Olaedo felt the world spin around her.
The words of her secretary, reminding her for the umpteenth time to call the police again, faded into background noise.
Everything felt distant.
'I thought he loved me?'
Maduabuchi, the love of her life, was nowhere to be found, and billions of the local currency had vanished from the company
A wonderful three year relationship gone just like that. Their wedding was just a week away, and now, this?
A mocking smile twisted her lips. She had been so focused on wedding plans while he had been planning her betrayal all along. 'How could I have been so blind?'
The news spread like wildfire. Headlines flashed across the globe, the youngest CEO of a leading company had fallen!
"Love or stupidity?"
"Banking on Betrayal: Anozie Holdings Scandal Rocks the Financial Sector"
"A cheating, fraudulent scum."
"The corrupt CEO."
"The Fall of Anozie Holdings: What It Means for the Economy"
"A once celebrated business mogul now facing disgrace"
"The Male Delilah of CEO Anozie Olaedo."
""EFCC on the Hunt: CEO Anozie Olaedo's Fiancé, Aneke Maduabuchi, Now a Fugitive"
"From Power Couple to Power Scandal: The Wedding of the Century Now a Complete Joke."
These ruthless headlines spread like wildfire, circling the globe within the hour.
Investors were withdrawing rapidly, concerned that the scandal might lead to broader financial instability
Across the city, Anozie Holdings' partner banks struggled to protect their clients' funds, overwhelmed by the rising uncertainty.
Shareholders, in a panic, scrambled to sell their stocks. Only a few remained loyal, those who considered her a friend, not just a CEO. Business never mixes with pleasure, but they broke that rule for her. A brother is born through adversity.
"Madam, the Ministry of Finance has been calling. They're concerned about the markets. If we don't act fast, the local currency could slide…"
She waved her secretary away, her hand moving in slow, almost mechanical motions. The woman hesitated, clearly not wanting to leave. But Olaedo didn't care.
She grabbed her phone again, dialing the Inspector General of Police for what felt like the hundredth time.
Her hands shook, nerves and fear tightening in her chest. She forced herself to lower her expectations, hoping to avoid the crushing disappointment that seemed to follow her every move.
Ring… ring…
As the phone rang, she whispered desperate prayers to the one who had raised her to this level.
"Oh God, I'm sorry I didn't listen to You. Please, help me. Please help me. Please help me..."
The connecting sound ended as the call was picked up.
"Inspector, have you found him?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
At the police headquarters, the Inspector stared at CEO Anozie's incoming call and couldn't help but tense up. He answered quickly, trying to keep his voice steady, but an impatience tone was slowly creeping in.
"We haven't found him yet, CEO Anozie. But I assure you, the police and the EFCC are working closely together to track him down."
He couldn't help but think about how Anozie Holdings Plc had crumbled, there was no denying it now. CEO Anozie would probably be declaring bankruptcy soon.
And to make matters worse, she had been defrauded by her own fiancé. How naive could she be?
The impatience in his voice was unmistakable now, his earlier calm replaced with a biting edge. His professional demeanor slipped away.
"Madam CEO, I have a lot of things to handle. If you could stop calling me every five minutes, I might actually be able to focus and find your fiancé. Excuse me."
The call ended abruptly.
Olaedo's breath caught in her throat. A bitter scoff escaped her lips. The Inspector General of Police had never spoken to her like this before, let alone hang up on her. He had always been warm and respectful.
Now? Now, it felt like the world was crumbling around her, and fast.
Her chest tightened, her heart constricting. She had thought she was prepared for this. After all, when clients and business partners started calling one by one to cancel contracts, she had told herself she wouldn't be shaken.
But this… This felt different. Most of her partners had refused to pay for breach of contract, pushing the blame squarely on the company. A few offered a small amount for damages, but that was it.
She couldn't blame them. The clauses in the contracts were clear. They were doing what they were supposed to.
But the insults? The mocking of her intelligence, the careless disregard for her financial expertise. It broke through every wall she had painstakingly built to protect herself. And it hurt.
Olaedo felt the world spinning around her, the reality of her betrayal and ruined company still sinking in.
Lost in thought, she couldn't help but remember her first meeting with Maduabuchi, on that rushed flight back to her country from the south.
It had been her first time in business class in years, and only because she couldn't get a first class seat. She barely caught her breath after getting a call that her mother was gravely ill.
CEO Anozie ran one of the most powerful financial institutions in the country, trusted by clients and investors across borders. Yet here she was, helpless to stop the storm brewing half a world away.
Racing through the airport with only her handbag, she left her secretary trailing behind, gasping for breath.
The receptionist had been so rattled when she finally arrived at the counter. "I...I'm sorry, Ms. Anozie, but w-we don't have any available seats on the 7 p.m. flight."
"Could you speak faster?" she snapped, unable to mask her impatience. Her secretary, catching up just in time to hear her outburst, silently sympathized with the receptionist.
'Poor girl,' he thought, 'My wife calls me a wimp, but I would like to see her face Miss Olaedo in this mood.'
The receptionist stammered, "Y-yes, ma'am. You'll need to wait until the 8 a.m. flight tomorrow."