By Design (BWWM) [Complete]

Chapter 4: A New Partnership

Taiwo awoke, blurry visioned to an antiseptic smelling room. The smell of alcohol crawled under her nose, biting at her senses. She heard the door open and tried to sit up but was quickly rebuked for doing so.

"Ms. Yona, I knew I'd be seeing you again."

"Hello doctor."

"Do rest yourself. Your friend who brought you here plans to join us shortly. He says he witnessed you being physically abused."

"I'm fine."

"You're fine? Is that so? The tests I ran says otherwise. You didn't have a heart attack or stroke, although you could have!"

"Listen-"

"No, you listen young lady. You don't realize how serious stress is do you? It can kill you." Before he could continue his lecture, Connor walked through the door and began to study Taiwo.

"Doctor."

"I was just reminding my stubborn patient that stress can kill."

"Yes it can, which is why she'll be working beside me from now on."

"I never agreed to that."

"But you will."

"Ahem," the doctor interjected. "it's not safe for Ms. Yona to be working. Furthermore, I'm extending her say here by two weeks."

"What!? You can't do that!"

"I can and I'll add an additional two weeks if you keep up a fuss."

"You can't take away my choices like this."

"I'm making the best choice for my patient since she won't do it for herself. I told you the last time how far I was willing to go to keep you alive."

"I understand things got out of hand, but-"

"No buts. You're staying here to rest and that's my final answer."

"Doctor-"

"Don't worry. I'll talk some sense into her." He looked between Connor and Taiwo sternly then nodded them adieu. Pulling up a chair beside her bed, he crossed his leg over his knee wondering why this woman was so bent on having things her way. "Tai, I want you to listen to me very closely. I want you to know, understand and accept that you are no longer an employee and Cooling Designs. I want you to work beside me. You won't be losing anything. You'll be making the exact amount of money and then some. You won't have to worry about the added stress of taking on everything by yourself. Be my partner. Work beside me."

"I make my own way. I don't need a handout."

"I'm not offering you a handout. I'm offering you a life you've never known. You don't have to be strong all of the time."

"You don't understand."

"You're right, I don't understand. I don't understand why an intelligent woman is willing to lose her life over people who couldn't care if she lived or died." Resting her head against the pillow, she shut her eyes and swallowed.

"If and I mean if, I choose to work with you, I don't want special treatment. I want to do my job just like everyone else."

"I'm willing to comply with that. So, you'll come to me then?"

"I don't know yet."

"Well, there's no rush seeing you'll be here for the next two weeks taking a much needed siesta."

"Do you think this is funny?" she probed.

"No, I don't. There's nothing funny about your life being put in jeopardy."