The Accountant –
EPISODE 7
As weeks went by Deji had to cope with working in the same building with his ex-lover. Since they weren’t working directly with each other, avoiding any means to interact wasn’t so hard to achieve.
Nike, as a marketer, spent most her official hours outside the office. Slot Systems was her target at the
moment. She was going to make a name for herself if the deal finally pull through.
Bringing Slot’s account to the bank was a feat several other senior marketing managers could not achieve, not even her Regional Head. Nike could get promoted in a matter of months as the appraisal period was nearby.
As she was getting closer to securing the SLOT’s account, Peter was inching closer to securing her heart.
This could be a win-win situation for both parties, as Peter thought.
Being the Manager and a trusted brother to the CEO of the company, Wale’s ability to influence the company’s decision to move one of his accounts to Royal Bank could not be over-emphasized. So when the decision was finally made to move a major account of the organisation to Nike’s bank in the following month, Peter wasn’t surprised. He was full of praises to his best friend. After all Wale was one of the major reasons he had to quit internet scamming.
Nike had no better choice that to accept going out on a date with Peter Brian after he broke the good news to her. After all she didn’t see anything bad in dating the young handsome man. Not getting over Deji after all these years didn’t make sense to her now. He has someone who he was going to propose to sooner or later for the love of Mike! Dating each other is now a taboo since they now work in the same organisation.
Even though their eyes met severally during the branch meeting last week, they still didn’t interact after the meeting dissolved. She knew moving on was the best thing to do.
All Royal bank’s branch managers in the mainland with one of their assistant do attend a 6pm meeting at the regional office at Alausa, Ikeja every last Thursday of the month. So when Deji’s mother came into his office at 3pm when he was trying to balance his work and be ready for the meeting of the evening, he was quick to tell her how he was very busy and rather see her some other day.
‘’When are you not always very busy, even during the weekend?’’ Ireti lamented.
Deji’s office was a secluded one on which only High Net Worth customers come into. Albeit, standard
customers also step into his very chilled office when he needed to give them a special attention, especially when they have service complaints.
Most of these standard customers tend to forget the reasons for their displeasure once they sip the chilled bottled of water he had always offered them. Deji knew how Nigeria’s hot sun could magnify a man’s aggravation.
‘’You of all people should know how the job is. You have friends in the industry.’’ Deji replied with his
eyes fixed on his computer.
‘’I do have friends but they still spend quality times with their wives and children.’’
‘’Well mum, last time I checked I was still single. Besides, I need to give this job my very best.’’
‘’Of course. The more reason why you shouldn’t be in the same roof with the lowlife girl.’’ Said Ireti with a furious facial expression.
‘’Not again.’’ This time he had to look his mother in the face, the lowlife girl is now a female banker FYI.’
‘’Still doesn’t change a thing to me.’’
‘’Well you have nothing to worry about. We’re in the same organisation, we can’t date each other.’’ Deji said calmly and went on, ‘’Mom, trust me, you have nothing to worry about. Just let her be.’’
He attempted to place his hand on his mother’s, but she quickly took it away from his desk.
‘’Don’t bribe me. You better stay away from her because I have my eyes on both of you.’’
The chatting application on his computer showed a yellow colour which indicated a message just came
in. He opened to read and saw a chat from Uju,
‘We should be leaving in 10 minutes.’
A quick glance at the bottom left of the monitor screen showed it was 4:20pm.
He instantly typed, ‘I’m good to go,’’ to respond to her.
Deji and Uju stepped out of the conference room at around 7pm. Deji suggested they eat at one of eateries in the Ikeja Shopping Mall before heading home to ease of the pressure from the meeting.
As a staff in the operation’s department of Royal Bank, certain target has to be met just like those in the
marketing department. Albeit, not as much as the marketers.
Deji actually surpassed the previous years’ target in which he brought some huge amount of fixed deposit into the bank through the customers he had established relationships with in the last few years he joined the banking industry.
