Sofi was in her office working on some urgent task when Ada barged in, as usual.

"We have an emergency!" She bawled.

"Ada I'm busy please, your Oga wants another report, come back later." 

Mr. Madaki sent her an email by 5am to prepare another report on the some random offshore spending the Company did FOUR YEARS Ago and he wants it ready by 1pm. She was not in the mood for any cruise catching right now.

"Today is his Birthday!" Ada said.

"How did you know that?" She asked  eyes still focused on the work she was doing.

"His private Banker just delivered a huge package," Ada said excitedly.

interesting. So he has private bankers rushing him already. 

"Which of the banks?" Sofi asked, she knows some of those Private Bankers.

"Zenith" Ada pulled out one visitor chair and sat down "Why are you asking about the Banker, what does it matter? The question you should be asking is; what are we going to do?"

So, it is Company tradition to order and present a cake to employees on the morning of their birthday. Even if the birthday falls on a weekend, they do it the Monday after. 

Usually the HR Head will gather everyone and they'd carry the cake and balloons to the celebrant's office or workstation and sing happy birthday.

Thing is, is Sofi is responsible for ordering the cakes but, the Baker she contracted for this has a 1 week notice policy because she always makes personalized themed cakes for the celebrants based on something they like or a hobby.

She picked up her phone and started chatting up the baker on IG. "Hmm, I doubt if I can get a themed cake today o, but we could try. Do you know what does he likes? Anything?"

" I tell u I know anything about him, I'm lying" Ada shook her head as she stuffed her mouth with a chocolate bar she sneakily grabbed from Sofi's candy bowl.

"What did the Banker send?" They will do a copy and paste jor, she's not going waste her time to do something nice for him. The guy has no joy, nothing can impress that one. Before he would even come and say she is wasting company funds on social activities.

"He is not here yet, you Come and see it" Ada stood up and she followed. It was a huge dark leather parcel. It looked very expensive.

"So these Banks just send ordinary birthday email and text to the rest of us on our birthdays, but go out of their way to buy gifts for rich people ehhn" Ada sneered "Should we open it?" she added nervously.

"No, don't worry let me just look around" Sofi said as she skimmed the office.

She took in the dark room extensively now that his presence was not there to intimidate or distract her. The office was plain. There was no single paper on his table, no picture frames, or other personal effects. Oshey Christian Grey.

There was just one large black and gold abstract painting on the wall. The shelves beside them were empty.

She ran her hand through the painting then pulled the drawers under the table one after the other but they were all empty, not even one single pin in them.

"Na wa o" Even Ada was weak. "I think he has some serious trust issues" Ada said "Or maybe it is because he is still new...you know it takes some time to really personalize your space. Wait! one time I saw him eating salted crackers" Ada smiled "it was so cute"

"What is cute about eating crackers" Sofi blinked in bewilderment.

"I don't know... I only see him drinking black coffee most of the time which is hot, but the crackers softened his image in my eyes" Ada said with stars in her eyes.

"Mtsssw" Sofi hissed at her loudly. She's is not going to lie o, he is fine and attractive but his attitude stinks. She's not going to join Ada again in fangirling over him, he lost his appeal ever since he showed her his true colours in that first meeting.

"Shoot! He is here, lets go, lets go!" Ada screamed panicking. Sofi quickly put down the newspaper she had picked up from his coffee table as they hurried out.

"He's already in the elevator!" Ada said as they rushed back to her station and posed as if they were doing something else.

That day Sofi learned that the receptionist, Sandra gives Ada real time alert of what does down at the reception. She even attaches pictures or short videos to the whatsapp alerts.

"You people are jobless o," Sofi laughed as she shameless peered into Ada's phone to see the picture.

Sandra (Reception): *Picture* He is here! Hope you are on ur desk.

The picture was taken from afar, He was wearing a dark suit, he held his MacBook like a file binder as he waited for the elevator. He should be here any second now.

"Ada this is creepy, is this what you people do every day," She said as if she herself didn't track him to one dead club 2 weeks ago.

"What? There are CCTV cameras everywhere in this building, how this is different?" Ada smiled unapologetically as she topped up her clear lip-gloss and quickly dusted her cheeks with a highlighter brush, using her monitor screen as mirror then continued. "You see ehn, Sometimes that yeye Sandra pranks me with fake information just to stress me out, so I started asking her for picture proof" she flashed a very charming smile, satisfied with the makeup. "It's no big deal, it's just a pictu....." She quickly stood up and cleared her throat. "Good morning Sir!" She said as he approached them.

