The moment I met you (Chapter 43)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

‘Star Restaurant is always open for you.’                                    

‘I appreciate.’                                                                                  

‘You can begin work tomorrow.’                                                             

Chioma replied with a dancing emoji. If she couldn’t find a lucrative job, she could make-do with Star Restaurant. She would have to begin tomorrow.                                                                                                                   

Still bothered with the issue of Jessica, Chioma decided to Google about her.  And just as she had thought, Jessica turned out to be the daughter of Imo State governor, Emmanuel Nnaji. She was shocked when she read about her profile. It was said that Jessica was Michael’s fiancée. She had studied Mass Communication in one of the reputable universities in the United States of America, the University of California. Jessica had also furthered her education in the United Kingdom, at the University of Leeds.
                                                                                               

Chioma didn’t know whether to cry or laugh at her discovery. Knowing that her chances of being with Michael were slim, tears stole into her eyes.                                                                                                                

 Then her eyes caught the smiling photo of Michael standing next to Jessica.  In the photo Michael was wearing an Italian handmade collared shirt. It was said that the designers of the dress were specialised for making clothes for royal families. The dress was adorned with blue diamonds. Chioma wondered how much the dress could have cost. Perhaps it was ten or fifteen million dollars worth of dress. She couldn’t help but think that it could have cost that much. Nothing was said about where the blue buttons on Michael’s dress was produced. Chioma felt that the blue diamond buttons could have been produced from either South Africa or Namibia. She had read about South Africa’s blue diamonds.

Chioma couldn’t help but stare at Michael’s beautiful face. She seemed wrapped with his beautiful eyelashes. Wasn’t it unfair for a man to have such beautiful eyelashes, well chiseled face? Michael was so handsome that no matter how crossed you’re with him, it was impossible to hate him. His charming smile was enough to make an angry person become happy again.

The moment I met you (Chapter 42)

 

By Nightengle Ben-Onyeukwu

At this same moment in the home of the Chimas, Chioma was lying in bed browsing facebook with her phone. To her surprise she saw that she was the most searched hashtag. Why would anyone write about her? Though her name wasn’t in the story, she knew that she was the one. Her picture and that of Michael were in the story. It was about the accident that happened earlier today. Michael’s name was written but the story wasn’t written in details. Paparazzos were good at sneaking photos. She read the title of the story; Michael Njemanze will never be seduced by cheap women. She clicked on it and found that both Jessica and Michael’s fans were railing at her for trying to break Jessica and Michael apart.                        

Chioma was too lazy to be bothered with the trash talk that flooded the screen. She didn’t do anything wrong and so have no reason to be afraid. Netizens were good with talking trash. She wasn’t even popular. She was only a poor girl, from a poor background. But her only fear and worry was about Michael. Could he be engaged? Was he really married?  Who really was this Jessica? Could she be the daughter of the governor of Imo State? If she were the daughter of Imo State, then she might not have the chance with Michael, right? She thought. She wished that her thoughts were wrong. Perhaps, Chioma was being a bit selfish with her thoughts.

A few moments later she received a Whatsapp message from Emeka Ndubuisi.‘You know who is Michael Njemanze, right?’

‘I know that he is the president of CBN,’ Chioma replied mockingly.  Chioma recently found out about Michael when she glanced through the address card Michael had given her earlier today. Though she tossed the card and money back at Michael when she felted insulted by the way he showed off his wealth, she was still quick to get his name. Then, when she returned home, she browsed about Michael Njemanze. ‘What do I care about him? He made me lose my job!’ she was a bit angry.                                                                                                    

Chioma now knew that Michael was not only the CEO of Moon Corporation. He was an incredibly powerful individual. She had no doubts about Michael’s personality, because from the first moment that she met him, she felt that he was someone who possessed a noble status.

