Chapter 8: Office Gist and Payback

“Una hear? That new intern try use body enter oga side, but dem expose her. Wetin dey worry all these young girls?”

One woman for HR dey talk to cleaner, dey shake head. Everybody dey act like dem no gossip, but you go see them dey listen with corner eye.

“I hear o! She even wear low-cut top try seduce oga, talk say she no wan scatter family, na join she wan join. Our company don hire confirmed green tea babe!”

Another one add mouth, dey mimic Halima voice, dey laugh. Gossip no dey finish for Lagos office.

“Tsk tsk, just see her sef dey make my body crawl.”

Dem dey throw side eye for pantry. Some dey cross leg, dey look Halima with new suspicion.

As I pass stairs, I hear staff dey gist as dem dey pack up for day:

Everybody dey form busy, but I know say my matter full their mouth. I adjust my tie, smile like say na promotion day.

Small smile dey my face:

For the first time in a long while, I no be scapegoat. I fit even sleep well for night.

Halima Musa like to use people mouth make money—she go dey happy now.

If na content she dey chase, make she chop content. E go reach her.

After all, the plan work well.

I feel small satisfaction, but I dey ready for next round. Halima no dey give up easy.

Even others for MD’s office, with small ginger from me, begin target Halima Musa:

I just drop small comment during meeting—everybody pick cue. Work dey fly reach her desk.

She get work reach night every day:

She dey arrange file, write report, no time even go buy lunch. Her indomie cold for drawer, she dey eye am like lost hope. Some days she dey sleep for office couch.

She no even get time update her short videos.

Her TikTok dry. IG story blank. Na so I know say e dey pain her.

After I use one side account like her last video, I hear Halima Musa knock enter:

I even drop small comment under her video with fake account: "Sha no give up, office dey hot!" Next thing, she appear for my office, face be like rain wey wan fall.

Before she even talk, tears don dey fall:

Her eyes red, makeup don dey wash. Na real waterworks today.

“MD Tunde, na my fault say I confess to you that day. I no remember say you get family, but to like person no be crime.”

She bite lip, dey sniffle, voice low. I just dey watch her.

“Everybody dey target me, dey push work give me. I no fit finish am..."

She nearly fall for ground. Papers full her table, she dey beg for mercy.

Halima Musa dey cry anyhow:

If you see as her shoulder dey shake, you go think say she lose money for bet9ja. But I know say e get plan under.

She look like pitiful intern, but I know say she get mind.

I no dey deceive myself. Behind every tear, na sharp brain dey work.

I hiss, “Maybe dem dey train you so you go fit stand on your own quick. Plenty interns dey, na only you dey complain.”

I talk am calm, but loud enough make she hear warning. Nobody dey above hard work for this company.

“If you fit do am, do. If you no fit, abeg resign.”

My voice cool, but message clear. Na Naija be this—work dey wait person.

I face my work, ignore her.

I open file, type email, pretend say she no dey.

Now, my work na to play the wicked oga wey dey allow bullying:

If na story she wan tell, make am juicy. I dey help her build content. She no go fit use me shine twice.

Make she hate me well.

I go use her own weapon against her. This na payback.

Halima Musa waka commot without talk.

She wipe tears, waka like person wey dey carry stone for head. She go plan next move—e sure me.

I sure say she no go resign. With her kind, she no dey walk away empty-handed. Na when she gain something, she go leave.

She dey plan another story for IG. I dey wait am.