The next day, Chioma slipped into a green dress paired with black flats as she headed to work. Reaching the entrance, she stopped short, her breath caught in her throat. A vibrant sea of red roses cascaded over the doorway, their velvety petals catching the morning light and releasing a wave of sweet fragrance. The sight was undeniably romantic, each bloom meticulously arranged in a breathtaking display. Yet, a knot of unease tightened in her stomach. Who could have done this grand gesture without Emeka Ndubuisi, the restaurant's boss, being aware? Her brows furrowed as she scanned the entrance, searching for a clue to the sender's identity. A smile tugged at her lips, momentarily charmed by the romantic gesture, but a flicker of unease flickered in her eyes. Could it be a proposal? Unlikely, without any warning.
'Who could have done this?' Chioma asked Chisom, who had just arrived in a bright blue dress with her hair styled down. Chisom sported a cheap bracelet she had recently purchased from a street vendor.
'I'm pretty sure it must have been Michael. No one else would dare to do something like this without Sir Emeka's knowledge,' Chisom speculated. 'Why not give him a call to confirm?'
Chioma fumbled with her phone, her fingers trembling slightly as she dialled Michael's number. The sound of ringing echoed from somewhere nearby, making her spin around. There he was, Michael, standing beside a pillar, dressed in a high-end dark-blue Chanel suit, a light-blue tie, and matching shoes. He looked every inch the successful businessman. Chioma found herself unable to tear her gaze away from him, his chiselled features momentarily stealing Chioma's breath.
Recognising the moment between Michael and Chioma, Chisom offered a playful cough and discreetly slipped away inside. Michael, unperturbed by the brief interruption, approached Chioma with his usual charming smile.
'Am I so handsome that you can't take your eyes off me?' he teased, sending a blush creeping up her cheeks. His gaze softened, and he pulled her into a warm embrace. 'I'll be leaving for Lagos tomorrow,' he announced, his voice a low murmur close to her ear. He lifted her chin, his eyes searching hers. 'I'll be back home in three weeks.'
'But that's so far away!' Chioma's eyes welled up with tears at the thought of being without him. She clung to him tightly. 'I'll miss you,' she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
'There's a serious issue that I need to resolve at our Lagos branch office, which will take approximately three weeks... Once I'm done, I'll come back to you, okay?'
'Okay.' Chioma nodded, understanding the urgency of the situation. She knew that if it weren't important, Michael wouldn't be this concerned about going to Lagos. Her heart ached at the prospect of being separated from him for so long, but she tried to stay strong for his sake.
His gaze drifted to the flowers. 'Like them?' he asked, gently stroking her hair.
'I do, but you could have simply called me to inform me about your trip to Lagos instead of surprising me here.'
A playful glint entered his eyes. 'Don't you appreciate that I came to see you?'
'I'm overjoyed.' Chioma flashed a cute and adorable smile. 'Thank you for coming.'
'I had initially planned to take you to my cousin's birthday party and then bring you home. But this emergency took precedence... I promise to introduce you to her once I return.' Michael locked eyes with her and leaned down to kiss her lips. Her lips smelled and tasted delightful, and Michael couldn't help but kiss her more. 'I have to go now,' he whispered, nuzzling her neck and shoulder. He didn't want to let go, yet he didn't want to make her feel pressured or taken advantage of.
Chioma couldn't help but smile, savouring the softness of Michael's lips and the gentle intertwining of their tongues during their brief kiss. Just as she was about to pull away, Chioma's eyes met Jessica's, who stood frozen in the corner, her gaze burning with hostility. Jessica looked stunning in her black pleated dress, white blazer, large gold earrings, and black slingback heels. She was undeniably beautiful, catching Chioma's attention.
Unbeknownst to Chioma, Jessica was seething with jealousy, consumed by an intense anger that made her contemplate violent actions. She clenched her fists, her perfectly manicured nails digging into her palms as she fought the urge to lunge towards Chioma. The desire to experience Michael's kiss fuelled her fury. She knew that Michael had never kissed anyone before, yet here he was, sharing that intimacy with Chioma! Jessica longed for that touch, even a fleeting kiss. However, it was a lowly woman that had touched the pearly lips of Michael before her eyes. Jessica was greatly displeased and she felt even more hatred for Chioma for seducing Michael. She couldn't understand why Michael would choose Chioma, a seemingly plain-looking girl, over her. Wrinkling her nose, she even thought that Chioma's breath smelled of ogiri, convinced that she didn't deserve to taste Michael's scented mouth.
Chioma sensed the hostility in Jessica's eyes and knew that this wouldn't be easily ignored.
'You seem lost. Is something the matter?' Michael noticed Chioma's odd behaviour and waved his elegant hands before her, concern etched on his brow. 'Are you okay? You suddenly seem different.'
Chioma forced a smile, the sweetness not reaching her eyes. 'I'm fine, Michael. Just a bit lost in the moment,' she lied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Michael returned the smile but remained silent, understanding the reason behind Chioma's momentary distraction. It was Jessica, lurking in the corner, observing them.
