CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE.
“Christine, please report to my office.” Jamal instructed over the fixed phone and placed it down. A few moments later, his office door opened up and the secretary walked in.
“Mr. King, you called.”
“Here, take this.” He said stretching out a brown envelope towards her which she immediately took and waited for the instructions that would follow. “I want that published on all social media platforms by tonight. It should be on the evening news as well and in the newspapers by tomorrow morning. Christine, I was exactly what was in that envelope published. No more, no less. I repeat, no more, no less. Is that understood?” He asked carefully.
“Yes, Mr. King.”
“You can get to work now.”
“Thank you Sir.” She exited the office.
Jamal, once alone, stretched his arms in the air and yawned tiredly.
In about two hours, the entire country would be completely shaken by what would be published. The thought of that made him smile.
************************************************
The entire country was in chaos after what Jamal sent had been published. He had just announced the fact that he was married and that he’d be organising a party on a certain date to show his wife to the world.
Everyone was talking about the Almighty Jamal’s marriage and who the lucky woman could be.
“That guard was right after all, Mr. King is married.” Lois announced sadly.
“Why do you seem so sad?” Kelly asked giggling.
“Cuz I just lost my chance.” Lois replied with an even sadder look and Kelly laughed harder. Even Adele joined her.
“I can’t believe you ever thought you could have a chance with him. Come on girl, that man’s wife is probably some princess or some president’s daughter. She’s definitely from a wealthy home. It can never be a commoner like you and I.” Kelly explained and Adele just nodded her head and smiled to conceal the anger that was burning in her heart.
There were knots in her stomach that tightened everytime Kelly made that kind of remark but there was nothing she could do or say.
“I wonder how long they have been married. One month? One year? Three years? Five years?”
“Two years!” Adele found herself saying and everyone looked at her in awe.
“How do you know?” Kyle asked and Adele quickly shrugged her shoulders and shook her head once she realised what she had done.
“I… I just guessed as well.” She lied smoothly and the others were convinced, but Ward wasn’t. He kept staring at her intensely.
“I can’t help but wonder how they met.” Megan said dreamingly.
“Prolly an arranged marriage between the two wealthy families. You know the wealthy people thingy right? I have a son, you have a daughter, let’s get married, become one strong family and take over the world. It’s definitely that kind of scenario.” Lois explained and Adele couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
All her colleagues had hilarious opinions about the marriage and it was fun listening, but it was difficult pretending to be as shocked as they were.
A message chimed in her phone and when she checked, she saw Ward’s name. She quickly unlocked her phone to see a message.
“Meet me in the corridor.” The message read. She quickly rose to her feet and left the office. She met Ward leaning by the wall in the corridor and the moment she saw him, he smiled.
“Hey.” Adele greeted as she walked over to him. “Sup?” She asked informally and Ward chuckled.
“You know I don’t know if I should answer that informal question with an informal answer, given that you are my boss’ wife.”
All the hair on Adele’s body stood erect upon hearing that. Her eyes shot open and her head and ear began to itch as her nerves caught fire. Her heart raced on her chest and she feared she was going to have a heart attack.
“Wh…what… what…” she stuttered nervously. “What do you mean by that?” She asked within chuckles.
“You’ve done a good job hiding it all this while and I respect your reasons, so I’m not gonna utter a word to anyone. Don’t ask me how I found out, no one told me, I connected the dots myself.”
“Ward …” She called almost breathless as she looked up at him. She didn’t know what to say to him at that moment.
“It’s fine. There’s nothing to be scared of or worried about. I don’t have the guts to spread rumours about you being Mr. King’s wife before he makes the announcement. I’m not a fool and I love my job. In a few days, you’ll be known to the world as Mrs. King. I called you out here so I’d have the honor of being the first person to congratulate you. Congratulations, Mr. King.”
“Oh Ward.” Was all she could say at that moment. Ward just kept smiling at her while her entire mind was in chaos, trying to understand how Ward had succeeded knowing she was married to Jamal.
*********”*************************************
After work that day, Adele didn’t drive home together with Jamal because she knew after that announcement, there were eyes all around Jamal. The least strange woman they saw him walking with would be assumed as his wife so they had to take certain measures to make sure Adele was not exposed before the day of the announcement.
“Seriously Jamal, you just decided to make the announcement without my consent? I thought we agreed to come to a mutual understanding before something like this was done.”
“Mum and dad were in my office today regarding Shannelle’s issue and mum said things she wasn’t supposed to say. I got furious and I wanted to make her understand that you are the only one I want to be with, that’s why I wrote down that article and asked Christine to have it published. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you beforehand, my mind was in a chaotic state. I was thoroughly pissed and couldn’t think straight. I’m sorry.” He apologized calmly. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his gaze plastered on the floor.
Adele walked over to the bed and sat by his side.
“It took me off guard so bad that my actions made Ward confirm his speculations. He knows I’m your wife.”
“What?” Jamal asked, alarmed. “I’m going to call…”
“Now you will not. He didn’t say anything and he won’t.”
“What makes you think he won’t.”
“He gave me his word.”
“His word?” Jamal scoffed. “You believe his word.”
“Ward never goes back on his words. Never. That’s one of the many noble things about him. He won’t spread a word about this, so please, don’t do anything rash. Please.” Adele pleaded.
Jamal snorted and looked at her.
“I just felt a sharp pain in my heart right now.”
“Sharp pain?” Adele asked, looking at his chest.
“Hearing you talk so well of him makes me feel like my heart is being chopped into tiny pieces. It hurts.” He lamented as he pretended to hold his heart like he was in pain. Adele who now realized his game scoffed and pushed him away.
“Go away, drama king!”
“Oh… is that all you have to say?”
“Yeah.”
“Alright then. Let’s watch and see.”
“I’m serious Jamal, don’t do anything to him.” Adele warned.
“Even promotion? I shouldn’t promote him?” He asked and Adele’s face lit up. “I know Ward personally. He’s the best senior editor in that department and I’ve been studying his file. I wanted to give one more year before stepping up his post, before giving him more responsibility, but after what has just done, after connecting the dots and figuring out that we are a couple, I feel like Dominick Co is missing out on an intelligent guy like him down there. He has to step up so we can share ideas. How do you see that?” Jamal asked and Asked nodded with a bright smile.
“It’s perfect.”
“Good. After the announcement and everything is settled, he’ll get the good news. For now, try not to let him connect dots and figure that he has a promotion coming his way.”
Adele laughed hard.
“I’ll try my best.”
“That’s my girl.”
“Jamal.” She called in a serious tone. “Please don’t stop me from working. I love it there. I love my coworkers, I love working with them. Please.”
“Are you sure you’ll be able to handle the pressure and attention? That’s why I want you to stop Adele, it’s going to hectic having so much attention on you.”
“I’ll try and if it doesn’t work, I’ll stop. But please, don’t make me stop without trying. Please.”
“Goodness Adele. I’ve heard you. You can keep working there after the announcement. Jesus!” Cried Jamal.
Adele squealed in excitement as she wrapped her arms around his big self and planted tantalizing kisses all over his face.
Jamal just sat still and let her kiss him all over.
She had him wrapped around her finger.
Saying “No” to her already felt like a taboo.