Sinners and Saints II

Chapter 3

Adaora drew a deep breath, taking a quick glance around the big sophisticated room filled with attractive antiques. Her eyes rested on the large wall clock right behind the beautiful, perfectly carved wooden desk with a lot of files on it.

She had never been in that part of the building before and all she could feel was her heart racing every time her eyes rested on the men standing right behind the desk at the center of the room whispering something to each other. She wasn't sure but she knew one of them had to be her boss and she could guess it was the one that looked more...expensive.

She could see how tall he was, almost taller than his secretary. His mustache had been carved perfectly and was in sync with his connecting beards, and his hair, neatly braided that it brought out the masculinity of his face. He had a stern look in his eyes and a huge frown curving his bright lips.

She quickly looked away the moment his eyes met hers.

God, she was so nervous.

She swallowed hard on her saliva, wriggling her fingers that lay shaken on her tightly closed legs, pretending to admire the fixtures in the room. She began to shake even worse when the whispers stopped.

Adaora said a short prayer in her head as the taller figure began to find his way to the sofa across hers. She adjusted uncomfortably as he made himself comfortable in it, staring at her for a while, while the other man poured water into the glass cups in front of them.

What was wrong? Why did he keep staring at her?

Those questions kept clouding Adaora's head while she still managed to avoid eye contact with the man sitting in front of her.

"Thank you." She told the secretary, at that point, she'd say and do anything to avoid any form of conversation.

"I'm going to keep this as short as possible." Finally. He was beginning to talk. His hoarse voice echoed around the room, giving her no other option but to turn to his direction.

"I've been watching you Mrs Kalu, and I've also made some inquiries and have come to a conclusion that I want you to be mine."

Adaora's jaw almost dropped at that instant. She could not explain how thrown off balance she was. Of all the things she had readied her ears and mind to hear the moment she stepped into that office, what the man sitting in front of her had just said wasn't one of them, she wasn't even sure how she was supposed to respond to that.

"I-" She started.

"What I'm trying to say in essence Mrs Kalu is," he continued, "I like you, a lot."

Like her?
How could he refer to her as a "Mrs" and not understand what that meant? At that moment, Adaora couldn't help but stick out her wedding ring finger on top of her other fingers just so he could see it. How on earth was she supposed to respond to a thing like that?

The way he watched her, it looked like as if he was waiting for her to say something, to respond.

"I, I uh, " Adaora tried to keep her eyes away from him again. "Sir, I don't know what to say."

He rolled his eyes and rubbed his sides for a second, wondering why she was acting really ignorant. Adaora bit hard on her lips, all she wanted to do was just get up from that sofa and take off without looking absolutely insane.

You're an adult Adaora, think like an adult.
She kept reminding herself.

She watched him sit straight and throw the hem of his brown suit jacket back so he could have a better chance at sitting comfortably.

"It's easy, just tell me what it's going to cost to be my woman, anything at all."

The audacity of this man. Adaora was finally beginning to get offended by his disgusting attitude. She let out a frustrated sigh.

"There must be something you must want, think of it as a bargain, let's say a promotion to begin with-"

"With all due respect Mr Okonkwo," Adaora let out a disgusted scoff. He stopped talking for a while, watching her raise her fingers up so he could see the gold ring that lay pretty on, just in case he didn't see it the first time, she wanted him to see it now. "I'm married."

He returned his gaze to her face.

"So what?" He asked her, the frown on his face becoming worse, it didn't look like he cared or he was joking. This man in front of her was as serious as he could ever be. "People fornicate and adulterate during their marriage, people leave their husbands all the time, marriages fail, what's your point?"

"I love my husband, Mr Okonkwo." She cut him off. "That means I shouldn't be having this conversation with you at all. I am faithful to my husband."

He scoffed.

"Nonsense." A huge smirk appeared on his face. "Everyone has a price, a limit to their faithfulness."

"You don't even know me."

"I know all I need to know." He cut her off, whirling his hands around his glass cup that rested on the wooden center table, raising his head to look at her now, his perfect dimples becoming really bold and visible. "And it doesn't change the fact that I still want you."

Adaora scoffed. She had no idea what was running through his head and she honestly didn't want to know. She didn't want to entertain such thoughts herself.

"Good thing is you don't need to rush." He continued. "Take your time, by all means, think about it if you must. We have all the time in the world plus, I'm a really patient man. In the end, it'd all come down to one thing because I always get what I want eventually."

Adaora let our an exhale. She was so speechless but still, she couldn't hide her disgust.

"You can go back to work now," He told her, smiling as he slouched into the sofa. He crossed his legs while he reached for his newspaper. "We are done here for now." He looked away from her.

Adaora could feel her hands tremble so hard. She didn't know what to do or say.

She swallowed hard as she watched him open the paper and focus his attention on it, his leather shoes glittered under the rays of sun that came from the window across them as he swayed his feet from side to side.

She managed to stand on her feet. She had no idea where all that energy came from but she knew she needed to leave that room as soon as possible. Maybe if she left and pinched herself so hard, she might just realize it was a dream.

She swallowed hard and slowly walked to the door, his words repeating in her head with every move she took. She paused the moment she got close to the door and turned back to him, his eyes were still glued to his papers, it was like nothing even happened.

How could he be so brave, so arrogant, rude and insinuative all at once?

She exhaled and stormed out of the room.