Perpetual
Chapter 18

I have always looked forward to waking up, to starting the day with the drive knowing that I will set goals and as long as it’s in my powers I will achieve them but that can’t be said about today. My eyes have been opened for hours even though I came to be pretty late, after my encounter with Pearl last night I decided to stay in the home office until she was asleep. I hear her stir in her sleep then close my eyes pretending to still be asleep.

I hear movements, she is probably checking her phone for the time.

‘Babe you will be late for work.’ She says lightly tapping my chest but I don’t respond.

‘Babe.’ She says again

‘Good morning.’ I say in a small voice pretending to have just woken up.

‘Good morning, how did you sleep.’

‘I slept well, you? How is the headache?’

‘It’s gone now luckily.’

‘I am glad to hear.’

‘Please get up and prepare for work, you will be late.’

‘I don’t have the strength to go in today.’

She breathes out deeply.

‘Okay. So what’s the plan?’

I hate lying to her so I better just lay it all out and tell her about my meeting with Sasha.

‘I spoke to Sasha yesterday, you know her financial expertise and all.’

‘And?’

‘She is willing to cook up the books.’

Pearl sits up right.

‘I know it sounds crazy but babe I have worked so hard for this, you know I just can’t lose all the years of hard work.’

‘Is there another way of doing it without involving anything illegal?’

‘There is no other way, I will lose my shares and just be a spectator in my own company. I can’t allow that. I have worked way too hard.’ I say sitting up right too.

‘And what’s in it for her?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Don’t play with me Leo, Sasha is of my blood and I know her well enough. I know there is something that she wants out of this and you might as well just do well to tell me.’

Silence.

‘We have the whole day and I am willing to wait.’

‘She want’s 50% of everything I own.’

She lifts an eyebrow and I notice the displeasure on her face.

‘50% of everything and you think that’s a good bargain?’

‘Babe it’s better than losing everything completely. You know how hard I work, I can buy off that 50% from her at any time.’

‘Have you thought of consulting another financial advisor?’

‘I haven’t. but what I do know is that the status will remain the same.’

‘Leo I am going to say this not as your woman but as a friend, I understand you are hurting that your company is going in a totally different direction from where you imagined it would go but you involving Sasha is probably one of the worst decisions you will ever make. I know her well enough and that is why I am saying all this. Let us involve other financial advisors and get a second or third ruling then from there we can make a decision, as it stands you have only gotten word from her and if we are not careful these actions will come to bite us.’

‘There is no way here Pearl. This is my company we are talking about and I need to do everything I can to make sure that I save it. I love you and everything we have but I need to put myself first.’

‘How would you like me to be of help?’

I feel bad, I expected her to put up more fight but then she is letting it slide.

‘Nothing. I will handle this on my own.’

She gets up from the bed but then I notice that she staggers a bit, she replaces the wall and holds on to it her face wincing in pain.

‘Are you okay?’

‘It’s nothing I can’t handle.’ She says grabbing her robe and wrapping it around her body.

I watch as she leaves the room, today I feel even worse and I know I don’t want to go for work but if I decide to stay home I might just end up stepping on Pearl’s toes so I text Sasha. In the text I tell her that I would be working from her office because I need a run down of what exactly she will be doing because I need to brace myself for whatever repercussions might be there. It doesn’t take time before she texts back saying she will be expecting me. I don’t know why I do it but I clear the chat making sure I don’t leave any trace of us communicating and I know this is wrong and suspicious but I already have enough on my plate. I won’t add a jealous lover to it.

…

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

🙇🏾‍♀️