Price Of Obedience

“Amira, you can’t continue being single. You need a man, a husband for God’s sake,” Mirabel said to her. “Mom, is this the reason you called me home? You promised it was something important,” Amira said, completely ignoring her mother’s earlier statement. “So what I’m saying is not important, right?” Mirabel asked, already getting pissed. “Yes, Mom. It’s not important,” Amira replied firmly. “Amira, how old are you?” Mirabel asked. “Why ask a question you already know the answer to?” Amira asked instead. “You are exactly twenty-four years old, Amira, and you are still not married,” her mother said in a raised voice. “Do you plan on staying single forever?” “Firstly, I’m still very young. Secondly, I haven’t met the right person yet. And thirdly, it’s my life, and I choose when and who I want to marry. So please stop getting worked up over something that isn’t worth it,” Amira replied. “Amira, you have everything you could ever want in life. I don’t understand why you have refused to get married and settle down,” Mirabel said, her voice calmer now. “Mom, I promise I’ll get married when I meet someone I love. You don’t expect me to get into a loveless marriage, right?” She paused before adding, “So calm down. I’ll get married. And if you don’t mind, I’ll be on my way home.” Amira turned towards the door. “Just so you know, if this year passes without you getting married, I’ll find a responsible man for you myself,” Mirabel said firmly. “Whatever, Mom,” Amira replied as she walked out of the house, not taking her mother’s words seriously. Amira Johnson was twenty-four years old and the only daughter of Chief Johnson, one of the most powerful and influential men in City F. Coming from a wealthy family, Amira could have easily depended on her parents’ money, but she chose not to. She had always wanted to build something of her own. She ventured into acting because she had loved it since she was a child. Over the years, she became a popular actress, model, and businesswoman. She was also involved in other businesses, but those were her major ones. Despite being a billionaire from a billionaire family, Amira was nothing like what people expected. She wasn’t spoilt, proud, or arrogant. She was beautiful, confident, and hardworking. Her confidence could sometimes make people nervous, but beneath her serious nature was a humble and respectful woman. Many people saw her as a role model, while others considered her their dream wife. But despite having several suitors, Amira had rejected them all. To her parents, this was becoming a serious problem. They had tried several times to convince her to settle down with one of the men who had asked for her hand in marriage, but Amira always gave them the same answer. They simply weren’t the right ones. --- Later that morning, Amira arrived at Mira’s Oil Firm, one of the biggest and most popular companies in City F. Her assistant, Alice, followed closely behind her. Alice was in her twenties, light-skinned, beautiful, and had worked for Amira for years. She knew Amira’s schedule almost as well as Amira did. As they walked into the company, the staff stood up to greet their boss. “Good morning, ma.” “Good morning,” Amira replied with a nod as she walked past them. As soon as she got to her office, she sat down while Alice opened her tablet. “Ma, you have a board meeting in fifteen minutes. You also have an appointment with Miss Flora by 9 a.m., an appointment with Lisa TV by 12 p.m., and some documents that need your signature.” “That’s all for today?” Amira asked. “Yes, ma.” “Get me a coffee exactly how I like it.” “Okay, ma.” Alice turned to leave. “Wait. Bring the documents that need my signature too.” “Yes, ma.” Alice left. Amira leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. “OMG! Please help me. My parents are after my life. They’re making my life a living hell. So please, show me the man I’m supposed to marry,” she whispered, clasping her hands together. A few minutes later, Alice returned with her coffee and the documents. “Here you go, ma.” “Thanks.” Amira took the coffee and had a sip. “Now you can continue.” Alice checked her tablet again. “Your board meeting is still in fifteen minutes. After that, you have your appointment with Miss Flora, then Lisa TV by twelve. And that’s all for today.” “Okay.” Amira picked up the first document. “You can go.” Alice nodded. “Okay, ma.” She turned towards the door. “I have some documents to go through too, so I’ll be busy while you’re signing those.” “Okay. You can go.” Alice left. Amira continued signing the