The clock strikes at 1:50pm, reminding me that the meeting is set to hold for 2pm. Without wasting time I carefully put my things away, leaving them in the lounge room as I make my way to Clark’s Office.On my way to the office I bump into Clark, who is closely followed by Lai, who’s busy arranging some documents that I assume are relevant to the meeting we are about to have.“I was just coming to get you” Clark says, with a half smile. I nod, “same, let’s head to the meeting floor so that we can get good seats” I joke.Clark’s eyes widen and I assume that he’s about to correct me when his mouth opens and closes immediately as he understands the joke, “you’re just joking about the seats” he says, as we enter the private elevator.“Never been in here” I say, referring to the private elevator, “and yes I’m just joking. I know we have assigned seats and we can’t sit anywhere we like” I smile.“Are you nervous?” I whisper to Clark as we walk through the hallway towards the meeting room. H
“And the next successor to the Dames group is…” Daren, the company secretary says, as she presses the button revealing Clark names on the large screen displayed before those present, “Clark Rique”.I breathe a sigh of relief at the image of Clark’s name, the room erupts into applause as people congratulate Clark on becoming the new successor of Dames. From the results displayed on the screen 85% of people voted for Clark while the remaining 15% voted for Fernand.From the looks on the faces of people, it’s easy to tell those that voted for Fernand as they all mumble a word of congratulations as they remain rooted to their seats.My eyes settle on Fernand who looks like he’s about to explode either from anger or the embarrassment from losing. Either way I don’t really care, I’m just really happy that Clark is the new successor of Dames.“Congratulations Clark” I say excitedly, as I put my hand out for a handshake. He playfully slaps my hand away as he pulls me into a hug, “I couldn’t h
“Please send Clark’s and Lai lunch through the driver” I hurriedly say to the Chef before dashing out of the house and into my car.The drive to my office takes about 20 minutes and I’m inwardly grateful that I didn’t have to face traffic on my way to the office.“Good morning,” Alice says, collecting my things. I smile, “good afternoon, are the clients inside?” I ask, checking my watch as I take note of the time. The meeting was set to hold by 9am and it is currently 8:59 am. Why I’m late is a different story and I don’t want to get into it.She shakes her head, “not yet, they called to let us know that they would be a few minutes late as they encountered some issues on the road”. I nod, “alright, that’s fine. We’ll wait for them in the meeting room” I say, feeling very grateful that they haven’t arrived, giving me sufficient time to collect myself.I spend the next fifteen minutes going through the documents for the book signing and promotion before the client arrives. This is a fi
“Heyy” I say, carefully placing a kiss on Clark’s cheek for the sake of public appearances. “Hey babe, you look quite tired” he says, putting an arm around my waist, as we walk into the private room in the restaurant.I nod, “I had quite a day, if this wasn’t important to me and my business I would have rescheduled. I’ve barely had time to eat since I’ve been going from one meeting to another” I say to him.He has a serious look on his face as his assesses the situation, “I can always reschedule with him” he states. I shake my head, “no need, I’m already here so I prefer to get on with it and besides I’m too excited to reschedule”.He nods, “alright then, if you say so. How about getting something to eat, I’ll call the waiter to come take your order”. I smile, “thank you, but I’d like to eat after the meeting. I’m more tired than hungry, and I’d like to get a bit of sleep even if it’s just twenty minutes” I say, glancing at the time on my phone.Clark nods, “Alright, but there’s not e
“I understand that you’d like to discuss business with me” Todd says to which I nod I reply, “yes I do”. He smiles, “there’s no need for that. To be honest I was actually considering promoting some of my books with your company even before Clark spoke to me about it”.“I’ve been monitoring the results that authors that sign with you derive from the market and I can clearly state there’s no better choice than your company” he smiles.“So I’ll be in your office this Friday to discuss the intricacies of this book promotion and the contract if that’s fine with you” he says. I nod, “that’s fine with you, thank you so much for putting your trust in me and my company” I say, extending my hand for a handshake as I stand to my feet.He nods, “can’t wait to do business with you” he says, returning the handshake, “I’d like to stay back and discuss with you two but I have to run home and attend to Stella and our baby boy. I promised her I would be home by 6pm” he states, looking down at his watc
Clark stretches on the bed pushing the pillow dividing the bed we share for the 4th time this night towards me. “Remind me again why I agreed to get married to you and most importantly why I even agreed to share a bed with you” I sigh.Clark had convinced me the night we moved in that we had to share a room. He stated points that seemed reasonable, especially the fact that our parents could walk in anytime and discover us.But I think the main reason why I accepted that night was because I was tired and didn’t want to be alone in a house I’m not familiar with.He smiles, “the way I remember it, you literally begged to get married to me and you couldn’t wait to share a room with me” he says, turning on the light.I roll my eyes, “there’s absolutely no way in this world that I’d ever do that, you’re not even my type” I joke, inwardly admitting that he’s the type of guy I’d usually date. “Is it too late to get my own room?” I pout.“If I’m not your type, then who’s your type?” Clark asks