The moment I met you (Chapter 41)

 

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

‘Michael, you know how much I love you, right?’                                              

Michael stopped in his tracks, not understanding why his mother suddenly said that.                                                                                     

With one hand on the door handle and the other in his trouser pocket, Michael turned around slowly. His every move was alluring and enchanting, no wonder he was pursued my so many women. Men were not out of the chase because most of them wanted him to become their gay partner.  Michael would never give them the chance. He was an honourable man.                                                                             

Patricia looked at him and said, ‘you must marry a woman that would never bring shame upon this family. She must be someone from a good background. I wonder who will be more qualified than Jessica.’                    

Michael didn’t say a word. Then he pulled open the door and stepped out of the room. He understood the meaning behind her words.                             

Jessica’s family was the second richest in Nigeria. She was a princess in her family and was given everything that she wanted. Her father was the governor of Imo state and also the chairman of Nnaji group, which was the second highest company in Nigeria, with Moon Corporation leading the way.                                                                                      

Michael wouldn’t marry her because she was wealthy. He wouldn’t mind cutting ties with the Nnaji’s family. But he didn’t want it to get to that point. He had known Jessica since she was a child and so would still want the relationship between the two families to remain. But he wished Jessica wouldn’t force his hands to cut off the ties. He was a man that was capable to make anyone disappear.                                   

The moment I met you (Chapter 40)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

‘I won’t go,’ Michael refused.                                                                  

‘Why?’ Patricia raised an eyebrow. ‘If you want, you and Jessica could go alone and pick him up.’ She thought Michael wanted to have the time alone with Jessica while going to pick Edward from the airport since he was always busy with work and never had time to go on dates with Jessica. But she was wrong.                                                                                   

‘Mum, you and Jessica could go and pick dad up. I don’t want to ride in the same car with Jessica so that she wouldn’t have her hopes high.’                                                                                                                       

‘Jessica will feel bad with your decision. Don’t you think that you’re being harsh?’                                                                                                         

‘I don’t care about what she feels. I don’t want to keep her hanging. She has the chance to have as many men as she wants… I’m not a part of that chance. She’s not the one for me.’                                                

‘Then who’s the one for you?’ Patricia demanded.                                 

Michael was silent for a moment. He couldn’t bring himself to tell his mother that he was already in love with Chioma Chima whom he just met yesterday by chance. He wasn’t ready to tell his mother about the girl. He was afraid of too many questions that his mother would ask. He doesn’t know anything about the girl. He only bumped into her at Jimmy Carter Street. And today he brushed her by accident with his car. There will be questions which he wouldn’t be able to answer. But there was one thing he was certain of and that was, he fell in love with Chioma Chima the moment he met her. She was his better half. His heart’s better half. Whether she was poor or rich, he was certain that she was the one for him. 

He looked at his wristwatch. ‘It’s already late. Get some sleep.’                                                                                                                    

‘You look cute when you’re serious,’ she smiled at Michael.

 ‘Mum, go on ahead and sleep.’ Michael didn’t want to continue with the topic and turned to leave.                     

The moment I met you (Chapter 39)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

‘If you don’t leave peacefully, I’ll toss you out,’ Michael said in the tone that brooked no objection. Tossing the words at her, Michael walked out of the room.                                                                                              

Jessica rolled her eyes at Michael’s back. ‘ Do you damn think I will let you go that easily, you might win today, but I will stick to you until you’ll have no choice than to marry me.’                                                        

Michael went to his mother’s room when he found out that she was no longer in the living room. With a solemn face, he pushed Patricia’s bedroom door open and entered. He didn’t like the idea of his parents pairing him and Jessica. Jessica might have been his childhood friend but that doesn’t mean he would have to marry her. Feelings can’t be forced. He barged into the room with fury. But he paused when he saw that she was on the phone. She seemed to be speaking to Edward, her husband.                                                                

 With her long glossy dark hair draping on her pillow, Patricia looked young and beautiful. She was leaning on the headboard of the king-size bed she shared with her husband and having a video-chat on her mobile phone. Her phone was Ceramic black Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus Smartphone.                                                         

Michael waited patiently until she ended the video call. Patricia glanced at Michael and smiled when she hung up.                                                

 ‘Son, your father wants the three of us to pick him up from the airport tomorrow evening. Isn’t that great?                                                       

 ‘Three of us?’ Michael knew what she meant, and was furious with such decision.                                                                                                       

Patricia nodded with a sweet smile. ‘Your father wants his arrival to be low- key. He is trying to avoid paparazzi and their busy body. Jessica is already a part of our family so I asked her to come over as she will be following us to the airport.’     

