Truly like they said, the palace was indeed a paradise. Aramade's eyes was everywhere admiring the whole palace. She  entered the large office big enough to turn to a one room and parlour apartment for a family to live in. She greeted the fair, fat woman sitting comfortably on one of the most beautiful chairs Ara had never seen before. The woman was obviously older but not old enough to give birth to her. Right on her table were junks and snacks. Ara wondered how she was eating everything at the same time because half of it were all opened.
She didn't make Ara struggle with her thoughts when she chewed on one jam donut, followed by sussage roll, well diced crunchy chinchin, and eating as much as she could from the fried cray fish hot enough for Ara to see it sweating from the white plastic.
"Hmm...you are Aramade Agboola right?" She finally said looking at her with a sudden strange look that were so obvious for Ara to know something wasn't right. Ara wasn't sure what was going on but the looks got her scared a little. Instantly, Ara voiced out what she could do if the woman wasn't going to ask her any question. "Ma, I can---"
The woman's hand stopped Ara before she could finish her sentence. "I haven't asked you anything miss. You see, we've been told not to interview you and I don't know why either. Which means you have the job already whether you are qualified for it or not."
"What! Really!" Ara couldn't contain her happiness. Like, it did happen like she expected. She got the job. "But wait...just like that?" She laughed.
The woman sitting, and the lady standing close to Ara didn't find it amusing at all. Instead, their faces expressed the sad feelings they felt for Ara and at the same time, jealous of her. They wondered why she didn't have to go through the normal procedures everyone of them went through to enter the palace. They could remember the hell they went through just to get their jobs.
The woman dropped the bottle of 5alive in her hand, facing Ara. "Well, you won't be working in the main kitchen as we thought. But at the second prince quarters."
"Oh!" Ara said. All she knew was they were hiring. She didn't know who or where she would be working. "Thank you so much ma. When will I resume so I can go back home and pack my things."
The woman shook her head at her. "I'm sorry, but your work starts now."
Start.... "What!" This time, the tone which the word came out of Ara didn't carry any hint of excitement at all. "But why? Why would the Prince just ask me to resume without my belongings?"
The woman who knew she dare not ask the Prince the same question Ara threw at her dipped her hand into her crunchy chinchin and chew before replying. "I guess you will have to meet with the Prince himself and ask him why? If there isn't any reasonable question for me, I will like to attend to others waiting outside." The woman eyed her with pride, finally seeing how beautiful and fairer Ara was than her which made her even more jealous. "Kunbi, take her to the second Prince quarters."
Ara didn't care so much about how she responded. She got the job after all. Ara looked up and finally saw the tall melanin girl instructed to take her to the second Prince quarters. She got up with her bag and walked out through the same door she came in. Sincerely, to her this was crazy. How could he not allow her to go home and pack her things? What will she wear? Was he thinking she brought her things or what? How did he expect her to live without any of of her things with her? Now, she really wanted to know the second Prince who gave such a stupid order.
'I don't think he's in his right senses,' she thought. If she was supposed to work at the main kitchen, why working somewhere else again? Why the sudden change? But who cares where she works? The money was what brought her here after all. Now she had to find a way to get a message across to her family.
She didn't tell her Mom and her Dad about it. Both of them already left home very early to the Oshodi market. Where they sell their small chops to people walking up and down the market and their daily customers and distributors. Of course, her parents were making money from it. Both her Dad and Mom were the one running it. That was how she knew how to make cake, sausage roll, meat pie and other things they sell in the shop. Instead of using the money for her and her sister, they spent the money on something else using the land they just bought as an excuse to finally build a house for themselves instead of their children's education first.
Her younger sister was not even at home for Ara to have told her about her journey to the palace. Her younger sister was writing her waec exams and decided not to stay at home because if she had stayed, she was definitely going to follow their parents to shop to sell. That was what they liked. For them to just come over and sell for them. When Ara realized they weren't planning on using the money for her to continue her education, she refused to assist them again, looking out for jobs on her own. Ara brought out her phone as she walked behind Kunbi.
"Hey Aramade." Kunbi called her like she had been calling her name for a very long time. "Please I really have to use the restroom. Have been having this serious running stomach since yesterday. Just wait for me at that corner." She politely said.
"Okay," Ara replied. As much as she couldn't wait to see the second Prince quarters, she wouldn't allow someone else to mess up her body. She walked forward until she saw a small, beautiful and quiet building. She walked right in, and the air conditioner fixed inside the place was so cool and welcoming. Her body suddenly relaxed. Life of rich people. 'This was the enjoyment she thought about.'
Air conditioner everywhere.
There was a seat at one corner which she sat on waiting for her younger sister to pick her call.
First ring....
Second ring.....
Third ring.....
"I call her my biggy biggy mama. Big sis, I miss you o." Her sister's voice echoed loudly through her phone speaker. Ara smiled sweetly. Her sister was always there to make her feel loved and happy whenever they talked or were together. Curious to know why her sister sounded so happy, Aramade decided to ask. "Omolade, this one that you are sounding so happy, what's popping?"
