Chapter 4 ~Chapter 4~

"Mr. Nathaniel?" Chinaza was in disbelief, seeing the CEO outside office hours seemed weird. "Oh Chinaza, please don't be too formal, we're outside. You can address me as Nathaniel, just Nathaniel." he said, raising an eyebrow. "Okay, that's fine, weird though, but okay, Nathaniel." They both laughed at the idea of being informal. "Are you here to grab a drink, do you mind me tagging along?" He raised an eyebrow again, making Chinaza even more uncomfortable. She couldn't look him in the eye, and her tone was crusty. "Well yeah, sure.

It's my favorite spot to grab coffee, plus it's a Saturday - what other day to unwind after the stressful week at the office?"

They began to walk slowly into the cafe. "You seemed like you had a blast at the office to me though. You literally make it look easy." He smirked, making her heart skip a bit. " Uhm, you think so? How well do you think you know me this guy?" She laughed heartily, nearly pushing him to the ground, forgetting she was right in front of The CEO. They got a sit and she shook her head, clearly embarrassed by her previous behavior. "I'm so sorry, that wasn't me, that was someone else." He looked at her and said, "that probably was the best laughter I ever heard from a girl." She blushed real hard at the compliment. "That's a lie, for sure. I sounded like a snorting pig." She felt even ashamed. "Trust me, you did. But it was cute." He too burst into his own round of laughter this time. "You're not serious." Out of nowhere these two got comfortable with each other and even exchanged numbers. "My first time meeting a girl that likes to have her coffee with some Oreos on the side. Quite unique, don't you think?" Nathaniel chuckled. Chinaza too did not relent with a comeback. "My first time meeting a CEO who is not as uptight and grumpy, as he poses to be at the office." She had a smirk on her face. " Wow, what a comeback. Well, as for being grumpy, I plead the fifth - I'm often misunderstood, until you get to know me, like you do now." He gazed deeper into her eyes, as if trying to see into her very soul. She shrugged. "It's getting late - it truly was nice running into you today. Plus the coffee tasted better than usual." "It's the Nathaniel effect, don't you think?" He arched his brows, higher this time, as if demanding an immediate reply to his theory. "Well aren't you cocky. See you at the office on Monday, bye for now." She smiled with her beautiful teeth wide open, waved and left. His smile widened as he watched her get into her car and drive away.

* * *

"I know I'm just his secretary, but the look he gives me is not just a look - it most certainly has a deeper meaning to it. This is not me being delusional, this is real." The thoughts of Nathaniel wouldn't let me sleep. "I can't be misreading things, or am I? I think it's high time I expressed my feelings to him, before someone else does it first." I was in another world entirely. I couldn't wait for it to be Monday, so I could express my feelings to Nathaniel.

* * *

The Monday air seemed quite unusual - the difference was that it was filled with love. Everyone anticipated for Monday to see their love. Cheeks were turning red at the office, the room was filled with an endless bliss. "Good morning sir, you look rather dashing today." Sola raced behind the CEO, as he was moving too fast. "Thank you Sola. Have you now gotten my files ready?" " Yes sir, they're on your desk as we speak." Just then, Chinaza walked towards them with her sparkling outfit, that screamed luxury. She looked like an angel that fell from the sky. "Okay then mo... " He looked up only to catch the gaze of Chinaza walking towards him. "Good morning, "Mr. Nathaniel". " She said, her voice stiff with deliberate formality. He completely lost focus. "You look amazin - I mean good morning Chinaza. Your outfit looks like you're going for a runway, should we runaway?" They both couldn't hold their laughter. In all of this, Sola was confused. When did all this start, she thought to herself. "He didn't even throw back my compliment, and didn't hesitate to do so to her." She thought silently. "Your jokes are hilarious." Chinaza pointed out. "You don't fail to amuse me yourself." They both stared at each other in silence for a while, until Sola broke the silence. "Uhmm sir, the files... " "Oh hi, it's you again." Chinaza waved her little fingers at Sola. "Yes, I'm sorry again about - " "oh don't be, we all make mistakes sometimes." Chinaza cuts in. "You two know each other?" Nathaniel asked, looking at Sola and then moving his gaze to Chinaza. "It was just a brief encounter with her, a nice girl too." "Nice girl?" Sola thought. "She's my secretary, I must say, she is quite commendable." Nathaniel adds. "Quite?" Sola wasn't having any of this anymore. " If you'd excuse me, there's a piles of documents unattended to on my desk, I'd like to tend to them, sir, ma." And then off she went. Moving his gaze over to Chinaza, "Would you like to go out for coffee with me again? Same spot, bills on me." Nathaniel urges. "Uhmm, you seemed too cocky the last time, I'd like to bruise your ego this time." She smiled, her eyes beaming with delight. "I'd text you to check in, in case you change your mind." They both parted ways smiling from ear to ear.

Sola was at a corner, eavesdropping on this conversation. She was completely devastated. What she feared the most was happening right before her eyes. Her first love was gradually falling in love with another woman.