documents until her alarm rang. She glanced at her watch. “It’s time for the board meeting.” She stood up and gathered the documents she needed. “I’ll continue this later.” Just then, Alice walked in with another set of documents. “Here you go, ma.” “Thanks.” Amira took them and glanced through the pages as they walked towards the boardroom. --- As Amira entered the boardroom, everyone stood up. “Good morning, everyone.” “Good morning, ma,” they chorused. Amira sat down. “So, what do I owe this unexpected meeting?” “I apologise for—” “Go ahead with whatever made you call this meeting. And it better be worth it, or you might be kissing your job goodbye.” A small smirk appeared on her face. “Yes, ma.” Linda walked towards the board. “Here are the places where the reserves were found. The amazing part is that no one knows about these places yet, so we would be the first company to get there.” “Nice one, Linda,” Mr. Kelvin said with a smile. Amira looked through the documents while everyone waited for her response. “You all had this meeting before coming to me, didn’t you?” “Yes, ma. We wanted to be sure of what we were doing before coming to you, so we wouldn’t make any mistakes.” “Nice one.” Amira flipped through the file again. “From what I’m seeing here, everything should go well. All the same, I hope the confidence you have in these reserves doesn’t fail you. So it better be worth it.” “Yes, ma,” Linda replied. Amira stood up. “Is there anything else I need to hear?” “No, ma,” everyone chorused. “Okay.” She turned towards the door. Alice quickly followed her. “So I guess the next thing is my appointment with Miss Flora?” “Yes, ma.” “Another round of stressful modelling,” Amira said with a sigh. She looked at Alice. “Get my handbag and phone from my office. I’ll be in the car.” “Yes, ma.” “And be fast about it.” “Yes, ma.” Alice hurried back to the office while Amira headed outside. A few minutes later, Alice entered the car with Amira’s handbag. “Here you go, ma.” “Thanks.” “You’re welcome, ma.” Amira turned to the driver. “Take me to Fashion World.” “Yes, ma,” James replied as he started the car. --- About forty minutes later, they arrived. Amira stepped out of the car with Alice following behind her and walked into the huge hotel where the event was being held. “Good morning, ma’am,” Amira greeted Flora, who was hurrying towards her. “Oh, my love! Thank you so much for coming early. I thought you wouldn’t be able to make it because of your busy schedule. Anyway, you’re here now. Come with me. Everything is ready.” She grabbed Amira’s hand and pulled her towards the backstage. “Okay, ma,” Amira replied. Alice followed behind them. --- “Everyone, gather here!” Flora called. The people responsible for getting Amira ready gathered around her. “Are all the dresses ready?” “Yes, ma,” they replied together. “Good. Get to work while I go and check on the guests.” She hurried away. Amira sat down as the team started choosing the dress she would wear. Soon, they moved on to her makeup. “Sorry, but can you make the makeup a little lighter?” Alice asked calmly. “She doesn’t like heavy makeup.” “But it’s a huge event,” one of the makeup artists replied. “So because it’s an event, I should look like a doll?” Amira asked, raising an eyebrow. She looked at the makeup artist. “If you really love your job, do as she said.” “We’re sorry, ma.” “Just do what you have to do. I have other things to do.” They continued. A few minutes later, they were done. Amira looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a beautiful black sleeveless gown decorated with diamonds. A shining diamond necklace and earrings completed the look, along with a diamond purse and black shoes. Her makeup was light, and her long black hair was packed into a bun, with a few strands left on both sides of her face. “How do I look?” Amira asked Alice. “You look really gorgeous,” Alice replied with a smile. “Then that means I’m looking gorgeous.” Before Alice could respond, Mrs. Flora walked in. “Aww! My good luck charm is looking gorgeous!” She placed her hands on Amira’s shoulders. “Thanks, ma,” Amira replied with a bright smile. “Okay, it’s time to go out there and show them what you’ve got.” “Okay, ma.” “You totally got this, right?” “Yeah, I do.” “That’s the spirit.” “I think I should be out there already instead of keeping the guests waiting,” Amira said. “Yeah, I should,” Flora replied. Amira walked onto the stage and began showcasing the dresses. She carried herself confidently, and the audience couldn’t take their eyes off her. After about three hours, the