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“You said something about sharing cultures,” he spoke and I hummed in response, “A few days ago, there was a review about how you refused to sell something to a woman simply because she was white. If you’re so interested in sharing culture then why didn’t you agree to do it then?”

I should have expected him to ask this honestly, and in my mind I was face palming myself. I took a deep breath before finally responding.

“I said it should be shared on the basis that the person acknowledges the owners of the culture,” I hated explaining myself to people but here we are, “And she wanted that particular Ankara as a fashion statement, but that’s not the reason why I didn't sell. I didn’t give it to her because she was rude to my manager, and I am well within my rights to refuse to entertain a rude and ignorant customer. ”

“Isn’t the customer always right?”

“Not in my book.”

He went silent for a full minute after that. It’s either he didn’t know what to say or he just didn’t want to say what he had in his mind .

I didn’t say anything either. I just relaxed into my chair and thrummed my fingers against the armrest while he gathered his thoughts.

“Back to the topic of the fashion show,” he said finally, “Some people think you’re too inexperienced to attend. Some people think it was because of favoritism.”

I scoffed, “In what world would favoritism benefit me?”

“So you think you got it based on your hard work.”

“What I think is that I was presented with an amazing opportunity and I know people will argue that I don’t deserve it.

If I didn’t deserve it then I wouldn’t have gotten it.

People always have an opinion and it doesn’t make it right.

I did a good thing and I was rewarded for it. So screw anyone who thinks otherwise.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger, “I’ll cut that part out; we’re done for today.”

I just shrugged, “You can leave it in. it’s the truth.”

He gathered his book and turned off the cameras. I watched as he packed them up and put them into their various bags. When he was done, he hoisted them over his shoulder. He had reached the door when he finally spoke.

“It might be the truth, but sometimes it’s best to stay quiet. Some scandals aren’t worth the truth.” He didn’t wait for me to respond, he just shut my door behind him.

I held back a scowl as I arranged the papers on my desk. I hated that he said that because it made sense and because I know he’s right. But with or without the truth, I was on the brink of a scandal. I might as well make a scandal because I said my truth.

I reached down to take my phone out of my bag and I shot Olivia a text .

Me: Are you working late today?

She responded almost immediately, “Nope, I’m just about to leave.”

Me: Wait there; I’ll come pick you up in fifteen minutes.”

I spent the remaining fifteen minutes waiting for Nathan and his crew to pack up and leave. As soon as they were gone, I had Marissa promise not to leave the office over an hour late and then I was off to get Olivia.

She was waiting in the parking lot when I got there. She was wearing a black pantsuit that did wonders for her figure with a fitted white blouse and a black jacket over it. She had on ballet flats and her hair was tied up into a perfect bun although it had begun to come loose.

Before I could even put the car into park, she rushed in. I turned to her with raised eyebrows but she just gestured for me to drive.

As soon as we got into her apartment her silence broke.

“I swear, I will strangle my boss. I work in HR; it is not my job to manage the company finances. If there’s an inconsistency in the logs then tell the accountant, don’t bring it to my table and yell at me.”

I waited for her to finish her rant. Over the years I’ve learnt that it is best not to interrupt Olivia when she is pissed.

She can take thirty minutes to complain, but just let her do it.

While I was listening to her, I took off my heels, replaced them with slippers and took out a tub of Ben and Jerry’s and dropped it in front of her.

She took it from me with a ‘thank you’ and delved back into her rant. I started making pasta as I listened to her. I was still in the middle of making it when she finally exhaled deeply signaling an end .

“Do you want advice or you just wanted to rant?” I asked

She looked up from her tub of ice cream with a frown. “I always hate it when you ask this,” I waited patiently and she finally whispered, “Both.”

“I think your boss is a bitch,” I said as I stirred the sauce, “And I think you should quit your job.”

“What would I do?”

“Anything,” I shrugged, “What’s something that you love to do, you can make a living out of it.”

She made a non committal sound and I knew the conversation was over.

She will breach it again when she’s ready, but I will still say the same thing.

I have been telling her since the first day she started complaining about her boss that she should quit.

But Olivia is very much like me in the sense that she is stubborn and hot headed.

She put her blood, sweat and tears into this job and I know that it will take a lot to get her to leave. I’m just afraid of what ‘a lot’ would be.

“Tell me about your day,” I held back a laugh; she is shit at changing the subject.

I decided to indulge her when I said, “I had my first Q and A with Nathan today.”

Her eyes widened and the spoon dropped from her mouth. She immediately sat up straight and stared at me with wide eyes that demanded details.

I gave a dismissal shrug and turned back to the pot but she wasn’t having it. She abandoned her ice cream and rushed over to my side .

“How was it?” she asked, “I looked him up and he is hot as fuck. I can’t believe you get to see him every day.”

“He’s a pain in my ass.” She looked at me with disbelief, “But he’s a good journalist, so I’ll give him that.”

“I wonder if he thinks you’re a pain in the ass too.”

I held up the cooking spoon with a threatening glare, “I will whack you with this.”

She giggled and rushed back to the counter to continue with her ice cream, “I’m just saying, it can’t be that bad having eye candy around all day.”

It wasn't bad having an eye candy around all day, but it was bad having Nathan Cowe in my vicinity every second of every day. I had a feeling that before this thing runs out; I would have lost my head or my mind, or both. But at least I’ll have a good documentary and fashion show to show for it.

I got a notification off my phone and quickly lifted it to see. When I saw the headline I let out a string of expletives and instantly put a call through to my parents so they could prepare for the storm that was brewing.

The headline read: “Hot Shot Lawyer Joseph Greene cheats on New Girlfriend with Fashion Designer Adira Arogundade.”