The Billionaire’s Cinderella

JOANA’S PREDICAMENT

“Yes, What is it?”

“I have told you that I am a busy man and I don’t have time for all that you have to tell me. I am a busy man I take my work seriously “, James says harshly to one of his workers who had been telling him about his father sending him to James about wanting to talk with him on the call.

As James is talking to his worker on the phone, he hears a knock on the phone, he pauses for a while and then he questions who is at the door.

“Who is it”, James asks.

“It is Mikael”, a gentleman with a tender masculine man voice replies, having chocolate brown hair with green eyes. This gentleman is the personal assistant to James and also his best friend and also his childhood friend. Mikael also works in James’ company.

“It’s you, Mikael “, James says calmly as he cuts the phone on the man he is talking to.

“I didn’t know it was you”, he continues.

It is only Mikael that James does not act ruthlessly.

“What’s going on with you, dude?”, Mikael asks as he draws the seat at the front of James’ table to seat, which makes it seem like they are sitting opposite each other.

“It is my Father, who has been wanting to talk to him. I don’t know why he just keeps bugging me around. Can’t he just let me be?”, James says out of frustration.

“Why don’t you just listen to whatever he wants to tell you? Remember he is still your old man”, Mikael advised him with a laugh. The two men then begin to laugh.

“Owww! Don’t be kidding me. Don’t tell me you don’t know what he wants to tell me. It is about me marrying that Layla girl “, James tells Mikael.

“But come on, Layla is one hell out of a pretty lady. Why not try dating her? And you know she likes to hover around you and she so much loves to beg for your attention, but you don’t even give her the slightest opportunity. Like Bro, what’s going on? I hope there is nothing wrong with you down there”, Mikael says referring to his male genitalia organ.

“Come on dude, don’t be daft”, James says as the two men laugh.

“You see, the thing is that I don’t have to be in a relationship or be with any woman. More of it is that I don’t want to have children. I just want to be alone; always on my own. I want to focus on my career and my growth and to just be successful “, James continues.

“But bro, you know you can’t live your life alone just like that “, Mikael advises before he continues, saying; “ I heard you fired some of your workers in the marketing department. Why?”, he pauses.

“They pissed you off or what?”, Mikael asks curiously.

“Do you know the Miguel guy who is the assistant head of the Marketing department?”, James asks.

“Yeah, I know him “, Mikael replies.

“He embezzled and squandered over forty-five million dollars with some of his juniors that are under him. The money that he was meant to be used for communication and advertising of our industries was what he squandered lavishly. I have called the police to come take him away with the few others that co-operated together to embezzle my company's money”, James says.

“Man, this is way too much. Damn!”Mikael says expressively.

“So how are you going to recover the money that is being lost”, Mikael asks.

“I know how to handle and have my way. This is why I need to be harsh to people. I am not harsh to people enough because if not; I would not be taken for granted like this “, James says sipping the Alcohol he had been drinking before his worker called him.

“Are you kidding me? You say you are not harsh enough. Wow! A big “Wow!”.You and the devil are the same”.The two men laugh together in cacophony.

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JOANA’S APARTMENT

“Owww, Phoebe. I just checked my bills and things I have still got to pay for. Things have not been easy for me lately. Let me just put it straight to you I am seriously broke. I have still got to pay for my house rent because it is almost due for repayment. What do I do?”, Joana laments on the call with Phoebe.

“So what are you going to do now? Why don’t you go back to your house? You know just to meet with your father and step-mother”, Phoebe advises.

“God forbid evil! Hell no, I am going back to that house. You know well that my stepmother and Step-sisters don’t like me and you know that was why I had to quickly move out of the house right from college. They would be so happy about my predicament “, Joana continues to lament in frustration.

NARRATOR’S POV

Meanwhile, Joana lost her mother when she was just three years of age. Her father was a firefighter who did not have time to act like both a mother and father to her, while still struggling to act like a Father to her. Fate just happens when her father; Austin meets Eucharia, her stepmother, and gets married two years after her mother’s death. Eucharia also had a child from her previous marriage who was the same age as Joana and she was Stella.

Stella was not nice to Joana, she would make fun of Joana and make her life a living hell. Eucharia gave birth to another daughter after a year of getting married to Austin, who was Lia. Lia was also mean to Joana. Joana seems to be like the “abused Cinderella “.

CONVERSATION OF JOANA AND PHOEBE STILL ON CALL

“Do you know what the worst thing of this matter is now: I got sacked from the big Peony fashion company, not that I resigned. This may prevent me from getting other job opportunities from other companies. When I applied for a project last two weeks from Blitz and trendy fashions, my designs were looked into and the panel of judges liked my designs so much”, she narrates.

“But when they saw my work experience and later found out I was fired from Peony. They did not think twice about hiring me and that was how I did not get hired. I am broke and I have no money for my rent or to pay bills and with no job opportunity”, she continues.

“What would you do now? It seems you have lost everything. I guess I would continue to put you in my prayers”, Phoebe says with pity.

“Wait!”, Phoebe screams out with excitement.

“Something just came to my mind “, says Phoebe.

“What is it?”, Joana says with a solemn tone.

“What if I tell you that I have got a very nice job opportunity for you since you are having a problem trying to get a job in the fashion world? That is if you do not mind”, says Phoebe rushing to speak.

“This time around I don’t seem to care now that I am in a lot of debt. I would do anything as long as it is not illegal “, Joana says like someone that just got a chance when there seems to be no option.

“Do you know about this iiiiyyyyyeeaaaaee..”, suddenly a sharp, quick, high-pitched cry is heard in Phoebe’s kitchen.

“What is that?”, Joana asks on the phone.

“Bernard!!!”, Phoebe screams loudly with shock and fear.

“What is wrong ?“, Joana asks again.

“Joana, I would call you back later, it’s an emergency. Bernard is presently in danger. Please don’t be offended “, Phoebe cuts the phone on Joana with a rush.

“Hello - hello-hel “, Joana notices the phone has been hung up on her and withdraws the phone from her ear.