As the last of the staff cleared out, Olaedo sighed in relief. She had narrowly avoided an awkward disaster tonight.
If only she knew she had just created another one.
The servants returned to their quarters outside the short wall, their whispers buzzing like bees on a honeycomb.
"Young Master and Young Madam are so in love! Did you see how they kept whispering to each other? And how she hit him playfully? That's true affection!" gushed a young maid, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Yes! I saw it too!" another chimed in, clasping her hands. "And the way he smiled afterward! A man who backs his wife's decisions like that must really adore her. I've always said, real love is in the little things."
One of the chefs, an older maid chuckled, shaking her head at the younger ones' enthusiasm. "Don't get ahead of yourselves. It's just the first night. We'll see how this love story holds up in a few months when reality sets in."
"But Aunty Ezinne," the first maid protested, "she doubled our salaries on her first day! Young Madam is kindhearted. That's not something fake."
"Kind and beautiful," someone else added, earning a chorus of agreements.
At the men's quarters, the focus was entirely different.
"Young Madam is stunning! Did you notice her complexion? Like the moon glowing on water," said one of the drivers, leaning back as he spoke.
"Forget her complexion; did you see her confidence? She didn't even hesitate to speak her mind in front of Young Master. That's a rare woman," another man interjected.
An older steward, who had served the Arinze family for a decade, chuckled knowingly. "You boys are just taken in by her looks. True beauty is character, and from what I saw tonight, she has both. And yes," he added with a mischievous grin, "she's even more striking than Miss Adaugo."
The group erupted in laughter, some playfully jabbing elbows at each other.
The older steward who knew Chibuzor's history with Adaugo silently shook his head as his grin reduced 'What will happen to this Young Madam when Miss Adaugo comes back?'
"Let's not get too comfortable, though," the steward warned, his tone growing serious. "It's too early to know her fully. She might be kind today, but the real test of a madam comes when she's in charge for a while."
Meanwhile, the gossip had traveled far beyond the compound.
At the Arinze family's old residence on the other side of the city, Old Master Arinze was laughing uproariously. His hearty chuckles echoed through the grand sitting room as he rushed to find his wife.
"Dear, I told you my grandson wouldn't lie to me! This girl he's in love with really exists! And guess what? They argue all the time, just like we do, and she always wins!"
Old Madam Arinze barely looked up from her embroidery, one brow arched skeptically. "Your grandson?"
The old man froze mid step, realizing his mistake. "Our grandson. Our grandson," he corrected quickly.
Her eyebrow didn't drop, so he tried again. "Your grandson, your very good grandson," he said, a touch more dramatically.
Finally satisfied, she nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips.
Old Master Arinze sighed inwardly. When she complained about their grandson's unmarried status, he was "his grandson," but now that the boy had found a wife, it was "her grandson." He chuckled at her double standards but quickly brushed it aside, too excited to linger on the thought.
"You should have seen her!" he continued. "The staff are saying she's beautiful, confident, and kind. She doubled their salaries without a second thought! Isn't that the kind of woman we wanted for him?"
His wife's smile widened, a warmth settling in her heart. She looked up at him, her sharp eyes softening. "I suppose I underestimated him. It seems I don't know my grandson as well as I thought."
The old man beamed at her approval, his heart fluttering just a bit. That smile of hers, it was the first thing that had captured him all those decades ago, and it still held him spellbound.
"Well," he said, leaning closer. "Do you think we should call them tomorrow?"
The old lady shook her head, her smile taking on a teasing edge. "No. Let them come to us for the introduction and subsequently the paying of bride price and traditional marriage. That's how we'll know how serious they really are."
Old Master Arinze laughed again, his heart full of pride for his grandson, and relief that the family line was finally in good hands.
Back at the young couple's house, Chibuzor led Olaedo to her room. The door creaked open, revealing a spacious room bathed in calming, nature inspired tones. She scanned the walls and couldn't help but sigh in relief, thankfully, it wasn't drowning in pink.
After pointing out the room's features, including the ensuite bathroom and walk in closet, Chibuzor excused himself. "I need to catch up on sleep," he murmured before leaving.
Olaedo wasn't too concerned about anyone noticing they had separate rooms. Only family, close relatives, and the housekeeper were allowed on the third floor. The second floor was reserved for guests, while the first floor housed the living room, dining area, kitchen, and other shared spaces accessible to the household staff.
Feeling more awake, she began unpacking her suitcase. She carefully arranged her clothes in the walk in closet and set her cosmetics neatly on the dressing table. Inside the closet, she stumbled upon rows of clothes, casual dresses, evening gowns for occasions, and other stylish items thoughtfully prepared to help her blend into her new role.
"This husband of mine is really organized!" she muttered, unable to hide her shock.
After unpacking, Olaedo said goodnight to Chibuzor then moved to the study within her room to tackle some pending work.
-----------------
Three months later
The first rays of sunlight peeked through the curtains. Stretching, she decided it was time for a bath. Afterward, she dressed in one of her own outfits and headed downstairs for breakfast.