Why? 3 ||Shackled to the Heart 34

EPISODE 34

Clean Books

INT. ANN WADA’S LAWFIRM- FEW HOURS LATER

Ann sits in a meeting with a client, Mr. Agada and one of her best lawyers, AYO ATERE when the door to her office open suddenly and Mr. SALAMI, a very angry client storms in

MR SALAMI

I want a new lawyer

ANN

(Speaks to Mr. Agada) Excuse me please

Ann stands up immediately and approach him

ANN

Mr. Salami!

MR SALAMI

I know you are going to try to change my mind but there is nothing you can say to change it, Anike. I want a new lawyer

ANN

(Sighs lightly) What seems to be the problem?

MR SALAMI

Your boy? What is his name again, Bamidele Iyatunde

ANN

Bankole Babade

MR SALAMI

I don’t care what his name is, he is rude and is seriously getting on my nerves

BANKOLE

But all I did was ask for your book

The party look towards Bankole who no one saw come in

MR SALAMI

And I gave it to you

BANKOLE

That is a cooked book, I want the real one

MR SALAMI

See what I am talking about, the disrespect, he had the audacity to open his mouth and call me a criminal

ANN

Are your books clean?

MR SALAMI

(Looks at Ann in surprise) Are you seriously asking me that?

ANN

You can talk to me, I don’t judge but if he says your books are cooked, they are definitely cooked

MR SALAMI

Are you calling me a money launderer too?

ANN

No, am not but for the merger to go smoothly, I need to know everything. This is a sensitive matter, we shouldn’t be talking about it here

MR SALAMI

My account is been managed by the best accounting firm in the city, if I remember correctly, you introduced me to her. There is no way it is cooked

Ann is taken aback by this

BANKOLE

Wait a minute, Onome Eruese handles your account

MR SALAMI

Yes

BANKOLE

(Turns his focus to Ann) Is it what I think it is?

ANN

Of course not

MR SALAMI

What is he talking about?

ANN

Nothing, I am sure there is a mix up somewhere about your account

BANKOLE

(In a loud voice) I can’t work with a cooked book, Ann

ATERE

(With a smug) I don’t mind taking it off your hand

BANKOLE

Are you serious, Ayo?

AYO ATERE

What? You said you can’t make it work

BANKOLE

So what? We are taking each other’s client now

AYO ATERE

We both know the only reason why you even have that case is because mummy let you have it

BANKOLE

(Move closer to Ayo daring) How about you repeat that?

ANN

Shut up, both of you

They both stopped talking

ANN

Ayo, you are fired

Everyone opens there mouth in shock

AYO ATERE

What did I do?

ANN

I am going to assume that the mummy that gave Bankole this case is me

AYO ATERE

I am sorry, I didn’t mean…

ANN

If you think you can disrespect me right in my face, you must be out of your goddamn mind

AYO ATERE

(Frantic) I am sorry, I didn’t mean….

ANN

Hand over your accounts to my secretary, return everything I gave you to HR and get your sorry self out of my law firm

Dejected, Ayo Atere leaves her office

ANN

(Faces Bankole) Go back to your office, I will see you here

BANKOLE

Ann, we nee….

ANN

(Gives him a stern look) I just fired one of my best attorney, I am not in a good mood, so you do what I tell you to do

Without another word, he leaves

MR SALAMI

People were right, you don’t joke

ANN

There appears to be a mix up somewhere, how about you let me look at your books and get back to you

MR SALAMI

But the merger…

ANN

Will go smoothly, I promise

MR SALAMI

I am trusting you

ANN

You made the right choice

Mr. Salami leave and Ann turns back to Mr. Agada who is just watching the drama before him unfold

ANN

I am so sorry, Philip

She goes back to her table

MR AGADA

I have no lawyer anymore

ANN

That will be fixed now

She presses a button on the land phone on her desk before putting the phone to her ears

ANN

Akuche, see me in my office now

She drops the phone

MR AGADA

Is this one any good like the one you fired?

ANN

I hire the best, you have nothing to worry about

MR AGADA

I am trusting you too

ANN

Thank you, please excuse me

Mr. Philip Agada nods and Ann leave her office to talk to her secretary, LINDA

ANN

Linda, I need a list of the shareholders at Flying Phoenix

LINDA

Yes ma’am

ANN

Also, tell HR to see me now

LINDA

Yes ma’am

TOBE AKUCHE, a fine young man in his 30s meets Ann

TOBE AKUCHE

You asked to me, Ma’am

ANN

Come on in

They enter her office

ANN

(Points to Philip) This is Mr. Agada, the CEO of…

TOBE AKUCHE

Ero Airline

ANN

(Impressed) Good, you know him

TOBE AKUCHE

I have seen him with Atere

ANN

Well, Atere no longer represent him, I fired him

TOBE AKUCHE

(In surprise) What? What did he do?

ANN

When you see him, you can ask but right now, a serious allegation has been levied against my client

TOBE AKUCHE

What kind of allegation?

ANN

Sexual misconduct

MR. AGADA

She was my employee, recently we have been working on an expansion and after one of our meetings with a potential investor, we got talking. We were really vibing, so I invited her up to my room and we had fun. All of a sudden, I was been slammed with a rape charge

TOBE AKUCHE

Are we keeping this quiet?

ANN

Yes

TOBE AKUCHE

Settlement?

MR. AGADA

I didn’t do anything wrong, we were two adult who had a mutual sex, I am not paying her shit

AKUCHE

No offense to you sir, but has it been confirmed that it was a mutual sex

MR AGADA

None taken but Ayo and I was working on that before he got fired

ANN

I need you to knock out the charge, it shouldn’t even see daylight in court

TOBE AKUCHE

Got you, don’t worry Mr. Agada, we will find the proof

ANN

Give me a game plan tomorrow and we will go over it but you need to get the case file from Atere first

TOBE AKUCHE

No problem ma’am

ANN

Philip, whatever you need, he got you covered

MR. AGADA

Thank you, Ann

On their way out, Linda come in with a file in her hand with Sophie from HR right behind her. Linda places the file on her desk

LINDA

This is what you asked for

ANN

Thank you Linda

Linda leaves

SOPHIE

Ma’am, you asked to see me

ANN

Yes, one second

Ann picks up the file Linda left and looks at the list

ANN

(Exclaims) Shit! Shit! Fuck!

SOPHIE

Is everything okay ma?

ANN

Yes… mmhmm, I fired Ayo Atere.

SOPHIE

Okay, ma’am

ANN

I need you to process his release and also call all of his clients today and tell them that Ayo Atere no longer represent us. Let them know that they will be getting new lawyers assigned to them tomorrow

SOPHIE

Alright ma

ANN

Also, send me the list of all his clients and their details so that I can assign new lawyers to them

SOPHIE

Okay ma’am

ANN

Lastly, I need a replacement for his position. Ayo would have made partner next year if he had kept his mouth shut, so I need someone with his qualification if you know what I am saying

SOPHIE

Definitely ma’am

ANN

You may go

Ann picks her phone and dials a number

ANN

Are you in your office? (Pause) I am coming over

She picks up her hand bag and leaves her office. After few minutes of walking around her firm, she opens the door to Bankole’s office. She finds him working behind his desk

ANN

Dinner at my house today, 6pm

BANKOLE

I don’t have the time for that

ANN

What did I tell you about playing with me?

BANKOLE

I am busy, I don’t have time for all that

ANN

(Bluntly) I don’t care, make time. 6pm, don’t be late

She closes the door behind herself

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