Olaedo felt the world spin around her.
The words of her secretary, reminding her for the umpteenth time to call the police again, faded into background noise.
Everything felt distant.
'I thought he loved me?'
Maduabuchi, the love of her life, was nowhere to be found, and billions of the local currency had vanished from the company
A wonderful three-year relationship gone just like that. Their wedding was just a week away, and now, this?
A mocking smile twisted her lips. She'd been so focused on wedding plans while he'd been planning her betrayal all along. 'How could I have been so blind?'
The news spread like wildfire. Headlines flashed across the globe, the youngest CEO of a leading company had fallen!
"Love or stupidity?"
"Banking on Betrayal: Anozie Holdings Scandal Rocks the Financial Sector"
"A cheating, fraudulent scum."
"The corrupt CEO."
"The Fall of Anozie Holdings: What It Means for the Economy"
"A once-celebrated business mogul now facing disgrace"
"The Male Delilah of CEO Anozie Olaedo."
""EFCC on the Hunt: CEO Anozie Olaedo's Fiancé, Aneke Maduabuchi, Now a Fugitive"
"From Power Couple to Power Scandal: The Wedding of the Century Now a Complete Joke."
These ruthless headlines spread like wildfire, circling the globe within the hour.
Investors were withdrawing rapidly, concerned that the scandal might lead to broader financial instability
Across the city, Anozie Holdings' partner banks struggled to protect their clients' funds, overwhelmed by the rising uncertainty.
Shareholders, in a panic, scrambled to sell their stocks. Only a few remained loyal, those who considered her a friend, not just a CEO. Business never mixes with pleasure, but they broke that rule for her. A brother is born through adversity.
"Madam, the Ministry of Finance has been calling. They're concerned about the markets. If we don't act fast, the local currency could slide…"
She waved her secretary away, her hand moving in slow, almost mechanical motions. The woman hesitated, clearly not wanting to leave. But Olaedo didn't care.
She grabbed her phone again, dialing the Inspector General of Police for what felt like the hundredth time.
Her hands shook, nerves and fear tightening in her chest. She forced herself to lower her expectations, hoping to avoid the crushing disappointment that seemed to follow her every move.
Ring… ring…
As the phone rang, she whispered desperate prayers to the one who had raised her to this level.
"Oh God, I'm sorry I didn't listen to You. Please, help me. Please help me. Please help me..."
The connecting sound ended as the call was picked up.
"Inspector, have you found him?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
At the police headquarters, the Inspector stared at CEO Anozie's incoming call and couldn't help but tense up. He answered quickly, trying to keep his voice steady, but an impatience tone was slowly creeping in.
"We haven't found him yet, CEO Anozie. But I assure you, the police and the EFCC are working closely together to track him down."
He couldn't help but think about how Anozie Holdings Plc had crumbled, there was no denying it now. CEO Anozie would probably be declaring bankruptcy soon.
And to make matters worse, she had been defrauded by her own fiancé. How naive could she be?
The impatience in his voice was unmistakable now, his earlier calm replaced with a biting edge. His professional demeanor slipped away.
"Madam CEO, I have a lot of things to handle. If you could stop calling me every five minutes, I might actually be able to focus and find your fiancé. Excuse me."
The call ended abruptly.
Olaedo's breath caught in her throat. A bitter scoff escaped her lips. The Inspector General of Police had never spoken to her like this before, let alone hang up on her. He had always been warm and respectful.
Now? Now, it felt like the world was crumbling around her, and fast.
Her chest tightened, her heart constricting. She had thought she was prepared for this. After all, when clients and business partners started calling one by one to cancel contracts, she had told herself she wouldn't be shaken.
But this… This felt different. Most of her partners had refused to pay for breach of contract, pushing the blame squarely on the company. A few offered a small amount for damages, but that was it.
She couldn't blame them. The clauses in the contracts were clear. They were doing what they were supposed to.
