Another employee, Chinyere, clasped her hands over her chest. "I swear, I almost melted right there! They're the definition of couple goals."
Isioma, the receptionist, nodded enthusiastically. "Forget couple goals! If I don't get a man like Mr. Arinze, I'm not settling. That subtle possessiveness? The way he went around the car just to kiss her? Ugh, perfection!"
Ngozi, standing next to her, chimed in. "I need to know what she does to keep him so smitten. She must have some serious love spells going on."
Amaka, the intern, giggled. "Or maybe she's just that beautiful. I mean, look at her! Even in the car, she looks like a queen."
The males were no less enthusiastic, albeit in a more restrained manner.
"Man, that was smooth," Uchenna said, shaking his head in admiration. "The way he just kissed her and walked away? It's like he's in a movie."
Chinedu chuckled. "Forget smooth. That's confidence. You can't fake that kind of chemistry. He knows she's his."
Emeka crossed his arms, a sly grin on his face. "I'm telling you, she's one lucky woman. CEO Arinze is what every guy wants to be, rich, powerful, and charming."
Kene scoffed playfully. "Lucky woman? Bro, I think he's the lucky one. She's gorgeous, she's successful, and she clearly knows how to keep a man hooked."
As Chibuzor entered the building, he couldn't help but notice the buzz in the air. Though he kept his expression neutral, he felt the weight of the stares and whispers trailing him.
"Good morning, sir," Isioma greeted at the reception desk, her face flushed with excitement.
"Morning," he replied curtly, pretending not to notice her dreamy expression.
The moment he passed, Isioma and Chinyere exchanged knowing glances, stifling their squeals until he was out of earshot.
Inside his spacious office, Chibuzor sank into his chair, his expression unreadable. He stared at his desk, but his mind was a flurry of thoughts he couldn't quite sort out. Shutting down his laptop with a frustrated sigh, he rubbed his temples. For the first time in a long while, he felt utterly disoriented, his usual clarity eluded him.
He had called for his assistant minutes ago, though he wasn't entirely sure why. A soft knock at the door broke the stillness.
"Come in," he said, straightening slightly.
The door opened, and his assistant entered, her demeanor calm and professional as always. "You called for me, sir?"
"Yes, I did. Please, take a seat," he said, gesturing toward the chair opposite him.
She obeyed without hesitation, folding her hands neatly on her lap as she waited for him to speak.
Chibuzor studied her for a moment before asking, "Are you married?"
She blinked, slightly caught off guard by the personal question. "Yes, sir. I've been married for about two years now."
He nodded slowly, as if confirming something to himself. "And if I may ask... how would you feel if your husband hid something important from you? Not necessarily something bad, but... something you should know."
Her brows furrowed slightly as she considered his question. "I think... I would feel hurt," she admitted carefully. "But I would also wonder why he felt the need to hide it. Was he trying to protect me? Was he afraid of how I would react? The reason matters, sir."
Chibuzor leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "So, you would focus on the why."
"Yes, sir," she said firmly. "Because sometimes, the intention behind the action can change how you see it. It doesn't excuse it, but it might help you understand."
He let her words sink in, his gaze shifting briefly to the window before returning to her. "And if he never gave you a reason? If he just said, 'I don't know why I did it'?"
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Then I would be upset, sir. If someone hides something and can't even explain why, it feels like they're not being honest with themselves, or with you."
"Is that all you would feel?" Chibuzor repeated, his tone calm but probing.
The assistant blinked, startled by the follow up question. She hesitated for a moment, her hands lightly gripping the edge of her notebook. She carefully studied his face, trying to gauge if there was a "correct" answer. Losing this job wasn't an option, so she treaded cautiously.
"I... I guess I would feel hurt, sir," she said slowly, her voice steady despite the nervous flutter in her chest. She decided to repeat her original answer again and stick with it "If it were my husband, I think... I would wonder why he didn't trust me enough to tell me."
Her eyes flickered to his face, scanning for any sign of displeasure or frustration. Was the CEO having problems with the young madam?
The answer she gave... was that the wrong answer? She stiffened slightly when he didn't immediately respond, his expression unreadable as he tapped his fingers lightly on the desk.
After what felt like an eternity, he nodded once. "You can go now."
Relieved but still unsure, she stood up and gave a quick nod. "Yes, sir." She hurried toward the door, careful not to seem like she was rushing.
As the door closed softly behind her, Chibuzor leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her answer lingered in his mind, adding weight to the thoughts he had been trying to push aside.
How much longer could he avoid the truth?
With a weary sigh, he muttered to himself, "It's not about trust... It's about what happens after."
The quiet office offered no reply, only amplifying the loneliness that had begun to feel all too familiar.
Saying it out loud, admitting it, seemed like making it real. And it wasn't real, was it? As long as he didn't say it, he could pretend it didn't exist, couldn't he?
Chibuzor leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming lightly on the armrest. He was stuck in a frustrating game of should I tell her, or should I not?