C1 CHAPTER ONE

Chris Jackson walked into his father's office grinning happily. He stopped in front of his father's desk with his hands stocked into the pocket of his dark blue jeans. He was tall, fair and huge. His eyes were brownish and beautiful. His red shirt clanged around his well built body, giving him a gorgeous look that made almost all the ladies he came across, come after him. A black leather shoe adorned his feet and a cow boy hat sat gracefully on his head. His father gave him a bemused look that made him laugh aloud with his voice echoing all over the office.

" What's funny Chris?" Barr Jackson asked his son.

Barr. Jackson was a tall, chocolate complexioned man with a very stern look that made many, squirm under his gaze. He was an older version of Chris. His office was wide enough to contain more than twenty persons at a time. The walls were painted white and green. A large portrait of himself was hanged elegantly on the wall along side some photographs of his family, staffs and other important personalities. A large cabinet that held a lot of important documents, stood next to his desk by the left. His desks was piled up with books, files and a desktop at the middle.

" Dad, I've got a great news!" Chris replied with his eyes dancing around with excitement.

"Whats the news about?" Barr. Jackson asked, looking away from his

desktop and fixing his gaze on his son.

" Oh my God! We won the case dad!" Chris screamed.

"What! I knew you would handle it and you did."

"Yes dad, you know I can never fail you for once."

"You've really made me proud son." Barr Jackson gave his son a tight hug.

" This calls for a celebration,come on let go get a drink."

Barr. Jackson started for the door with his son following closely behind him. They both ran Jackson Law firm together. The firm was established ten years back by Barr. Jackson, few months after he had lost his wife. The firm was one of the best and most expensive in the country.

*****

Annie was trying to apply some lipstick on her lips, when Rose her younger sister walked into her room already dressed and ready for school. She observed her fifteen year old sister from her dressing mirror and smiled to herself. Rose was growing fast into a beautiful young girl, with all notable assets at the right places. She was dark in complexion, slim and curvy. Rose was fifteen, yet she looked like a twenty year old. She wore a white blouse over a navy blue skirt, a white socks and a brown sandals. Her back pack hung over her right shoulder, and some long notes were held firmly against her chest.

"Sister Annie." Rose called calmly.

" Yes darling." Annie replied.

"You've been smiling at the mirror since i came in, what were you thinking about?"

" Its nothing Rosy."

"No secrets, remember?"

Annie laughed, throwing her head backwards as her body shook violently.

"It's not funny sis, don't know why you are amused." Rose said with a frown.

" Alright bae, I'm sorry I laughed. Well I was just thinking about how fast you've grown." Annie replied.

"Haha! Am I really all grown up sis?"

"Yeah, very much dear." Annie picked up her handbag and started towards the door, with Rose following closely behind.

Glancing at her wristwatch, "Had breakfast already?" Annie asked.

"Not yet sis, I can't have breakfast without you, I told you before."

Annie smiled at her sister's reply and sat on her usual seat in the dinning room. After the death of their parents when she was fifteen and Rose seven, they got closer than ever. Even when they were taken in by their mom's younger sister, they were never apart from each other. She had moved in with her younger sister into their new home, after she secured a job with Jackson Law Firm, a month ago. She was so fortunate to get such

a well paid job immediately she graduated from law school.

" Sis we are running late." Rose's worried voice brought her mind clumsily back to reality.

She quickly ate up her breakfast of hot choco and fried plantain within few seconds. picking up her handbag, she rushed outside to her car.

" Lock up the door quickly, Rose". She said as soon as she had sat in the car.

" Alright sis," Rose replied, doing what she was told immediately.

Annie brought the car to life as soon as her sister was sited right beside her, and drove off without a second glance.

She drove into the spacious packing lot in Jackson Law Firm at 7:55am. There was going to be a general meeting by 8am, of which she had to be sited before the arrival of the CEO. Annie had never set her eyes on the CEO ever since she got a job in his firm. She has seen his photograph though, and from all she had heard about him, she already knew he was a no nonsense man.

