. Fola's eyes drifted to the side and her eyes traced the logo engraved above the entrance door. Fola's fashion house. She read in her mind. Although the logo bore her name, legally the company didn't belong to her.  And as she continued to stare at the building, it dawned on her that for eight years nothing truly belonged to her.  

Her shoulders dropped and she pushed her painful thoughts away. She pushed the door open and slipped out. Her heels clicked on the concrete as she strutted to the door.  

"Morning, Boris," she greeted the security officer with a grin.  

"Good morning, ma'am! You look well rested." He sent her a wrinkled smile.  

Although she didn't believe him, she sent him a quick smile before slipping through the door he opened.  Apparently, her heavy makeup was doing a good job of hiding the bags under her eyes and the wrinkles on her face. 

"Good morning, ma'am!" The staff greeted her as she passed them and headed toward her cabin.  

She returned their greetings with a nod and a smile. Being called ma'am had a foreign feeling to her even after several years of being called that.  If she had her way, she would have requested them to address her by her name. However, the first time she tried to stop an employee from addressing her formally, Chief Naade kicked up a storm and threatened to fire anyone who dared to call her by her name.  

Amusement welled within her as she thought of that fateful day.  However, all thoughts disappeared as her office came into view. She unlocked the door with the key that no one else had access to.  Many people queried her about her weird habit.  But her constant reply was a shrug. She didn't think she owed anyone an explanation.  

The door clicked shut behind her and she inhaled the floral fragrance wafting through the air. She sauntered to her desk and slid into her seat.  A light appeared on her laptop's screen as she turned it on. Her eyes scanned her daily planner and her stomach flipped at the list of things she had to do before the day ended. 

    

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Fola rolled her shoulders to ease her aching muscles. Lunchtime had rolled in and she was proud to say that she had accomplished half of the things on her to-do list. However, every box that was ticked was at the expense of her energy level. Her eyes felt heavy with sleep and her body surged with exhaustion.