Phoenix Reborn - Episode 21

 

A knock on her office door disrupts her thoughts.
"Come in."
"Ma'am sorry to disturb you but the president's son Mr Frederick Wanyama, is outside and seeking your audience. He says it's important and urgent, which is why he was unable to make a prior reservation."
"Umm. Ok, send him in please," she tells her secretary still trying to figure out the reason for the unexpected visit . She walks out and a couple of minutes later he walks in.
"Miss Olivia, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Sorry for just budging in on you. I know you are a busy woman," he says greeting her and taking a seat.
"No worries Mr. Wanyama. You are welcome. Though I have to admit, I am kinda intrigued about the visit," she tells him and gives him one of her dazzling smiles. It throws him aback which makes her laugh in her head. 'Men will always be men,' she thinks to herself.
He struggles to regain his composure then looks her in the eye, " Don't worry, it's something personal. My father, his excellency the president actually brought it to my attention and asked me to figure it out."
"Personal?" She asks puzzled.
"Yes. Personal."
"I'm afraid I don't understand

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. Kindly elaborate."
"Have you heard of Mr. Connor Abayomi."
"I can't say I have. Should I know him?"
"The former South African president..."
"Ahh, that explains why I didn't know him. I'm not all that into politics."
"Really, then how do you know me?"
"You are the son of the man who heads my country. I voted for your dad you know," she tells him and smiles.
"Thank you.Any other leaders you know?"
"No, I only voted for the president."
"Not even the governor?"
"No. As far as I'm concerned, he's inconsequential."
"He would not appreciate that especially from you considering he idolizes you," he tells her laughing, "Back to what brought me here today, Mr. Abayomi is also the former CEO of Delta oil..." he poses to take in her continence.
"Delta? I thought Micheal Abayomi was... Abayomi, are they by any chance related?"
"He is his father. Mr. Abayomi has been good friends with my father for quite a while now, which is why we thought to help him."
"Okay, I still don't get what any of this has to do with me. If it's about my acquisition of Delta, it was all legal. And even if they are having second thoughts and want to by it back, I'm not selling. Even if I was, I doubt they could be able to afford it. I heard Mr. Abayomi...Micheal, had run his family into bankruptcy."
"This is not about Delta miss. Well at first it was but they realized you had followed legal parameters and there is nothing to be done."
"So...What's this about?"
"Actually, as a family, the Abayomis have a cultural obligation and responsibly to the community living on the land. It's a taboo to have it change hands to anyone outside the royal family, which they are."
"I thought they are South African."
"Partly. Anyway, that's besides the point. When news got out you had purchased the land, riots broke out. The Nigerian president got concerned, practically every west African president whose country lays on the belt. This was because the riots in Nigeria were affecting business through out. But again, nothing could be done about it because your managers in the West have made it clear you are not interested in selling. Again, besides the point. Anyway, Mr. Abayomi and his family were summoned by the native priest in their homeland who said there was no need to worry because the land is not in the hands of an outsider. That destiny has simply played it's course and given the land to the rightful heir."
"I'm afraid I don't understand. I have no ties to West or even South Africa."
"That's what we thought, until Mr. Abayomi confessed to having had a child twenty eight years ago while living in Kenya. Which is quite a coincidence since that is your age, at least according to your biography."
"That maybe, but it's still a coincidence. I come from a humble background, neither of my parents were exceedingly wealthy and I've been in contact with my father."
"Interesting,..."
"How so?"
"I never said anything about not being in contact with your dad."
She realizes her mistake but quickly covers it up, "If he sent you here to find out if I am his daughter, that means he hasn't been in contact with his for a very long time."
"Quite true..." He says, he'd seen the hesitation in her eyes but she'd covered up quite well. 'She must be quite sharp. No wonder she's this wealthy at a very young age,' he thinks to himself.
Olivia on the other hand was lost in her thoughts.
'Could it really be her father. But that's not possible, her dad was a poor son a b*ch who walked out on them. And if Connor Abayomi was really her dad, he had a lot of explaining to do. Starting with how he has a son older than her.'
"Do you by any chance know Diana Kweyu or Connor Michaels?"
"Depends..." She tells him smiling to hide her shock.
"On what?" He asks back smiling.
"Why you are asking," she tells him and laughs.
"Uh..." He loses his train of thought for a while, " I'm just curious as to why you'd purchase their shanty in the slum. Especially when Mr. Michaels wants it back."
"He does does he. And why would his wants concern you?"
"It's Mr Abayomi, and like I said, he's been good friends with my dad for years."
'So it is him. I don't believe it. That cheating, lying, sorry excuse for a father!' She swears in her head but her face drops the smile, her eyes darken, just for a moment then her face becomes unreadable.
"Maybe I bought for a friend's friend who had a friend that knew the friend that knows me," she tells him then smiles.
"Fine if you won't tell me," I'll figure it out with time.
"Everything," he tells her and stands to leave.
"Good luck. She tells him and winks... by the way. Is he only looking for her because he thought it is me and now that he's broke he wants to mend bridges?"
"Not that it's any of your concern, but I don't think that's it."
"Okay." She tells him and stands to greet him. He walks to the door and stops.
"Would you mind if I take a selfie with you. My kid sister is a huge fan and it would literally blow her mind away to learn I was this close to you."
"Sure," she goes to stand next to him. "Say please," he tells her with an arm on her shoulder and laughs knowing it would confuse her. She gets the joke and laughs with him but is made aware when he cuts a strand of her hair right after the picture is taken. She however assumes everything and goes back to her seat.
"Thanks. You have a beautiful laugh my lady," he tells her. She doesn't reply but opens a file.
She looks up as he opens the door to leave, "Get me a copy of the DNA tests once they come in will you."
This startles him as he believes she hadn't noticed. He stops and turns back.

Read " Phoenix Reborn: My True Brother " by the same author ( Sylvia Maleko )

. He thinks about denying it but decides against it. It would be an insult to her intelligence.
"Of course. It's the least I could do."
"Next time you need anything, just ask," she tells him and goes back to her files. He bows and leaves.
She looks up after the door closes and her mind relive everything that happened in her life since her father left. She doesn't even realise the tears are falling out of her eyes until she looks at her desk and sees the pool. She wipes away her eyes. She was done crying. Never again. She'd been given a lesson on the weakness in shedding tears long ago when Omar caught her crying on her mother's one year death anniversary and whipped her raw. If Connor was indeed her father, she would destroy him even more than he already was. He would wish he never sired her.