The next morning, Tamara woke up early. She made herself a cup of Milo and two slices of bread, eating quietly at the kitchen counter before getting dressed for work. By seven, the company driver was already at the gate. She locked the apartment and joined him in the car.
The ride to the office was calm, the streets still waking up. When they arrived at the Xenith Global headquarters in Ikoyi, Tamara stepped out and looked up at the tall glass building. It felt different from the Accra branch. It was bigger, busier, more serious.
Inside, she spotted Zara and Oyin waiting at the reception.
"Good morning," Zara said with a smile. "How was your night?"
"It was good, thank you," Tamara replied.
"That's great," Oyin said. "Everyone's waiting for you at the conference hall. We'll introduce you to the rest of the team. The boss will join us in a few minutes."
They started walking down the corridor when Oyin's phone rang. She answered quickly, her expression changing as she listened.
"Okay, sir," she said after a moment, then ended the call. She turned to Tamara and Zara. "That was Mr. Adedeji. He has an emergency meeting in Abuja and will be gone for two days. He said we should go ahead with the introductions."
They entered the conference hall where a few staff members were already seated. Oyin did the introductions.
"Everyone, this is Tamara Owusu-Addo, our new accountant from the Accra branch," she said. "Tamara, meet the team."
There were polite smiles, quick handshakes, and short greetings. Once the session was over, Zara showed Tamara to her desk, which was right beside hers.
"Here you go," Zara said. "If you need anything, I'm right here."
Tamara smiled. "Thank you. I'm going to disturb a lot of questions."
Zara laughed. "That's fine. I'm here for you," she said with a wink.
The morning passed quietly. Tamara reviewed reports from the previous quarter while Zara explained a few ongoing projects. By midday, she was beginning to find her rhythm.
When the workday ended, Zara offered to drop her off.
"Let me drive you home," she said. "But first, I'll show you around a bit. I think you should know some places."
They drove through parts of Ikoyi, and then crossed into Lekki and Ikeja, pointing out supermarkets, restaurants, and a few nice spots for relaxation.
"Lagos is a very busy place, but you'll get used to it," Zara said as they drove.
"I hope so," Tamara said, smiling faintly.
After dropping her off, Tamara showered and called her mother and sister.
"Mummy, I had a good first day," she said. "Everyone's super nice, and the office is beautiful."
Her mother's voice came through warm and calm. "I'm glad to hear that, my dear. Just keep doing your best okay?"
Jemayah added, laughing in the background, "Told you Lagos would be fine!"
Tamara chuckled and said goodnight before ending the call.
Zara picked Tamara up the next morning, just as the sun began to climb over the city. The traffic wasn't too bad yet, and soft music played in the background as they drove toward the office.
"You slept well?" Zara asked, glancing at her briefly.
Tamara smiled. "Yes, I did. I actually feel rested today."
"That's very good to hear," Zara said.
Tamara nodded. "So, are you from Lagos?"
Zara laughed softly. "Not really. I grew up in Kano, actually."
Tamara looked at her in surprise. "Oh Really?"
"Yes dear," Zara said with a grin.
Tamara chuckled. "I honestly thought you were a Lagos babe?"
"I get that a lot," Zara said, laughing. "I love Lagos but I'm proud of where I'm from."
"That's nice," Tamara said. "So, did you go to school in Kano too?"
"No. University of Lagos," Zara said. "That's where I met my husband."
"Oh, you're married?"
"Two years now," Zara said, smiling a little as she drove. "His name is Hassan and he's the love of my life."
Tamara raised a brow. "I can imagine."
Zara laughed. "He's a good man though. Supportive and calm. I met him in my final year.
"That's so sweet," Tamara said. "I can sincerely feel the happiness in your voice."
"I am," Zara said simply. "Marriage isn't perfect, but it's good to have someone who has your back."
Tamara smiled, gazing out the window as they joined the main road toward Ikoyi. "You make it sound simple, to be honest."
"It's not easy," Zara said, her tone soft but certain. "But when it's right, it's worth it."
The car fell into a comfortable silence for a moment. Then Zara turned up the volume on the radio slightly. "Now tell me, Miss Tamara, what about you? Anyone special waiting in Accra?"
Tamara laughed. "No one worth mentioning."
"Hmm," Zara said teasingly. "We'll see about that. This city has a way of surprising people."
Tamara just shook her head, smiling. "I doubt that."
At the office, Tamara settled behind her computer. The hours passed quietly, and whenever she got stuck, she leaned over to ask Zara for help.
That evening, after she got home, she decided to visit the gym before dinner. She called Zara for a recommendation.
"Try Flex Gym in Lekki," Zara said. "It's clean and not too crowded. I'll send you the location."
Tamara thanked her, changed into her gym outfit, booked an Uber, and headed out.
At the reception, she registered and walked into a large, bright space filled with the sounds of music, weights clinking, and treadmills humming. She started with a light jog on one of the machines. Fifteen minutes later, she took a short break to use the washroom.
When she came back, she found a tall, muscular man running on her treadmill.
Tamara blinked. "Excuse me," she said sharply, pulling out one earbud.
The man didn't slow down.
"Hello?" she said louder. "That was my treadmill. I was using it just a few minutes ago"
He finally looked at her, just a glance, and then turned back to his run.
"Didn't look like anyone's name was on it," he said, voice calm, deep, and annoyingly smooth.
Tamara frowned. "Excuse me, I literally just stepped away to get water. You saw my towel there."
He shrugged, still running. "Young lady, I came to meet it empty so you can't tell me to get down."
Her jaw dropped. "Are you serious right now?"
"I'm very serious. In fact, who are you to tell me to get down" he said without looking at her.
"Wow." She folded her arms. "So that's what you do? Take over other people's things because you think you can?"
"I don't think I can," he said evenly, finally hitting the stop button and stepping off the treadmill. "I just did."
A few people nearby had started watching.
Tamara's eyes flared. "You're unbelievable. You could've just apologized and moved."
He grabbed his towel, wiping his neck. "Apologize? For using a public treadmill?" He gave a short, humorless laugh. "Please. Just get away from here."
Tamara stepped closer. "You're a bully. That's what you are."
He turned then, eyes locking on hers: sharp, dark, steady. "You don't know who you're talking to. Do you know who I am?"
"And I don't care," she snapped. "You could be the President's son for all I care. You're still rude."
That earned a faint, almost dangerous smirk. "You should be careful how you talk to me. I have your kind at home."
"Careful of what?" she shot back. "You're going to beat me? Huh?"
For a moment, they just stared at each other. Then Tamara grabbed her towel, yanked her gym bag off the floor, and turned to leave.
He watched her walk away, still with that unreadable look on his face.
Under her breath, she muttered, "Arrogant jerk."
He heard it. And for some reason, it made him smile.
When she got home, she called Zara immediately.
"Zara, you won't believe what happened," she began, voice still shaky. "This man at the gym, he took my spot and then started acting like he owned the place."
Zara sighed softly. "Oh dear. Just calm down, Tamara. Drink some water and eat something. Don't let it bother you too much. We'll talk about it tomorrow."
Tamara exhaled, trying to let go of her anger. "Okay. Goodnight, Zara."
"Goodnight, dear. Get some rest."
Tamara hung up, took a warm bath changed into her nightwear, and climbed into bed. She stared at the ceiling, unaware that the man she had just fought with was the same one she was working for.