The laughter that followed offered a brief moment of relief.
Mr. Okeke turned to the others, his voice deepening as his tone shifted.
"Let's not forget who's sitting in that chair," he said firmly. "Olaedo built this company from the ground up, from eighteen to now. She's one of the youngest billionaires in the world, for crying out loud. She's earned her place as CEO, and she's the one who can lead us out of this storm. We should be standing with her, not tearing her apart."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room before adding with a sly edge, "Unless… she proves incapable of handling this situation, and I don't believe she will, we owe her our trust."
He ended with a reassuring smile in Olaedo's direction. She met it with a silent nod, the gesture small but sincere. His words eased the tightness in her chest like a balm.
A murmur rippled through the room, divided between those ready to back her and those who clearly weren't.
"We need action, not sentimental speeches," Mr. Ade countered sharply. "Our investors want immediate assurances. And if you can't provide them…" He let the unfinished threat hang heavy in the air.
After a brief pause, Olaedo spoke, her voice firm and unwavering.
"I'm well aware of what's at stake, Mr. Ade. I'll explore every option available, including external financing if necessary. Rest assured, I have no intention of letting this company, or my leadership, fall."
With one last, steady glance at her opponents, she ended the meeting, leaving no room for further challenge.
Back in her office, the tension she had buried resurfaced. She sank into her chair and scrolled through the avalanche of comments flooding the news feeds. Each headline hit harder than the last.
Her chest tightened with every swipe.
Why am I doing this to myself? she wondered with a weary sigh. But maybe… just maybe, someone's seen Maduabuchi, someone must have said something.
It was desperate, and she knew it, but she couldn't stop. Her fingers hovered over the screen, searching the sea of insults and speculation for any trace of his name, Aneke Maduabuchi.
@Sweetnothingless: "How can a multi billionaire be this naive? Who raised her?"
@Hellohibyebye: "Above, she's one of the youngest billionaires in the world. Emphasis on youngest. No time for common sense or emotional maturity."
@Wakinguptoreality: "I was rooting for the wedding of the century! Guess that fairytale's dead now…"
@Ranawayfromhomeagain: "She should leave the job for the big boys. The country's currency is in free fall, thanks to her!"
@Ilovehorrormovies: "Everyone needs to watch out for this weapon fashioned against our country and the world, called Aneke Maduabuchi. Please report any sighting to 99*********. Your country needs you!"
@Dontknowsodontask: "Can't even go home. The thought of losing my job soon is terrifying."
Olaedo's heart sank as she scrolled through hundreds, maybe thousands, of comments.
Every channel was milking the story for all it was worth. Even obscure bloggers were going viral overnight.
Finally, she "liked" @Ilovehorrormovies' post to push it higher on the feed, hoping someone, anyone, might see it and help track Maduabuchi down.
She kept scrolling until her gaze snagged on a breaking headline.
"BREAKING: CEO Arinze Caught in Bed with Adani Ani During Awards Gala!"
"…"
Hold on… what?
Olaedo blinked, momentarily forgetting her own chaos. Arinze? Her mentor? The man she had admired since she was seventeen?
He had been a legend, graduating top of his class, taking over New Age Group at twenty, and turning it into a trillion naira powerhouse within five years.
And through it all, he'd been flawless. Untouchable.
Not a single scandal. Not once.
No… this has to be fake. Someone's framing him.
But a quick search shattered that hope. The photos were everywhere, high definition, undeniable, already breaking the internet.
Government officials were panicking. Investors were in shock. And with her own crisis still raging, Olaedo could see what this meant...
Another scandal of this scale could collapse more than reputations. It could bring entire industries to their knees.
-------
On the other side of the city, chaos reigned in the Arinze mansion, a sprawling estate so grand it could easily pass for a castle.
Mr. Ani, a middle aged man whose perpetual frown had carved deep lines into his face, sat rigidly on one end of the vast living room.
Beside him sat his daughter, Adani, teary eyed, beautiful, and deliberate. Her long dark hair framed her delicate features, her every sob graceful, almost rehearsed. She looked every inch the perfect heiress, polished, poised, and tragically aware of the audience.
"Old Master Arinze," Mr. Ani thundered, his voice echoing through the room, "you owe us an explanation. My daughter's reputation is on the line!"
Across from him, Old Master Arinze sat with a glare sharp enough to silence an army. His expression was carved from stone, yet his eyes, cold and piercing, shifted briefly to his grandson, Chibuzor.
He said nothing while outsiders were present, but the tension in the air could snap steel.
Accused of having compromised Adani during the gala, Chibuzor sat quietly, his jaw tight, the scandal playing out on every major news channel. Each photo, each headline, made it harder to prove his innocence.
"Mr. Ani," Old Master Arinze finally said, voice low but commanding, "you'll have your explanation once I speak with my grandson."
But Mr. Ani wasn't done. "Do you think you can dismiss me with polite excuses? My daughter may already be pregnant as we speak!"
Heh, Old Madam's scoff rippled through the room. Adani placed a delicate hand on her abdomen, lowering her lashes in practiced sorrow. "Father, please…" she whispered softly, but not too softly to be missed.
Mr. Ani seized the moment. "The only way to resolve this," he continued, "is for you to announce publicly that my daughter and CEO Chibuzor have been engaged since birth, and to set their wedding date immediately."
"…"
From the corner, Old Madam Arinze let out another sharp scoff. "Pregnant?" she muttered under her breath. "In three hours? Miraculous."
"Nonsense!" Old Master Arinze thundered at last, slamming a hand on the armrest. "Do you take me for a fool? You think my grandson will marry your daughter because you demand it? I've been patient, but don't test me."
The force in his voice made Mr. Ani flinch, his bluster faltering. For a moment, he seemed to remember exactly who he was challenging, the legendary patriarch who had built New Age Group from the ground up and ruled both boardrooms and politicians with an iron hand.
Mr. Ani's tone softened immediately. He laughed nervously, the sound brittle and awkward. "Ah, Old Master Arinze, you misunderstand. I only meant—"
Adani's lips tightened, the faintest flicker of irritation crossing her perfect composure as her father backpedaled.