Binary Hearts

39| Turbulence 🕸️

The next morning, Tunde Adeyemi was up early, his thoughts weighed down by the unresolved tension with Adaora. At 8:00 AM sharp, he got into his Audi Q7, the engine purring to life as he made his way to her house. The drive was filled with anticipation, his mind running through the conversation he intended to have. He had already decided to reconcile, especially after Mide’s advice the previous night.

Arriving at Adaora’s house, Tunde parked and took a deep breath before stepping out. The morning air was crisp, the sun just beginning to warm the day. He walked up to the door, and before he could knock, Adaora opened it, almost as if she had been waiting for him.

"Tunde, you’re here," she said softly, her eyes reflecting a mix of relief and apprehension.

Tunde nodded, offering a small smile. "Good morning, Adaora. I’m here, as we planned."

Adaora stepped aside to let him in. "Come in, please. Congratulations again on your award, Tunde. You deserve it."

"Thank you," Tunde replied, his voice warm but guarded. "It means a lot coming from you."

They sat down in the living room, an awkward silence hanging between them for a moment. Adaora looked down at her hands, gathering the courage to speak.

"Tunde, about us... I’ve been thinking a lot," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "I’m really sorry about everything. I know I’ve hurt you, and that was never my intention."

Tunde’s heart softened at her words. He was ready to forgive, to move past the misunderstandings. "Adaora, I’m sorry too. I’ve been harsh, and I—"

But before he could finish, Adaora interrupted with a statement that felt like a punch to the gut.

"I think we should take a break, Tunde. I need time to rethink everything," she said, her voice wavering.

Tunde’s expression darkened, the words sinking in like lead. "So it’s true?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Adaora looked at him, confusion written on her face. "What’s true?"

"That you don’t actually love me," Tunde said, the pain evident in his voice. "That you’re only with me out of some sense of obligation, because you feel indebted to me."

Adaora’s silence was all the confirmation he needed. She didn’t deny it, didn’t try to reassure him. Instead, she just sat there, lost in her thoughts, her silence speaking volumes.

Tunde stood up, his heart heavy with disappointment. "I see," he muttered, turning away from her. He grabbed his car keys and headed for the door, his mind in turmoil.

As Tunde stepped outside, he was met with an unexpected sight—Chidi Okoye’s Rolls-Royce Phantom pulling up to the curb. The sleek, black car seemed to absorb all the light around it, exuding an aura of power and prestige. Chidi stepped out, his presence commanding as always, but there was an awkward tension in the air.

For a moment, the two men just stared at each other, neither one making a move. The air was thick with unspoken words, the rivalry between them palpable. Before Tunde could say anything, Adaora came rushing out after him.

"Tunde, wait!" she called, her voice laced with desperation. But she halted when she saw Chidi, her expression becoming unreadable.

"We’re late for the trip," Chidi said to Adaora, his tone dismissive as if Tunde wasn’t even there.

Tunde clenched his jaw, suppressing the urge to say something, to confront Chidi right then and there. But instead, he said nothing, simply walking past both of them and getting into his Audi Q7. The engine roared to life, and he drove off, the frustration bubbling within him. He drove aimlessly for a while before pulling over at a corner, needing a moment to collect himself.

Back at Adaora’s house, she quickly packed her belongings, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. She knew she needed to get to the airport, but the encounter with Tunde had shaken her more than she was willing to admit. As she packed, she could feel Chidi’s eyes on her, a mix of curiosity and something else—something she couldn’t quite place.

"I haven’t had breakfast yet," she said to Chidi as they got back into the car.

"Don’t worry about it," Chidi replied. "We’ll eat on the way."

Just as Tunde was about to leave, he spotted Chidi’s Rolls-Royce driving past, with Adaora in the passenger seat. Without thinking, Tunde started trailing them, his mind racing. He watched as they pulled into a restaurant, and for a brief moment, he considered confronting them, making a scene. But he held back, the frustration gnawing at him as he stayed in his car, watching them from a distance.

When they finally left the restaurant, Tunde continued to follow, but soon lost the trail in the chaotic Lagos traffic. The frustration only deepened, the sense of helplessness overwhelming him.

      ******************************

The drive to the airport was quiet, the tension between them almost suffocating. Chidi finally broke the silence, his voice casual but probing. "What was Tunde doing at your house this morning?"

Adaora hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "We had some things to discuss," she said vaguely, hoping to avoid the subject.

Chidi raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. Instead, he focused on the road ahead, the conversation left hanging in the air.

When they arrived at the airport, everything moved quickly. The check-in process, the security checks—it all seemed like a blur. Before they knew it, they were on the plane, heading to Singapore for the business trip. The flight was long, and Adaora spent most of it lost in thought, her mind replaying the morning’s events over and over again.

The Watchful Eye....

Meanwhile, back in Lagos, Mr. Okoye, Chidi’s father and the chairman of Paystack, was on the phone with one of his men in Singapore.

"Keep a close eye on Chidi and Adaora," he instructed, his voice firm. "I want to know everything they do, every move they make."

As he hung up the phone, Mr. Okoye leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he pulled up a file on his computer. It was Adaora Eze Okafor’s profile—every detail he could find on her. He had been doing his research, trying to understand what was distracting his son. And now, he was beginning to piece it together.

In the dim light of his office, Mr. Okoye’s expression was unreadable. But one thing was clear—he wasn’t going to let anything, or anyone, stand in the way of his plans.

Tunde, back in Lagos, was frustrated and confused. He had lost the trail of Chidi and Adaora and had no idea where they were headed. But he wasn’t about to give up. He knew something was going on, something that didn’t sit right with him, and he was determined to find out what it was.

As he drove back to his apartment, his mind was racing. The events of the morning had left him shaken, but they had also reignited a fire within him. He wasn’t going to let things end like this—not without getting to the bottom of it all.

And so, as the sun began to set on Lagos, Tunde made a vow to himself. He would find out the truth, no matter what it took.