Hello!

Martina pov

I am entering the final phase of my plan to get my hands on my enemies. Everything is already ready, except for a few final adjustments. I can't wait to see my enemies on the ground. I have an appointment this morning with the lawyer who will be in charge of representing me in the purchase of the Mballa-N'sang properties. My secretary, yes, I hired a man as secretary because I prefer to work with men who are more practical than women, announces to me that the representative is there and I ask him to let him in. It doesn't take long for him to do so. As soon as the representative enters my office, I notice that his face is familiar to me. Where could I have met him? I observe him well and being a physiognomist by nature, I remember that it was at the party organized by Lorenzo before I traveled to Canada. He was following me like a pot of glue, and it annoyed me that night. I hadn't hesitated to put him back in his place.

"You???" I exclaimed surprised to see him.

"What a pleasure to meet you again Mrs. Martina?!Decidedly I will really believe in this saying that only the mountains do not meet!" He said smiling while extending his hand to me. "Larry Kurt, delighted to do business with you Martina!"

I hesitate for a moment wondering if it's a good idea to work with him. In the end, I resolve to shake his hand.

"Delighted too Mr. Kurt! Take a seat so we can discuss the matter." I tell him, pointing to the seat across from my desk.

"Thank you!" He replies sitting down.

I spend most of the day in the company of Larry discussing the terms of the takeover of the Mballa-N'sang properties. There was no question that I should be just an investor, but I want to have sole ownership. Therefore, Paula and Steve are going to sell all of their properties to me. I fear that with the current state of their finances and their productions, they have no other choice than taking my offer. In fact, it's either they entirely hand over the reins of their properties to me in exchange for a generous sum of money that will allow them to pay off their debts, or they helplessly witness their bankruptcy. In other words, they have to sell me their business so as not to lose everything and end up in prison under the weight of their debts. Any sane human being would do the same. Paula and Steve are going to beg me to become my employees. I have so many surprises in store for them that they will have to kiss my boots to survive.

"May I know why this huge interest in this case?" Larry asks me curiously while taking me out of my reverie. "Why are you so keen to buy the Mballa-N'sang company?" He insists, scrutinizing me with his gaze, as if he was going to draw an explanation from my eyes.

"It's personal. And I don't think it's your business. Our relationship is purely professional, I don't think I'll pay you for any other reason!" I replied with z rude tone to Larry.

"Got it chef!" He stands to attention and then takes leave of me.

Larry has aged a bit and I admit that he has become more charming than he was when we met in Bastos at the party organized by Lorenzo. He promised to take care of everything and he reassured me that it's won in advance. I won't need to be present during the negotiations with the Mballa-N'sang.

Every time Larry came home from negotiations with my sister and my ex-boyfriend, he would report to me on the progress of this case. Of course, the Mballa-N'sang did not want to let go of their properties. For them, they were just looking for an investor to help them get back on track. Unfortunately for them, they are not in a state of strength. They only have two options. Either they accept my generous offer, in which case they can pay their debts and get by. In the second hypothesis, if they persist in wanting to keep their properties, they will end up losing them in the end. Either way, the end result is that they will lose their properties and they are aware of that. In addition, investors cannot venture to invest in their business, since it has been two years since the agricultural productions could not be sold. Not to mention that their business is crumbling under the weight of debt. So they only have my offer and they know it well. After two months, the contract had finally been signed. Larry had brought it to me in Douala and that's where I signed.

Paula pov

Eventually we sold our properties to this unknown buyer. I would be lying if I said I didn't care what happened to us. Letting go of all those years of sacrifice so easily. I did everything in my power to convince our buyer's rep to just invest in our business, but he signed on stubbornly. It was to take it or leave it, knowing that by leaving, we would be forced to put the key under the doormat and our debts will always be there to sift us. At least by accepting this offer, we will clear our debts and be able to work in our business. All the same, I admit that this buyer intrigues me a little. Why be represented, and especially never deign to try to come in person even once? His legal representative told us that he is very busy and will show up when the time comes. Still, I'm no less intrigued. He demanded to buy all the shares or nothing, when we just wanted investments to restart our activities and be able to repay bank loans later. However, Mr. Larry reassured us that we would be employed. I must admit that the offer was very good. However, with our multiple bank loans for three years already and the salary arrears of our employees, we have practically nothing left on hand.

"And to think that all our sacrifices were for nothing!" Steve exclaims with a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

"And I who killed to maintain these properties?!" I inquired before realizing too late the blunder I had just let go.

"What? Kill how?" Steve shouted as he stood up. Whoops! I have to quickly find words to put him to sleep.

"No... I wasn't saying kill like you think... It's just a way of speaking... It's figurative." Have I tried so hard to justify myself.

"Hmmmmmm... So there are many ways to kill?" He said, sitting down again more calmly.

"You too! Killed how? Even a fly I can't kill. I was talking about the efforts I had to put in so that we could maintain our properties." I replied while blowing a sigh of relief in my heart. I had a good escape! I thought.

"You reassure me!" He ended up saying quiet. "But we had no choice but to accept the purchase proposal. It was either that or we would be expropriated by the banks from which we took credits and in this case, we were not going to nothing to have as under, not to mention that even our house was also in pledge." Steve sums up our miserable situation perfectly.

"I know. In addition to that, our credits still wouldn't have cleared. What's more, we couldn't have accepted our only remaining house, to be snatched from us." I added.

"Yes. And not to forget it was a very generous offer. Iy would never have shown up again." He agrees with me.

Steve is right. At least we are no longer under bank draft. Also, we can be employed despite having lost our properties. Besides, I really like this Larry. I feel like I'm going to have fun with it. What do you want ? I'm not a tamable woman and Steve alone doesn't satisfy me in bed. With my physicality, I'm sure Larry will drool for me. I only have one mongrel left to add to my list.

Martina

Everything is finally ready to move on to the next step. The previous step ended in complete success. I'm very happy that my plan is working perfectly. My presentation to the Mballa-N'sang society is scheduled for this Monday. This will be a decisive step in my plan. We will have meeting with the former staff of the company. I prepared accordingly. Besides, I've been preparing for it for ages, it seemed more than a century ago. I waited so long for this moment, wondering how it would be. Don't they say that revenge is a dish best served cold? Well, mine is no longer cold, but frozen. The work provided by the image consultant I hired is impeccable. I underwent a radical transformation in my style of dress, in my presence and my outfit in general. I am now a femme fatale and an iron lady. I like this fear and the tremors that I read in men's eyes when I'm around. The great businessmen nicknamed me "The wild one". No man dares approach me. And in business, I am a tough opponent to be beaten at all costs, because I am at the head of one of the most successful companies in the country, if not the continent. Unfortunately for them and fortunately for me, I built myself an inaccessible tower where I climbed high. I confess that I take malicious pleasure in seeing them tremble under my feet.

The day of the meeting therefore, I leave very early Douala for Edéa accompanied by Larry. The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. We arrive at the hotel on time and I have enough time to get ready. Once ready, the driver picks me up with Larry and we go to the Mballa-N'sang properties. I walk into the meeting room and find everyone seated, just waiting for me to arrive. As soon as I walk in, all eyes are on me. I carefully scrutinize Paula and Steve. At first, they look calm and seem not to have recognized me. But the more they looked at me, the more their facial expressions changed. I could detect questions mixed with fear.

"Hello !"

"Martina?"