Binary Hearts

74| Rivalry Ignites 😤🤏

Bam Bam gave them a sly smile and excused herself, leaving Tunde and Adaora in the room. Tunde immediately started helping Adaora pack her things, carefully placing her PC in its bag. Adaora, slightly startled, looked at him.

"But... we haven't closed yet," she protested.

Tunde simply grinned, lifting her in his arms. "I don’t care," he said playfully, his strong arms easily supporting her as he carried her toward the elevator.

Adaora giggled, though still slightly embarrassed. "You really love carrying me, don’t you?" she asked, smiling as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Tunde winked, "I can’t help it. You make it too easy."

As they waited for the elevator doors to open, Chidi Okoye rushed down the corridor, his face etched with determination. He was headed straight for Adaora’s office, his heart racing. He couldn't stop thinking about her, about what Tunde was doing with her. As he reached the elevator doors, he could already imagine the confrontation in his head.

Just as he was about to reach the elevator, Mrs. Abosede called out to him from across the hallway. "Chidi! I need you right now. It's urgent!"

He froze, anger bubbling up inside him. This couldn't be happening at the worst possible moment, but he had no choice. With a frustrated glance toward the elevator, he turned and walked away to attend to Mrs. Abosede.

The moment Chidi left, the elevator doors opened with a soft chime, revealing Tunde still holding Adaora tightly in his arms. They stepped out, and Tunde gently placed Adaora back on her feet. He took her hand firmly in his, ignoring the whispers from the other colleagues who had started to gather. Their eyes followed the couple, buzzing with curiosity and surprise. Everyone whispered about the CEO of Spark Technologies walking through Paystack like this.

Tunde didn’t care. He opened the door of his car as Adoara slid into the passenger seat, and Tunde joined her soon after, starting the engine.

Adaora looked at him with a curious smile. "This one you’re so happy... what’s popping?"

Tunde smiled, keeping his eyes on the road. "You’ll find out soon enough."

"Where are we going?" Adaora asked, glancing out of the window as the familiar streets of Lagos passed by.

"We’re almost there," Tunde replied, his grin widening.

After several minutes of driving, Tunde finally pulled over to a beautiful, open field. Children were running around, playing football, while couples strolled hand in hand or sat on blankets, enjoying the evening breeze. It was a peaceful, romantic spot, perfect for an impromptu picnic.

"Hmmm," Adaora said, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Tunde. "So this is where we’re going?" she asked, her voice softening with a hint of excitement.

Tunde stepped out of the car and quickly opened the door for her. Before Adaora could step out, he lifted her again, making her burst into laughter.

"You’re fond of lifting me," she teased, resting her head on his chest as he carried her toward a spot where he had already set up a small camp with snacks and drinks.

Inside the camp, they settled down. Tunde had packed an assortment of snacks—juicy fruits, cookies, and chilled drinks. As they enjoyed the food, Adaora leaned over and began to play with Tunde’s beard, twisting the strands between her fingers. Tunde leaned back comfortably as she toyed with it.

"I like it," Adaora said softly, her voice almost a whisper. She picked up a book from the small pile beside her and started reading to him, her voice smooth and soothing. Meanwhile, Tunde began massaging her back, his hands slowly working their way lower, until he teasingly brushed against her hips.

Adaora paused for a moment, catching her breath, feeling a spark of desire. She turned to face him, her lips inches from his.

Tunde met her gaze, then closed the distance, capturing her lips in a deep, slow kiss. Adaora melted into him, her fingers digging into his shirt. She wanted him, wanted more, but something held her back.

She pulled away slightly, her eyes still locked on his. "Not here," she whispered, her breath ragged. "Not like this."

Tunde nodded, understanding. They shared one last lingering kiss before they packed up and headed home.

Meanwhile, back at Adeola’s house, she paced her room, a gnawing doubt creeping into her thoughts. Did the deal with my father fall through? She wondered, staring at her phone, hoping for a message from Tunde. Despite her confidence in him, a small part of her feared that maybe things hadn’t gone as smoothly as she had hoped.

She lay back on her bed, thinking about Tunde. She needed to figure out how to make him understand that they were meant for each other, that their connection went deeper than anything he might have with Adaora.

As Tunde and Adaora arrived back at her place, they shared a quiet moment before parting ways for the evening. But across town, Chidi was in a very different headspace.

Chidi Okoye sat alone in his room, staring at a wall covered in photographs of Adaora. His obsession with her had grown. Each picture seemed to capture her from a different angle—some from company events, others from candid moments. His eyes moved from one photo to the next, his mind replaying every conversation they had shared.

He couldn’t let her be with Tunde. He had to prove to her, once and for all, that Tunde Adeyemi wasn’t right for her. He would do anything, use every opportunity, to drive a wedge between them.

As the month drew to a close, Tunde was ready to finally stabilize Spark Technologies, while Chidi was consumed with one burning thought—winning Adaora at all costs.

The stage was set. The rivalry had officially begun