Adaora held on tight to Steven's hands as he led her outside the house with Olivia wrapped around his other arm. It had been exactly ten seconds since they noticed the black Mercedes pulling up in front of their house right beside her extremely worn out car.

She could remember how many seconds it took both her and her husband to finally come to a conclusion that someone was trying to get their attention with the way the car finally came to a stop in front of Steven's. She knew for a fact she wasn't expecting anyone and so was her husband.

She also knew their neighbors didn't mention anything about sharing their car park space with them, and even if they did, why did the man that got out of the car keep staring at their house?

She knew they had to at least ask questions. Questions like why that man in a cheap suit had parked a really expensive car right in front of theirs, who was he and why was he staring so nervously at their home?

A large smile appeared on his face the moment he came in contact with Adaora's face. She squinted her eyes just so she could have a good look at him. Why did he look like he knew her from somewhere?

"Mrs Kalu." The man greeted as he approached closer to them.

Steven slowly turned to Adaora too. He had no idea what was going on. She slowly turned to him too, shaking her head slowly.  She didn't know him. He understood perfectly.

Olivia's grip on her father's neck tightened just as she too had her long stare at the strange man in front of their house. Who was he?

"C-can we help you?" Steven had to ask the moment he got closer to them.

"Good afternoon sir," he had to acknowledge Steven's presence at least. "I'm actually here to see your wife please." He pointed the keys at Adaora.

Adaora took a step forward. She wasn't sure she knew why a man she had never seen before, showed up at her home, requesting to see her.

"W-Who are you?" She stammered, coming to a halt right beside her husband. The smile on the man's face spread even more. He turned to the car.

"You have a gift." He pointed at it and then slowly pointed back to Adaora, stretching the keys to the car to her, encouraging her to take it. She swallowed hard as he hurriedly reached for her hand and placed the key in it before she could even say anything else.

She had no idea what he meant. She had no idea who he was or what he was talking about. She was just as confused as Steven who just stood there, trying to understand the situation.

"May I ask who this gift is from please?"  She heard her husband ask the man. She was dying to know just as much as he was. She wasn't sure she had any friends who could buy her such an expensive gift and even if she did, she couldn't remember celebrating any occasion. What exactly was going on?

"It's courtesy of Mr Okonkwo." The man told them. "Mr Randy Okonkwo."

Adaora held her breath the moment those words escaped from his mouth, hoping she had not heard what she just did.

Steven let out a frustrated scoff.

"He wants you to know he's still waiting for an answer. He also says to tell you that there's more where this came from."

"I'm sorry." Adaora stretched the key back to him. "I will not accept this."
The smile on the man's face began to fade.

"Please take it back."
The man cringed back immediately. He didn't want to give her a chance to return the key back to him. They could see it. She frowned.

"But ma, I was specifically asked not to return this back."

"She isn't asking!" Steven was almost raising his voice now. He wasn't doing a good job containing his anger anymore. "She told you to take the damn car back! Are you deaf?" He took a quick step to him and Adaora would have sworn he was going to punch him in the face if she hadn't stopped him in time.

"Steve," She whispered to him, her grip on his arm tightening. The last thing she needed was to attract the attention of their neighbors. Not like they didn't already have their attention the moment the car drove into the large compound. She knew she was the only one that was capable of calming him. He took deep breaths.

"Daddy." Olivia whispered placing a hand on his chest to calm him too. He took a deep breath and turned slightly to Adaora. She could handle it.

"I'm really sorry." The man's voice shook.  "But I have orders not to return with this car or I'd lose my job." He rubbed his palms together. "I beg you in the name of God. Please, save my job." Now he was terrified.

Adaora exhaled.

"You can't possibly accept this attempt to bribe you and make a complete fool of me." Steven cut in, glaring at her. She slowly turned to him.

"I'm not."

"Send it back."

"Do you trust me?" She asked him. Steven held his breath, of course he did, when did her ever not? He sighed. He was just going to let her do what she wanted.