The moment I met you (Chapter 38)

By Nigtengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Michael scoffed and said, ‘you have never been my woman. You’re just my childhood friend, even though is very clear that I gave you a few years gap and it was also clear that i never wanted you around me.’                                                                                

‘Don’t speak nonsense.’ She turned back to look at Michael. ‘Being your childhood friend makes me your childhood sweetheart.’             

Michael laughed mockingly, and then he walked over to the wine rack in his room and filled a glass of wine. ‘Young girl, don’t act like a crazy fool. I’m never your man and will never be.’ He lifted the glass to his thin lips and took a sip. ‘Stop making your life appear like you are in Asian drama series or maybe soap opera. You don’t even qualify to be a lead female character of a movie. It doesn’t suit you.’ He curved his lips coldly. ‘You can only qualify to act dead.’                                                         

       

‘I don’t understand the nonsense you said, I just love you, so I will stick to you and we will get married sooner or later. You can’t change destiny.’ Jessica stroked down a few strands of hair that was out of place, this was a simple movement yet was alluring and enchanting. But Michael seemed not to notice the existence of her beauty. Even with the white silk sleep dress that obviously made her look sexy, Michael wasn’t at all interested in her. ‘For you, I will be willing to play dead,’ she muttered.                                        

‘I want you to go home,’ Michael said, not looking at her.        

‘Why would I do that?’                                                          

‘Because this isn’t your home, got that?’ Michael tilted his head to look at Jessica.                                                                                                           

Jessica charmingly rolled her eyes at Michael and said, ‘Aunt Patricia asked me to stay, you can’t make me leave.’                                               

‘So?’                                                                                                                   

‘So, I’m going to sleep over. I have slept in this mansion before…’ she lowered her head and played with her manicured nails. ‘You can’t make me leave.’          

The moment I met you (Chapter 37)

 

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

The moment Michael entered his luxurious room, he saw Jessica lying on the sofa in his bedroom while an Indian drama was playing on the tablet she was holding. Her hair was tied up in a bun, thereby revealing her exquisitely dark glowing neck that could make a man stop in his track just to stare at her over and over again. She was very beautiful and was described as breathtaking by everyone that came across her. She possessed the kind of beauty that could give men a million dreams.                   

Jessica revealed a seductive smile when she noticed Michael’s presence in the room. ‘Michael, come and watch with me.’ She gestured for him to come.  ‘I’m sure you’ll like this romantic Indian movie.’ She rose to her feet. Smiling, she untied her bunned up hair, causing the soft and smooth dark hair to fall on her beautiful and tender face.                                                                                    

Michael glared at her. ‘Who let you inside my room?’                                 

Jessica put her tablet down and walked over barefooted; she placed one of her hands over Michael’s shoulder and said with a sweet smile that got Michael furious, ‘Your mother let me inside’. She had a really nice-sounding voice that could melt any man’s heart. ‘Aunt Patricia said that I will be going to the airport with you tomorrow evening to pick your father from the airport.’                                                        

‘You don’t have to worry. I will get someone from the company to pick him up,’ replied Michael coldly.                                                                        

‘Silly… would you prefer someone else pick up your father?’ Jessica exclaimed. It was obvious that she wasn’t pleased with Michael’s reply.                  

      ‘What’s your business with my decision?’ Michael seemed to know her tricks. ‘You want paparazzi to take pictures of us?  So that we will be the most searched on social media?’                                                                

Jessica bit her lower lip and felt wronged. ‘Aren’t you my boyfriend? We are already the most searched on social media.’ She turned her face away. ‘Michael I’m not an outsider. I’m your woman. We’ve known ourselves since we were children.’