For the first time in a long while… Anthony was bored.
Truly bored.
No alerts.
No silent calculations.
No guiding whispers from the system shaping his next move.
Just… stillness.
The day felt long and boring.
It felt unnatural.
He leaned back on the couch, fingers tapping lightly against the armrest, eyes half-lidded in mild irritation.
Ever since his fate had changed, his life had been a constant storm of movement, decisions, and power plays.
Now?
Nothing.
“Brotherrrr…”
Anthony didn’t even look up.
“Anthonyyyyy…”
A pause.
“…I’m not deaf,” he replied flatly.
Pelumi appeared in front of him, hands on her waist, eyes narrowed in dramatic annoyance.
“You’ve been ignoring me for the past ten minutes.”
“I’ve been enjoying silence,” he corrected.
She gasped as if offended.
“I changed my major for my future and this is how you treat me?”
Anthony raised a brow.
“Your future requires a shopping?”
“Yes!” she snapped immediately.
“New major, new life, new wardrobe. It’s a rule.”
He stared at her.
Unmoved.
Uninterested.
“…Take me shopping,” she added, dragging the words now, her tone turning into a persistent, buzzing whine.
Anthony closed his eyes.
And there it was.
That sound.
Relentless.
Persistent.
Annoyingly consistent.
Like a mosquito that refused to die.
“Anthonyyyyy…”
He exhaled sharply and stood up.
“Fine.”
Pelumi froze.
“…Wait, really?”
“I would rather face a hostile boardroom than listen to you for another five minutes.”
She squealed, instantly grabbing her phone.
“Let’s go!”
Anthony paused halfway.
“…I have no idea about women stuff.”
“Isabella will be busy at the company…”
Pelumi blinked.
“Oh.”
A beat.
Anthony sighed and pulled out his phone.
“I’ll call Adaora.”
An hour later—
A sleek convoy rolled into one of the most exclusive shopping districts on the Island.
Glass, steel, and polished luxury stretched as far as the eye could see.
Every storefront screamed wealth in a language only the elite could understand.
Adaora stepped out first, composed and effortlessly stylish.
“You needed help shopping?” she asked, glancing at Anthony with mild amusement.
“She’s the one in need of help,” Anthony replied.
Pelumi laughed.
“He’s useless.”
“I heard that.”
They had barely stepped inside the high-end complex when Pelumi’s phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
“Isabella?”
Anthony’s gaze shifted slightly.
Pelumi picked up.
“Hey! Where are you?”
A faint voice echoed from the other end.
“I’m at your brother’s place. He’s not here.”
Pelumi blinked.
“Oh, yeah—we came out shopping.”
A pause.
“Where?”
Pelumi mentioned the location.
Another pause.
Longer this time.
“…Tell him to wait for me,” Isabella said calmly.
“Alright.”
She ended the call.
“She’s coming,” she said.
Anthony nodded once.
“We wait.”
None of them realized—
The building they stood in… was one of the Adeyemi family’s crown properties.
Minutes later—
Two people came down from a newly arrived car.
Anthony sighted them, the moment they came down from the car.
His expression didn’t change.
But his eyes… sharpened.
Her.
And him.
His ex.
And the man who had humiliated him… the same day he lost everything.
The irony was almost poetic.
They hadn’t noticed him yet.
They were laughing.
Arrogant.
Then—
Their eyes met.
A flicker of recognition.
Then amusement.
“Well, well,” the man smirked, adjusting his designer cufflinks.
“If it isn’t… you.”
Anthony said nothing.
His ex let out a soft, mocking laugh, folding her arms.
“Still walking around like you belong here?” she said.
Anthony’s gaze remained calm.
Unbothered.
That annoyed them more.
The man scoffed.
“Places like this aren’t for people like you.”
Anthony tilted his head slightly.
“People like me?” he repeated.
“Yes,” the man said, stepping closer.
“People who get left behind.”
His ex chuckled.
“Or dumped.”
They both laughed.
Then—deliberately—they turned away from him.
Anthony ex blink at Adaora.
She laughed.
“You chose to stay with this loser?”
“Don’t talk to losers dear. We should head in.”
The man glanced at Anthony.
“And I have them to reserve the Louis Vuitton bag you requested for.”
“Really.”
Pelumi was hopping mad at their love display.
But Adaora was holding her back.