But the insults? The mocking of her intelligence, the careless disregard for her financial expertise. It broke through every wall she had painstakingly built to protect herself. And it hurt.
Olaedo felt the world spinning around her, the reality of her betrayal and ruined company still sinking in.
Lost in thought, she couldn't help but remember her first meeting with Maduabuchi, on that rushed flight back to her country from the south.
It had been her first time in business class in years, and only because she couldn't get a first-class seat. She barely caught her breath after getting a call that her mother was gravely ill.
CEO Anozie ran one of the most powerful financial institutions in the country, trusted by clients and investors across borders. Yet here she was, helpless to stop the storm brewing half a world away.
Racing through the airport with only her handbag, she left her secretary trailing behind, gasping for breath.
The receptionist had been so rattled when she finally arrived at the counter. "I...I'm sorry, Ms. Anozie, but w-we don't have any available seats on the 7 p.m. flight."
"Could you speak faster?" she snapped, unable to mask her impatience. Her secretary, catching up just in time to hear her outburst, silently sympathized with the receptionist.
'Poor girl,' he thought, 'My wife calls me a wimp, but I would like to see her face Miss Olaedo in this mood.'
The receptionist stammered, "Y-yes, ma'am. You'll need to wait until the 8 a.m. flight tomorrow."
Tomorrow? That wouldn't do at all. "Isn't there any other way to get me on that flight?" Olaedo demanded, her voice edged with urgency. "I'll pay whatever it takes."
The receptionist, overwhelmed, quickly called the manager. In minutes, the Flight Operations Manager had appeared, calm and courteous, offering a solution.
"Ms. Anozie, I think we might be able to help with your situation. Please, follow me."
As she walked across the terminal with him, her heels clicking against the floor, she could feel the stares of some travelers who recognized her.
A young woman nudged her friend, her voice a hushed whisper of excitement. "That's CEO Anozie! One of the youngest billionaires in the world!"
"Isn't that CEO Anozie? She's practically the face of the banking world!" someone else whispered, pointing excitedly.
Once on board, the manager relayed the situation to the pilot, who announced over the intercom: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a passenger in urgent need of a seat. If anyone is willing to give up their seat, we'd be very grateful and happy to accommodate you."
"That's the woman who manages almost half of a country's wealth!" one passenger murmured, nudging his wife.
Olaedo glanced around, hopeful. After a moment, a man seated near the front rose and offered his seat without hesitation. Relief washed over her, but just as she reached out to thank him, another man beside him stood up as well.
"Sir, please keep your seat," the second man said calmly, turning to Olaedo. "I just remembered something I forgot to settle, so I can't leave the country yet." He offered a slight smile. "Let her have mine."
Olaedo took a moment to study this second man, wondering if he had invented the excuse to help her out.
He was tall, athletic, and wore his mixed heritage in his warm brown skin and wavy dark hair. His features, a blend of two countries heritage, caught the light as he nodded.
"Thank you," she said, her tone warm with gratitude. "Please leave your number with my secretary, he'll arrange any compensation you need."
The man nodded, his small smile deepening before he turned and walked off the plane.
With a relieved sigh, Olaedo settled into her seat, exhaustion flooding over her. She closed her eyes, letting out a small sigh that caught the attention of the man beside her, the one who first offered his seat.
"Rough day?" he asked, his voice warm and smooth.
Olaedo opened her eyes, her gaze landing on him.
With his deep brown complexion, closely cropped hair, and dark eyes, he had a presence that instantly held her attention. He sat with an ease that made him stand out, and something about his intense, observant eyes hinted at intelligence and confidence.
"Do you like what you see?" he asked, smirking slightly.
Caught off guard, she felt her cheeks warm and quickly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, scrambling for composure.
Had she really been staring?
'Since when did anyone make me shy?'
With her cheeks still a soft shade of pink, she lifted her chin with confidence, yet her gaze drifted anywhere but into his steady eyes.