A DIFFERENT SIDE OF HIM
The following Monday, Chisimdi arrived at work earlier than usual.
She had barely settled behind her desk when Amaka dropped a file beside her keyboard.
“Are you planning to stare that computer into working?” Amaka asked, resting one hand on the edge of the desk.
Chisimdi looked up and glanced at the screen.
“I was working.”
Amaka raised an eyebrow.
“You were thinking.”
A small smile pulled at Chisimdi’s lips.
“I can do both.”
“Not when you’ve been staring at the same line for five minutes.” Amaka tapped the file before walking away.
“Finish this before lunch.”
Chisimdi shook her head, smiling as she opened the file.
Her first week at Adetola Holdings had gone better than she expected.
She was still learning, but the work no longer felt unfamiliar.
She knew who to call when a document needed approval, which meetings required printed copies of reports and which tasks Damian expected to be handled without unnecessary questions.
She was also beginning to understand her boss.
Damian was demanding, but he was fair.
He didn’t raise his voice when something went wrong.
He simply expected it to be corrected.
If someone did their work properly, he didn’t make a big show of praising them.
Chisimdi had discovered that a simple nod from him during a meeting usually meant she had done something right.
She was beginning to feel more comfortable around him.
That surprised her.
Especially because their first meeting had been anything but ordinary.
She had met him in an elevator, complained about how slowly it was moving and then discovered minutes later that the stranger she had been talking to was the CEO who would be interviewing her.
The memory still made her smile sometimes.
She returned her attention to the file in front of her and continued working.
By late afternoon, most of the work had slowed down.
Chisimdi was arranging some documents when her phone vibrated.
Chinny.
She smiled and answered.
“Hello.”
“Are you still at work?”
Chisimdi glanced around the office.
“Obviously.”
“I’ve been calling you since morning.”
“You called once.”
“Once is enough if you don’t answer.”
Chisimdi laughed quietly and lowered her voice when someone passed behind her.
“What do you want?”
“I want to know whether you’re free this weekend.”
“For what?”
“There’s an event on Saturday.”
Chisimdi looked at the documents on her desk.
“What kind of event?”
“Just come with me.”
“That answer makes me suspicious.”
Chinny laughed.
“It’s a dinner.”
“With who?”
“People.”
Chisimdi rolled her eyes.
“Very helpful.”
“Just dress nicely and come.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“You’re coming.”
“I said I’ll think about it.”
“You’re coming,” Chinny repeated before ending the call.
Chisimdi stared at her phone for a moment before shaking her head.
“She is impossible.” She placed the phone beside her and returned to her work.
A few minutes later, she finished the last document and gathered the papers into a neat pile.
She had just reached for her handbag when she remembered the report Damian had asked her to complete earlier.
She picked it up and headed toward the elevator.
Chisimdi stepped out of the elevator with the report tucked against her chest.
She had just turned toward the executive floor when she noticed Damian coming from the opposite direction.
He appeared to be heading toward the conference room.
His eyes fell on the file in her hands.
“Ms.
Nwankwo.”
“Yes, sir?”
Damian glanced at the report.
“Is that the report I gave you this morning?”
She held it up slightly.
“Yes.
I was actually bringing it to you.”
He nodded toward the conference room.
“Come with me.”
Chisimdi followed him down the hallway.
They entered the conference room, where two department heads were already waiting.
The meeting lasted close to an hour.
Chisimdi took notes, organized the documents they discussed and passed the necessary files to Damian whenever he asked for them.
By the end of the meeting, she had a better understanding of how the different departments worked together.
When they finally stepped out, Damian handed one of the files back to her.
“Send this to Finance before tomorrow morning.”
“I will sir.”
He nodded and continued toward his office.
Chisimdi watched him for a second before turning back toward the administrative floor.
That evening, Chisimdi returned home later than usual.
She found her mother in the kitchen preparing dinner.
“Mum, I’m home.”
Her mother looked over her shoulder.
“You’re late.”