Stepping out of her green Toyota Camry, she picked her handbag, locked the car and hurried towards the main entrance of the firm. As soon as she got to the reception area, she headed straight for the lift.

"Good morning Miss Annie." Nancy, one of the receptionist greeted her in a cheerful manner.

" A very good morning to you Nancy." Annie replied with a smile.

" Be careful Annie and don't fall." Nancy called out with glee.

Annie let out a soft smile and stepped into the lift. After what seem to be forever, the lift stopped and Annie stepped into a long passage way that led to the conference hall were the meeting was going to hold. The hall was capable of containing more than just a hundred persons at a time. Glancing at her wristwatch for like a hundredth time, her heart beat pounded against her chest loudly. It was 8:15am and she was damn late. With a trembling hand, she opened the door and walked into the hall. The meeting was already in progress and had all staffs sited aside her. All eyes were fixed on her, and like a statue she stood transfixed to the ground without moving an inch.

" Who the hell are you?" The CEO roared.

Annie quaked at the sound of his voice. Hot tears were threatening to start flowing down her cheeks despite how hard she tried to resist, she felt damned.

" Father I was responsible for this, I sent her on an errand."

"What!" Annie looked at the owner of the voice not believing what she just heard.

Barr Jackson gave his son a questionable look, there was something about the way Chris had answered him. And the look on his face said it all, he was only trying to stand up for the lady. Looking at the lady's be wild face, he

could tell that she knew nothing about what Chris had just said. He decided to keep calm and play along, since the lady in question seemed to be a new employee.

"Whats your name young lady?" He asked.

"I'm Annie Karl, sir." she replied in a timid voice.

"You are new here I guess?"

"Yes I am Sir."

"I see, but you seem in serious with your job. Work resumes at eight yet you felt better coming fifteen minutes later."

"I'm sorry sir."

"Dad I said I was responsible, please forgive her and let her sit." Chris said calmly.

"You may sit Miss Annie, but get it into your memory that I detest lateness." Barr Jackson said sternly and looked away from her with a frown.

"There is going to be a party this Friday at my house, to celebrate our victory over the case between our client, Prof. Andrew Olayinka and AZ Nigeria LTD." Barr Jackson told his employees.

"Everyone must be present, its going to start by 5pm." Chris added with a stress on 'everyone'.

" Yes, everyone's presence is needed, Prof Andrew is hosting us himself."

Barr Peters said authoritatively, " You mustn't be late either." He said with his gaze on Annie.

Annie shuddered in fear and looked away from her boss with a sudden dislike for him.

After the meeting, Chris Jackson took a last look at Annie Karl's face, before stepping out with his father from the hall. He still couldn't tell why he stood up for her, yet he did. He had watched her walk into the hall trembling with fear, glancing at his wristwatch he knew she was dead late. The meeting had started ten minutes earlier than scheduled, because his father had an emergency meeting to meet up with in Lagos at twelve noon. His flight was due to take off by 9:30am, and he needed to be present at the meeting in his firm that morning too. Chris knew his father to be a very disciplined man who never took late coming likely. He had grown up watching his father fire many of his staffs for lateness. That morning was never going to be an exception, he knew his father was going to fire Annie if he hadn't intervened. He also knew that his dad didn't buy the lie either, but he had to stand his ground to save her.

"Son?" His dad's call made him aware of his environment again.

"Yes dad, " He replied.

"Am going to be in Lagos for three days, although i will be back before Friday. I trust you to look after the firm efficiently." His father said and headed towards the packing lot with his driver.

" I will put in my best, dad. Take care of yourself too," Chris replied.

"I will son," Barr Jackson said and stepped into his Range Rovers, and within seconds his driver drove him towards the airport.

Chris starred at his father's car untill it had gone out of sight. He was going to miss his dad. He had lost his mom in a plane crash ten years ago when he was twenty six, he was the last child out of the two his parents had. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he knew he had received a text message. Turning towards the entrance of the firm, his gaze rested on the face that had taunted his dreams for a week now.