He parked his car outside and walked the rest of the way through the garden toward his house. He always preferred walking; it was his way of ensuring he exercised, whether going to work or whenever he went out.
It also helped him keep an eye on what was going on in his house, since no one would know he was back yet.
Arriving at his doorstep, he overheard his house staff chatting about a breaking news headline.
"It's probably my scandal," he muttered to himself.
As he was approaching them to ask them to call the housekeeper, he overheard parts of their conversation. He wasn't particularly interested so he kept walking calmly.
A high-pitched voice, full of excitement, spoke with a hint of disappointment. "Oh my gosh! My role model was cheated on!"
Another girl, with a calmer voice, approached with well-paced steps. "You mean the lady you wouldn't shut up about, one of the youngest billionaires in the world?"
"Yes, that's her!"
"What happened exactly?" the calm girl asked, her tone betraying a hint of interest.
The overly excited girl spoke louder this time. "Her fiancé, the president general of all scums, defrauded her of more than 30 billion of the local currency, and now, no one knows where he is!"
"Are you kidding me?!" the calm girl said, her voice rising. "Wealthy people seem so easily deceived nowadays. I saw a breaking news story about our boss too, and it seems even he was deceived today!"
"..."
Standing there, a flood of bad memories rushed through his mind, squeezing his heart painfully.
'That CEO lady must be feeling something worse than what I felt when my fiancée left me. Her fiancé didn't just break her heart; he caused serious problems for her. Heh, she's a bigger fool than I was.'
He didn't mind the second part of the conversation much. He would deal with that later, and for now, he needed the world to think he was guilty.
He had heard of this youngest billionaire and truly respected her. He had inherited his wealth, and although he managed it well, better than his grandfather, at the end of the day, it was still inherited.
This lady, on the other hand, built her empire from scratch. Hearing about her had earned her his respect.
But how could such a smart woman fall victim to a man like that?
'Is a low EQ a characteristic of wealthy people?' he wondered.
He couldn't help but remember his own past as he stood there, lost in thought, and staring into space.
-----------------------------------
He had just entered one of the best universities in the country, alongside his childhood sweetheart, the love of his life. They planned to marry once they graduated, so they worked hard to graduate at 19 instead of 21.
He had even rejected his grandfather's offer to send him abroad, wanting to stay close to her and show the younger generation the importance of developing their own country, not leaving at every opportunity.
The country's universities were qualified to teach them excellently, as long as they worked hard and smart themselves. It wasn't just about attending lectures, it was also about self-learning and acquiring skills from every source, both local and international.
Throughout their university days, they were inseparable. She wouldn't go to sleep without talking to him, and he was the first person she called when she woke up. It was the same for him. She said she loved him with all her heart. He knew it was true, which was why he couldn't understand what happened later.
After graduation, his grandfather insisted on sending him abroad for six months to show his capabilities in their foreign branches, where no one knew him as the first Young Master of the Arinze family.
It was only six months, he thought. If only he had known how much that short time away would ruin his life…
Still standing there, his unfocused eyes slowly regained clarity. He shook off those thoughts, locking away those bad memories in a box, and tossed it deep into the sea of his mind.
-------------------------------
He approached the girls, who were still talking, unaware that he was back. "Help me call the housekeeper to my study, please?"
He heard a fearful but respectful "Yes, sir" from both of them as he made his way upstairs.
In his room, he slowly removed his tie, contemplating how he could possibly find a wife in less than three months.
There has to be a way to find out more.
Slapping his thigh, he had an idea. 'ChatGPT!'
He grabbed his phone and typed, "How do I find a wife in less than three months?"
The response came in seconds: "Download every dating app you can find. Yes, even that one everyone swears they've never heard of."
"..."
There goes that idea.
'I need to finish this in a week and then train her in the next few months so that we won't be exposed!' He thought
He decided to do his research the old-fashioned way.
*The mention of "ChatGPT" is used as a fictional or comedic reference and isn't affiliated with OpenAI.*
He moved to his contact list to call his secretary, but then remembered he had fired him earlier that day.
He freshened up and moved to his study. Turning on his computer, he browsed for eligible women, both locally and internationally. This way, he could at least choose who he would marry, temporarily.
He carefully went through the list of women with remarkable achievements, noting those who were most exceptional. He saw Olaedo's name on the list but immediately bypassed it.
'There is no way I am going to marry a woman who displayed a higher level of stupidity than i did five years ago!'
He made a short list and waited for the housekeeper to come up.
Shortly after, there was a knock on his door. "May I come in, sir?"
"Come in."
The elderly man gently opened the door and closed it behind him. "I heard you sent for me, sir?"