Hidden Truth

 'Congratulations Eddie, Grace screamed out loud as she opened the bottle of champagne, Endurance who had no idea what her sister is celebrating ask in awe, 'what are we celebrating?', she walked past the tons of balloons surrounding the room still surprised by what's happening. 'You have been offered the job', Grace replied with all smiles, 'are you kidding me', Endurance asked in shock almost losing her breath. 'No, I'm not, I just got the mail now' Grace said handing the letter to Endurance. Endurance after reading the letter thoroughly over and over burst out crying, she had waited for this opportunity her whole life, and had given up all hope of getting the job. Endurance is a twenty-seven-year-old lady who lives her life from paycheck to paycheck, being the oldest daughter of four she had a lot of responsibilities to handle, Endurance lost her father when she was 15, and ever since then her mother has been the sole provider for her and her siblings, it was indeed hard for the old lady, but she was able to sponsor Endurance to school. Endurance graduated from school 5 years ago, being the oldest daughter, she has been assisting her mother in sponsoring her siblings to school. She was able to get a little apartment outside town after graduation, she invited her siblings to stay with her while her mother remained in the village hustling to feed her children. Endurance did every possible work to pay for her siblings' school fees and cover her house rent, because the pay was small, it was very hard for her but being a strong and independent lady, she was able to push through. 

It was a blissful Sunday evening, Endurance was going to the petrol station with her sister Grace, when she come to encounter her course mate, David. David was a cool guy back in Endurance's university days, he once asked Endurance to be his girlfriend but Endurance turned him down saying how can he take care of her when he can't afford his basic needs, David was a poor guy with no hope for better tomorrow, who could not even buy proper clothes to wear, he had just two pairs of trousers and three polo which he wears to class, because of his poor financial background people always call him 'wash and wear', little did they know that things were going to turn out well for him in the future. David was in his car when he saw Endurance standing in the queue to get fuel, he came down immediately and called her name. Endurance who has always looked down on David was surprised to see him dress in a flashy way and even owned a car, she exchanged contact with him immediately after he told her how his life has changed drastically over the year, and how he owns an oil company and a lot of houses and car. He promised Endurance he would get her a job whose pay is over ₦500,000 monthly. The conversation was quite embarrassing for Endurance as David keeps talking about his progress and achievement while she had nothing to show after her graduation. Endurance went home with disappointment and hope, she was disappointed in the fact that she would have accepted him back in the day and her life would have been a lot better, she was hopeful because David promised to employ her in his company which the pay is worth ₦500,000 monthly, 

Endurance has never received such an amount of money in a month not even in a year, her salary always ranges from ₦20,000 - ₦30,000, she was indeed happy that her life is going to turn around for the better finally, while on the way home Endurance keeps calculating the amount of money she would make in a year, she was so excited that she would be a millionaire soon. She planned on how she would take her mom from the village and move to a nicer apartment after getting home Endurance waited in anticipation for David's call but he didn't call nor did he drop a message, after three days of waiting David finally called and asked her to submit her cv in an oil company called DRILL for the position of financial management since that is related to the course she studied in school, Endurance did as David instructed, after weeks of submitting application they was no reply from the company nor David. Endurance waited after a month before she chatted David up asking him while it took so long, her hopes are already high, and begged it won't be shattered, David told her not to be negative and ensured her that she would be employed and that everything was under control. Endurance was confused why the whole process was taking long when he is the boss and can just employ her immediately, 'or is he holding what I did to him', she thought to herself all nervous. after five months of waiting and no response Endurance finally gave up and stop the fantasy of her life changing, she cried all through the night and blamed herself for her current misfortune, 'I wish I didn't turn him down our life would have been a lot better' she cried out loud to Grace her direct younger sister, Endurance was disappointed in herself as she has given her mother hope that she would be leaving the village soon and has promised her siblings Florence and Adam that they would be attending a better school, Grace who saw how hard things are placed her education on hold after writing her senior WAEC. Endurance and her siblings keep living from paycheck to paycheck till that particular evening when a mail was sent to her that she has been offered the job. She was super excited; she didn't waste any more time before she called her mother that it has finally happened and that she should start preparing to leave the village after she get her one month's salary...

The following week Endurance started working in DRILL, although the distance was far, she makes every possible way to get to work, hoping to move out to a better neighboring idea after she get her first pay. Endurance thanked David for what he has done for her promising him that she would do anything to pay him back...

After three months of working at DRILL, Endurance's life has changed a lot and she tried every possible means to get David, but David showed no interest in her, she kept forcing herself so he can ask her out, hoping her life will be better if she dates him, Endurance stops persisting when she found out that David is already married with two kids. She was sad and traumatized, 'look at what I have missed, I would have been the one enjoying his money', she murmured to herself bitterly. Endurance gave up her pursuit of David, she never liked him anyway it was because of his money, after Endurance has finally given up on her pursuit, that's when David started approaching her, Endurance was quite surprised as to what he was up to, she has always thought of him as a gentleman and not someone who would cheat on his partner, Endurance makes it clear to him that she doesn't want to have a relationship with David since he is a married man, but David called her ungrateful and threatened to fire her from her job. Endurance was so sad and scared, she went home and narrate the entire story to her mother, her mother ensured her that it is not David who gave her the job, that it was God, and that if God meant for her to be sacked then let her don't force things but rather accept her fate but if God means well for her then she won't be sack, even though she is sack she will be in a lot better place. Endurance was so inspired by her mother's word, the next day she went to work with the faith that God won't let bad things happen to her...

Endurance continue working with full faith till one fateful day when she got to work and saw the whole company building crowded with workers, she saw a middle age old man scolding David, she was confused, she walked closer and heard everything the man was saying, the middle age old man whose name is Jerry is the owner of the company, he is based abroad with his family and has put David to run his company for him, he is not related to David in any kind of way, he met David two years ago in a mechanic shop where he goes to repair his car, he saw how talented David was and owning to the fact that he is a graduate he employed David to be his personal driver. David was Jerry's driver for six months when Jerry appoints him to run his company for him as the assistant manager while he travels abroad after Jerry saw how honest and devoted David was. David was never the owner of DRILL, he owns no house or car, and everything he claimed to have been owned by Jerry. Jerry traveled all the way after he found out from his secret inspector how David is having an affair with his staff, giving the company a bad name, claiming to own the company, and embezzling company funds, after about thirty minutes of the chaos policemen came into the building, it was at that moment that Endurance realized everything was real and serious. David was carried away by the police, Endurance could see that shame in his eyes when their eyes met. Soon after the whole place dried up as everybody returned to their offices, Mr. Jerry addressed the company that he would be taking over giving everyone a strict warning that any misbehavior would lead to them losing their job...

Endurance got home and gave her family the whole gist which they all laughed over, after two years of working in the company, Mr. Jerry promoted Endurance to be his personal assistant and doubled her pay, Endurance was super excited she went home to give her family the great news. She was grateful for the fact that she met David, even though he was not the one who gave her the job, but he was the ladder to her breakthrough.