CHAPTER 5
Unplanned Official trip abroad
The first rays of Dubai's sun slipped through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Ajoke stirred awake, still feeling the impact of the night before.
Her phone buzzed with a message from Olu....
Olu: "Good morning, the Conference starts at 9. Can we talk before then?"
She hesitated for a moment before answering back:
Ajoke: Sure. I'll be ready in 20 minutes.
Twenty minutes later, she met him downstairs in the hotel's café... a calm, airy space filled with the smell of coffee and delicacies.
Olu was already there, dressed neatly in a black suit, and his eyes carried the same storm as hers.
"Good morning, " he said softly.
"Morning, " she replied with a little smile.
The silence between them was heavy, but charged, like something fragile hanging!
Finally, Olu learned forward, his voice soft. "About last night.... I can't ignore what happened". Or that I regret it."
Ajoke replied, "Olu..."
Ajoke's lips parted slightly.... "Olu..."
He held up a hand, gently but firmly
"I know it's complicated. You work for me, and I respect that boundary. But, Ajoke, I can't keep denying what I feel for you every time I look at you.
She stopped him with a whisper. " Don't say it."
"Why," he asked.
"Because if you say it, it'll make it real," she said, with her voice trembling. " And I don't know if I can handle that now,"
Olu looked straight into her eyes, exhaling slowly, "Then let's just be honest with each other."
Ajoke looked at him for a while. His honesty disarmed her.
"But this is more than expected and more than I planned," said Ajoke gently.
"So, you had a plan?" Olu asked.
Before she could reply, some of their colleagues from Maga Medical Solutions entered the café, waving cheerfully
They all finally matched into the conference hall for the main event of the day.
Olu was the main Facilitator from Lagos, Nigeria, among all other countries present.
Later in the evening.....
The Gala Night. " The Gala Beneath the Light."
The evening air in Dubai was warm and perfumed with jasmine and sea salt.
The grand ballroom of the Marina Hotel shimmered under crystal chandeliers, filled with laughter, music and blossoming hearts.
Everyone from the Maga Medical conference had gathered.... executives, doctors, pharmacists and partners..... dressed in fine suits and glittering dresses.
Ajoke stood very close to a marble pillar, a vision in a sleek emerald dress that was glittering each time she moved.
Her hairstyle framed her face glamorously.
Olu arrived a bit later, commanding quiet attention. His confidence radiates effortlessly.
Their colleagues greeted Olu warmly.
Ajoke tried so hard to look away each time her gaze occasionally drifted.
Pretending to be absorbed in conversation, yet every part and nerve of her body felt Olu's presence.
Finally, after eating and drinking. During a pause in the music, the host called for everyone to take the dance floor. Soft jazz was playing and floated through the air.
Olu approached slowly. "Let's have the dance,
May I?" He asked gently, extending his hand.
Ajoke hesitated, "Olu.... people are watching."
He smiled faintly. "Then let's give something awesome to watch."
For a moment, she just looked at him ....
And then, placed her hand in his.
The world narrowed to their dancing steps. His palm rested lightly on her waist, her fingers on his shoulders. They moved in harmony.
Neither spoke, but everything was written out loud, the way they held each other.
She whispered, "Olu, someone could see us."
"Let them," he murmured. "For once, I don't care."
The song ended, and they stood still. A soft applause broke out as the next dance began.
Ajoke stepped back quickly and quietly.
They all had a lot of fun and enjoyed the party.
That night, back in her room. She stood by the balcony ruminating about the day's activities.
Down the hall, Olu sat alone in his suite, with a drink in his hand. Thinking of her.
The night had just given them the taste of what they couldn't have.
And now, there's no turning back.
The morning after the Gala arrived. With the hum of the city and the consequences that neither Olu nor Ajoke had prepared for.
By eight o'clock, the conference halls had already filled up with the participants.
Ajoke walked in confidently; she noticed the sideways glances, the lowered voices that stopped as she approached. She forced a polite smile and joined her colleagues from
Maga Medical at the table.
Her friend, Bisi, leaned closer and whispered, "You and the boss looked... very close last night."
Ajoke's heart skipped. "What do you mean?"
She asked softly. Pretending.
Bisi: "Come on, girl. Everyone saw that dance
It wasn't just business rhythm. "
Ajoke gave a quiet laugh, "It was just a dance now, Bisi. You know how these events are organised. Everyone is watching, so we play our part."
But even as she said it, she could feel the weight of her own lie pressing on her chest.
By noon, the conference resumed with a presentation on new pharmaceutical initiatives. Ajoke sat quietly, taking notes, but her focus was scattered. Every word reminded her of him.... his touch, his voice, his gaze,
that followed them everywhere. Now, her colleagues noticed something!!!
She couldn't bear to even think about how this new development would unfold there in Dubai or when they finally get back to Lagos.
Later that afternoon, as the event ended, Olu called her aside. "Ajoke," he called quietly, with serious expression. " We need to talk."
She glanced around," Olu, not here. People are watching."
"I know," he said softly, with a low voice. "But that's the problem. They're already watching. "
She paused, "You've heard too?" She said
He nodded grimly. " The board's not saying much yet, but the whisper has started.
We have to be careful, Ajoke, for both our sakes."
Her eyes dimmed. "So what do we do now?"
For a moment, he couldn't answer. Then reluctantly, he said, " We put distance. At least until this blow is over."
She nodded slowly, "Of course. I understand."
But as they walked away, the ache in her heart deepened. She understood that the distance he spoke about wasn't just professional. It was emotional too.