The Invisible Client.

At exactly 8:47 AM, work had already started in earnest. I sat there in my tiny space clicking through a client's file when an email popped up my notifications, asking me to approve the transfer of a six-figure sum to an offshore account.

"Client insists it must be done before noon. No delays." The last line read.

I squinted my eyes at the screen, trying to make sure what I saw was a fluke. The sender boldly listed as Finance Director but without a client name or a reference number. Just the urgency in the tone. I scanned my previous records. I was looking for something that could match the ID, but nothing matched. In my few years working, I've gathered enough experience to know that money can never be moved without a clear paper trail.

Earlier, as a novice, I had nearly made that mistake, and it almost cost me my job and jail time. So, this time I wasn’t about to act on instinct alone. I called it balderdash and continued with work. But then Amaka, my closest friend at work, walked into the office. I made sure she was all seated when. I showed her the email.

"Babe, see this email? What do you think?" I asked.

I watched as she slipped her glasses from her shirt and put them on. Then she frowned as she scrolled through the email. "Nah. This looks like a problem?"

"Big one."

"Have you checked to see if there is a record..."

"There’s no record of this transaction anywhere." I cut in. I was aware of what she was about to say.

"You know what. Check with Oga Martins"

I locked eyes with her. "Oga Martins?" I turned and looked in the direction of Mr Martin's office. He was a senior Finance Officer and was in charge of our team. Our eyes crossed as he was staring back at me through his glass office. I returned my glare to Amaka. "Babe, report to our boss, who has a reputation for snapping at people who ask too many questions."

She tapped me from her cubicle. "You need to be sure, girl. Don't approve that transfer without asking."

I took a deep breath and reminisced on what Amaka had said. She was right. I needed clarity. I grabbed my notepad and walked straight to his office.

His door was slightly open, and I could hear him on the phone. His voice was low, urgent. I knocked before entering inside. He ended the call.

"Yes?" His countenance was full of irritation.

"Sir, there's an email to approve a six-figure transfer. But on a closer look, there’s no client name or reference attached."

He leaned on his chair with a wave of his hand dismissively. "Just process it. It's a high-profile deal"

"But sir, there’s no actual paper trail..."

"This girl, will you stop being stubborn? If I need your opinion, I'll ask for it" He stood up, his eyes narrowing and full of rage. "I just told you to process it."

I felt a cold knot tightened in my stomach. Mr Martin's actions proved to me that the email wasn't balderdash. But also proved to me that something wasn’t right. That was the right protocol. I wasn't going to approve it until I was sure of where it came from and to whom it was heading.

I left his office, but instead of going back to my desk, I walked past Amaka to the IT department. I needed to know if the email was legit. I was about to take it up to a higher level, yet until I was sure.

"There’s no such transaction on our books. No trace of the email in the finance director’s email logs. Looks forged." The IT guy, Mr Tunde tapped through his computer. Then he leaned back on his seat and looked at me as I bent over to clearly confirm from his monitor.

"But.."

"My advice. Don't approve of it yet." Mr Tunde cuts in. "If you do, the money vanishes. You're taking the fall."

My heart pounded. I felt sick. I didn't even want to imagine what the headline would be. Junior finance officer implicated in multimillion-naira fraud. I shook my head.

"Olorun ma je." God Forbid.

I rushed back to my cubicle. Amaka stared at me with curiosity in her eyes.

"Did you find the source?" she whispered.

"No. It's a fake email. Someone is setting a bait and I'm not falling for it." I raged.

Amaka sat there looking lost in thought. She opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it and returned back to what she was doing. She looked like she had seen a ghost behind me. I turned to see Mr Martins approaching.

"You! My office. Now." He yelled pointing at me.

I quickly followed him, my pulse rising. I got into his office and shut the door. He looked stressed already, yet it was still morning.

"Don't you like your work?" He asked. His face is mean and with a smile.

"I do, sir," I replied, my hands on my back like an innocent child.

"You don't because if you did, you would have approved the transfer."

I looked at him. "I love my job, sir. I'm just trying not to go to jail."

His face darkened. "So you decided to take it to compliance?"

"Yes. And just as I thought sir, the email was forged." I kept my gaze on his face. "Sir, someone is trying to push an illegal transfer through my desk."

"Five percent." His voice dropped surprisingly low.

"What?" I was confused about what he meant.

"Five percent will be your cut."

"You sent that email, sir?" I asked, eyes wide open. Now it was becoming clear to me.

He sat down with a smile. "I expected you not to be this smart. I expected you'd just push the money as it came. But you have no proof even if you try to report me." He poured himself a glass of water. "Even if you did, who do you think they’ll believe? You, a junior officer, or me, the finance manager?"

I clenched my fist. He was right. The junior ones mostly take the fall for the senior officers. It's office politics. I kept mute for some time.

"Go back and process that transfer."

I nodded like an obedient dog and left his office. Not to approve the money but to execute plan B.

I filed a complaint and called IT to trace where the forged email came from. By noon, they returned with proof that it came from Mr Martins' computer. And other unauthorized transfers to an offshore account from his end.

The complaint was moved to the board for further investigation and Mr Martin was relieved of his duty as the Financial manager and placed on suspension.

Till date. I, Amaka, and the rest of the employees await the outcome of the investigation.

[Photo by cottonbro studio:](https://www.pexels.com/photo/empty-workspace-8453