Adaora slowly turned to the man.
"Thank you. You may go now." He let out a sigh of relief and then smiled a little bit. He nodded and walked away as fast as he could before she changed her mind. Adaora slowly turned to Steven.

"Steven,"

"What is wrong with you?" He asked her, with a burning look of disappointment in his eyes. He wasn't even going to give her a chance to explain herself. "I know I don't earn so much, enough to get you a car like this but I don't deserve to be humiliated like this. I'm not even dead yet." He told her and then shook his head. "God." He whispered, turning to the door.

"Steve-" she whispered his name, taking an abrupt step to stop him but he was already inside. She paused for a minute and then took a deep breath. She was so confused and so scared. She didn't know what to do. She slowly turned to the car and then raised her hand to rub her hurting forehead.

She drew a deep breath.

*************************************************

"I want you to cancel all my meetings for twelve Peter."

The whirling sound from the ceiling fan echoed around the room the moment he and his secretary walked in, his secretary jotting everything he said into the tiny booklet in his hands while he listened attentively all at once.

"Also, make a call to Juliana and Son's and request an urgent meeting with Juliana at three." He came to a stop right beside his wooden desk, placing his hands into his pockets and spreading his legs apart from each other just so his leather shoes remained visible under his fitted trousers. He had his eyes glued to the man in front of him who didn't for once stop taking notes.

"And lastly, I need you to buy me a bouquet of the most beautiful roses you've ever seen and book a reservation at one of the most classy restaurant in the state for tonight."

He paused for a minute, raising his head to meet Randy's. Randy pouted.

"Why aren't you jotting that down?"

"Sir?" He asked, pretending to be clueless.

"Didn't you hear what I said?"

"I did sir, it's just that tonight is your son's birthday and the chairlady already called to notify you that you'd be having dinner as a family together tonight. That's his birthday wish."

Randy rolled his eyes and then placed a hand on his jaw, pretending to think.

"Call her back. Tell her I'd be running late and they can eat without me. In the mean time, find a gift for Ralph while you're at it. Something he'd like. Anything at all."

His secretary jotted down every single word, and at that moment there was a loud bang. They both turned to see Adaora who had stormed into the large office with a huge frown on her face. Her eyes were glaring at him, as her blue dress swayed from side to side.

Randy stood straight and then turned fully to have a good look at her. A wry smile covered his face the moment she got a few steps closer. She was really trying so hard to keep her cool and control her breathing.

"Mrs Kalu." He started.

"Can we talk?" Adaora raised the keys up just so he could see she wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. She threw it to the ground, right in front of him.

"How dare you-"

"Peter!" Randy cut his secretary off before he took another step towards Adaora. She glared at him like she wasn't afraid of him, eying him greatly just as he did the same. "Leave us." Randy ordered.

Peter took a deep breath and then hurriedly turned to his master. He bowed and then hurriedly bent over to pick the keys from the floor. It only took a minute and he was out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Adaora moved her gaze back to Randy.

"I've been expecting you." He told her, reaching for the bottle of wine on his desk, making a move to fill the glasses with it.

Adaora took a deep breath.

"You really need to stop doing this." Her voice broke. She was really so upset and irritated by all of it. She was fed up.

"What did I do?" He was barely listening to her. He had his attention on the wine glasses.

"I already told you, I'm not interested in whatever it is you want. I am married, happily married and what you're doing is not only insulting to my husband but really upsetting to me." She continued, slightly raising her voice so he could hear her clearly. "I don't need your time, or kind gestures, or special treatment, or gifts." Her voice broke more when she saw him walk up to her holding both glasses in his hands.

"All I want is this job and the more you keep doing this, the more I'm forced to give it up."

He stretched a glass of wine to her . She scoffed. As if she was even going to accept it. She just wanted to make her intentions clear to him and then leave.

Randy exhaled. He slowly placed the glasses on the center table behind her.

"Are you even listening to me?" She asked him. "Can you please say something so I'm sure that you understand, because I don't love you. " She whiled around just so she could see him again. "I don't love you and I can never reciprocate your feelings for -"

Randy grabbed her arm immediately and  pushed her to the sofa. Adaora fell on it with a force that she couldn't even explain. She hurriedly tried to get back up but he didn't give her a chance to. He found his way right on top of her, pinning her hands in place on the couch just so he could have his way at planting kisses all over her face and neck.

