CHAPTER ONE

*Maria's Pov*

Exploring the dream land. I spranged up from the bed I slept, fetched my toothbrush and paste with a glass of water and began brushing my teeth.

I quickly dashed into the shower room, got my bucket filled with water as I walked into the jacuzzi.

Using the bathroom scoop to dish the water and pour it on my hair, I applied my shampoo, hair conditioner and turned on the soap dispenser as I began washing my hair thoroughly.

After washing my hair, I turned on the shower tap, caressing my body with the natural hand soap as the water from the shower tap flushed off the soap foams from my body.

Then I grabbed a towel from the towel rail and dried my body which was dripping wet.

Later, I got some lotions from the lotion dispenser, and applied it on the various parts of my body, having done all this, l dashed out of the bathroom and into my room to get dressed.

I got dressed in no time as my phone vibrated, I picked it up instantly.

"Hello ma'am, good morning." Elvis greeted.

"Morning Elvis. How are you?", I asked.

"I'm very well. Please I wanna tell you that the cab isn't working. So, I won't be able to take you to work this morning", Elvis said.

As soon as I heard this, I began fidgeting.

"What a bloody hell are you Elvis?", I bawled.

"Sorry ma'am, please I only need part payment of my monthly salary to get the cab fixed", Elvis demanded.

"Bastard, I will sack you soon. You think you can fool me with bloody lies", I yelled.

"Please ma'am, I can't lie to you. I mean every bit of my word", Elvis pleaded.

"Hey nigga, stop building castles in the air cause you won't succeed", I responded with an attempt to hang up the call.

"Okay ma'am. Let me send you some screenshot of the cab at the mechanic workshop on WhatsApp", Elvis replied imposing composture in me.

"Better, endeavour to send with your account details dick head. So, I gonna pay in your salary", I echoed and hung up.

Moments later, he sent some of the captions displaying the cab's inaccuracy and some spare parts to be replaced, so it might be able to perform its duties.

I was seriously confused whether to send the money or not. But I was seriously constrained by my faith that Elvis must be telling the truth.

I dialed his number and rang him.

"Hello dude, check your phone, I have just sent $20 US dollars into your account", I gabbled.

Hanging up the call, I went in search of a cab, cause l was already running late to work.

--Coryson Development Enterprise.--

"Hey Maria, good morning", Andy yelled few metres away.

I didn't wanna pay any attention. So, I just kept walking very fast approaching the foyer.

Before I could realise, Andy tapped my shoulder and said, "come on damsel. Why acting very strange, hope all is well?".

"Yeah dude, someone got me upset", I replied smiling fictiously.

There was something eating me up. I'm late for work today and I will be queried by our M.D.

This man is a very strict disciplinarian and doesn't cajole with handling bad attitudes in the enterprise.

"Fuck you Elvis, you're responsible for this mess", I whispered to my self growing more fidgety.

While approaching the human resource department to report myself present for the day's activities, I met Raymond who told me that the M.D has restricted me from involving myself in any activity related to the enterprise.

"Hi love", Raymond said.

"Hi sugar", I responded with a peck.

"How are you and how was your night baby?", Raymond inquired.

"Awesome baby, just that am not feeling too well", I said staring at him.

"Gosh! What's that fucken hell disturbing you cute pie?", Raymond asked looking worried.

"Baby, I consider this conversation to be held later in the day. Can't you see am running late?", I gabbled.

"Please baby don't act so fuzzy. Let me remind you, the M.D wanna see you as soon as possible", Raymond said.

Leaving Raymond, I went to see the M.D as was told. He was leafing through a magazine as he couldn't detect my presence immediately.

"Good morning sir", I said standing still with some expectations of being free from query.

"Maria you're on suspension for one month", he said as his eye blazed up with anger.

"Oh no! Please sir, it wasn't my fault", I grimaced.

"Come on Maria, we all live by principles and ethics in this enterprise. All workers here must pocess the element of right attitude to work", he said as his eyes lit up.

"Yeah, I know, but sir I don't wanna embark on any suspension", I said faking a smile.

"Damn you. You don't tryna object my decision. Now leave my office", his eye sparkled with chagrin.

I wanted to stay longer to plead, but I sensed anger, the very moment he grabbed his telephone. I quickly made my way out of his office.

*Raymond's Pov*

The door creaked open as I almost ran into hitting Maria.

"Hey love, please I'm sorry. It wasn't intentional", I said as my eyes was brimming with tears.

"Piss off Raymond", she yelled.

"Oh! no, I didn't mean to hurt you. I gonna buy you a new shoe. Since the coalition has disfigured this one", I chuckled.

"Don't fucken talk to me okay?", she bawled as her eye blurnt with anger.

I wasn't myself through out work that very day. What have I done to deserve this?

This is totally strange cause the Maria I know never acted like this before. We have been dating for over a year now and such gruesome attitude had never manifested in her life.

"Hi bro, sup why are you like this", Andy grimaced.

"Gosh! Yeah its Maria. I don't know why she's acting strange these days", I bawled.

"Oh! Come on, what's actually the bone of contention this time?", Andy inquired staring up at the ceiling.

"I ran into an accident of smaching here shoes and that's all", I elucidated.

"Oh! no, I can't believe this that your fiancee would just ignore you because of that. Anyways that's awful, just cheer up and see her after work today okay?", Andy said beaming.

"Yeah bro, l will. Thanks for your concern", I complimented with a lop sided grin.

My conscience was giving me some premonitions of this maybe a threat to break up. I can't stand a chance of loosing my baby.

After rounding up with my duties for the day, I had to go and see Maria just to ensure that all was well between the both of us.

"Hi love, how are you doing?", I asked with a grimace.

"Yeah, am not good at all." she said as her eye blurnt with anger.

"Come on, why getting annoyed? What the hell is wrong?", I inquired.

"Hmmm, the M.D has suspended me. I tried embelishing my excuses but he ended up paying deaf ears", she said as her facial expression tends to erupt like that of a volcanic eruption.

"Sorry love, but l wanted to ask you about this in the foyer, you flared up and made me feel devastated", I said staring into her eye.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I was carried away by the tension of getting suspended", she said falling into my arms as I pecked on her hair passionately.

I was paralyzed with happiness as the spirit of guiltiness fled from me.

I wish I could help her get back to work, but our M.D is strict with his actions and very furious.

We broke the hug as I stared at her passionately.

"Yeah, that reminds me. Why were you on a different cab to work today?", I said caressing her hair which rested on my shoulder.

"My driver fucken called me this morning and said the cab is running at fault", Maria said staring up the ceiling.

"Damn! So has he gotten the cab fixed?".

"Yeah, after requesting for part payment of his salary", Maria said beaming.

"Oh! well, that's not bad at all. After all, he was demanding for his salary to get the cab fixed not yours", I said with a giggle.

"No, I wanna get a new cab man, but Elvis is such an accomplished one", Maria chuckled.

"Gosh! Why did you wanna hire a new cab man?", I asked with a lop sided grin.

"Just that, he is been giving me so much headache and sometimes he makes me flare up at him", she admitted.

"I don't see anything wrong with that. Just take it lightly with him", I consoled and she widened her eyeball in amazement.