For now, his mind dwelt on Narissa and the
things that troubled her.
‘You’re back early, how are your parents?’
Iman was surprised to see her friend return so
soon.
‘I couldn’t do it’ Narissa trotted into the
kitchen and pulled a chair. Iman was busy
preparing dinner.
‘Do what?’ Iman asked, and then stirred the
pot.
‘Why am I so weak Iman? Why do people look
up to me when I am nothing? I am just a ball
of nothingness’
‘Narissa? What is it this time?’ Iman closed the
pot and moved over to her.
‘I had a plan to front Ife’s best friend, Ekene
as my lover but I failed. I can’t pretend to be
in love with someone just to hurt another.
Revenge is not my thing’ she decided.
‘Oh, poor you, come here’ Iman drew her in for
a hug. One look at Narissa’s pale features could
plunge anyone into tears.
‘How do I ever get over him? I love him so
much; I think about him all the time’ she wept
on her friend’s shoulders.
‘I wish I knew Rissa, I wish I did’ Iman hugged
her tightly.
‘I wish I had listened to you, Ife is the cruelest
person on earth. I wish I never loved him’ tears
of hurt and regret wriggled down her face.
She felt better after talking to her friend
Iman; it was good to have a shoulder to lean on
whenever she was troubled.
She would try to forget Ife and move on with
her life; she knew it was difficult but she was
willing to try.
‘Where are you off to?’ Iman watched as she
dressed hurriedly.
‘Work. I got my groove back’ Narissa winked,
gave her friend a peck and sauntered out of
the house.
‘I love you, take care’ Iman waved back.
She felt stronger as she stepped into her office,
she was ready to face her boss; she had lost the
contract and there was nothing she would do
about it.
‘Congratulations Narissa’ Mrs. Arinze called to
her.
‘Good morning boss’ she joined the woman in
her office.
‘You did it Narissa, we have the contract’ Mrs.
Arinze beamed and hugged her.
‘What contract? What are you talking about?’
She rolled her eyes.
‘Ife is coming to the studio, we are in for the
media assessment program, all thanks to you
darling’ she continued.
‘What!’ She exclaimed, it was unbelievable; he
had acted like he wouldn’t give her the job,
what changed his mind?
‘However, he wants you to be on it. He wants
you to interview him yourself’ Mrs. Arinze
quickly added.
‘Me? We have lots of people in the studio? What
happened to Andalin, Mark and the rest? I am
not the only media personality here’ she
complained.
‘No, Narissa, I agree, you aren’t but Ife
Martins insisted you should handle the
interview and I support him. Out of all the
media personalities we have, you are the
brightest, most famous and most talented of
all. You have to do this for us Narissa; do it for
you. Working with the Methocorp boss could take
you places, you know’ Mrs. Arinze winked.
‘I’ll never do something like that’ she
muttered. It was humiliating enough to have
gotten embarrassed by him; she was never going
near Ife Martins. She sought to heal her heart.
‘You have to. You must’ Mrs. Arinze’s voice
became firm.
‘Or what? You’ll sack me? Hell yeah, I am ready
for that. You know what? I am tired of working
under threats. You can interview him yourself’
anger shot through her.
‘Narissa…’ Mrs. Arinze swallowed; she had not
expected that reaction. She couldn’t lose
Narissa for anything. She was very important to
the media firm.
‘Please, I won’t sack you; I can’t sack you. You
are the best Narissa, please help us. Help this
Media Company’ she begged.
‘I wish I could but I can’t stand Ife Martins’
she said.
‘Please, I beg of you’ her boss fell on her knees.
Narissa stood glued and watched her boss; she
didn’t feel comfortable watching her boss kneel.
She could handle Ife on set; she would do it but
only once.
‘I’ll do it’ she said through clenched teeth.
She was only agreeing to do it because her boss
Mrs. Arinze was a woman she admired greatly.
Lavender and Jason stepped into her office
along others; Mrs. Arinze had summoned
everyone into her office for a briefing.
‘Good morning all, it’s not a surprise that we
were able to get a spot on the Methocorp media
assessment program, I knew we would get that
contract the moment I brought Narissa into it.
So this media company and everyone working
here are very grateful to her’ she paused as her
workers applauded.
‘You did well Narisssa, congratulations’ Lavvy
moved closer to her.
‘I did nothing’ Narissa rolled her eyes. Her
mind was more focused on how she would face
Ife. What if he came into the studio with his
fiancé? How would she handle that?
Her nose flared as she thought about that; her
fists were clenched as she thought of possible
ways to hurt him like he had hurt her but she
found herself incapable of hurting anyone.
‘He is here! Oh my God, the great Ife Martins is
here’ a voice shouted and the studio broke into
a frenzy as the boss begun to dish out
instructions.
Narissa drew a deep breath and exhaled; she
would handle this interview well, she would
ignore his signature mocking glare. She would
make him feel powerless over her, even if he
came along with his fiancé.
Ife stepped out of the G-Wagon like a king; his
bodyguards surrounded him; one was at the
fore and two trotted behind. He was a
celebrity, a billionaire who had to be protected.
‘The cards are ready sir’ one of his guards
whispered to him.
‘Okay, give me two copies’ he whispered back.
He had carefully thought up more ways to get
Narissa more jealous. She liked him, he knew
that but he needed to be sure.
He had listened to Lavvy, his new relationship
advisor and had granted her media company a
contract. He had planned to do that even
before Lavvy asked him, how could he refuse
the woman he loved anything?
‘Good morning Mr. Martins, welcome to Sunshine
Spring Media, we are really happy to have you
here on short notice’ Mrs. Arinze moved towards
Ife.
‘Thank you, Madam. I am pleased to be here,
may we proceed?’ he scanned the faces of the
people who worked at Sunshine Television,
Narissa wasn’t there.
‘Uhm, madam, I hope you remember the terms
of our contract. I am to be interviewed by
Narissa the hot girl’ he spelt out her name.
‘Yes sir, she is waiting right in there for you.
We always honor contract terms’ she led him
towards the part of the studio that had been
prepared for the interview.
‘Good morning Mr. Ife Martins’ she rose to her
feet boldly and walked towards him.
‘Morning pretty rose’ he was surprised by her
boldness, he took in her hands. They felt warm
and he clung to it more than was necessary.
To be Continued….
