The shadow of trust

Mark sat in his bedroom looking at the ceiling like someone who was counting the rotation of the ceiling fan hanging. The past week had been so devastating for him. He lost everything he had worked hard for in the twinkle of an eye. His confidant, brother, related everything, leaving him dumbfounded after he made away with his hard-earned savings.

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Mark and Japhet had been friends since childhood. Their parents were friends so we could call them friends by birth. They attended the same primary, secondary, and higher institutions. Some mistake them for twin except for their surnames that was different. They shared things, secrets, visions, ambitions, and goals together. Mark was hardworking while Japhet loves to enjoy himself. He doesn't work as much as Mark does because he believes he came to the world to enjoy and not to suffer.

"Guy, take it easy, you've been on this system for more than two hours. What exactly are you looking for?, Japheth would ask Mark anytime he was working on the laptop.

"Opportunities don't wait for anyone, we have to look for them. We need clients to sponsor our ideas, or for how long would we continue to take loans to sustain the business?" Mark would reply.

"You mean this fashion business of yours, it's not really my thing, I'm just assisting you because you mean so much to me", this has always been Japheth's response.

Even with all this, Mark never pays attention to Japheth's words, because he knew him to be an unserious person. Their friendship was what mattered to Mark; this made him not see Japheth's mistakes. There are times Japheth would collect contracts from schools and spend the proceeds alone while Mark does the bulk of the work, yet he never complains. Gradually, Mark was building the business, making it a household name. "Marjep House of Fashion" was the name given to the fashion business because it was run by Mark and Japheth. Many clients would come back because of Mark's great skills and also referred him to their friends and families. This contributed to the fast pace at which the business was growing.

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In no time, they rented a big shop, made big shelves to accommodate customers' clothes, and also made customised nylon to pack their clients' orders. This gave Mark and Japheth a head up among their competitors. They were seen as educated fashion designers. They also make use of social media platforms to market their business, and this has helped them a lot. Gradually, they began to sew for people who matter in society.

Just as the business picked up, Japheth decided to ruin it all by making away with the business funds worth five million naira. Mark was shocked to the marrow. He never expected such a terrible act from someone he regarded as family. This left him in pain because, as Japheth ran away with the money, they had a project for a school at hand. Mark had to take out a loan to complete the project in order not to run into debt. Japheth's wicked act left a scar in Mark's heart as he tried to move on and focus more on his business. He reported the situation to his parents and Japheth's parents but there was nothing they could do about it.

Thanks for your time, and your comments will be appreciated.

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