I stand in front of the mirror, my eyes sparkling with a bit of excitement as I take in my reflection. Seeing it’s been a while since I dressed up for a date, though it’s just a double date but still I’ll take what I can get. The burgundy dress drapes elegantly over my figure, accentuating my curves and making me feel confident. I run my hands over the soft fabric, feeling the delicate lace under my fingertips.A smile plays on my lips as I admire how the dress enhances my natural beauty. With a final adjustment to my hair and a touch of lipstick, I feel set to go as I grab my purse.“Lara” Clark calls out for the second time in a row, “we are going to be…”, “I’m ready” I say, cutting him off as I head downstairs.“The date is not for another one hour, and you should know that women need time to get ready, especially for a date” I say, walking towards him.He breaks into a smile at the sight of me. Wrapping his arms around my waist, “you look breathtaking my darling. I guess it makes
I spend the drive home dozing off and waking up intermittently, “are we home yet?” I ask tiredly at Clark’s nudging.“Yes we are” I hear him chuckle. I scrunch my face into a frown as I force my eyes open, “what’s so funny?” I ask, trying to make sense of my environment before making a move to alight the car.“Nothing” he shrugs, “you’re just so cute when you’re tired. Do you need help getting down?” He asks. I nod, “yes I do” I reply placing my hands on his shoulders as I alight the car.He wraps his arms around me to steady me as we walk towards the door. “You do know that I can walk by myself right?” I ask, inwardly grateful for the support.He shakes his head, “at this point I doubt, you've tripped twice now and I’m not risking you falling and hurting yourself” he says.“You’re so cute” I say without thinking, he chuckles, “thanks, I’m glad to hear that my wife thinks I’m cute” he replies. I shake my head, “I didn’t mean to say that, what I actually meant was thank you for your he
It was a crisp Saturday morning when Clark and I decided to escape the city for a while. The sun was just starting to rise, casting a golden hue over everything, and I could feel the excitement bubbling inside me. "Are you ready for our adventure?" I asked, glancing over at Clark as he adjusted his backpack. "Absolutely! I've been looking forward to this all week," he replied, a wide grin spreading across his face. His enthusiasm was contagious, and I couldn’t help but smile back. We hopped into the car, the engine humming to life as we set off toward the countryside. As we drove, I watched the scenery change from the bustling streets of Lagos to the serene landscapes outside the city. "Look at that view, Lara!" Clark exclaimed, pointing towards a sprawling field dotted with wildflowers. I turned my head just in time to see a burst of color against the green backdrop. "It's beautiful," I said, feeling a sense of peace wash over me. "We should stop and take some pictures." Clark pu
As we dig into the meal, the aroma of the food fills the air, wrapping around us like a comforting blanket. The table is adorned with a colorful spread—fresh fruits glistening in the sunlight, a platter of scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and golden-brown toast, all meticulously arranged to create a feast for the senses. I watch as he takes his first bite, his eyes lighting up in delight. “This is incredible,” he exclaims, savoring each mouthful as though it’s the best thing he’s ever tasted. I can’t help but smile at his enthusiasm; it’s moments like these that remind me of the joy of sharing a meal with someone special.We fall into a comfortable rhythm, the clinking of cutlery and the soft sounds of chewing filling the space between us. I take a moment to observe him, the way he enjoys his food, the little quirks that make him uniquely him. There’s something so endearing about the way he closes his eyes for a brief second as he savors the flavors, as if he’s trying to capture the mome
I smile, nestling deeper into his embrace, “what’s done is done, there’s nothing we can do about it now. And it’s not like you can fire her after all you went through to hire her” I say, sympathetically.He shakes his head, “right now, I’m thinking very much of firing her. She can’t go scot free with that sort of behaviour”. I smile, “no let it be Clark, I don’t want to leave you without help at the office. As long as this was a one time thing then I’m fine, let’s move on” He smiles, “you’re just too kind but I can see that your mood isn’t totally lifted. I shrug, wearing a tired smile, “I just feel trained after that conversation, why don’t you go ahead and have lunch without me. I’ll eat later” I say.He shakes his head, “no way, you came all the way to my office for us to eat together. So what can I do to lift your mood” he says, a mischievous smile on his face. “Letting me sleep” I chuckle, suddenly feeling very tired.“I’ll let you do that in due time, but please let’s have lun
