chapter Four

As Benjamin continued to pursue jobs, he landed a position as a technical writer at a firm. It wasn't much, but he had to do it to support his mother. He knew what his mother had gone through to raise him and his older brother.

"Looking back, my mother went through a lot," Benjamin reflected. "My dad left because he couldn't cope with his responsibilities as a father. That's the worst thing a child can experience while growing up. My mother had to work three jobs to keep food on the table and pay for our education.

"My older brother couldn't stay due to the struggles he saw Mother going through, so he left to find his way and make money. Mother never wanted him to leave, as he was still just a young kid. It was a rough life growing up with just me and Mother. There were times when I got chased out of school because I hadn't paid my tuition fees. I would skip school for three to four days because Mother didn't have the money.

"I was angry back then because I was young and didn't understand life's struggles. Mother took loans so many times to pay my fees from high school to university. By the time my older brother Mike started working, he always supported me and Mother with everything he had.

"Mike was a good older brother, he was like a father to me. I never stopped loving him, even though he left to go and strive for his needs. Mike dropped out of school when the bills became too much for Mother, because he couldn't bear to see her struggle.

"Mike told Mother, 'I want my younger brother to succeed because I love him so much, and I believe in him. Whatever it takes to keep pushing his education, I'll do it.' I cried so much that night when I heard him say that.

"There were times when we ran out of food, and I wouldn't eat for a whole day. It was a rough life, but I kept going and going. I believe I won't give up now!"

Nicholas met Benjamin outside his home, sitting on the doorsteps. "You okay, brother?" he asked.

Benjamin replied, "Yeah, I'm good, but I've been having a lot of thoughts lately about not letting my mother down."

Nicholas sighed deeply and said, "You're not letting Mother down. I believe in you and we will find other options together."

Benjamin's expression changed, and he said, "Ah, I'm working on a new project. I think you could present it to Mr. Elijah. Maybe it could secure me a position at the company."

"Do you think that's a good idea, going to Mr. Elijah again?" Nicholas asked. "You heard what he said the other time."

"Yeah, I think so, Nicholas," Benjamin replied.

"What are you working on?" Nicholas asked.

Benjamin hesitated to disclose the information, but since it was his best friend, he decided to share it. "I'm working on a new decentralized AI that can increase the efficiency of software by 60%. I believe Mr. Elijah would be very impressed."

Nicholas's eyes widened in amazement. "Wow, that's very impressive, Benjamin! Is that even possible ? And that kind of work would take a very long time, considering your commitments."

Benjamin nodded. "Yeah, everything is possible and with a lot of research and dedication,I know I can do it."

Nicholas smiled reassuringly. "You can, brother. In the meantime, I'd like to find out Mr. Elijah's reasons for reacting the way he did the other day."

"I don't think there's a reason for him acting that way, maybe he was just following the company's instructions. That's what I think," Benjamin said.

Nicholas glanced weirdly at Benjamin and said, "that's left for me to find out."

A week later, Nicholas found himself drawn to Rachael, the young beautiful lady at his company. As he watched her prepare to leave for lunch, he felt a spark of curiosity. What was she like outside of the office? I would love to find out !

Nicholas took a deep breath and approached her. "Hey, Rachael, mind if I join you for lunch?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

Rachael looked up, slightly startled, and raised an eyebrow. "I'm just grabbing something quick," she said, her tone neutral.

Nicholas smiled. "I won't keep you long, I promise. It's just... nice to get out of the office for a bit to grab lunch with a very beautiful lady." He held out his hands in a friendly gesture.

Rachael hesitated, clearly unsure. "I suppose it's okay," she said finally, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

As they walked out of the office together, Nicholas felt a sense of excitement. He had no idea what the conversation would bring, but he was eager to find out.

They arrived at the destination, and Nicholas suggested they sit down for lunch. However, Rachel declined, saying, "I really need to get back to the office. If you want to sit and talk, let's make it a proper date."

Nicholas's face lit up with a bright smile, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Oh wow, I'd love that!" he exclaimed, his cheeks flushing with a blush.

As they returned to the office, Nicholas couldn't help but notice the subtle change in Rachael's demeanor. She seemed more relaxed, more open, after grabbing lunch together.

"Thanks for letting me go grab lunch with you," Nicholas said, smiling slightly as he walked back to his desks.

"No problem, thanks for the company," Rachael replied, grinning.

As they settled back into their work, Nicholas found himself glances at Rachael. He was intrigued by her quiet confidence, her sharp intellect.

Just as he was starting to focus on his task again, Rachael spoke up after dropping the telephone. "Hey, Nicholas?"

"Yeah?" he replied, looking over at her.

"I have a meeting with Mr. Elijah later today. And he said I should come with you, a hint of mischief in her eyes.

Nicholas's heart skipped a beat and he thought to himself; "A meeting with Mr. Elijah? That was a big deal. And he is inviting me there himself." Maybe I would use this opportunity to tell him about Benjamin's project.

Rachael smiled, "Good. I'll fill you in on the details later and be ready for any questions about the company."

Nicholas nodded with lots of thoughts on his head, "What was this meeting about?

As the meeting time approached, Rachael leaned over to Nicholas and whispered, "Okay, here's the deal. Mr. Elijah is like the disciplinary master of the company and as a new worker here, you might go see him from time to time. There's nothin to be scared off I promise you."

Nicholas's eyes widened looking scared. "What? I had no idea."

Rachael nodded. "Yeah, he's also a silent partner. But that's not all."

Nicholas raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What else?"

Rachael glanced around the office, ensuring no one was listening. "Mr. Elijah also has a crush on me."

Nicholas's jaw dropped. "You mean, he's the disciplinary master for workers and he has a crush on you ! Wow ! I guess I would have to avoid you.

Rachael nodded, her expression serious. "And he's so …. difficult to newbies, to say the least. Always try to impress him if you want peace at this your stage."

Nicholas's mind reeled as he processed this new information. Mr. Elijah, a stakeholder and the disciplinarian? No wonder he held so much sway in the company.

Just then, Rachael stood up, smoothing her dress. "Time to go. Let's go face Mr. Elijah."

"Did Mr Elijah invited me to this meeting specifically?" Benjamin asked again to be sure.

"Yes he did," she replied with a chuckle.

The meeting with Mr. Elijah was surprisingly brief. "I trust you're both aware of the company's current goals and objectives?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Rachael nodded. "Yes, sir. We're on track to meet our quarterly targets."

Mr. Elijah grunted, seeming to accept this. "Good. I expect nothing but excellence from you both." And you Nicholas, I have my eyes on you. You better be punctual.

During the meeting, Nicholas had seized the opportunity to bring up his "new project". "Mr. Elijah, I've been working on something that I think will revolutionize software efficiency using decentralized AI" he said, trying to sound confident.

Mr. Elijah's expression turned interested. "Oh? Tell me more."

Nicholas launched into a detailed explanation of the project, carefully omitting the fact that it was actually Benjamin who had been working on it.