His Mystery Gem

6 - Rum and Regrets🥃

6 - Rum and Regrets🥃

The party at Art's Heart was over, the room once overflowing with guests was not empty, the once-clean floors was littered with dirt, and the caterers and cleaners were going about their job. Mike stood in the corner nursing his drink, while Enny and Joe continued circling the now-empty space.

Enny had gone to discuss the logistics around the paintings they had bought tonight. Somehow that simple conversation had turned into a discussion about the importance of investing in upcoming Nigerian artists and their talent.

They tried to include Mike in the conversation, but he was only interested in nursing his drink. Thoughts of the mystery lady's real identity circled over and over in his head like vultures over a corpse.

He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that Adunni the waitress that he wanted avenge his wrath on was the mystery lady in red. They were one and the same. Adunni the waitress was also also Adunni the artist and his mystery lady in red.

It was times like this that he wanted to get Enny's opinion on the matter but he knew exactly what she will say to him. She would first start by mocking him. Then she will tell him to forgive. He made a mental note to call his guy, Demeji. Only Demeji will side

Their latest encounter left him reeling. He could not believe that his mystery lady in red was the clumsy waitress who dumped dirt on him and made him look like an unserious boss his fathers eyes.

Not just his father, in fact the entire board thought he was an irresponsible leader. Which what responsible employee left work in the middle of the day for no tangible reason. As soon as he saw the message from Emerald, he rushed back to the the office. Of course Lagos traffic trapped him in a stand still of cars on each side.

When he finally arrived at the office, he rushed to an empty board room. Actually his mom, dad and aunt had remained in the board room. Disappointment painted on their faces. He wrestled the urge to explain himself, because he didn't even have a good reason. He left work because he wanted to punish a girl, he didn't even know. He just apologized and accepted the scolding that he was due.

The worst part was that his father didn't say anything, he just sat there at the head of the long table looking at Mike like he was inconsequential. It was one of the things he disliked about his father. He never got angry, which might seem like a good thing to anybody else. Not Mike. It felt like his father didn't care enough to be upset about Mike's actions. And it irked Mike, drove him absolutely insane to the point where he wanted to do stupid things just to see how mad he could make his dad.

His mom told him later that day one of the board members suggested demoting him to the role of MD. MD?! And it was all Adunni's fault.

No wonder mystery lady in red had looked so familiar. When Enny told him the name of the artist, he had asked for a picture. But he didn't recognize the girl smiling at him.

See how make up stopped him from recognising his new arch nemesis.

Mike's musings about his mystery lady's identity was abruptly interrupted by Joe's voice.

"Would you like to continue our scintillating conversation over dinner?" Mike snickered into his cup, because he knew it was not going to end well for Sharp guy Joe. He also knew that Enny was going to awkwardly reject his offer in three, two, one.

"Err, I have something to finish up in the office. Another time." she touched his shoulder lightly and smiled.

Joe nodded because what else could he do? He couldn't very well force her to go out with him, now could he?