Ana's POV

"Goodday Stephanie," I say the moment I wander into the small building located at the corner of her compound. Despite being the CEO, she attends to her job from the comforts of her residence, not wanting to be away from her husband and son for even a second.

Clem her husband also works from home as an architect, he only steps out of their house whenever he's needed to be seen in person or when he's taking his family out for a spin.

Her son Obi, her little bundle of joy is the light in her life and she can't bear to be distant from him which is why the little man is being homeschooled by a paid Nanny. I keep telling her she has to learn to loosen up someday and her response is always 'when the time comes.'

"Welcome Ana," she lets in, peeking through the hem of her glasses at my figure, clad in a lengthy kaleidoscope frock that ends at my toes. The front strands lining my oval face laid down in curves by edge-control.

"You asked to see me?" I question, clasping the pink satchel in my palms as I stand facing her. "Here specifically."

"Yes, please sit," she entices, gesturing to the chair at my left mounted before her wooden desk.

I concur, plunging what I'm holding on the ground and observe how plumpy she's looking. She appears to have put on some weight since the last time I saw her, her cheeks fuller and arms displayed by the purple blouse she's donning comes off as fatter.

"Why didn't you tell me you are pregnant?" She queries, going straight to the point the instant I'm seated.

"I didn't know how to put it to you," I confess, staring at her across the furniture.

"It isn't that difficult," she blurts, disposing of her glasses on the tabletop.

"You don't understand," I sigh, rubbing my fingers together.

"Yes, I don't," she imitates. "Like I haven't been pregnant before."

"It's not the same," I retort.

"Sure it's not. I wasn't carrying a human in my womb," she scoffs, sarcasm lining her words.

"You get what I mean," I exhale, thus I don't have the energy for this sort of conversation.

"No I don't," she mumbles. "As if it's difficult to blurt out that you are pregnant."

"Why am I really here?" I interrogate, not having the mood for this.

"You are here because I needed to see how you are doing," she proclaims, clamping her hands together before her.

"Now you've had your fill, can I leave now?" I suggest, about to arise from my position.

"Ana? Sit!" she orders in a fierce manner.

"I will not if this is the discussion we are going to have," I declare, putting up with her behavior.

"Are you countering my orders?" She requests.

"With all due respect," I state, getting up as I sense my anger growing. "I have other issues to cater to, and above all I need rest. So if you are going to waste my time like this, I apologize I will have to exit."

"Ana, I command you to put your ass down!" She howls in a frown.

Thinking to avoid a little trouble I obey, succumbing to her will. "What do you want Steph?"

"I want you to be strong. I need you to be responsible, and I also plead you to rise above the water in occurrences like this," she declares, her jaw clenching as she fires me a glare.

"How can you expect me to do that when everything is being destroyed and crashing before my very eyes. To put it mildly, I lost a wedding vow client yesterday, why? Because she was scared I would steal her man, I mean, what the fuck?" I ask, scratching my hair in irritation.

"That's what you get for such silly actions," she reprimands, not helping matters.

"I agree my actions were silly, I acted irresponsibly," I admit, gawking at her. "But imma need you to read my lips. I don't regret it."

"Of course you don't," she snorts, provoking my anger once again.

"What else Steph?" I grit.

"Pay no mind to my attitude," she speaks, letting out a breath. "I don't expect you to regret an action that was done out of love. Yes, it might have severe consequences like this one, but love is love, and it is a sacred thing in the eyes of God and even the devil, so who am I to judge?"

"Thank you," I blurt, though peering at her cautiously hence I don't fully get what she's driving at.

"I wanted to have you sacked," she utters, not meeting my eyes.

"Fuck!" I screech, not believing my ears.

"I'm sorry, it was supposed to be in the best interest of the company," she defends, her thumb clicking nervously on the wood.

"Then why didn't you?" I implore in awe and slight betrayal.

"Do I need to explain?" She quizzes, coming off as reluctant to provide an answer to my question.

"You started it, you have to end it," I announce, folding my arms in an attempt to appear frightening.

"Fine," she obliges. "I had a meeting with the board of directors.

"I can't believe this," I murmur in shock. "What was discussed?"

"The current downfall of the company and your role in it," she murmurs as if embarrassed to say this. She should be.

"Oh my God," I laugh hollowly. "This keeps getting better."

"Ana please don't take this personal," she begs, observing the expression on my face.

"I'm already taking it personally," I affirm. "Please, continue. I'll love to hear more."

"Okay," she exhales, stretching her fingers one by one, thereby producing annoying sounds.

"I'm waiting," I declare, letting her know of my impatience.

"The board decided against it," she confesses, summoning the courage to gape at me.

"It's good to acknowledge that strangers have my back while people I call family are finding ways to discard me to the side as if I'm not their own," I say, my words containing a general meaning.

"Don't get it twisted," she pleads.

"The line people use when they are bullshiting you," I sneer, my lips curling at the ends.

"Understand this from my point of you," she tries to make me see the reason for her actions. "How will you feel if a company you've worked hard to build is seen crumbling to the ground?"

"A company where you don't do shit," I speak, not able to control my rage anymore. "A company where I work my butt off day and night to see that things keep going, a company whereby Glory and I strive to boost every waking second."

"Ana be calm," she coaxes, aiming to grab my arm.

"Oh don't play that card," I jeer, shifting back from her reach. "Please don't."

"It isn't my doing Ana, the media houses are painting you black, I don't know who to believe," she attempts to defend herself.

"Your job Stephanie, as my cousin and superior is to stand by me, judging by how much energy I have invested in bringing the company to what it is today," I rebuke her antics.

