Shirk in Disguise

Chapter 6

A/N
Don't expect me to start ranting on about how perfect her eyes were, how her nose wasn't crooked, how arched her eyebrows were, how perfectly oval her face was, etc...this isn't a fairytale/fantasy! LOL...enjoy reading and please don't forget to vote and leave constructive criticisms in the comments' box!

She didn't respond to his call. In fact, she hurried out of the office as soon as possible. At first, his legs followed her for the first few paces but then got stopped by his mind to avoid creating a scene. He watched her disappear amongst the crowd and a sigh escaped his lips. He'd finally seen her and he visualized her face – innocent and pure.

Yusuf, who had hitherto taken pride in his good looks and the effect he seemed to have on ladies, found himself held spellbound by her cool but captivating beauty. In the short glimpse he had at her face, he'd stored every detail. It wasn't that she was the most beautiful lady he had ever seen but she was just...different.

The lady wore no makeup but still looked pretty. Her light brown-ish complexion indicated that she was probably Hausa-Fulani or even Kanuri, unlike Yusuf who looked fairer and was pure Fulani. However, the colour of her eyes debunked his earlier assumption. Her eyes were a deep hazel brown colour.

She must be biracial, he thought. Or a mix of Nigerian ethnicities, he convinced himself. Although he didn't know it for certain at the time, his assumptions were right.

He walked back dejectedly to his office and sat down on his swivel chair. The lady occupied his thoughts and he continued to visualize her face which he'd seen a few moments ago. She wasn't drop-dead gorgeous...but she possessed an innate charm that drew people to her. She was Brownish – neither completely fair nor completely dark and the composition of her face was perfectly made by her creator.

What's wrong with me? Yusuf asked himself. Why was he being preoccupied by a face he'd seen only briefly, a face that wasn't even comparable in beauty to that of Sarah? Certainly, Sarah, who was totally crazy about him was far better-looking than this mysterious lady...

But I don't even think this has to do with physical beauty at all... He thought out loud, for he'd felt drawn to the lady even before he saw her face. What could this be?

It was at that point that he heard the door open slowly. He unwittingly fixed his eyes on it and heaved a sigh of disappointment as he saw a middle-aged man, probably an employee of the bank, come in. Even though he knew it was most unlikely that the lady had come back on her own, he had fervently hoped that she was the one.

The employee hovered timidly by the door. He hadn't expected that the new administrator that was being sent to supervise them for some time would be punctual; he'd presumed that he would be like the others – lazy and uncommitted. He was therefore shaking like a leaf, afraid that he could be fired.

Yusuf guessed what was going on in the man's head and smiled languidly. "What time is it, Mister?" he asked him, brows furrowed.

"I... I-I'm sorry sir..." the man began to plead, not answering Yusuf's question. It was almost eleven a.m.

Yusuf smiled wanly. "It's okay. Just make sure this action never repeats itself!"

"I hear and I obey!" came the man's prompt response. He quickly shuffled out of the room, afraid his boss might change his mind and decide to punish him properly.

The other employees trickled into the bank in this manner, as if they'd had a mutual agreement among themselves that eleven a.m was the right time to resume office hours instead of the standard eight a.m. Yusuf relentlessly warned them to desist from the act. Being an early bird and a perfectionist, such lack of dedication to work wouldn't be tolerated by him.

As the door closed after the last employee to arrive, his mind continued to ponder on the pensioners' plight. He had glanced out of the window some moments ago and found them still there, in silent protest. It was as if the heart in his chest was not his own as he really felt for them unlike how he would ordinarily feel before that fateful morning. He really wanted to find a way out of this...but how???

Suddenly, he had an idea which was so unlike his usually selfish personality. Since I have more money than I need, why not distribute some to them? he asked himself. He immediately stood up and proceeded on his way outside to talk to the silent protesters.

When he got outside, he tried to spot the lady but he couldn't. It was as if she had purposely hid herself from his sight. He walked back into the office, a plan forming in his head.

He called his secretary into his office and gave her some instructions. She was to go outside and get him the account numbers of the pensioners. He didn't give her any explanation and even though she was a bit puzzled, she didn't question him as she proceeded to carry out his orders.

He reclined on his swivel chair feeling the heavy rock in his chest begin to disintegrate. Being one who had been so self-centered during his childhood, he never really cared for others and the novelty of what he was about to do enveloped him. It's certainly true that helping others not only gladdens the recipient's heart, but the giver's heart too!

After about half an hour, his secretary came back, dripping with sweat. She had collected all the account numbers, assuring them that it was for their own good. On her return, he quickly adjusted his sitting position and set to work, smiling in the process while his heart was brimming with joy as it was illuminated by a light it had never known before.

Yusuf Adam was finally on his path to salvation. 

A/N
What do you think? Our 'Mysterious Lady' is quite a life-changer, isn't she?😇

Keep reading to know what happened next. Also, don't forget to vote, comment and share💯