Chapter 4

I walked into the meeting room were the board of investors were waiting. They were all elderly men whose names rang money and power wherever they were mentioned and this is exactly how I planned to be when I got their age. These kind of men were not the type to be intimidated by a woman's success. They were confident in their own success and see a successful woman as an opportunity to form an alliance to build greater generational wealth. Why was I finding it difficult to secure those type of men. They're always usually taken leaving me with the insecure lots and gold diggers.

"Good morning gentlemen, I'm honoured to have you all here. It's a great privilege which I'm immensely grateful for. Today I'll be pitching you this tremendous idea which I believe will be of a great impact to not just the society but to us as well. Without wasting much of our time, I'll just go ahead with the presentation" I said as I opened my laptop and waited for the images to pop up on the projector.

"I suppose one of us is not here, your PA made us understand he will soon be here. I think we should wait for him a bit" It was Mr Williams, the CEO of Bluetree investment Africa. I looked at Flora who signaled me that he was right.

It was then I remembered she told me this morning that she got a last minute investor.

"That's right, Please give me a minute, I'll be right back" I walked out and Flora trialed behind me. Once we were outside the meeting room, I turned around and gave her an angry look

"Why didn't you remind me that the last person wasn't here before I went in there"

"I had no idea you went in there. Constance just told me you already went in. I'm so sorry ma. He'll soon be here. Oh here he is. Good morning Mr Femi" I turned around only to see the source of my anxiety standing right in front of me.

"Hello Miss Ifeoma, I am so excited about this great project of yours. I can't wait to see it" He stood there beaming like an unbothered child. I wanted to scream out my lungs at him and kick him out of the building but I did not want Flora or anyone else suspecting anything so I tried my best to play it cool.

"Welcome sir, I'm very pleased to have you here. The others are here and we're waiting for you"

"This way sir" Flora gestured for him to follow her. He winked at me before going. I stood there as they left for the meeting room. I was so mad and angry that I went to my office. I slammed the door and held my chest whose heartbeat has increased. I had a life changing presentation at the moment and the one person giving me anxiety was going to be in the same room as me. What's wrong with him? Yes we made a mistake, why can't he just let it go?

"Madam, we're ready for you" Flora said as she walked in and found me pacing worriedly in my office.

"Is everything alright ma" She asked

"why didn't you tell me Femi Makinde was the last minute investor? I yelled at her finally finding an outlet for my frustrations.

"I'm sorry, I forgot, besides I didn't think it was important?" She stuttered

"Just listen to yourself, you didn't think it was important. If you don't think you can handle this job just tell me so I can have you replaced"

"I'm sorry ma, please don't be mad at me.I promise it will never happen again"

"I shouldn't be mad at you? just tell me why I wouldn't be mad? You know what, just get out?".

"Please ma, I'm so sorry" She was shaking already

"Are you deaf, I said get out of my office" I shouted at her making her shudder in fear. She was obviously confused because I have never spoken to her like that before. She turned around and left the office without a word.

I immediately felt bad for treating her in that manner. I realized that I was allowing my emotions get the best of me. I wasn't supposed to allow my emotions get in the way of my business. I had a huge project at hand and here I was, allowing my feelings ruin my composure which was necessary for my presentation. I drank some water from the bottled water on my desk, stood and straightened myself before heading for the meeting room. There's money to be made and right now I have to focus on it. I'll deal with this Femi issue later

Throughout the presentation, I tried my best to avoid meeting his eyes. My eyes locked with his once and I felt a tingling sensation throughout my body which made me avoid him till the presentation was over. Questions were asked which I and my team answered perfectly. They were all impressed and at the end of the day deals were made and contracts were signed. We all shook hands. My handshake with Femi was different. His squeezed tightly and he lingered while looking into my eyes which made me withdraw my eyes immediately. I was confused as to the way I felt. because I was supposed to feel disgust and anger rather I felt in a way I didn't want to admit.

Once the investors left, I went into my office only for my PA to inform me that Femi was waiting outside my office to see me.

"Let him in" I said trying my best to sound perfectly normal. Once he came in. I stood from my seat. I had already planned how I would angrily lash out on him. He walked in looking all alluring in his expensive tuxedo suit, the rich scent of his Christian Dior perfume filled my nose as it brought back the nostalgic feelings I had the last time we were close to each other.

I suddenly lost my anger and backlash which I had prepared for him. My voice surprisingly became low.

"What do you want? I know you don't have interest in my project. You just used it as a leverage to come here" He sat on the chair opposite my desk and crossed his legs.

"Funny enough, I'm genuinely interested in your project. Your type of woman is rare and I'm intrigued by the amazing things you've accomplished. i am also not going to pretend like I didn't use this as an excuse to see you" I was taken aback by his remarks. He's not the first man to compliment my achievements only that there was a kind of genuiness in the way he praised me.

"Thanks for the compliments but we cannot continue to see each other. Please let it go" I said

"Are you going to pretend like you didn't feel anything?"

"It doesn't matter, this is all shades of wrong" I was hysteric at that moment. Why can't he just get it?

"Why, because you're my wife's friend?"

"Yes" I sighed. it seemed he was already getting it.

"listen, I'm not going to pretend like this isn't wrong. but i haven't felt this way with any woman in my life. I've always had a strong crush on you since I met you, I thought it would pass away with time but it didn't and the day we kissed, I knew it was way deeper. I can't just ignore this because of socital norms." I was short of words.i didn't know what to say. I was staring everywhere but him. I couldn't help looking at him. He stood and started moving towards my side. I moved away before he could get to me.

"Femi please don't come close to me. I beg you"

"Why? Is it because you're scared you wouldn't be able to resist me?"

"And who told you I can't resist you?" I lashed out at him I was angry that he was able to see through me so easily.

"Then prove it to me" His voice was hard and angry. "Meet me this evening at the address I'll text you. let's talk about this somewhere else. This is not the appropriate place for this conversation. if you're able to prove to me that you feel nothing and truly resist me, I'll never bother you again" He turned and left the office. I heaved a sigh of relief.

I was going to prove to him that he was truly resistible and clear the assumption that I had any feelings for him. I was going to do what it takes and end it once and for all.

"