“Come on,” the man said loudly.
“Let’s actually shop where it matters.”
They walked into one of the most exclusive stores in the complex—
Without looking back.
Pelumi was fuming.
“What was that?!” she snapped, glaring in their direction.
Anthony shrugged slightly.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?!” she almost exploded.
He glanced at her.
Calm.
Controlled.
“I don’t need to respond to everything.”
But deep down—
He wasn’t unaffected.
Not because of their words.
But because of what they represented.
His past.
A version of him that no longer existed.
Moments later—
Isabella arrived.
Her presence alone shifted the atmosphere.
Elegant.
Composed.
Unquestionably dominant.
She immediately noticed Pelumi’s expression.
“What happened?” she asked.
“Nothing,” Anthony said before Pelumi could speak.
Isabella’s eyes lingered on him.
She didn’t believe him.
But she didn’t push.
“…Let’s shop,” she said instead.
Inside the most exclusive boutique—
Luxury wasn’t displayed.
It was whispered.
Pelumi and Isabella disappeared into the dressing area almost immediately.
Racks of high fashion, custom pieces, and limited editions surrounded them.
“Try this.”
“No—this one.”
“Oh, this is perfect.”
Their excitement filled the space.
“You can join them ”
Adaora was stunned.
And sprint towards the shopping ladies.
It’s actually true.
That a lady shopping, usually forget to maintain their image!
What a hassle.
Anthony stood off to the side.
Alone.
Watching.
Then—
“Ah… there he is again.”
Anthony didn’t need to turn.
He already knew.
The man and his ex approached, smirks already in place.
“Where are your companions?” the man asked mockingly.
“Left you already?”
His ex laughed softly.
“Of course they did. Did you really think women like that would stay around someone like you?”
Anthony said nothing.
The man leaned closer.
“Let me give you advice,” he added.
“Don’t aim above your level.”
A pause. Get faster updates on g.com.
Then, with pride—
“My father is the Managing Director of Zenith PetroEnergy Group.”
He smirked.
Power.
Status.
Authority.
All wrapped in one sentence.
Unfortunately for him—
He didn’t realize where he was standing.
Unaware by the arrogant rich guy and Anthony’s ex.
The three shopping devil’s were back!.
And Isabella couldn’t take it.
“Is that so?”
A calm voice cut through the tension.
All heads turned.
Isabella.
She stepped forward slowly, her gaze sharp, unreadable.
Pelumi and Adaora stood behind her.
Silent.
Observing.
“You said Zenith PetroEnergy Group?” Isabella asked.
The man straightened slightly, confident again.
“Yes.”
A faint smile touched her lips.
“…Interesting.”
She pulled out her phone.
Dialed.
Placed it on speaker.
It rang once.
Twice.
Then—
“Miss Adeyemi?” a nervous voice answered instantly.
Isabella’s gaze never left the man.
“Relieve the Managing Director of Zenith PetroEnergy Group of his duties,” she said calmly.
“Effective immediately.”
Silence.
Then—
“Yes, ma’am.”
The call ended.
The man’s smile disappeared.
“What… what was that?” he stammered.
Isabella stepped closer.
“You should ask your father.”
Seconds later—
His phone rang.
His hands trembled as he answered.
“Dad—”
The voice on the other end exploded.
“What did you do?!”
The man froze.
“I—I don’t—”
“Who did you offend?!”
A string of curses followed—sharp, furious, unfiltered.
Then—
“Don’t come home,” his father snapped.
The call ended.
Just like that.
Everything… gone.
Silence filled the store.
His ex stared at him, her face draining of color.
“This… this isn’t real…”
But it was.
Very real.
Isabella turned away as if it no longer concerned her.
Then—
She walked up to Anthony.
Without hesitation—
She slipped her hand through his arm.
Firm.
Possessive.
Victorious.
Her gaze flicked briefly toward his ex.
“…How blind,” she said softly.
A pause.
“Your loss.”
Not his.
Anthony didn’t speak.
But for the first time—
There was a faint, undeniable smile on his lips.
Behind them—
Chaos.
Shock.
Regret.
Tears.
But none of it mattered.
As Anthony, Isabella, Pelumi, and Adaora walked out of the store—
They didn’t look back.
Leaving behind—
A broken man.
And a woman who had just realized…
Exactly what she lost.
And, That’s it for today.
Have a blast!