Brenda's announcement sent a shock throughout the meeting room. While Mrs Reid didn't give a damn about who went, all she wanted was someone going.

Mr Reid, who has been quiet, found a frown plastered on his face, and to Morphie he couldn't help but mock sarcastically. "Brenda do you think you worth going to the Emerald group and bagging that contract?" 

Mr Reid did say. "Common girl, you only will humiliate us and nothing more, this will only add to the Reid's problem if we fail." He tried to discourage her.

Brenda felt her legs losing the strength in them, she felt blood rush to her whole body in embarrassment.

Everyone had practically taken her to be such an outsider the moment she decided to marry Derek. She felt if she could sign the deal, then perhaps she could have a new definition in the presence of her mum, dad and Morphie.

Just as she thought about how much that could work, she found herself withdrawing from the idea, as a result of the sarcastic comments and condemnation.

She suddenly glared at Derek in annoyance as she had a lot flow through her mind. How the heck was he able to convince her to try such an impossible task? Was he willing to have them make fun of her?

Her thoughts were so extensive, as all the finding words echoed over and over again in her ears.

Mrs Reid was very angry on her part, after several times of asking and asking, none of them were willing to go for it, and now that Brenda stood up for it, all of them seemed to be against her.

She had a lot of scores to settle with Brenda, both of them hadn't been in accordance since she married Derek, it was her wish that Brenda had the baby removed before the bump was visible and get married to another, but she didn't bulge.

All that never mattered to her now, at least amongst all she was willing to lift her hands to help the family.

Especially Morphie, her first son and favourite, he always had done her biddings without stress, but now he was a very big disappointment.

Instantly, Mrs Reid's attitude changed towards Brenda and she stood on her side. 'Hey, everyone else, that's enough right now!"

As a result, she delightedly passed the new task to Brenda.

"I'll do my best mum!" She said sheepishly with a faint smile.

Morphie puffed his breath and sneered. "You will do your best! And then what? Embarrass us the moment you are thrown out of the Emerald group?"

"Then if she's willing to give it a try, I can as well give it a shot, it's my birthright to get that position of a director and no one else." Morphie changed tone, he looked at Mrs Reid and announced.

"I'll go." Derek let out a scuff of mockery.

"What makes you think you will bag the contract?" Derek asked Morphie mockery. "Do you feel you are much more capable than she is? What if the Reid are not offered the contract?"

Morphie had never expected Derek to speak up in the family meeting, not to talk of speak in a high hoarse manner to confront him.

"Hey Derek, watch your tongue. You are just a loose dog looking for whom to bite. Your comments and suggestions aren't needed in a family setting!" Morphie fired back.

"It's not your choice to choose if i would win or not, as long as Brenda is trying, i'm also trying it out, but i'll go first."

Derek laughed amusingly "Then , brother in law, should I make a bet?" Derek suggested with confidence.

"Who the heck makes a bet with such a loser like you are? Anyway, spill it, let's hear what you've got on your sleeves."

Derek grinned and said. "If per adventure you go and you end up losing, then Brenda goes and then she wins, you will now at my feet and admit all the wrongs you've ever done to me… and if it's the other way round. You won or Brenda losses, then i'll be in the position to grope at your feet and apologize."

"What do you think?" 

Morphie laughed sarcastically and said. "You really are digging your own grave, you plan on dying at that time right!"

"What do you think of it!" Derek was so confident with the bet that he asked all over again.

"Fine, I'm in, for it I'm a man of my words and don't go back on whatever I say." Morphie assured.

"Fine, Mr Morphie, everyone here is a witness to this days bet, you wouldn't be allowed to go back on it, else you lose your position as the first born!"

"What!" Morphie was surprised to hear how far Derek could place the bet, nevertheless he was confident that even if he himself failed, then Brenda wouldn't win herself.

"Taken, I concur." Mrs Reid was not in for any bet, nothing which they did make any sense to her, all she was after was to see someone go and get the contract.

As long as the deal would be gotten, she never cared who would kneel before who.

"That's enough for today, let's have a reconvergence in the next three days." 

***

After they returned home, Brenda turned to Derek and accused him. "Derek, you've made me dig my own grave just in the early days of my life."

"What if he fails, and then I fail too? Morphie still has a lot more chances than I myself, no one is on my side. If he fails, he's got mom to draw him closer, and if I fail, I've got no one, and you! You will need to bow before Morphie."

"Can you really face that shame at all?!"

Derek sat her down hovering in a smile as he told. "I don't think you can fail, neither do i think he will win."

"What so much confidence huh!... I know my brother, if I fail, he will do whatever he can to make sure he gets his share of ridicule from you." 

Only then did Derek really understand what she was driving at, she never wanted him to get any more ridicule from her nonchalant brother.

He pulled her close, and whispered. "I'm very confident you will get the contract and he… he will now!" Derek said confidently.

***

The next morning, Morphie had dashed towards the Emerald group, he was seemingly enthusiastic about getting the contract and having the position of the director.

In three hours he got to the company, he was never attended to. All he got from the secretary was her word from Sonia instructing him to wait behind.

More hours passed till it was closing hours, the secretary walked up to him where he was dozing off already and said. "Miss Stark said she doesn't want to see you or any of the Reid, now and in the future."

Morphie cleared his face like he was dreaming to have heard that word flow from her mouth. "Hey, Miss," he followed after the secretary to reconfirm her previous word.

Line by line, she stated all as she said earlier. Morphie was depressed; he wished for nothing other than the post of the director.

On the other hand, he was very much glad when the words of the secretary echoed in his head. "Miss Stark said she wants to have nothing to do with either you or any member of the Reid, now or in the future."

That gave him one assurance, that even if Brenda did go, there was no way she was going to win.

Nevertheless, he kept that to himself, he needed Brenda to face the same humiliation he faced, by waiting for an answer for almost six to eight hours.

When the news reached Brenda about her brother's rejection, she knew it was time for her to try. Nevertheless, she was skeptical about going, she thought if they could refuse her brother, then how much more.

Derek stood by her, giving her all the confidence he could. The following morning, she took along the file filled with the proposal she had prepared overnight and went along with Derek.

Standing right in front of the skyscraper which fully imprinted on it was the letter E representing the Emerald group.

Brenda's heart thumped so hard, she felt like the whole of her had vanished and she was lifeless.

How could such a company as magnificent as this collaborate with the Reid, they do not even amount up to half of the Emerald not to talk of striking a big deal with them.

On the norms it's absolutely ridiculous to her hearing and that of anyone. She thought of going back but she had been stuck between a deal and there was no choice of going back.

Derek sensed her anxiety, placed his palm to her shoulders to boost her confidence. "Think less about it, just have yourself well presented."

Brenda sighed worryingly and said. "I don't know where you got so much of a confidence from but I hope I get it like you said."