I Am Able - S01 E53

3 years ago

I Am Able - S01 E53

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 53

Fatimah

When few weeks ago my parents traveled, I had read a lot about our company. From the beginning to the end, and the problems we faced with rivals like DAF Limited, Yargote, and so on. It was educative, and I’d enjoyed every bit of the files. In few days time, I was done already. Hence, I started checking the affairs of the company starting from down straight to the top. Everyday I would spend hours walking from unit to unit. However, Munir didn’t know what I was planning. I didn’t confront him and he never cared to confront me either. He probably thought I would never dare plan what I was already plotting against him but only time will tell.

The situation of our company wasn’t good, especially when it comes to production. It seemed as if we were already falling apart. Many machines weren’t even working and some were on the verge of malfunctioning. And when I meet the chief engineer, all the responses he gave me didn’t make sense. In fact he was trembling, and seemed scared.

Thus, I decided to ask one of the labourers. And when I did, he requested for a privacy with me after which he told me everything concerning the corruption of the engineers, they hardly service the engines and service allowances are given to all of them weekly . It was unfortunate, how my father and his board members didn’t know about it. Why waste time in office enjoying air–condition and not check the affairs of the company?

A lot had to be addressed and tackled, else there would be no Bulama Cooperation in years to come. All the studies I conducted proved my father’s incompatibility, he had failed to address the important issues thus allowing some of the senior staff to engage into looting and other acts of misconduct. I thought Munir would address some of the issues but he didn’t too. Hence, I prepared myself to replace him as soon as possible.

Replacing Munir would not be as easy as it might seemed to be. So I decided to use our burnt down factory evidences against him. Alhamdulillah, Yusuf still had the file with him. Thus, he came to our house today and handed them to me after which we had ate breakfast together. “Goodluck” He had said.

“Thanks, Yusuf” I had replied while smiling.

And after he left, I fully prepared myself to confront Munir. I had also prayed for God’s assistance before finally driving out to our head office with my father’s gun in my bag incase he tries anything selfish. I wished to have a private talk with him but when I was told he was in the conference room with all our board members, something told me to confront him in there. “AsSalama Alaykum” I entered the room. He didn’t obviously seem to be surprised seeing me, but his eyes were glued on the files I’d embraced on my chest.

“Wa’alaykumus Salam…” Some of the board members said, while some remained silent.

“I am sorry for the interruption!” I said as I walked over to an empty chair and sat in it.

“Continue please, Mr Ayodeji!” Munir said, completely ignoring my presence. He was folding his two arms across his chest while sitting majestically in the CEO swivel chair.

“Okay sir,” Mr Ayodeji cleared his throat as always and continued. “The cooperation is gradually crumbling, we need to layoff like 100 to 200 staff members as soon as poss…”

“Lay what?” I bewilderedly chimed.

“Layoff some staff” The man repeated.

“No, our problem isn’t from the number of staff members we have. Our problem lies confidently on those looting our money. If nothing is done about them, even if we do what you are proposing it will not change anything…” I said as Munir quickly cut in.

“And what’s your suggestion?” He queried, and that made me to beam in satisfaction.

“I want you to step down for me to do the needed things” I said and thus he giggled.

The board members however stared at me, they must be lost in the pool of puzzlement. “Fatimah, please go back home and sleep…” Munir sarcastically said, laughing out loud.

I did not say anything to him, I only pushed the file I brought with me straight to him. I knew it would definitely puzzle him to find out I knew his secrets. He went through the file, saw his pictures and shots with Jasraa, and many more things that could nail him!

“This doesn’t make sense” He said sweating.

“Right? Well, do you remember this pen?” I smiled, showing him Jasraa’s favourite pen.

“What about it?” He frowned his face.

“It is a bug, it holds almost all the dialogues you had with Jas…” I uttered as he intruded.

“Okay, okay!” He squealed and then angrily closed the file. “Sorry please everyone, this meeting has been adjourned to next week!”

“Is everything okay?” Mr Patrick queried, it seemed the board members needed a broad explanation on what was going on. They all were murmuring. “Munir, please explain…”

“I have nothing to explain!” Munir shouted.

“What do you mean??” Mr Ayodeji chimed.

“You heard me!” Munir yelled at the man, it was obvious he was extremely angry. Hence, he took the file containing all the evidences against him about going only for me to ask him to return it to me. “No, it is mine now!”