Sofi looked away and pretended to be reading  a piece of paper she picked up on Ada's table.

"Sit down Ada, this is not your village," He muttered as he sauntered past them into his office. And Ada smiled shyly as if that wasn't rude!

He looked pissed as usual. Clearly not a morning person. Heck, he is not an afternoon either. He is just always angry. Bitter soul.

"Aunty Ada, I'll try my best for you people, let me be going." She had better disappear from there before they come and pour anger on her.

***

She dialed the Baker's number as she headed back to her office. She discovered this Baker 2 years Ago on Instagram. The girl was a student at the time and a single mother but she bakes like crazy and her cakes don't just look good they taste good.

Sofi sort of made her the official baker for Company events and even introduced her to Amanda because even Amanda liked the cake she made for Chief the first time she patronized her. And once Amanda gives you a seal of approval in this Lagos you've blown.

Her wedding cakes now start from 500k, she has a store in phase one, and ordinary folks cannot even afford her anymore.

Sofi knows she is going to complain about the short notice but she cannot turn Sofi down. And she doesn't give her those her inflated bills, sometimes when it's a personal order she refuses to collect money sef.

She placed the order around 9:45am and the cake arrived by 2:30pm as promised and it was much more beautiful than she imagined. It was a black and gold leaf style; she even managed to coat some of cherries and berries she used as toppings in gold.

It came with her signature balloons and ribbons in matching black and gold. The Baker really tried, considering the fact that the only she said was "Celebrant likes black and maybe gold"

Ada carried the cake while the others held balloons.

Sofi stayed at the back of the crowd abeg, the whole thing was forced. Honestly if it was left to her they'd have pretended like they didn't know it was his birthday since he doesn't like getting personal with anyone.

With Chief, everyone loved him, people rushed to come celebrate him, but this new CEO's own just feels like pure ass kissing, she could not even bring herself to pretend she was happy for him. It is way too hard for her to pretend to like someone she dislikes.

She hid behind the crowd and found a spot close to the door as they entered the office and observed the drama that ensued lol.

Usually when they come into the celebrant's office the celebrant sees them, smiles then everyone starts singing the happy birthday song. But as usual this MF had his airpods in his ears and didn't look up immediately.

They all stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before Ada moved closer to his table and waved at his face.

He  looked alarmed on seeing the sudden appearance of.... people. His eyes almost popped out their sockets as he plucked out one air pod. An awkward smile formed on his face as they started singing.

"Thank you" He said flatly when they finished singing.

Then silence followed.

His eyes darted around wildly as he raised his brows questioningly as if he was saying, 'ehen? You people don't have work to return to?'

His eyes landed on the cake for the first time then his eyes found her at the back, he held her gaze for a few seconds and it almost felt like he was about scold her for 'wasting money' or for bringing a crowd to his office to bother him. He probably thinks this is all her idea too. This is something Chief has been has doing for his employees even before she joined the company but yeah, blame Sofi.

He tore his gaze from her as Ada started a funny speech. The speech was funny because she didn't prepare for it, she was only doing it to save everyone from the awkward situation they were in. Sofi was laughing inside and dying of secondhand embarrassment at the same time on behalf of the people that carried this thing on their head.

Shebi they want young Boss, they have not seen anything! Lol.

When Ada finished her speech, she rushed forward and dropped the cake on the coffee table and he managed another weak smile that didn't reach his eyes. He looked very uncomfortable and the look in his eyes showed that he couldn't wait for them to leave him alone.

Ada still had the mind to defend him later that day, saying maybe he is an introvert and shy.

"Shy? But he is not shy when it's time to bully me or Mr. Richards or fire people ehhn" Sofi said. "Ada, please rest"

He is just an asshole. Although it made her glad, that he showed himself to everyone today not just her and Mr. Richards. She smiled. Now people can see what she has been saying.

He dashed Ada the cake and all the gifts he received that day and closed earlier than usual.. You should have seen the way she and Sandra were sharing the items that evening like hoodlums.

When she got home, she couldn't stop thinking about the way he looked at her when his eyes found her in the crowd. Why did he do that? Was he really mad at her? There was just something different about the look he had in his eyes this time, it wasn't particularly.....hostile. That was fucking weird.

She quickly brushed it aside and focused on bashing him for being a snob instead. it was much easier. No need for mental gymnastics, he is an asshole and that is a fact.

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