Omolade laughed, adding her little funny sound to it. She finally called Ara by the nickname she gave her. "Sissy, your girl is about to sign out. One more paper tomorrow, and the flexing starts. I'm slim fitting all your fine fine gown because I don't know why I never have big hips like you. Thank God we are sharing the same bra size. But sis, your breast is getting bigger o."
Ara laughed. It was something she does a lot whenever she was happy or was talking with her younger sister. There was nothing her sister could not say to her. "Madam flexing, congratulations. Now let me go straight to the reason why I called you." Ara quickly said. "Yesterday, I got a bc that there is a job at the biggest palace here in Lagos for hundred thousand naira weekly."
"Ehnnn! The one and only Mumusi palace. But Sissy, did you just say hundred thousand naira weekly? You can't miss that sis. How many days fasting should I do? Is there any special prayer to pray? You know I don't mind. Anything for you. Or should I come home?"
"Actually," Ara continued with a smile on her face. Her sister and her way of responding to people. "As I'm speaking to you, I'm in the palace. I got the job but," Ara immediately added before her sis could interrupt her. "The second Prince or whatever they call him won't allow me to come home and pack my things."
Omolade hummed to her laughter before bursting it out. "Mad ooo..... Is he planning to share his wardrobe with you or what? What's doing the Prince self? They are starting to show themselves in that palace right? Let's just leave them to avoid trouble. Should I bring your things over?" 
Ara shook her head before opening her mouth. "No. Is too far for you Omoh." Ara finally called her younger sister by her nickname. "I will know what to do about that. Just want you to be aware, and you can tell your mom when you get home tomorrow."
"Our precious mom." Omoh rephrased before laughing at her sister. The relationship between their mom and her sister had changed since Ara stopped working at the shop questioning their Mom and Dad for just using them and not thinking of how she would continue her education with the little they had.
"Anyways Sissy," Omolade said. "Please don't be too gentle because some people were created to take people's gentleness for granted and I know you. And Sissy, please don't smile too much. That your smile ehnnn... I'm still trying to stop these boys here from crushing on you."
Ara laughed. But Omolade meant everything she said. Her elder sister was too gentle for her liking. Ara's smile was something she had to be careful with whenever she was around guys. She accepted that her elder sister, Ara was ten times beautiful than her, but instead, Ara would always tell her younger sister that she was more beautiful and would always remain her pretty little sister. Listening to that, Omoh would always enjoy the compliment because that made her see herself even more beautiful in other ways instead of judging by her appearance alone.
"What network should I send to you?" Ara asked. Omoh had been expecting that, and immediately her response came. "Sis, just bless my bank account so I can start my flexing tomorrow." Her voice shifted from being playful to a pleading voice.
Ara knew that trick and smiled. "No problem. Make sure you read well."
"Yes Sissy. But that will be after I see the alert. That alert is a vibe big sis."
Ara laughed. Her sister was something else. Omoh had been able to ease her stress which she does always. "Will send it now," she promised. "Bye."
"Bye bye sis." The call dropped.
She barely dropped her phone when she heard a whispering voice, and immediately she turned to see Kunbi who slowly walked in. "Ara, no one is allowed here. This is the Second Pri---" Her voice seized when they both heard the sound of a chair moved. Then it moved again. Kunbi suddenly turned pale with her eyes totally submerged into fear. She never prayed to personally come across the figure staring her. No one knows when he was angry or not. The same look that made everyone look down whenever he speaks. 
The tall, dark figure with an athlete body stood up from the corner Ara never thought someone could be hiding. His vintage shirt was unbuttoned all through giving Ara chances to steal a glance at his hard chest. 'He must be gyming to have such a hot body,' Ara thought. His eyes stayed on Ara but she couldn't tell which part of her body he was looking at because he had a dark shades covering his eyes. The look made Ara feel uncomfortable but then, she loved it. Ara wondered why he was looking at her like he knew her before. His face had no traces of smile that Ara was sure the face must have smiled for a long time. His hard frown stole the beauty of his handsomeness, making him look like he wasn't even handsome at all. It gave him a look of a fearful, ugly boss which Ara thought he wasn't aware of it. Finally, he looked away from Ara and dipped his hand into his brown short, bringing out his IPhone.
"We are sorry sir." Kunbi apologized with her head down, but Ara stared back at the hot guy before her unable to look away. Everything around her didn't make any sense. He was tall, dark, handsome, hairy, with a perfect body for a model. She couldn't even hear Kunbi apologizing and telling her to do the same. The guy made no comment and walked out of the building with one hand in his pocket, and the other one pressing his phone.
Kunbi heaved a sigh of relief, resting her back on the wall. "That's the second Prince Ara. Don't ever make a mistake of coming in here. He likes his quiet time. I don't work here at his quarters but he's not a person anyone should ever mixed up with. In this palace, just remember you are here to work and mind your business. And why were you even looking at him that much?"
Ara looked up at Kunbi a bit scared now. "Was I looking at him?" She wasn't even sure of what she said, but she knew Kunbi was giving her a look she doesn't quite understand. And this minding of one's business was starting to get into her head. Right in her mind, she hope he didn't hear everything she said including what her younger sister said because the call was on loud speaker all through.
'I hope I haven't gotten myself into trouble," She prayed.