Chapter Nine
It was dinner time when they returned home. Alexia was not hungry. She didn't utter a single word throughout the day. Her father tried speaking to her, but eventually gave up.
"Be ready by 9 o'clock in the morning. I'll drop you at Steve's firm, Cooper and Sons, before leaving for university," her dad said sternly.
"I'm not going anywhere," she told him.
"I didn't ask you, young lady. You will do as I ask you to. I head the Math department at my university. All my colleagues have children who are research scholars or doctors or engineers or leading lawyers. When they ask me about you, I die of shame. Have you ever made me proud in your lifetime? What are you? A plain finance graduate who wants to work as an accountant at a village ranch?" He yelled angrily at Alexia as she stood too stunned by what her father was saying.
He was ashamed of her? Tears fell from her eyes. "It's no point crying. You've asked for it. Work with the Coopers, they're a billion dollar worth company. You should be grateful that Ralph wants to marry you. Please be ready tomorrow. All I ask of you is to cooperate in return for all that I ever did for you," he said as he left to go to the kitchen to get his dinner.
Alexia didn't wait for him to return. She ran up to her room and locked her door. She sobbed into her pillow. She was always an average student, getting average grades with an average GPA score. Maybe she didn't have her parents' genius genes. Her parents always scolded her for not scoring high marks, but she couldn't, even if she tried to. They didn't let her pursue art and painting which she loved. She learnt it on her own. They were so ashamed that they never appointed any arts teacher for her. They wanted her to learn tennis, chess, creative writing but she hated those.
She loved uncle Benny. He never forced Tyler and Ivory into anything. He loved her also as his own daughter. He never compared her to anyone. He was so down to earth and humble.
She slept dreaming of the man she loved. She couldn't even say goodbye to him before leaving. If he was there, her father could never have been able to drag her away. He made her feel like the most precious treasure in the world who deserved to be cherished only by him.
Sobbing at the memory of their lovemaking, she knew that she was doomed forever. She could never love another man in this lifetime. Briar had branded her and made her his, and she would rather die than let another man touch her. She would remain his till her last breath.
She might have slept in the wee hours of the morning. A loud knock and a shout woke her up. Her father was yelling outside. She opened the door and found that her father was almost ready to leave. " I told you to be ready, didn't I? Worthless girl," he swore angrily.
"I'll come down in 10 minutes,"she said, closing her door. She rushed into the bathroom and did her business, showered quickly, brushed her teeth. Hurriedly putting on a navy blue pencil skirt and an ivory white blouse, she tied her hair into a neat bun. Wearing her black pumps, she picked up her handbag and went downstairs. Her father was waiting impatiently although it was only 8:30 in the morning. Some people are never happy, however much you sacrifice for their happiness. She learnt this new lesson today.
She went straight for the main door as her father got up and followed her. He never asked her to eat. Maybe he didn't care whether she ate or not. He dropped her in front of a huge twenty storeyed building with glass exteriors.
"Go up to the 15th Floor and meet Steve," he said, as he drove off to his university.
She went up to the front desk and informed the receptionist her name and where she was going. She called over the intercom and then directed her towards the elevators. "Fifteenth floor, all the best," she said as Alexia smiled and thanked her.
She reached the fifteenth floor. It was huge. There was a huge automatic glass door in front with the company's logo. It opened when she went near. There was a receptionist behind it. The moment she saw her, she asked,"Ms Powell?," she nodded at her. "This way please," she said as she led her down the corridor to a set of three rooms.
"Mr Cooper will see you, Ms Powell. You can knock and go in." she told her and left.
Which Mr Cooper? She wanted to ask. She had no wish to meet Ralph behind closed doors. She prayed to God that it would be the older two mr Coopers. Knocking softly, she opened the door when she heard a distinct 'come in'.
She thanked her lucky stars that it was uncle Steve sitting inside instead of his son. "Good morning uncle Steve," she said as he got up from his chair and came forward.
"Hello, my dear, welcome to the company," he smiled as he hugged her.
"Are you ready to start your day?" He asked and Alexia nodded. He summoned an employee to show her around.
A few minutes later a young guy of around twenty-five came in. He had blonde hair, wore spectacles and he smiled at her the moment he entered. He seemed friendly, she thought.
"Alexia , this is Derek. Derek this is Alexia, show her the new trainee accountant's cubicle and show her the work that she needs to do. You go with him, my dear. If you have a problem, come straight to me. Ok?" He said.
"Yes uncle," she said leaving the room with Derek.
Once outside, he led her to a cubicle bang in front of a chamber with Ralph Cooper's name printed in bold. "Is this the accounts department?" She asked in confusion.
"No, no, the accounts department is downstairs," he told her hesitantly.
"Then why am I sitting here?" She asked.
"This is Ralph sir's chamber. You're his fiancér, right? He told us you're off limits," he said, a little scared.
"What rubbish! I'm not his fiancee," she protested. How dare that rat feed rubbish to his employees. She would have to talk to him when she met him
She had only come here because of her father, but things seem fishy here. They've made her sit right in front of his nose as a bait for him or something. She wondered if she could actually get any work done here.
