13/09/2025
BEHIND HER BACK đš 04
An hour later, Linda finally arrived at the office. She walked in, looking slightly flustered.
Amara called her in immediately.
âYouâre late,â Amara said coolly. âEverything okay?â
Linda shifted on her feet. âYes, ma. Just some personal matters.â
Amara studied her carefully. âIs this about why youâre taking Friday off?â
Linda hesitated. âYes, ma.â
Something in her tone made Amara feel uneasy.
She was about to ask more questions when Cynthia knocked and entered. âMa, the investors are on the line.â
Amara sighed. âWeâll talk later, Linda.â
Linda nodded quickly and left.
**************************
That night, Amara got home earlier than usual.
Zara was doing her homework at the dining table, and David was in the living room, watching TV.
âHey, love,â David said, standing up to hug her. âYouâre early.â
âMeetings ended early,â she said, kissing his cheek. âHow was your day?â
David stretched. âBusy. But good.â
Amara glanced at his phone on the couch. The screen lit up for a second before going dark.
She wanted to ignore it. She really did.
But something inside her wouldnât let it go.
âDavid,â she said slowly. âWhere were you this afternoon?â
David blinked, caught off guard. âWhat do you mean?â
âI mean⌠were you at a restaurant?â
David frowned, then let out a small laugh. âOh. Yeah, I met up with a colleague.â
Amara forced a smile. âWho?â
David hesitated, just for a second.
But she noticed.
âUh⌠Tunde, from work,â he said quickly.
Amara nodded. âOkay.â
David kissed her forehead. âWhy? You checking up on me?â
She laughed lightly. âOf course not.â
He grinned. âGood. Because you know youâre the only woman in my life.â
Amara smiled. âI know.â
" Are you okay? David asked with concern.
" Yeah.. I'm fine"
" You sure?
" Yeah, I will just go freshen up and join you guys"
David nodded his head and Amara made her way to the stairs.
********************************
The day had barely started when Cynthia walked into Amaraâs office, clutching an envelope in her hands. Amara barely glanced up from her laptop, expecting the usual morning briefing.
âMa,â Cynthia said quietly.
Something in her tone made Amara look up. Cynthia was standing stiffly, her fingers gripping the envelope as though she was gathering courage.
âWhat is it?â Amara asked, setting her pen down.
Cynthia inhaled deeply before extending the envelope toward her. âItâs my resignation letter.â
For a moment, Amara didnât move. The words didnât register.
Then she frowned, slowly taking the envelope and placing it on her desk without opening it.
âCynthia, what are you talking about?â she asked, her voice controlled.
Cynthia lowered her gaze. âIâm leaving the country. My husband has finalized our relocation, and Iâll be joining him abroad.â
Silence.
Amara leaned back in her chair, arms folded across her chest. âWhy am I just hearing about this now?â
âI only got confirmation recently,â Cynthia said softly. âI didnât want to say anything until everything was set.â
Amara let out a slow breath, tapping her fingers on the desk. She wasnât just Cynthiaâs bossâshe trusted her. Cynthia had been with her for years, handling the most confidential matters of both her business and personal life. Losing her felt like losing a piece of her structure.
Her first instinct was to convince her to stay.
âCynthia, I donât want you to go,â Amara admitted, her voice unusually vulnerable. âYou are the best assistant Iâve ever had. I donât think I can find someone as efficient and trustworthy as you.â
Cynthiaâs eyes softened, but she shook her head. âI know, ma. And I appreciate everything youâve done for me. But this is important for my family. I canât stay.â
Amara looked away, swallowing the lump in her throat. She had built her company from scratch, overcome difficult challenges, but this? This felt personal.
She exhaled. âHow much time do I have?â
âI can serve a two-week notice,â Cynthia replied.
Amara nodded slowly. âAlright. But know thisâyouâll be deeply missed.â
Cynthia smiled faintly. âThank you, ma. Iâll do my best to make the transition smooth before I leave.â
Amara waved her off. âGo. I need time to process this.â
Cynthia gave her one last look before quietly leaving the office.
As soon as the door closed, Amara buried her face in her hands.
Cynthia was leaving.
And for the first time in a long while, Amara felt unprepared.
**************************
By afternoon, the reality of Cynthiaâs departure had fully settled in. Amara knew she couldnât afford to dwell on her emotionsâshe needed a replacement, and she needed one fast.
She pressed the intercom. âLinda, call the HR Manager. I need to see him immediately.â
A few minutes later, Mr. Ojo, the companyâs HR Manager, walked in. He was a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and an air of efficiency.
âGood afternoon, ma,â he greeted.
Amara gestured for him to sit. âCynthia is leaving in two weeks.â
Mr. Ojo blinked. âOh. I wasnât aware.â
âShe just told me this morning,â Amara said. âI need a new personal assistant, and I need one immediately. Someone highly competent and trustworthy.â
Mr. Ojo nodded, already making notes. âIâll shortlist some candidates and send you their profiles by tomorrow.â
âI donât want just anyone,â Amara stressed. âThe person must be extremely organized, skilled in handling confidential matters, and must understand how I work. Cynthia was irreplaceable, but I need someone close to her level.â
âI understand, ma. Iâll ensure we get the best fit.â
Amara exhaled, nodding. âGood. Get on it as soon as possible.â
Mr. Ojo stood. âIâll keep you updated, ma.â
As he left, Amara stared at her desk, suddenly feeling drained.
She hated change.
And this one was coming at her too fast.
---__________________________________________
That night, Amara sat in the living room, absently scrolling through her emails while Zara worked on her homework at the dining table. David was stretched out on the couch, flipping through TV channels.
Amara turned to him. âCynthia resigned today.â
David barely reacted. âOh? Why?â
âSheâs joining her husband abroad.â
David shrugged. âMakes sense. You knew sheâd leave eventually.â
Amara frowned. âNo, I didnât. She never mentioned it before.â
David chuckled. âWell, maybe she didnât want to stress you until it was certain.â
Amara pursed her lips, feeling strangely irritated by his casual tone. Was it that easy for him to dismiss Cynthiaâs departure?
âIâll miss her,â Amara muttered.
David glanced at her. âShe was just your assistant, babe. Youâll find another one.â
âShe wasnât just my assistant,â Amara said sharply. âShe was the best at what she did.â
David held up his hands. âAlright, alright. Iâm just sayingâdonât stress over it. Youâll manage.â
Amara didnât respond. Instead, she turned her attention back to Zara.
âMummy, why do you look sad?â Zara asked, looking up from her homework.
Amara forced a smile. âIâm just tired, sweetheart.â
Zara tilted her head. âDid something happen at work?â
Amara chuckled. âYouâre too smart for your age.â
Zara grinned. âI know.â
Amara sighed. âMy personal assistant is leaving. Iâll miss her.â
âWhy is she leaving?â
âSheâs joining her husband abroad.â
Zara frowned. âSo she wonât work with you anymore?â
âNo, baby.â
Zara thought for a moment. âCan I be your new assistant?â
Amara laughed, pulling her daughter into a hug. âOh, my love. Youâre already the best assistant I have at home.â
Zara giggled, wrapping her arms around her motherâs neck.
For a moment, Amara let herself relax.
But deep down, she knew Cynthiaâs resignation wasnât just about losing an employee.
It felt like a shift.
Like something bigger was coming.
***********************************
COINED FROM OWIE OYINDAMOLA DECK âď¸ âď¸.
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