“Afternoon Miss Denie, you require our assistance” one of them says. She nods, “yes please kindly escort this woman downstairs”. They both turn to face me, their eyes widening in shock, before returning their attention to her, “that’s Mr Clark’s wife, please excuse us” they say, before exiting the room.I watch as Denie remains immobile and speechless as she processes their words. I don’t bother getting up as I patiently wait for Clark’s arrival.In less than a minute, Clark walks into the room, concern evident on his face as he walks directly towards me. “You sounded upset, is everything fine my love?” He asks, crouching down as he takes my hand.I look behind him to see Debie’s eyes widen at her mistake. I shake my head, “not really. I closed work early to come suprise you with some food and drinks” I say, raising up the lunch bag for emphasis.“But I was met with insults and disrespectful t from your assistant. She wouldn’t even let me inside your office. To think she actually cal
I’m met by a woman who seems to be in her late 20’s. She is seated in Lai’s former desk. Her auburn hair drops over her shoulders, and her hazel eyes catch my attention. “Good afternoon” she says, rising to my feet, a surprised look on her face as she slowly assesses me.Feeling uncomfortable with being under her scrutiny, I mumble a quick greeting before walking towards Clark’s office. “I’m sorry you can’t go in there” she says, blocking my path.I look up at her, obviously surprised at her audacity, “excuse me” I say, trying hard to control my emotions. She gives me a smile, which is more of a mocking smile, “I’m sorry but you can’t see Mr Clark right now, you shouldn’t even be up here. I wonder who let you in here” she says, frustratedly running her hands through her hair.I chuckle, slightly moving backwards as she’s right in my face at the moment. I quietly assess her, wondering how to address the situation. I force my lips to form into a smile, “I don’t appreciate the tone that
Clark brushes a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch gentle and reassuring. “We’re in this together, babe. No one can come between us,” he assures me, and I believe him. Our bond is unbreakable, forged through years of shared experiences, laughter, and even tears. I lean into him, feeling safe and secure in his arms.“Remember that time when we first met?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood. Clark grins, his eyes sparkling with nostalgia. “How could I forget? You were so sassy, but you still managed to charm me with that confidence of yours,” he confesses, his voice filled with warmth. “Yeah, I can be quite sassy,” I admit, “but I didn’t know this side to you. You were definitely worth it.” Clark’s smile widens, and I can see the pride in his eyes. “And look where we are now,” he says, pulling me closer. “Married, happy, and in love. It’s a beautiful journey we’re on.”I nod, feeling a swell of gratitude for the life we’ve built together. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” I say e
Jordan coughs, obviously uncomfortable with being made the third wheel, “I think you guys would love to be alone, so I’ll just leave and catch up with the others” he says, attempting to rise to his feet.Clark shakes his head, “absolutely not, I honestly don’t mind your presence here. A friend of my wife is mine” he states. Jordan smiles, “thank you, but in all honesty I have some things to discuss with Lai. Please excuse me and it was nice meeting you Clark” he says, before walking away leaving Clark and I to ourselves.“Why were you alone with him?” Clark asks, studying me. I smile, “I wasn’t alone with him, I was basically in the open. I purposely discussed with him, where you could easily see us” I say, chuckling at his jealous display.He smiles, “well I don’t like the fact that he keeps hovering around you. You might not be able to see it but I can definitely tell that he like you” smh r says, drawing me closer to him.“How so?” I ask, my tone evidencing my surprise at his words
“So what have you been up to?” Jordan asks, as we settle down. I shrug, partially intrigued by his sudden interest in my life, “nothing much to be honest. Just the usual, handling my business and enjoying my married life” I say, with a smile as I dwell on my relationship with Clark.Jordan chuckles, “how’s that going? Last time I saw you guys, you were both heavily invested in an argument” he says, slightly leaning forward. I chuckle, “you know how couples are, we fight and we make up. It’s all part of the process of understanding each other and learning to understand each other's triggers and boundaries” I say, my gaze drifting to Clark who’s heavily invested in a conversation before returning my attention to Jordan. “So you guys are good?” He asks, suggestively. I nod, “we are more than good, I’m in love with that man” I say, my smile huge as I set my boundary. “What about you, how’s life going?” I ask, shifting the attention from me.He shrugs, “nothing much, except from the fact
“Heyy Belle” I say, running to give her a hug, almost tripping along the way. “Careful Lara” Clark yells after me. “How are you doing?” I ask, pulling her into a hug, before releasing her as I examine her face.She smiles, “I’m hardly getting sleep with Tululla’s sleeping schedule. But in all honesty everyday feels like a blessing to have my little girl in my arms” she states.I nod, totally understanding what she means, “what about Lai?” I ask, scanning the room for my brother. “He’s over there with your dad and mine,” she says, pointing towards a section of the backyard.“They must be giving him some stupid parent advice” I joke, noticing how serious their conversation is. “Heyy Belle” Clark says, embracing her with a hug, “how are you doing?” He asks, returning to my side.She chuckles, “your wife already asked that. Like I told her, I feel blessed” she says, a wide smile on her face and I can tell that this is the happiest she’s been since I’ve met her. Clark nods, “alright, let