He typed rapidly on the keyboard. The screen flickered, the numbers blurred. A red light came on next to the virtual engine.
Olivia scanned the data, her eyes narrowed.
« It’s neither the turbine nor the fuel supply, » she murmured. « It’s a vibration sensor that’s sending back values that are too high. Either the sensor is loose, or the calibration offset is incorrect. »
She typed in a few commands, isolating the area.
— Look: the vibration pattern doesn’t correspond to the actual stress. It’s a software echo. A simple recalibration will suffice. If it were a real fault, I would first check the physical assembly, but I can assure you that the motor itself is fine.
The red light disappeared. A message confirmed on the screen: *Sensor calibration error resolved*.
The room remained silent. The silver-haired woman spoke first:
— She’s right. Absolutely right.
The man with glasses leaned back against his chair, his face pale.
Andrew gave an almost imperceptible smile.
— So? You see, now?
The woman in red crossed her arms.
— We cannot deny his genius. But genius is not enough. Running a branch requires discipline, leadership, and resilience.
Andrew stood up. His voice filled the room.
— Olivia has all three. She survived the death of her parents in the most tragic circumstances. She endured two years of living on the streets, and yet, her knowledge still burns within her like a torch that has never stopped burning. If that isn’t resilience, what is?
The woman with the bun nodded slowly.
— Perhaps it’s time we stopped underestimating women like her.
She turned to Olivia.
— Miss Williams, if we entrust Lagos, our largest branch in Africa, to you, what will you do with it?
Olivia’s heart was pounding. She glanced at Andrew, then at the executives.
— I will make it more profitable than any other antenna in the world. Not out of pride, but to prove that no tragedy, no circumstance can bury true potential.
No one spoke at first. Then the man with glasses sighed and put down his pen.
— Let’s give him a chance. I can’t deny what I just saw.
The woman in red pursed her lips, but nodded briefly.
Finally, the silver-haired woman gave a slight smile.
— Welcome to JJ Jet Maintenance, Olivia Williams. From today, Lagos is yours.
The words struck Olivia like a thunderclap. Tears blurred her vision. She bowed her head, murmuring:
– THANKS.
Andrew’s hand gently rested on his shoulder.
— You deserved it.
But as they left the room, Andrew’s phone vibrated. His face changed as he read the message. Worried lines creased his forehead.
Olivia noticed it.
— Sir, is something wrong?
Andrew’s lips tightened.
— It seems not everyone is happy with this decision. You might face some opposition in Lagos.
Olivia’s stomach knotted. She had barely stepped back into the life she thought was lost, and already, someone seemed ready to snatch it away from her.
The door to the future was open, but shadows were looming just behind it.
—
The return flight to Lagos had a different feel. The Challenger’s jet vibrated with a kind of silent pride. The same engine Olivia had saved was now carrying her toward a future she never thought possible.
Andrew, sitting opposite her, kept making phone calls to organize her onboarding. Olivia should have felt victorious, but a lingering worry clouded her heart. His words in London still echoed in her mind:
You might encounter some opposition in Lagos.
Upon landing, journalists were already waiting for them on the tarmac. Flashes went off. Cameras whirred. The news had spread: a homeless girl had succeeded where trained engineers had failed. Andrew put an arm around Olivia to protect her while security guided them through the crowd.
Inside JJ Jet Maintenance’s new Lagos branch, the tension rose another notch. The hangar gleamed with fresh paint. The equipment was perfectly arranged. The staff lined up for the presentations. But beneath this impeccable presentation, Olivia sensed skepticism.
Sam was there too. Andrew had invited him to witness his first steps as site manager. His face expressed both respect and guilt. He still remembered how he had laughed at her, and that memory weighed heavily on him.
The regional director, Mr. Adéwalé, stepped forward. His handshake was stiff.
« So, you’re the young woman the newspapers are talking about, » he said in a flat voice. « I confess I find it hard to accept that someone so inexperienced is leading our biggest African operation. »
Olivia calmly fixed her gaze on his, despite the frantic beating of her heart.
« Don’t judge me by where I’ve been, » she replied gently, « but by what I can accomplish. »
A murmur rippled through the staff. Some seemed impressed, others skeptical.
Barely a week after taking up his post, the ordeal arrived.
A Gulfstream jet belonging to a very important client reported a serious engine problem just before an international flight. Panic gripped the Lagos office: failure would ruin their reputation before Olivia even had time to settle in.
Adéwalé crossed his arms.
« Let’s see what the ‘miracle girl’ can do, » he said, his voice full of doubt.
Olivia swallowed her fear.
— Bring the plane in.
The jet was towed into the hangar. The mechanics gathered, murmuring. Olivia circled the engine, her hand gliding over the metal as if searching for a heartbeat. She closed her eyes, recalling the years spent in the lecture hall, the books devoured, the passion never truly extinguished.
« It’s not a fuel problem, » she declared after a few minutes of silence. « It’s a faulty air intake valve. It’s stuck open under load, which is causing the air the compressor needs to leak out. That’s why it’s stalling. »
Sam took a step.
« She’s right, » he said without hesitation this time. « I had noticed the same signs, but she put it into words before I did. »
Adéwalé frowned.
— Fix it, then. If you fail, this whole antenna fails with you.
With a practiced hand, Olivia took charge of the repair. She directed the team, explaining each step, demonstrating the logic behind every decision. Within hours, the engine was tested and roared to life once more.
The astonished client shook her hand personally and promised to talk about her everywhere.
For the first time, the Lagos staff began to applaud her openly. But Olivia spotted Adéwalé at the back of the hangar, his jaw clenched.
His pride had been wounded. And wounded pride easily turns into conspiracy.
That evening, Olivia sat alone in her office. The cheers of her teams still hummed faintly outside the hangar, but her heart remained heavy. She had, once again, proven herself. Yet, Adéwalé’s gaze promised her that this wouldn’t be the end of it.
There was a knock at the door. Andrew entered, his face lit up with pride.
— You have done in one week what many do not accomplish in years. Lagos is reborn under your leadership.
Olivia gave a tired smile.
— But not everyone believes in me.
« It doesn’t matter, » said Andrew. « Envy is louder than applause. But believe me, you’ve planted something here that no one can uproot. »
Before she could answer, there was another knock. Jerry entered.
Andrew’s son was taller than she had imagined, with a gentle smile and eyes that took her in with kind curiosity. He had just returned from London after completing his MBA, ready to resume his role as the company’s finance officer.
« So, it’s you, Olivia, I keep hearing about, » he said softly. « The woman who repaired my father’s jet and now runs Lagos. »
Olivia blushed.
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