Tiwa moved gracefully through the crowd, her sequined dress catching the warm light of the chandeliers. The music, the laughter, the hum of conversation it all faded for a moment when her gaze locked on a pair of striking green eyes across the room.
Her heart skipped a beat.Who… is he?
She found herself drifting toward him as if drawn by an invisible thread. His broad shoulders faced her, his posture confident yet relaxed. She hesitated for a fraction of a second, biting her lip, before lightly tapping his shoulder.
He turned.And for a moment, Tiwa forgot how to breathe. "How may I help you, Miss?" His voice was deep, smooth dangerously smooth. It sent a shiver running down her spine.What is wrong with me? she scolded herself inwardly. For all she knew, this man could already have a girlfriend or worse a wife. The thought snapped her back to reality.
"Sorry… I'm Tiwa Wilson, sister of business tycoon Mark Wilson."
A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Nice to meet you, Tiwa." He took her hand in his warm, firm grasp and, without breaking eye contact, placed a delicate kiss on her knuckles.Tiwa's pulse quickened. "I'm Maxwell Blankson. A businessman as well." Her curiosity flared. "Oh? So you know my brother?"Of course I do." Her eyes narrowed playfully. "And what exactly do you do, Maxwell?" He smirked ever so slightly. "I own malls and a cement factory. I'm the CEO of Maxgel Enterprises."
Tiwa's jaw nearly dropped. "Maxgel?! Wait you're telling me you own Maxgel?"
"That's right."
"Wow… I must say, I'm lucky to meet you. Your mall is my absolute favorite. I don't shop anywhere else even when I'm out of the country. I just search for it online, and to my surprise… it's always there." Maxwell chuckled. "Yes. It's international. And I'll admit, I'm proud of my little achievement."
"A little?" Tiwa laughed softly. "That's an empire. Can we exchange cards? Maybe we could talk again sometime?"
"Of course, I don't mind—"
Before he could finish, a voice interrupted.
"And you are?" Angel's sharp tone cut through the moment.Tiwa turned to face her. "I'm Tiwa Wilson. And you are?"Angel Balowe Blankson." Tiwa tilted her head, eyes darting between them. "Maxwell, is she your girlfriend?" Her voice carried a cautious curiosity, though her expression betrayed the fear of hearing the wrong answer. Maxwell's lips curved into a devilish smirk. This was the perfect opportunity to annoy Angel.
"No… she's my—"
"Oh, your sister then?" Tiwa cut in with a satisfied smile.Maxwell's grin widened. "Yes. Yes, she's my sister." Angel shot him a death glare, shaking her head in disbelief. Well, that's… cool," Tiwa said with a polite smile. "Nice meeting you again, but I have to find my brother." She walked away, glancing back just once. The moment she was gone, Angel crossed her arms. "What was that about? Why would you tell her we're siblings? Do we even look alike?"
Maxwell leaned in, his tone teasing. "Oh, baby… that's exactly what I wanted to see my sweetheart's irritated face." She groaned. "Really? And what if she takes it the wrong way? I saw her eyes, Max. I saw how they lit up when she looked at you."Relax, sweetie. You're talking as if you're some desperate girlfriend instead of my wife." Angel rolled her eyes. "You never take me seriously."Come on," Maxwell said, smirking as he reached for her hand. "Let's go find Aurora."Fine…" she muttered, though a reluctant smile tugged at her lips.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the party…
"Aurora," Charles said, stepping up beside her, his tone unusually formal. "I'm about to make an important announcement. I expect you to behave yourself after hearing it."
Her brows furrowed. "Then you need to give me assurance that it's nothing that will cause… havoc."Just follow me to the stage, daughter."She rolled her eyes but obeyed. "Fine." They reached the stage where her mother was already waiting, her diamond necklace glittering under the spotlight. Aurora's pulse quickened. She had no idea what was coming… but the knot forming in her stomach told her it wouldn't be good.