She had slowly started getting used to living here, but still didn't feel at home. Every day, they each pretended to be so in love during breakfast, lunch, and dinner before going their separate ways to work.
They also made sure to go on a date even though their relationship wasn't public yet. The date was meant to deceive Chibuzor's grand parents who had insert spies to watch their movements.
On weekends, her and Chibuzor would practice their poses, and review their fake marriage performance. And this weekend was no exception.
It was Sunday morning and they had stayed up almost all night yesterday practicing various couple poses and finalising their meet cute story since the family ball was coming up that Saturday.
The house was alive with activity. Servants moved about with purpose, each focused on their tasks. As she passed, they greeted her respectfully, and she responded with a sincere smile that came effortlessly.
It reminded her of her company, where she effortlessly navigated conversations with her employees. She even paused occasionally to engage a few workers in light hearted discussions, asking thoughtful questions that brought warmth to their faces.
Just as she approached the kitchen, curious to interact with the chefs and see what was being prepared, a young woman stepped into her path. Her expression was stern, her posture rigid.
"Young Madam, you can't be here," the woman said sharply. Her tone then shifted to one of mockery as she added, "It's beneath your status to be in the kitchen. Go wait at the dining table. The maids will serve you soon." She waved her hand dismissively, as though shooing away a stray animal.
Olaedo's brow arched at the blatant disrespect. For a moment, irritation flared within her, but she quickly decided to let it go. She had only been here for three months, and she had no intention of starting an argument.
Without a word, she stepped around the woman and entered the kitchen. The other staff pretended not to notice the exchange, keeping their gazes firmly on their tasks. Undeterred, she greeted the older women warmly and exchanged pleasantries with the younger ones before asking with a smile, "What's for breakfast?"
One of the chefs, Mrs. Ezinne, answered with a warm smile, gesturing to the grand table filled with dishes. "Something light," she began. "For you, we've prepared sandwiches and tea. For the Young Master, we've crafted a harmonious blend of Western and West African cuisines, offering a delightful variety. On the Western side, there are fluffy pancakes with maple syrup, crispy bacon, and a gourmet omelet station with customizable fillings. From the West African side, we have golden akara, steaming moi moi, and fried plantains paired with a rich, spicy egg stew."
She then motioned toward another table laden with drinks. "For lighter fare, there's a fresh fruit platter of mango, pineapple, and watermelon, alongside parfaits layered with yogurt and granola. To accompany, we have freshly brewed coffee, a selection of teas, and refreshing orange juice."
Olaedo nodded, impressed by the spread. She wondered why no one had ever come to ask her what she wanted to eat specifically, she would have preferred toasted bread and avocado this morning since she had been given sandwiches and tea or some other similar food for the past three months, but a sandwich was still good so she didn't raise any objections.
The simple style fitted her lifestyle as she was never one to demand an overabundance of food just to pick at a few dishes while the rest went to waste.
'But what's with chibuzor's menu always being extravagant? A mix of Western and West African cuisines for today's breakfast? There was no way he could finish all that, right?'
She found it excessive and, frankly, a huge waste from day one, but had decided to keep her thoughts to herself. After all, this wasn't her house. Instead, she smiled brightly and said, "Can't wait to taste your cooking again, Mommy Ezinne! I'll head to the dining room. Thank you, everyone."
As she left the kitchen, Olaedo purposely strode past the young lady who had tried to challenge her earlier. Her silence spoke volumes, and she felt no need to say more.
Entering the dining room, her eyes landed on her husband, already seated. She adjusted her voice and called out cheerfully, "Good morning, sweethea—ah!"
Her words faltered mid sentence as her gaze froze on his face. She blinked in disbelief at the dark bags under his eyes and his weary expression. Was this really the same man who had looked so dashing and full of life just hours ago?
Even the servants paused, visibly taken aback. It was the first time any of them had seen their Young Master look so worn out.
Meanwhile, Chibuzor met her gaze with a darkening expression, his handsome features marred by exhaustion.
'This woman caused me to barely get a wink of sleep and now she is still bringing attention to my weird face?! It seems that if I don't teach her a lesson, she wouldn't learn to show me more respect!'
He rose up and walked to her with a "gentle" smile. Reaching her, he hugged her shoulders and flashed a brighter smile that looked real to the servants but only Olaedo knew that it was the epitome of fake!
"Good morning Mrs Arinze. Gosh I waited for so long to call you that. You are shocked to see my face, aren't you? Isn't it because of you that I did not get enough sleep last night?"
As he said this, everyone had a look of realisation on their faces. How could they forget, last night they both seemed to have stayed up quite late!
Many of them especially the older servants smiled happily knowing that a little young master or young mistress was on the way.
While everyone was celebrating silently, Olaedo could not help with cover her bright red face with her palms and allowed Chibuzor to lead her to the seat beside the one he was sitting on.