Chapter seven

Three months later, Benjamin finally completed the project and couldn't wait to share it with his mother. However, when he showed her the project, she advised him not to share it with Nicholas, you can't trust no one my son. I want you to be careful.

Benjamin refused to listen to his mother's concerns. "He's my best friend," he said confidently. "Whatever it is you're thinking, Nicholas would never betray me."

Despite his mother's warnings, Benjamin decided to give Nicholas the entire project, trusting that his friend would take it to his company and help him get the recognition he deserved. Deep down, Benjamin knew that his work was exceptional, and he was confident that it would make the company take notice of him.

Benjamin waited two days for a reply from Nicholas, but it never came. He tried reaching out to him, but his calls went unanswered. Growing increasingly concerned, Benjamin decided to pay a visit to Nicholas's company.

As he arrived near the firm, he ran into an old friend from high school, Alex. Benjamin's face lit up with excitement as they both exchanged warm greetings.

Alex's eyes sparkled with curiosity as he asked, "It's been a very long time, Benjamin - what brings you here?"

"A friend of mine works at Lyrik, and I've been trying to reach him for two days now, but I haven't been able to connect with him."

"What about you, what brings you here?" Benjamin asked Alex.

"You mean Nicholas?" Alex replied. "I've seen him around a couple of times, actually. I work at Lyrik too. He didn't recognize me, so we didn't get a chance to talk."

Alex thought to himself, "Why would this guy show up to his friend's place of work? I guess this is trouble."

He quickly composed himself and said, "Our company has strict rules, I doubt anyone will be willing to help you in there. But you can tell me what you came here for, and I'll definitely try to get some answers for you."

Benjamin, desperate for any lead, opened up to Alex about the project. "I just want to know if the project was accepted or rejected," he said.

Alex gave Benjamin his word that he found out anything about the project, he will inform him.

Nicholas submitted the project to Mr. Elijah, who was utterly thrilled with the brilliant work. "This is truly impressive, Nicholas!" Mr. Elijah exclaimed. "You've really outdone yourself, and you shall be rewarded for it. I'll make sure of that. Congratulations once again!"

Nicholas smiled confidently. "I put all my efforts into it, and I believed it could be done. I wanted to prove that I'm capable of achieving far more than anyone expected," he replied, his voice filled with conviction.

It had been three days since Nicholas submitted his project to Mr. Elijah, and he was still on cloud nine. The project had been a huge success, and Mr. Elijah had praised him in front of the entire office.

But little did Nicholas know, his life was about to change forever. He received an email from Mr. Elijah's assistant, inviting him to a meeting with the CEO.

Nicholas's heart was racing as he walked into the meeting room. Mr. Elijah was already there, smiling at him.

"Nicholas, I have some incredible news," Mr. Elijah said, his voice filled with excitement. "The CEO has decided to promote you to a senior position, effective immediately."

Nicholas was stunned. He had never expected this. He was just a junior employee, and now he was being promoted to a senior position?

But before he could process this information, Mr. Elijah dropped another bombshell news.

"We're going to hold a press conference tomorrow to announce your promotion and showcase your project to the world," Mr. Elijah said excitedly.

Nicholas's mind was reeling. A press conference? He had never spoken in front of so many people before. What if he messed up?

But Mr. Elijah just smiled and patted him on the back.

"Don't worry, Nicholas. You'll do great. Just be yourself and talk about your project. The world is waiting to hear from you."

And with that, Nicholas's life was about to change forever. He was thrust into the spotlight, and his project was showcased to the world.

Benjamin sat down at home, staring blankly at the TV, which was turned off. His mind began to wander, consumed by thoughts of Nicholas. "Why has Nicholas been avoiding me since I gave him my project?" he wondered.

Benjamin stood up and headed to Nicholas's mother's house, hoping to find her and gather some information. However, when he arrived, he was disappointed to find that she was not at home, leaving him unable to ask her if she knew anything about his whereabouts.

At first, Benjamin didn't want to believe that Nicholas had betrayed him, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that Nicholas was deliberately avoiding him.

As the hours ticked by, Benjamin's suspicion continued to grow. He began to imagine all sorts of scenarios, his mind racing with possibilities. Desperate for answers, Benjamin picked up his phone and dialed Alex's number, hoping he might now know something about Nicholas's whereabouts.

However, Alex wasn't available at the moment. Benjamin became frustrated and kept calling Alex's phone, but there was no answer. He got angry and slammed the phone onto the TV.

"Damn it!" Benjamin exclaimed. "Why isn't this dude answering?"

Just then, he remembered his mother's warning. "Don't give Nicholas your project," she had said. Benjamin's eyes widened as he realized the gravity of his mistake.

"What have I done ?" Benjamin thought, his heart beating fast. "Mom is going to be very disappointed and angry."

"How will my mother feel when I tell her about this?" Benjamin thought, his heart sinking. "God, please...I hope it's not what I'm thinking. Please, God!" he yelled out in desperation.

The next morning arrived, and with it, the day of Nicholas's highly anticipated conference. Nicholas had prepared meticulously for this moment, and Benjamin couldn't help but wonder what was really going on.

As Nicholas stepped onto the stage, a sea of expectant faces greeted him. Cameras flashed, and the audience erupted into applause. Nicholas's heart swelled with pride, but amidst the chaos, his thoughts drifted to Benjamin.

Meanwhile, Benjamin sat in his living room, his eyes fixed on the TV as Nicholas's face filled the screen. A mix of emotions swirled within him: anger, betrayal, and disappointment.

Nicholas began his speech, confidently articulating his vision and the inspiration behind his project. The audience listened intently, mesmerized by his words.

As Nicholas concluded his speech, the audience erupted into a standing ovation. Benjamin's eyes narrowed, his heart heavy with a sense of betrayal.

Just then, his phone rang, breaking the silence. It was Alex. "Benjamin, I've been trying to reach you. I have some information about Nicholas," Alex said, his voice laced with concern.

Benjamin's grip on the phone tightened. "What is it?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I think you should come to Lyrik and meet me now. Alex replied.

Benjamin's mind was racing. What did Alex know? Was it about the project or Nicholas? He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. "I'll be right there," he said, already heading out the door.