“There was work.”
Chisimdi dropped her handbag on a nearby chair and walked into the kitchen.
Her mother handed her a plate.
“Then sit down and eat.”
She smiled as she accepted it.
“Thank you.”
Chisimdi sat at the dining table while her mother returned to the stove.
For a few minutes, neither of them said much.
Then her mother looked at her.
“How is the job?”
“Good.”
“Are you comfortable there?”
Chisimdi nodded.
“Very.”
Her mother hesitated before asking, “And Mr.
Adetola?”
Chisimdi looked up.
“He’s fine.”
Her mother’s hand paused over the pot.
“Fine?”
Chisimdi noticed the change in her voice and placed her fork down.
“Yes.
Why?”
Her mother shook her head and returned her attention to the food.
“Nothing.”
“Mum.”
“Eat your food.”
Chisimdi watched her for a moment.
She knew that tone.
It meant the conversation was over.
But something had changed since the night her mother warned her about the Adetolas.
Chisimdi had stopped asking questions for now, but she hadn’t forgotten.
She picked up her fork again.
“I’m going out with Chinny on Saturday.”
Her mother’s hand stopped again.
“Where?”
“A dinner.”
“With who?”
“I don’t know exactly.
She invited me.”
Her mother turned around.
“You don’t know who will be there?”
Chisimdi frowned.
“It’s just a dinner, Mum.”
Her mother seemed to realize she had reacted too strongly.
She turned back to the stove and lowered the heat.
“Just be careful.”
Chisimdi studied her face.
Saturday came quickly.
By the time Chisimdi arrived at the venue, she had already decided that Chinny had made the event sound more important than it actually was.
People stood around in small groups, talking and laughing while soft music played in the background.
The setting was elegant without being intimidating, and the relaxed atmosphere slowly helped Chisimdi settle in.
Chinny spotted her almost immediately.
“There you are!”
Chisimdi smiled as she approached.
“You made it sound like I was attending some important ceremony.”
“It is important.”
“To who?”
“To me.”
Chinny pulled her closer and adjusted the strap of Chisimdi’s handbag.
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
“And you’re not allowed to leave early.”
Chisimdi laughed.
“We’ll see.”
They moved toward the dining area together.
Chisimdi was halfway through a conversation with one of Chinny’s friends when she noticed a familiar figure across the room.
Her smile faded slightly.
Damian.
He wasn’t wearing the usual suit she saw at the office.
Tonight, he looked different—more relaxed and at ease.
He was speaking to someone near the entrance, one hand resting casually in his pocket.
For a moment, Chisimdi simply watched him.
Then he looked up.
Their eyes met.
Damian’s expression changed slightly when he recognized her.
He excused himself from the conversation and walked over.
“Ms.
Nwankwo.”
Chisimdi smiled.
“Mr.
Adetola.”
His eyes moved briefly over her before returning to her face.
“I didn’t know you would be here.”
“Neither did I,” she admitted with a small laugh.
“My friend brought me.”
Damian glanced toward Chinny.
Chinny gave Chisimdi a knowing look before pretending to be interested in the people around them.
Chisimdi ignored her.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” Damian asked.
“So far.”
“Good.”
Someone called his name from across the room.
Damian turned briefly before looking back at her.
“I’ll see you later.”
Chisimdi nodded.
“Alright.”
He walked away.
Chinny immediately moved closer.
“You know him?”
Chisimdi gave her a look.
“You know exactly who he is.”
“I meant outside work.”
Chisimdi shook her head.
“I don’t.”
Chinny watched Damian disappear into the crowd.
“Hmm.”
“Don’t start.”
“I haven’t said anything.”
“You’re thinking.”
Chinny laughed.
“Maybe.”
Chisimdi shook her head, but she couldn’t stop herself from looking in Damian’s direction once more.
This time, he wasn’t looking at her.
She turned back to Chinny.
For some reason, she was smiling.
She didn’t understand why.
And she wasn’t going to think about it.
Not tonight.