“Fine then, I will play this pen” I threatened. Thus, he pushed the file straight back to me. “Wait Munir” I said to him as soon as he was about leaving the conference room. “You are not going anywhere fa, until you stepdown!”

“Okay, but first I seek privacy with you” He said, and gestured to me to follow him out.

“Alright” I took the file with me and followed him out of the conference room. “Where to?”

“My office” He said in a robotic way.

“Hmm, okay then” I shrugged the fear in me.

…

Immediately we entered his office, he locked the door and glared at me. His eyes were red, rimmed, and bloodshot. I didn’t say anything to him, I’d only hugged my file tightly. “Yusuf gave you all that, right?” He calmly asked me.

“Why did you asked?” I wrinkled a brow.

“Just answer me” He snapped at me.

“Okay, yes… it’s Yusuf!” I uttered.

“Nice” He said gently walking over to me. “I believe you know the danger of what you’ve both done and what I can do to you, Fatima?”

“Hmm, beat me?” I scoffed.

Highest, rape!

And there would be burial if he tries it.

“Just give me the file and the pen” He said.

“No!” I protested.

“If you don’t, then I will hurt you” He said.

“Please hurt me, Munir!” I yelled at him.

And by the look in his face, he was scared.

“Why, Fatimah?” He asked. “I know I did so many evils in the past, but I am… no longer that person anymore. If you expose me, my family and I would suffer for it, you know!”

Wow, what did he just said?

Well, I never knew he could be this pathetic.

“I ain’t exposing you, just step down” I said.

“Okay, I will stepdown but you will give me that file first” He uttered looking desperate.

Trick, huh? Well, I will not fall for his trick.

“I will never give it to you, Munir” I uttered.

“Well then, lets do it the hard way” He said and walked over to his desk. “Here are the transition papers…” He took some files and began going through them. “Bismillah!” He sighed as he wrote and signed over them. I thought he was playing with my senses but then I found out the form was truly genuine. “Your turn, fill the form and then that’s all”

Wow, so easy? Nice! I said to myself.

“Okay, shift from the desk!” I ordered him.

“Alright” He uttered and moved backward.

“Good!” I said as I walked over to the desk. Before I could start filling the form, he took the jug on his desk and smashed it on my head. The next thing I saw was his shadow leaving the office with my file, perhaps he would burn all the evidences against him!

…

Later on, I woke up and found him sitting comfortably on his desk. “I didn’t rape you” Was the first words he uttered to me. “But I burnt that file, and even that Jasraa’s pen!”

My head hurts a bit so I touched it to see if there was a wound… but fortunately, there wasn’t any. Thanks to my headscarf. Thus I gently began running my hands across my body to make sure the impotent was right about not raping me. Well, everything was intact. So I gently took my bag and just as I was about pulling out the gun I kept there, something told me not to let my anger rule over me. Thus, I wiped the tears in my eyes.

“You are suspended, go home” I said to him.

“Suspended? Are you the CEO?” He laughed.

“Yes, from today!” I pulled out the gun from my bag and pointed it at him. “Where is the transition form you gave me to fill earlier?”

“Subhanallah!” He screamed.

“Give me the form, right now!” I squealed.

“Ok… okay, here it is!” He brought it out of a drawer and kept it on the desk. “Please, I’m sorry for hitting you. Don’t shoot me, plea…”

“Just pack your things and go!” I cut in.

“Okay, I will” He said and took some of his things before eventually leaving the office.

Thus, I broke down completely and cried. I really had to cry because I never expected Munir to do what he did to me. But surely, every misdeed has to be paid for. I may not still have the evidence to nail him but there would be no place for him in our company unless if I should not be the one in–charge!

After having cried to my satisfaction, I took the form and filled it. Thus, I walked to the toilet in the office and then washed my face before taking the form to Nina to do the rest. She was my father’s secretary, you know… It took her few minutes to do all the necessary things. The day was a traumatising one, and just after driving home to have a broad rest, Qudrah called me and fed me a bad news…

“I just finished watching the news, Fatimah! Do you remember the woman we met in that eatery? The one whose child is a sickler? If I was told by someone that she’s Yusuf’s baby Mama I would never have agreed… Did you see how she explained everything on the tv?”

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