He couldn't help but recall her witty remarks that always drew reluctant chuckles from him or her well placed punches that stung more than they should have.
Those punches, annoying and painful as they were, had filled the quiet with life, a reminder that someone else was there. But now? The quiet had returned, sharper than ever.
He pushed his plate away, unable to muster an appetite. Rising, he left the dining room without a word, leaving the chefs exchanging worried glances. Had they ruined the meal somehow?
Only the housekeeper seemed unfazed, smiling faintly as he observed Chibuzor's unusually subdued demeanor.
'Young master is missing young madam already, isn't he?' the housekeeper thought to himself. 'They said it was just a contract marriage, but from the looks of it, she's already made a dent in his life without even trying.'
Upstairs, Chibuzor lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. He tried distracting himself by counting the patterns on his bedsheet, using it to settle his inner debate: 'Do I call her? Do I not call her?'
When the count landed on "don't call her," he cursed under his breath. "Damn it!" He wasn't satisfied with that answer, but the decision was made.
Despite himself, he stayed awake, subconsciously waiting for her. Olaedo had a habit of stopping by his room to say goodnight, a tradition she carried over from her family. It hadn't been part of their contract, but she had kept it up anyway.
At first, it had annoyed him when she interrupted his sleep. But over time, it became a rhythm he didn't realize he had come to depend on.
Tonight, though, the silence of his room felt heavier than ever. The usual soft knock and her voice, sometimes teasing, sometimes grudging, were absent. Instead, only the wind stirred, brushing his face and amplifying the emptiness around him. By the time he finally fell asleep, it was 3 a.m. His alarm jolted him awake just two hours later.
With dark circles under his eyes, he trudged to the bathroom to freshen up. By the time he made it downstairs, the dining table was laden with a more impressive breakfast spread. But the chair opposite his was glaringly empty.
Without touching the food, Chibuzor walked out of the house.
Behind him, the chefs, cooks, and servants exchanged uneasy glances again. Their efforts to perfect breakfast seemed wasted yet again. Murmurs of worry spread through the staff, while the housekeeper simply smiled, shaking his head.
'The young master misses the young madam,' he said softly to himself. 'We just need to hurry up and finish the preparations. Once she's back, things will return to normal.'
For the next five days, Chibuzor buried himself in work, staying late at the office and avoiding the house as much as possible. But even as he drowned himself in tasks, a nagging thought kept surfacing: 'Why hasn't Olaedo called me?'
Sitting alone in his office on the fifth day, he scowled, his frustration boiling over. "Am I the only one trying to fix this?!"
He stopped, gripping his pen tightly. His thoughts turned inward. 'Why should she care about calling me? We don't love each other, so why should this even matter?'
But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, another followed. 'If I don't love her, why do I care so much about not seeing her? Why do I miss her jokes, her voice, even her extremely painful punches?'
The question haunted him, circling back no matter how hard he tried to shake it. By the sixth day, he couldn't take it anymore. Ignoring his earlier "counting system," which seemed rigged against him, he picked up his phone and dialed her number.
The call rang twice before a robotic operator informed him she was on another call.
'Who could she be talking to at this hour?' Chibuzor frowned but decided to wait a few minutes before trying again. The second call went unanswered. So did the third. By the fourth attempt, his worry overtook his frustration.
'What if something was wrong?'
Unable to stay idle, he dialed Olisa instead. After three rings, his friend finally picked up.
"Hey bro! What's up?"
"I'm fine," Chibuzor said curtly. "Olisa, have you talked to Olaedo since that day?"
Olisa chuckled, nodding even though Chibuzor couldn't see him. "Of course! She's my little sister, you know. We've been chatting every day. In fact, I just ended a call with her a few minutes ago. She said something like, 'Don't let Chibuzor know we tal—'"
His voice cut off abruptly as realization dawned on him. 'Oh no, I just exposed her!' Panicking, Olisa hung up before Chibuzor could say another word.
Chibuzor stared at the phone in his hand, his jaw tightening. 'She's been chatting with Olisa every day, but she can't even pick up my calls? She even told him to hide it from me?!'
The weight of the realization hit him like a blow. 'So, I've been here missing her, worrying about her, and she's... what? Relaxed and unconcerned?'
For the rest of the day, his face was dark as a storm cloud, the tension rolling off him palpable.
His new "professional" secretary who supposedly "minds her business" spread the word immediately, warning everyone to stay clear of the boss. This earned her the approval of the entire staff.
---
The day of the introduction, bride price payment, and traditional marriage came quickly. The family prepared meticulously, checking and re checking everything under Adanna's careful supervision. As the Ada of the house, she took charge of the arrangements, ensuring nothing was overlooked.
By the afternoon, two cars loaded with gifts and supplies rolled out of the family estate. Despite the understated exterior, the cars' contents were a testament to their wealth and status. Olaedo had firmly instructed Chibuzor, via Olisa, not to cause a scene or attract attention with excessive fanfare, so the family kept things discreet.
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Guys, Ada means first daughter. The title comes with certain privileges. Ask in the comment section of you want to know more