"I know, which is why I feel ashamed," she whispers.

"You should be more than ashamed," I scold. "It is really in dire situations that we know who is for us, any other time is just a facade."

"I'm sorry for letting you down Ana," she voices in a quiet volume.

"I'm so sick of this," I say in disgust, trying to contain the urge to spit. "I'm sick of people telling me how sorry they are when they don't mean it."

"I'm sorry if you feel that way, Ana, I---" She is not able to finish that sentence as he seems to choke on her own words.

"I thought I said I'm tir--" I'm cut off by a kick in my belly, reminding me that the child I'm housing is very much alive and healthy. "Fuck!"

"Ana are you okay?" She asks in concern, spotting my face squeeze.

"Yeah, I am fine," I respond. "The baby just kicked."

"Wow, can I feel?" She questions.

"No," I answer, not giving it a thought.

"Ana, please," she implores, and I shake my head. "No matter what I'm still family, please?"

"Alright," I desist from my statement and nod, prompting her to beam as she surges from her position and ambles to where I'm reclined to place a palm on my abdomen. "It might be a while before he or she--- Ow!"

"This never gets old," she gleams, a smile on her mouth as her eyes contain amazement at the strong motion. "Any idea about the gender?"

"No," I pronounce. "Ike and I decided not to know."

"The element of surprise I see," she bobs her head in what comes across as understanding.

"Yeah, you can call it that," I assert, remembering our previous conversation before we got carried away. "You didn't quite finish your explanation."

"Are we still going back to that?" she solicits.

"Yes, because it was not concluded," I say.

"One of the reasons the board revoked that suggestion was because under your leadership the company has made so many vast achievements which is true because with your help 'Steph Cures' was able to break into the cosmetic field, something I don't think I would have done it myself," she communicates, her outlook one of pride.

"I'm so proud f you Ana, even if I don't show it as often as I should, or maybe I wasn't seeing it until the board opened my eyes to glimpse the bigger picture," she mumbles, gazing at me. "I'm so glad I chose you for this job."

"Thanks," I say curtly and continue with my questions. "What was the other reason?"

"Which other reason?" she inquires.

"You stated one of the purposes the board declined the offer of sacking me, so I want to know the rest," I inform, caressing my tummy.

"The other reason was that you are in perfect harmony with your employees," she tells.

"And how do you know this?" I ask.

"A research was carried out by some members of the board and it was discovered that you are adored and respected by each one of them, no single bad remark was reported," she recognizes, walking back to her seat.

"When was this done?" I investigate in complete bewilderment.

"Some days back," she confides.

"I can't believe this," I snicker in shock.

"I'm sorry," she laments. "It was a secret task which was carried out without your knowledge."

"Sure it was," I mock. "I'm the pawn in this whole game."

"It was later decided that someone as valuable and resourceful as you shouldn't be put away that easily due to a minor setback that occurred as a result of a personal mistake, one that was done out of love." she notifies.

"It's good to know I'm valuable," I taunt, shoving my chair back with my arms as I drift to a standing position.

"Yeah," she affirms, lips tilted in a smile.

"Who knows what would happen when I'm not?" I ask, not needing an answer as I hook my bag on my shoulder.

"Ana," she calls, but I pause her actions by lifting a palm.

"It's nice to know where our loyalties lie," I say, making a sharp turn for the exit.

"Ana wait," she bids rather I don't listen as I beeline for the door. "It wasn't supposed to sound that way."

"Fuck you Steph!" I yell, throwing her the bird over my shoulder before banging the wood shut, silencing her utterances.

Departing from her office, I'm in no state of mind to go pay a visit to her husband and son as I thought I would due to the rage coursing through my nerves, so instead, I slide the unlocked gate open and walk past it to stand in the street, a little space away from their compound, after pushing the gate closed.

Thus I didn't come here in my car, I search for the phone in my bag and call the one person who brought me. Not up to five minutes later he arrives, this time in a silver Mercedes Benz, music blaring from the vehicle as he parks right in my view.

"Flaunting your money again I see," I blurt as he lowers the window of the passenger side to peer at me from the steering wheel. "Will you let me in or not, or do you prefer staring at me all day instead?"

He smirks, his jaw getting taut in humor as he obeys my command and jabs the barrier open for me to get in.

"Thank you," I exhale. "My feet were killing me."

"You appear exhausted, how did it go?" He asks, as my breath hitches at how handsome he looks in a chiffon black long-sleeved shirt that hugs his muscles in an enticing way, the chiseled legs covered in a pair of jeans, while the thick brows of his eyes help the dark piercing orbs to lure me into their depths.

"I'll tell you along the way," I inform, relaxing into the cushion.

"Okay love," he answers and is about to drive us off when he swerves to say. "Did I tell you how hard I want to bang you today?"

"Yes Ike, you did. A thousand times in the morning," I groan, flushing at his statement. "And I for one replied to you a thousand times that I'm too weak for sex."

"Just wanted to make sure," he winks. "I thought maybe you had changed yor mind,"

"No Ike, I haven't," I respond.

"You know I mean it when I say I love you right?" He asks out of the blue.

"Just drive," I murmur, not knowing how to reply to that.

My heart is screaming at me to say 'I love you too' but the more sensible part of my being which is my brain tells me to keep shut on that matter, and that is what I do, regardless of how many times he lends me expectant glances on the way to my house, I keep to the directions of my mind and pretend not to notice the agony in his eyes each time he doesn't see or hear me utter the words he so desperately wants to heed.

Is the romance trying to surface again?

Or was it never lost?

Leave your opinions in the comment sections my loves

Freshy❤️