Adaora, a brilliant yet self-doubting programmer from Ifo, Nigeria, faces the harsh realities of life when her mother falls ill. Armed with exceptional tech skills but struggling with low self-esteem, she ventures to a city in Lagos seeking for job...
The air was warm as Tunde and Adeola made their way home, weaving through the vibrant streets of Victoria Island. Tunde glanced at Adeola, his eyes playful as he broke the silence.
“Do you know Zara before?” he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice. “I'm curious how you know my stepsister’s name?”
Adeola chuckled, a smile playing on her lips. “You’ve mentioned her once or twice, Tunde. I just took a wild guess for the rest.”
They both laughed as they navigated the Lagos traffic, a comfortable silence settling between them.
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Adaora was rushing to open her door as Bam Bam arrived unannounced, a knowing glint in her eye as she stepped inside. Bam Bam took a quick glance around, clearly suspecting someone was there.
“Didn’t even give me a heads-up, Bam Bam,” Adaora commented, trying to sound casual.
Bam Bam shrugged, still surveying the room. “I was just out buying something and thought I’d branch over.” They both found a seat and began chatting about various topics, Bam Bam’s eyes constantly flickering to the corners of the room as if trying to uncover a secret.
After a while, Bam Bam leaned in, eyes glinting. “Lucky I caught you at home. I actually thought you’d be out somewhere.”
Adaora’s heart raced as she tried to keep her expression neutral. Bam Bam’s next comment almost made her jump out of her seat.
“By the way, I was trying to reach Chidi for something urgent, but his number wasn’t going through,” Bam Bam continued, oblivious to Adaora’s nervous glance.
In his hiding spot, Chidi stifled a laugh. He knew exactly why Bam Bam had been calling — they had missed a planned ‘appointment’ the other day.
The Next morning
The day was alive with energy as Adeola and Tunde arrived at Spark Technologies, both glowing with happiness. Tunde’s recent successes were the talk of the office, and everyone seemed eager to congratulate him.
“Mr. Adeyemi, congratulations!” one of the employees said with a proud smile. Chidi had even organized a small celebration for everyone, creating a festive atmosphere at the company.
Meanwhile, Adaora had arrived at Paystack that morning, noticing her co-workers whispering as she passed.
“What did you do to Miss Hannah?” one of them whispered with a grin. “She’s been asking for you since early this morning, and she no smile at all.”
Adaora made her way to her office, put down her things, and decided to go see Hannah. As she approached Hannah’s office, though, it was empty. Sighing, she decided to pay a quick visit to Chidi.
But when she opened Chidi’s door, she was greeted by the sight of Hannah sitting on his desk, her legs crossed and her face wearing a look of discontent. Adaora cleared her throat, catching their attention.
Chidi looked up, slightly startled, while Hannah didn’t even bother to move. She just looked at Adaora and spoke, her tone authoritative.
“I was asking for you earlier this morning,” Hannah said sharply.
“That’s why I’m here,” Adaora replied calmly.
Hannah slid down from the desk, her posture still radiating authority. “Come with me,” she instructed, and Adaora had no choice but to follow.
As they walked, Hannah spoke in a clipped, commanding tone, ignoring Adaora’s position in the company. “From now on, you’ll report day-to-day progress on the Bybit integration project directly to me.”
Adaora swallowed her frustration. “But that’s actually not within my scope. Bayo, should be handling that directly.”
Hannah raised an eyebrow, dismissing her comment. “I’m leading on this now, so I want the data supervised by you The project lead,” she insisted.
Adaora clenched her fists, feeling increasingly irked but keeping her composure. Hannah turned back to her, her voice dripping with condescension.
“Oh, and maybe if you stop associating with certain people,” Hannah added, with a pointed look, “the work might not feel like such a burden.”
Adaora’s jaw clenched, but she kept her voice steady as Hannah walked away without waiting for a response.
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Later in the day, Bam Bam finally caught up with Chidi in his office. She shut the door behind her and crossed her arms, staring him down.
“Why’d you keep me waiting for two whole days?” she demanded, her voice tinged with irritation. “Where have you been?”
Chidi glanced at her, his face impassive. “We’ll talk about that later, Bam Bam.”
Bam Bam softened slightly but didn’t argue further. She gave him a look that hinted at things unsaid before reluctantly leaving, not realizing how close she had come to testing Chidi’s patience.
Back at Tunde’s place, the evening was winding down when Sam approached Tunde with a serious expression. “Boss, can we talk?”
Sam took a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking… I’d like to rent a place and start living independently. I feel like I’m ready to build my own life now.”
Tunde looked at him thoughtfully. “Are you sure? And by the way have you visited your family yet?”
“That’s part of my plan,” Sam replied, a hint of excitement in his voice.
Adeola, who had overheard their conversation, joined them. “Aww, Tunde, you’ll miss Sam. I know I will,” she said with a warm smile. She added, “Sam, you should come see me later. I’ll give you some advice from a woman’s perspective.”
Sam’s face lit up, grateful for the support.
As the days wore on, news circulated about the upcoming Innovation Awards for Entrepreneurs and Companies, an event that would be held in a few weeks. It was one of the most prestigious events in the business world, honoring companies that showed remarkable advancements and vision.
Tunde felt a surge of excitement, knowing that Spark Technologies had a good chance at making a strong impression at the awards.
