Beautiful Mask - Episode 3

Caroline

"say what now?" I ask and she smile.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop but i heard your brother make mention of

your mother needing the sum of N500,000 for surgery"

"oh" i mutter

"I'll take care of that and any other medical bill incured during your

mother's treatment here" she continues and i just mutter "oh" again

because my brain cannot seem to comprehend what she is saying. Maybe i

hit my head on the floor when chinedu pushed me down and i am having a

good dream. I pinch my nose just to be sure.

"ouch" ok, that hurt. I am definitely not dreaming. The lady is just

looking at me with a huge smile on her face.

"you are not dreaming girl" she says

"am not?" I ask dumbly. A doctor walks out of the operating room and i

stand up immediately.

"doctor how is my mother?" I ask and i see him cringe a little.

Probably because of my scar, but he regains his composure quickly.

"you are the daughter of the woman in the operating room?" he asks and i nod.

"well, in simple terms, your mother had a minor heart attack because

an artery in her heart got blocked. We have cleared the artery that

got blocked but you need to deposit atleast N250,000 before we perform

the main surgery

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/beautiful-mask

. I suggest you do that immediately, because she could

have another heart attack which would be more fatal" he says. I am

about to beg him to perform the surgery while i go out and find the

money when the lady speaks. I had forgotten about her.

"you can perform the surgery doctor. This is a cheque of N600,000. I

hope it can take care of all the expenses."she says while handing a

check to the doctor who just adapted a big smile.

"yes ma'am. Come with me to my office" they both start walking away and

i snap out of my daze. I walk faster and follow them. At the office,

the lady takes care of everything for me while i just stare at her. I

cant understand anything that is happening. Why would she pay this

kind of money for me?. People don't usually like me but this stranger

just gave out more than half a million to help me. I know Nothing is

free in this world but there is nothing i can do for her. I wait till

she settles all our bills before i confront her. Atleast now, she

would not be able to take her money back. We walk out of the doctor's

office before i stop her.

"I don't mean to be ungrateful but why are you helping me?" I ask her

"you saved me remember. This is just my way of thanking you. I just

want to show my gratitude, but that's all"

"no this is too much ma'am. Anybody in my shoes would have done the

same thing i did. And the money you just gave out is so insane. I

don't have any way to pay you back ma'am" I say

"okay, I may have something i want from you"she says and my heart

skips a beat. Pleas don't tell me to do something illegal."

"ofcourse not. I want you to come work for me"she says and my mouth

falls open in shock.

"say what now?" i mutter and she laughs.

"are you serious?" i ask and she nod.

"you have spent more than half a million for me and what you want in

return is to give me a job?" I ask and she nods again.

"am sorry but did that thief hit you on head?. Giving me a job would

be in my favour. Wait, what kind of job? Please tell me its not

prostitution? Who am i kidding. No one would want to sleep with me for

free not to talk of paying money for it" i ramble on.

"that's exactly the reason why i want you to work as my son's

secretary." she says

"what reason?"

"he wouldn't want to sleep with you" she says. I should be offended but

i know its true. If my scar is finally going to get me something good,

I'll take it.

"that isn't the only reason. I want you to be my accomplice in shaping

my son into a business man. Its getting late so i have to leave. Take

this card and come to that address by 9am tomorrow"she says and walk

away. I just stare at the card in awe. In just a few hours, i have

paid for mom's medical bills and gotten a job. I will definitely go to

this address tomorrow. Mother is taken to a private room minutes later

and thankfully, chinedu isnt around to stop me from taking care of

her. Father is so happy when i tell him i have settled mother's bill.

The next day, i was in the woman's house which is nothing short of a

mansion. I was ready to be tossed out as soon as i got there but the

gate man let me in as soon as i gave my name. I don't even remember

telling her my name but seems like she researched me. I am supposed to

start tomorrow and i am already nervous. My duties are more than an

ordinary secretary. I hope i can fulfil my duties. This job is more

than a dream come through and i don't want to lose it.

Simon:

"Mom, leave me alone. Need. More. sleep." I groan sleepily. Yesterday's

party was intense. I came back

so late yesterday after getting so drunk. I toss and turn in bed as

she keeps tapping me.

"mom, will you stop it!" i yell then sit up to see a girl wearing an

ugly scarf sitting on my bed. The scarf is covering almost her whole

face and the only thing i can see of her face are her eyes. Its not

only her scarf that is ugly, her shirt is the ugliest i have ever

seen. I look at her from head to toe with a puzzled look on my face.

She notices my appraisal of her.

"Hi, Am your new secretary"she waves shyly.

"what?! I don't remember employing you. And if you are my secretary,

shouldnt you be at the office. Not in my room?. By the way, what's

with the scarf?" i say and try to take her scarf off and she tries to

fight me off but the more she does, the more i want am curious. I get

off the bed and grab the scarf along with me.

Read " A woman's dilemma " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. As soon as the scarf is

off, the sheets fall off my waist and that's when i remember that i

sleep naked. I cant even dwell on this for long as i see her face. She

turns quickly. I don't even know if its in embarrassment of my

nakedness or to hide her face. I quickly wrap the sheets around my

waist. I am about to say something when my phone rings. I pick it off

the bedside table. Its mother.

"You must have seen your new secretary by now"she says and i can hear

her laughing.

"mom, this isn't right"

"That girl is a sweetheart so you better not mess with her or else

forget about going back to the states"she says and hang up on me. I

can't believe this. I turn to see the girl already has her scarf back

on. I have to think of a way out of this.