“Complicated”
Episode 17
Throughout the weekend, Ore and Temi struggled to find a solution. By Monday, Ore attempted to shift her focus as she prepared for her upcoming meeting, only to discover through an email from Eclexia that it had been rescheduled from Tuesday to Monday.
Upon arriving at the office, she was promptly escorted to Titilope office.
“Hi, Titilope.”
“Hello Ore, you’re here. Great, the CEO is in today. I’ll introduce you before we meet with our partners. Let’s see if he’s available.” Titilope checked her phone and quickly sent a message. Almost immediately, she received a reply.
“He is, let’s go.” Ore followed Titilope out of the office and down a short corridor. They paused at a door which led into the secretary’s office. From there, Titilope led the way into the CEO’s office. The room’s sole occupant was looking out the window.
“She’s here.”
“Thank you, Titilopemi, you can leave us.”
Ore was puzzled; the voice was oddly familiar. As Titilope exited, the CEO turned around. The moment Ore saw his face, she fainted.
Farouk reacted swiftly, catching Ore before she hit the ground. He gently laid her on the couch, concern evident in his gaze as he noticed her pregnant belly. He hoped the child was his, though he knew it might belong to her husband. Patiently, he waited for her to regain consciousness, eager to understand why she had presented herself as single when she was, in fact, newly married.
After a few minutes, Ore opened her eyes to find Farouk looking intently at her. Their eyes met, and for a moment, they were transported back to their carefree days in Dubai. Ore was the first to break the gaze.
“How do you feel?” Farouk asked softly.
“I don’t feel very good. I need to leave.”
“You are not going anywhere until you explain what you were doing in Dubai with your friend the week after your wedding.”
“That is none of your business.”
“You made it my business when we were intimate.”
“People have one-night stands all the time.”
“Not me. I don’t.”
“Then why did you leave without a phone number?”
Farouk looked away, unable to meet her eyes. “I just need to know if the pregnancy is mine.”
“What?” Ore feigned annoyance. “How ridiculous! I am married, and this pregnancy belongs to my husband.”
“I don’t believe you, Ore. The Ore I met in Dubai would never lie about something so important. So, what is really going on?”
“Nothing is going on. I need to leave now, and you can’t stop me.” Ore grabbed her bag and stood up. As she walked towards the door, Farouk called out to her.
“You can run, Ore, but you can’t hide. When that child is born, I will request a paternity test.”
Ore continued on her way and left the office. Once she was gone, Farouk collapsed into the nearest chair, exhausted by the exchange. He pulled out his phone to call his lawyer. Despite the uncertainty of his own future, he needed to ensure that if the child was his, his family would know and have the opportunity to be part of the child’s life.
In the car, Ore felt suffocated by the overwhelming turn of events. Discovering Farouk as the CEO of her workplace made the world seem unbearably small. With Farouk now in the picture, her plan to pass off the baby as Adetola’s was crumbling. Desperate for guidance, she instructed the driver to take her to Adetola’s office.
They needed to decide their next steps, but Ore was also troubled by a sense of betrayal towards Farouk. Upon arrival at Adetola’s office, his secretary informed Ore that he was in a meeting and she would need to wait. But pressed for time and fraught with urgency, Ore bypassed the secretary and walked straight into Adetola’s office. Inside, she caught him and Tiwa in a compromising position.
“Ore, what are you doing here? You didn’t tell me you were coming,” Adetola said, hastily disentangling himself.
Ore and Tiwa exchanged hostile looks. “Ore, I’m talking to you,” Adetola pressed.
“I need to talk to you, and it’s very urgent,” Ore responded, her voice firm.
Adetola, visibly uncomfortable, glanced between the two women. “Okay, come with me.”
“No, she leaves,” Ore insisted.
“Please, Ore, don’t make a scene.”
“Then I will leave.” Ore turned to exit.
“Wait, Tiwa, can you please excuse us?” Adetola interjected.
“Are you serious right now? You’re asking me to leave?” Tiwa exclaimed.
“Please, technically she is my wife and has a right to be here,” Adetola argued.
“Oh really? Fine, I will leave but don’t call me.” Tiwa grabbed her bag and turned to Ore with a parting shot, “Don’t think you have won this round.”
“Whatever,” Ore muttered, feeling a twinge of satisfaction. Despite the chaotic circumstances, she felt a small victory, especially after the stunt they pulled in Dubia.
After Tiwa had left, Adetola turned to Ore with frustration evident in his voice. “Really, did you have to create a scene?”
“I beg your pardon, I’m still your wife.”
“Fine, what do you want?” Adetola asked his tone curt.
Ore took a deep breath to steady herself. “He found me.”
“Who found you?”
“The father of my baby.”
“Are you kidding me, Ore?”
“No, I’m not. He’s the CEO of the company where I work.”
“You work? Why?”
“What do you mean “Why’? Should I just sit at home and play wife to a man who detests me?” Ore retorted, her voice rising slightly.
Adetola shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I don’t detest you. I’m just not attracted to you.”
“Well, what’s the difference?” Ore shot back.
“Okay, but did you tell him the pregnancy is his?” Adetola asked, trying to grasp the full extent of the situation.
“No, I told him it’s for my husband, but I have a feeling he doesn’t believe me. He’s asking for a DNA test after the baby is born.”
“This is not happening. Give me time; I will think of a way out of this,” Adetola said, his voice tense with worry.
“I told you this was not a good idea, now look how things are playing out,” Ore replied, her tone weary.
Adetola had no immediate answers. The two of them sat in silence in his office, the weight of their arranged marriage and the complications it brought hanging heavily in the air as they pondered their next move.
Thanks for reading,
Tbc
