The Moment I Met You (Chapter 429)

 By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

At the Moon Corporation, after about three hours meeting, Michael returned to his office and picked up the documents on his desk and began to go through them.                                                                                    

 ‘Sir Michael you have a visitor.’                                                                        

‘Who is it?’                                                                                                         

‘She is Sharon Ojukwu. The daughter to the president,’Robert reported.                                                                                                              

Michael knew who she was even though he wasn’t close to her. ‘Let her in.’ Michael didn’t look up from the documents he was flipping through.                                                                                   

‘Michael, I’m sorry if I disturbed you.’ Sharon walked in with a smile and nodded at Michael politely. She was wearing a nude trench dress, white pumps and a bracelet. Instead of a clutch or handbag, she was holding Michelle Obama’s American Grown.

  ‘It’s fine. Please do sit down.’ Michael looked cool and aloof as usual. He didn’t seem to put interest in any other woman except for Chioma Chima.                                                                                                          

Assistant Robert came in with a cup of tea and placed it before Sharon.                                                                                                                             

‘Thank you.’ Sharon smiled at Robert politely without any arrogance of a daughter of the president of the country. She looked down-to-earth. Robert admired her for her humility. After all, her father was the number one citizen of Nigeria and she was the first daughter of the country, and so should be arrogant like most girls who are born into money. But no, Sharon was lovable and nice.

 ‘Why have you come?’                                                                                      

‘Michael, I know it’s not proper for me to come without any appointment. But I still came because I wanted to talk to you about something.’                                         

 ‘I am listening,’ Michael said in a mild tone, not wanting to make her feel he doesn’t want to listen to her.                                                                

‘Thank you, Michael. Here is the thing, I know that Jessica has committed lots of crime that should land her in jail, but I’m begging you as her best friend to be lenient with her. She’s just doing everything out of frustration.’                                      

 ‘Okay…but I am not the law.’                                                                  

‘I understand…but Mr Michael I know that my request isn’t right, but my friend is so young to go to gaol. I will lose my best friend if she goes to gaol…I just want you to forgive her already.’                               

‘Your request is received. You’re Jessica’s friend. I will do my best to make sure she was punished a little.’                                                                   

Uncertainly, Sharon stood up and bowed to Michael. ‘Thank you, President Michael.’                                                                                             

‘Always welcome.’                                                                                         

‘I won’t waste more of your time. I should take my leave.’                    

After Sharon left the Moon Corporation, Robert came in to take the tea away as he jokingly said, ‘Sir Michael, Sharon seem down-to-earth. I admire her flawless skin.’                                                                                 

‘Are you interested in her?’ Michael raised an eyebrow.                    

‘No, no, no. I’m not. I am not even qualified to begin with. She will fit young master Felix.’

‘Is Felix in the company?’                                                                               

‘Peter told me that Sir Felix is in a meeting with a foreign client.’                 

‘All right. You may leave.’                                                                           

After Robert left, Michael continued working again.

 

Louisa along with her children had settled inside their new rented home after hours of putting things in place. Chisom and Daniel as well as their old neigbours had come also to help. Louisa was so grateful that she cooked delicious pot of garnished rice for them.                         

As they were happily eating the food, Chioma headed into the lit bedroom and sent a video-chat invitation to Michael who had just changed into a robe and was sitting on his bedroom sofa enjoying a glass of red wine.                                                                                                   

Answering the call, Michael gave his most winning smile.‘Chioma…’                                                                                                                       

Chioma smiled sweetly at him. She looked at Michael’s chin that tilted up, giving him a more defined jawline like a perfectly carved sculpture. This mesmerising face of Michael would undoubtedly make anyone’s heart flutter. Chioma felt nervous at the thought but still looked at the screen and said, ‘I am back in Abuja.’                                        

  ‘Then I should come already.’ Michael stood up to go to her.            

‘Not in the old house,’Chioma said quickly. ‘You don’t have to come. I don’t want to drag you down anymore.’                                                

‘Send me the address.’ Michael ignored what Chioma was saying. ‘I need to come and throw a house-warming party for the new house.’       

    ‘No, it’s fine. I don’t need that,’ Chioma declined. ‘We do not have plans to throw a house-warming party. My family has been in too many troubles…I don’t want that in our new house. We just need peace and quiet.’                                                                                                                                  

‘I’ll listen to you then.’ After he spoke, Michael raised the glass to his lips. ‘I’m happy you have moved back to Abuja. I know that you must have received so many job offers, you can accept any of them.’                

  Chioma nodded, holding onto the bed sheet. ‘I haven’t considered the best one for me yet.’                                                                      

‘Chioma, if you’re still willing to work for me, then I will hire you. All you need to do is to tell me which area you want to work in, Moon Corporation has many subsidiaries, and I am sure that there is one that suits you. But if you don’t want to, I won’t pressure you. I will help you find a suitable job at a better company. Moon Corporation is the best, other ones are better and good.’                                                                                    

‘Of course I want to find a better job. I want to become the top manager of an international company,’ Chioma replied confidently. ‘But I don’t want to hastily leave Star Restaurant. My boss asked me to come back with a raised salary.’                                                                               

‘Chioma, what actually do you want to do with your life?’                     

   ‘I just need to travel to a small coastal city with my brother and mother and buy a sea view house with a terrace. Then, I will open a blissful food stall downstairs with my family and cook delicious seafood, selling them to all kinds of people.’    

 ‘Is that your only wish in this world?’                                                                

Chioma nodded, laughing.                                                                      

‘If I am not in that dream of yours, then heaven will not answer it,’ Michael joked.                                                                                                     

‘Of course I will move in with you to fulfill my other dreams,’ Chioma laughed.

Michael smiled. He was glad to become a part of Chioma’s dreams.