Chapter 13: Cracks in the Empire
551 Words
The Lagos office of Adewale Innovations felt like it had an unusual vibe that day, buzzing with a mix of excitement and tension in the air. Zara should have been celebrating after the summit, but instead, she was on edge. Something just didn’t sit right. For starters, Ngozi hadn’t replied to any of her messages, which was odd for someone who usually responded quickly. To make things worse, Damian had left for London out of nowhere, dropping the news about a supposed board emergency without sharing any specifics. No video call to explain, nothing.
Sitting at her desk, Zara found herself rifling through financial reports, her mind racing. That was when she stumbled upon something shocking. There it was, a large fund transfer tucked away in subfolders that looked fishy. ₦200 million naira had been rerouted to a shell company. It was disguised pretty well, but not well enough to escape her attention. Her heart started racing, and she muttered under her breath, “Who the hell touched the vault?” Without wasting another moment, she tried calling the CFO, but the phone just kept ringing.
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Over in London, things were heating up for Damian as he barged into a private boardroom, frustration evident on his face. “What’s going on, Segun?” he demanded. Segun barely glanced up from his drink, clearly unfazed. “Just doing some restructuring here,” he replied, almost casually.
“Seriously? You pulled money out of the Nigeria fund without getting the board’s okay,” Damian shot back.
Segun offered a weak smile. “It’s my money, so I’m just rearranging my priorities.”
Damian’s tone sharpened. “This merger isn’t a game for you to play with.”
As if on cue, Segun slowly stood up. “You’ve always been the one with big dreams, Damian. Zara was the fire that fueled those dreams. But you know what? Dreams can turn into ashes when the flames get out of control.”
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Back in Lagos, Zara felt her heart drop when she pushed open the door to Ngozi’s apartment and found it empty. She scanned the place quickly and realized something was very wrong. Files were missing, and it looked like the hard drive had been wiped clean. Rage washed over her like a wave as she came to grips with the betrayal. Ngozi, the friend she had trusted, had betrayed her.
Sinking onto the bed, she felt her hands shake as the anger bubbled up inside her. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn’t even notice the footsteps approaching. It wasn’t until she heard a voice say, “You’re not safe here anymore,” that she spun around. It was Tolu, her former driver who had stepped up to be her bodyguard.
He looked serious as he continued, “I saw Ngozi meeting Segun’s people. I think they’re planning something against you. It could happen tonight.”
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Zara’s instincts kicked into high gear. She grabbed her laptop, a flash drive, and a duffel bag filled with essentials. The thrill of power she’d felt as the leader of a growing empire was gone. Now, she was in full survival mode, feeling like prey in her own world. The night promised danger,
and she had to be ready.
- Writer