'You should go now before the customers start arriving,' Chioma said, maintaining her smile.
'Then I shall head to the office.' Michael turned around and walked towards his black Tesla.
In that moment, tears streamed down Jessica's face, blurring her vision. She quickly wiped them away with her hand, smearing mascara across her cheek. Ignoring the sting, she forced a big, fake smile that didn't reach her eyes. With forced confidence, she swayed towards Michael, her hips swaying in a practiced, seductive manner. Her voice, dripping with a feigned sweetness that sent shivers down Chioma's spine, purred, 'Michael, honey, I didn't expect to see you here. What a coincidence!'
Michael's brow furrowed, and swiftly pulled his arm away from Jessica's grasp. He slid into his car and sped off without a word, leaving Jessica standing alone, her smile faltering.
Fury contorted Jessica's face. She spun around, pointing an accusing finger at Chioma, who was about to enter the restaurant. 'This is all your fault!' she spat, her voice trembling with rage.
Chioma felt the heat of Jessica's glare burning into her back, but she ignored it, for she wasn't in the mood to engage in an argument this morning. With a determined stride, she walked into the restaurant, leaving Jessica fuming in her wake.
The sting of rejection fuelled Jessica's anger, her features hardening into a mask of rage, her fists clenching and unclenching at her sides. Ignored, her fury intensified, her expression growing even fiercer, radiating an intense heat that could cook an egg.
As Jessica drove to meet Patricia, tears threatened to spill, her gut twisting with a sickening sensation at the image of Michael kissing Chioma replaying in her mind. Disappointment and fury warred within her, a storm of emotions threatening to consume her. She struggled to hold back the tears that slowly trickled down her face, never expecting that Michael would choose another woman to be by his side, let alone someone like Chioma. The reality hit her hard, igniting a seething rage within her, as thoughts of disappointment and fury consumed her.
Reaching the Njemanze Villa, Jessica parked and sat in the car for a moment, allowing her emotions to subside. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself, dabbed at her tear-stained cheeks with a tissue retrieved from her bag, and stepped out of the car.
Entering the house, she spotted Patricia descending the stairs, a glass of wine swirling in her hand.
Patricia's gaze fell on Jessica's red-rimmed eyes. 'You've been crying,' she stated, her voice laced with concern.
Jessica, unable to hold back any longer, rushed towards Patricia and buried her face in her shoulder, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Patricia held Jessica close, stroking her back soothingly. 'Remember, darling, never hide your true self from me,' she whispered. 'You're my girl, and the only one worthy of being with my son.'
'I saw him Michael kissing that witch!' Jessica choked out, her voice thick with emotion.
Patricia sighed. 'It was just a kiss, Jessica. Michael has met countless women. A kiss doesn't mean anything.'
'But it means everything to me. Do you know why? Because Michael has never kissed anyone before or engaged in any intimate acts. But he let that trash seduce him! Despite Michael being surrounded by numerous beautiful women, he never showed interest in any of them. He wasn't obsessed with women and never had any passion for them. I thought I was the only one who captured his heart. I was deluded in my fantasy. Only that lowly girl was able to capture his heart so effortlessly.'
Patricia was aware that Michael had never been in a relationship before. Even though she had publicly announced that Michael was engaged to Jessica, she knew that Michael disliked such rumours but had chosen not to address them. In Michael's eyes, his relationship with Jessica was nothing more than idle gossip. He didn't care about Jessica and paid no attention to such tabloid news, confident that these baseless rumours would eventually fade away.
Patricia led Jessica to a seat, and a maid appeared with two glasses of wine. Jessica took a sip, the cool liquid momentarily soothing the burning in her throat. As she finished her drink, a flicker of determination returned to her eyes.
'I feel better now,' she declared, her voice regaining its strength.
Patricia smiled knowingly. 'You'll feel even better when I tell you this,' she said, raising her glass. 'Michael is leaving for Lagos tomorrow. He'll be staying at the Sharton Hotel in the presidential suite.'
Jessica's lips curved into a triumphant smile. 'What about Audrey's birthday?' she asked, her voice laced with a newfound confidence. 'Won't he be there for his cousin?'
Patricia's smile faltered slightly. 'There's an emergency at the Lagos branch, and Michael needs to be there...' she began, leaving the sentence unfinished.
Jessica didn't need to hear the rest. She had gained the upper hand, and a sense of satisfaction washed over her.
'When is his flight?' she asked, her voice barely a whisper, barely containing her excitement.
'Seven in the morning. I'll send you his flight number. You can follow him there and make him yours.'
Satisfied with the information, Jessica stood up, kissed Patricia's cheek, and headed out to prepare for her flight tomorrow. While in Lagos, she planned to secretly send some men to teach Chioma a lesson and make an attempt to win Michael over. She believed that no one would blame her for any tragedy that befell Chioma since she would be in Lagos at the time. As she glanced at a man walking his dog through the rearview mirror, a sigh escaped her lips, not of sorrow this time, but of chilling fulfillment.