show finally ended. “That was absolutely amazing, my good luck charm,” Flora said. “Thanks, ma. It’s my job.” “No worries. Your salary should reach you by the end of the week. And I’m giving you a five percent bonus for being so amazing.” “Oh my goodness, ma. Thank you. I really appreciate it.” “It’s nothing, sweetie.” “Okay, ma. I should be on my way now.” “Sure, dear.” Flora gave her a quick peck before Amira left with Alice. “What a talented lady,” Flora said to herself as she watched her leave. --- “So, any new update?” Amira asked Alice as soon as she entered the car. “No, ma.” Alice suddenly remembered something. “Actually…” “Take me to Lisa Entertainment Industry,” Amira said to the driver. “Yes, ma,” James replied, starting the engine. Alice remained quiet for a moment before finally speaking. “There is actually an update, ma.” “There is?” Amira asked. “Yes, ma.” “Then why did you say no earlier?” “My bad, ma. It skipped my mind.” “No problem. What is it?” “Well, Daniel Anderson approached me earlier and requested an appointment with you whenever you’re free. I agreed.” “Daniel Anderson?” “Yes, ma.” “The owner of Vandercrest Technologies and Properties?” “Yes, ma.” “Did he say why he wanted to see me?” “No. He only said the matter was urgent.” “Urgent?” Amira frowned slightly. “I just hope it’s work-related.” She looked out the window. “When will my appointment at the entertainment industry end?” “I really can’t say, ma. According to the manager, they have to finish filming the movie today. And from the script, there are still about twenty scenes left.” Amira sighed. “Then I’m going to have a long day.” --- FLASHBACK Alice was backstage watching Amira showcase the dresses when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and saw a tall, handsome, dark-skinned man dressed in a black tuxedo, white shirt, black tie, and black shoes. His expensive wristwatch alone was enough to show that he was a wealthy man. “Done staring?” he asked with a smirk. “Sorry,” Alice replied, still staring at him. “Nothing to be sorry about. It’s normal.” He paused. “I need your help.” “My help?” Alice asked, surprised. “Yes.” “Okay. Let’s hear it.” “I need to see your boss. It’s very urgent.” “If it’s that urgent, you could wait until after the event,” Alice suggested. “I should, but I’m a busy man. How about you book an appointment for me at any time she is free?” “Oh, okay. What’s your name?” “Daniel Anderson.” “Daniel Anderson?” Alice repeated. “Yes.” Alice’s eyes widened. “That means you’re the owner of Vandercrest Technologies and Properties!” She looked excited. “OMG! I finally met you! I’m a huge fan. I’ve always wanted to meet you or at least see you in person, even if it’s just once. And now I’m standing right in front of you!” “I see,” Daniel replied with a small smile. “It’s nice meeting you.” He stretched out his hand. Alice stared at it. “Hey, don’t keep my hand hanging.” “Oh, sorry.” She quickly shook his hand. “I know I’m asking for a lot, but can I get a picture?” Daniel normally wouldn’t do something like this, but seeing how excited Alice was, he agreed. “No problem.” Alice’s excitement doubled as she raised her phone and stood beside him. Click! The picture was taken. “Thanks so much!” “You’re welcome.” Daniel brought out a business card and handed it to her. “Here’s my business card in case you need to contact me.” “Okay, sir.” Alice took it. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way.” Daniel walked away. He glanced back briefly. After all, Alice would be his way of getting to Amira. END OF FLASHBACK “So you actually met Daniel Anderson?” Amira asked. “Yes, ma.” “And he wants to see me?” “Yes, ma.” Amira leaned back in her seat. “I just hope whatever he wants is work-related.” A few minutes later, they arrived at the entertainment industry. Amira stepped out of the car, followed by Alice. She walked inside and immediately saw everyone already working. “Good day, Manager,” she greeted. “Good day, Amira. You’re here.” “Yes, I am.” She looked towards the actors. “What scene are you guys on? The filming has already started.” “Well, it’s not your part yet,” Davis replied nervously. “Are you sure? Did you give my part to someone else because I thought I wasn’t coming?” “Well, the… the acting—I mean, the filming—was supposed to start by 11 a.m., but it’s already 12 p.m., so you’re… late.” Davis wiped the sweat from his forehead. Amira stared at him. “The weather isn’t even hot, so why are you sweating?” Davis said nothing. Amira narrowed her eyes. “Who put you up to this?” She paused. “Is it Clara?”