It’s been a week since Nnenna resumed work at the Cosmetics industry. She was enjoying her work as a receptionist, though she wished that she had applied for the position of a marketer. That would have given her the opportunity to get the needed experience concerning the sales of cosmetic products. She was not intending to work in the company for a long time.

Everything was going fine for her because majority of the staff members loved her. Stanley had introduced her as a friend, so the senior staffs treated her nicely.

However, Lilly and Cynthia did not hide their hatred for her. They tried all they could to make her feel bad, but she didn’t fight back. Rather she tried to make peace with them but they showed her that peace was never an option.
One of the days, as they were in the office they were indirectly talking to Nnenna and making jest of her.

“Cynthia you have to respect me in this office, I am your grandmother,” Lilly told her.

“If you like, you can answer grandfather, that is your business. Have you seen any modern girl that answers such name?” Cynthia asked.

“No matter the name I’m called, it does not stop me from dreaming big dreams and trying to place my hand were it can never reach,” Lily told her.

“Continue, Joseph of our time. Please can you share your dream with me?” Cynthia urged her.

Lilly lowered her voice to talk though she made sure that Nnenna was hearing what she was saying. She kept giving Nnenna a distasteful look as she talked.

“My dream is to marry the son of a CEO.”

They both busted out laughing.

“My dear, I don’t blame you. You are free to dream big dreams after all, even some people that I heard that they just graduated from school of house keepers, also dream such dreams,” Cynthia mocked.

Nnenna was amazed that they had dug into her past to get information about her.

“I have to be careful about these ladies, they are desperate and deadly.” She thought to herself.

“My dear, the thing tire me. Human beings are terrible. When you offer a hand shake to some people, they will start desiring for a hug, ” Lilly continued.

“Do you blame them? A native doctor has given them soap to bathe with,” Cynthia accused.

“Don’t forget to tell them that some that bathe with such soap have gone blind,” Lilly chipped in.

“Even when they become blind there is still hope for then. After all, they have watched films where a blind girl would be singing in bush and a prince would come out to marry her.” Cynthia added.

They were talking and laughing but Nnenna ignored them. Though, their mockery made her to feel bad throughout the day.When she got home, Chinasa noticed that she was downcast and asked to know what the matter was.

“My colleagues Lilly and Cynthia are still frustrating me. I don’t know what to do.

“They are frustrating you because you want them to frustrate you.” Chinasa told her.

“How? What is my offence?” Nnenna asked helplessly.

“Your offence is that you have the key to your liberation, but you have refused to make use of it,”

Nnenna looked at her and frowned. “Nasa you are adding to my stress. I don’t understand what you are saying.”

“I apologize for my approach. But why did you refuse to tell Stanley what has been going on? You know that he values and cherish you. Stanley would never allow anybody to give you stress; not even when they are staffs in his father’s company.”

“I can’t do that. I don’t want to enter into anyone’s bad record. Besides I am not even related to Stanley in any away. I am just his church member.” Nnenna told her, sounding indifferently.

“Because that is what you want to be to him. Honestly I don’t know what you want for your life. How many times have Stanley invited you for a dinner date, but you rejected it. He bought a gift for you, but you refused to take it. He even invited two of us to the cinema to watch a Christian movie. I knew he did that because you might not want to go alone. Yet you refused to go.” Chinasa sounded a bit harsh.

“Nasa you have to calm down,” Nnenna pleaded.

“Don’t tell me to calm down. I need to talk sense into your head. What is wrong with you? How can you be frustrating that young man?” Chinasa scolded her.

“I am not frustrating anyone. I am just taking my time. I don’t want to rush into any relationship. Marriage is for life time. Please try to understand me,” Nnenna explained.

“I am sorry, if I have been too harsh on you. But you should remember that ladies are like lilies, we don’t really have much time. The way men are flocking around you today, may not continue tomorrow. You have to look for the black goat before it gets dark. Please my sister.” Chinasa pleaded.

Nnenna got up to give Chinasa a hug.

“I have heard. I won’t disappoint you,” she promised.
Two weeks after Nnenna resumed work, Lilly went on her annual leave. During the period that Lilly was away, Nnenna noticed a remarkable positive change in the way that Cynthia was relating with her. But because of what had happened in the past, Nnenna was very careful with her.

One of the days, Cynthia became ill and was taken to the company’s clinic for treatment. Nnenna was the only one in the office. Towards the time of closing, an alarm was raised that the MD’s phone was missing.

At first, Nnenna was not bothered because she did not enter the MD’s office on that day. All the same, she tried to check her bag, her table and her drawers. She didn’t see the phone.

MD and other senior staffs tried their best to search for the phone and even dialed the number but it was switched off.

The human resources manager had to gather all the staffs and threatened that if they discover who took the phone by themselves, the person would be sacked.

They later started searching everywhere. When they got to the reception room, they searched Nnenna’s bag and drawers, nothing was there. They proceeded to search all the drawers. The phone was found inside Lilly’s drawer. But the challenge was that Nnenna was the only person on duty.

Questions were flying from everyone towards Nnenna’s direction. She didn’t know the one to answer first among the questions. She knew that someone was out to tarnish her image.

When the Managing Director got information of how the phone was found, he summoned Nnenna to his office.