Nike actually contributed to his success in the previous year’s target. She brought in sixty percent of the
amount needed for Deji to meet his target for the year. She had always contributed to his success in his
chosen banking career since they met.
Deji knew how much Nike cared about him and he has been trying to return the affection. He really did try but the feeling weren’t just there. He knew how any misunderstanding with Nike right now might affect his ability to meet his increased target for the current year. Then again he remembered how he has been meeting and even surpassing his target prior to when the Billionaire‘s daughter came into the picture.
Letting the poor girl, no, the rich girl go now will be better than delaying her and hurt her later. Well, he was still going to hurt her eventually, but he thought sooner would be a better choice. How he was going to do that he still had no clue.
‘’The Buffalos will be a good idea’’ Uju said, hopping into her branch manager’s car as he drove to the mall which was just few miles away.
They made their way to the second floor of the mall where The Buffalo was. They were offered a seat on
one of the tables for two.
Deji sat in a position that he could see the K&M which was also an eatery opposite the one they were.
On the spur of the moment he noticed a familiar figure. The figure was none other than Nike. She was siting alone at a table meant for two. Shortly a young man came to the table and dropped a tray filled with two bottles and whatever food they were serving there.
Since the man refused to leave and instead sat on the chair across Nike, Deji concluded they were together.
For a second he wished he had seen the face of the man. Why does he need to? He asked himself.
Perhaps if he had asked Uju, who had noticed how unsettled he was, he would have gotten an answer.
‘’Are you okay?’’ Uju asked after she was half done with her food, while her boss’ plate was still untouched.
‘’I’m fine.’’ Deji responded.
‘’You don’t look fine.’’ She protested pointing at the food as if to say why-haven’t-you-touched-the-food?.
‘’Well, I am.’’ Deji confirmed and began to eat.
He wasn’t sure if he could tell Uju about the drama in his life right now, albeit, he already filled her in about his epic love that broke his heart in Ife. The reason he hasn’t been profoundly involved with anyone till date.
‘’Good. I need you to be, because I have an information that might interest you.’ Uju pronounced in an earnest disposition.
‘’What’s that?’’ he asked finally bringing back his attention to her.
‘’What if I tell you Peter Brian is here?’’
‘’Peter Brian? Who’s that?’’
‘’Amanda’s 450k. The guy she.. .’’
‘’Yes. Yes. You mean that criminal is here?’’ Deji asked, speaking in quick succession. His voice relatively
high.
‘’You might want to keep it down.’’ She advised also with a hand gesture.
‘’Okay. We need to talk to him.’’ Deji pronounced.
‘’Of course. But here’s the thing, I saw him with the new marketing staff.’’
‘’Nike? She can’t be dating a criminal.’’ He pronounced again with his eyebrow raised.
The few stares he got was an indication his voice was far from being low. He made a motion to stand up.
Deji. Please relax.’’ She said calmly and continued, ‘’No offence, but I think something is definitely wrong with you lately that I don’t seem to understand. But one thing I’m very sure of is that it has to do with this Nike.’’
‘’Why do you think that.’’ He muttered, surprised by Uju’s ingenuity.
‘’The first time you had this same unpleasant countenance was few weeks ago. The same day this lady resumed at the branch. And now? How come you’re not yourself whenever she’s around?’’
Uju wasn’t the type Deji kept his personal life from, he wasn’t just ready to add this version to his own biography she already knew..
‘’Can we talk about it later?’’ he beseeched.
‘’No way.’’ she said with the expression on her face synonymous to saying ‘split-it!’.
They stared blankly at each other for a moment before Deji started talking.
‘’Alright. Alright.’’ He took a long deep breath. ‘’Remember the girl in Ife I told you about?’’
‘’Yep. The only girl you’ve ever loved and the same girl who’s making loving any other person an herculean task for you. What about her?’’
TBC