"Let me go." She struggled, trying to set herself free from his strong hold, trying to push him away from her or kick him off but his weight kept her legs in place.

He placed his a hand on her thighs, and then pushed it further under her dress, groaning unevenly as he pushed himself harder on her while she struggled to set herself free. Adaora had tears lingering in her eyes.

And then there it was, her saving grace, as the door suddenly flung open and a woman walked briskly inside. Randy scoffed in frustration and let out a tiny chuckle as he suddenly pulled his hands from under her dress and got up from her immediately, giving Adaora a chance to breathe again. She had tears almost pouring down her face as she tried to pull her dress down while he cleared his throat, adjusting his jacket in place. Adaora hurriedly got up from the sofa.

"I told you." He told her. "I can always get what I want."

She slapped him immediately, as hard as she could. She was so angry, so furious and frustrated. She wanted to say something, to vent but the right words just wouldn't come out. It was useless. It was useless saying anything at all especially to someone like him. He was a psychopath.

She hoped he could see just how disgusted he made her feel. She needed to leave that place. She had to. She quickly turned to leave.

"Adaora," he tried to call her back but she didn't stop walking towards the door, taking a quick stop the moment she stopped at the woman that stood right outside it, a huge frown covering the best parts of her face. Adaora didn't really have the time to notice anything or anyone or care who she was. She scoffed and then stormed out of the room.

Randy drew a deep breath the moment the woman's eyes met his. He raised his brows and slowly turned to the table for his wine as he heard the knocking sound of her heels draw closer. The light skinned lady walked towards him, trying to force a tiny smile on her upset face.

"So the rumors are true then ?" She finally came to a stop right behind him. "You just won't stop would you?"

"What are you doing here Sommadina?" He asked not even bothering to turn to look at her.

"What is wrong with you? Have you no respect for me or our family? Our children?"

He exhaled and then took a frustrated drink from his wine glass holding on firmly to it.

"Why do you keep making a complete fool of me?"

"I thought I asked you never to come to my office without informing my secretary first?"

He turned to face his almost teary wife with a stern look covering his face. She scoffed. She was going red in so much anger. She wasn't surprised either.

"It's our son's birthday today. Your only son. You're supposed to be by his side, our side, and yet here you are, not even planning to return home for dinner all because you want to spend some quality time with your cheap whore!"

"Watch your tone woman!" He yelled back at her.

"Or what?!" She yelled back at him.

They both glared at each other for a while.

"Have you no conscience? Don't you fear retribution? Just how many of these women do I have to truly hurt for you to come to your senses!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. She was trying so hard to let all her anger out.

"Just who do you think you're talking to?!" He yelled back at her too. She stopped for a second, cleaning the tears off her eyes as fast as she could. She was really tired. She was exhausted. He glared at her, pointing a finger at her warningly. "I do what I want," his loud tone reduced. "When I want. And neither you nor anyone else gets to question me."

She faked a smile. It was really exhausting, the back and forth. She took a deep breath, nodding her head like she understood him.

"You're going to regret this Randy." She said looking him in his eyes. "I am going to make sure you regret doing this to me, mark my words."

"Get out." He told her, glaring into her eyes. He meant every word of it. "Get out of my building right now." He warned her as his secretary rushed into the room, finding his way to the woman. "And never you come back until you've gotten  rid of all that filthy alcohol in your system."

"Chairlady—" his secretary stretched his hand to her so he could help her out. She slapped his hand away from hers .

"Get away from me."

She turned quickly to the door and then stormed away from the room without looking back.

Randy took a deep breath and then turned away from his secretary who just stood still with his head bowed in shame.

"Pour me another drink."

************************************************

So guys, just in case you were wondering how the word "Sommadina" is pronounced, it's actually pronounced as (summer-dinner) . Like saying the words summer and dinner at once. Cheers