Who in the Arinze household didn't know that their Young Master hated the words marriage and love more than anything? Especially after what happened that year.
There was no way Housekeeper Bolaji was going to stick around and get roasted by Young Master Chibuzor's terrifying aura.
Meanwhile, Chibuzor drove home, lost in thought.
Where am I supposed to find a wife in seven days?
He parked his car outside and walked through the garden toward his house. He always preferred walking, it helped him get some exercise and quietly observe what went on in his home before anyone noticed he was back.
As he reached the doorstep, the sound of lively chatter caught his ear. His staff were huddled together, whispering about something that sounded urgent.
"It's probably my scandal," he muttered under his breath.
He approached, intending to ask them to call the housekeeper, but paused when he caught fragments of their conversation.
A high pitched, excited voice rang out. "Oh my gosh! My role model was cheated on!"
Another girl, her voice calm but curious, replied, "You mean that lady you never stop talking about, the youngest billionaire in the world?"
"Yes, that's her!"
"What happened exactly?" the calm one asked, her tone now tinged with disbelief.
The first girl raised her voice dramatically. "Her fiancé, the president general of all scums, defrauded her of over thirty billion in local currency! Now no one knows where he is."
The calm girl gasped. "Are you kidding me?! Wealthy people seem so easily deceived these days. I even saw a breaking news story about our boss, it seems he was deceived today too."
Chibuzor, standing just behind them: "…"
Deceived?
Who gave them the right to summarize my day like that?
Standing there, a flood of old memories surged through his mind, squeezing his chest until it almost hurt.
That CEO lady must be feeling something worse than what I felt when my fiancée left me. Her fiancé didn't just break her heart, he wrecked her entire world.
He let out a dry chuckle. Heh, she's a bigger fool than I was.
The second part of the gossip didn't bother him much. He would handle that later. For now, it was better that the world believed he was guilty, that way, his real enemies would lower their guard.
Still, the story about that billionaire lingered in his thoughts. He had heard about her before and genuinely respected her.
He had inherited his empire and managed it well, better than even his grandfather expected, but it was still inherited.
That woman, however, had built her empire from nothing. She had fought tooth and nail to reach the top, earning every bit of her power.
How could such a brilliant woman fall prey to someone like that?
Is low emotional intelligence a universal trait among the wealthy? he wondered bitterly.
His gaze drifted into the distance as his mind sank into memories long buried.
---
He had just entered one of the most prestigious universities in the country, alongside his childhood sweetheart, the love of his life.
They had promised to marry right after graduation, so they worked relentlessly to finish in three years instead of four, both graduating at nineteen.
He had even turned down his grandfather's offer to study abroad, wanting to stay close to her. He wanted to prove that success could be built from home, that one didn't have to run away to achieve greatness.
The country's universities, he believed, were perfectly capable of shaping bright minds, as long as the students were willing to work hard and seek knowledge beyond the classroom, from books, people, and every corner of life.
Throughout those years, they were inseparable. She never slept without hearing his voice, and he never began his day without hers.
She had said she loved him with all her heart. And he had believed her, absolutely.
Which was why, when everything fell apart, he couldn't understand what had gone wrong.
After graduation, his grandfather had insisted he spend six months abroad, to prove his capability in their international branches, a place where no one knew him as the heir to the Arinze family empire.
It was only six months, he had thought. If only I'd known how much that short time away would ruin my life…
Still standing there, his unfocused eyes slowly regained clarity. He shook his head, forcing the memories back into the box where they belonged, deep in the sea of his mind.
---
He approached the two girls, who were still gossiping, oblivious to his presence. "Call the housekeeper to my study, please."
They both froze, startled, before replying in unison, "Yes, sir!"
Chibuzor headed upstairs, his expression unreadable.
In his room, he loosened his tie and sat on the edge of the bed, thinking. How on earth am I supposed to find a wife in seven days?
There had to be a way.
He slapped his thigh suddenly as an idea struck. ChatGPT!
Grabbing his phone, he typed quickly: "How do I find a wife in seven days?"
The response popped up almost instantly:
"Download every dating app you can find. Yes, even that one everyone swears they've never heard of."
"..."
So much for that idea.
I need to get this over with in a week and train her within the next few months so we won't be exposed, he thought grimly.
Decision made, he resolved to do his research the old fashioned way.
(The mention of "ChatGPT" is used as a fictional or comedic reference and isn't affiliated with OpenAI.)
Opening his contacts, he was about to call his secretary before remembering, he'd fired the man earlier that day.
With a resigned sigh, he freshened up and headed to his study. Turning on his computer, he began browsing through profiles of eligible women, both local and international.
If he was going to be forced into marriage, he might as well pick someone competent.
Scrolling through the list, his eyes lingered on women with impressive achievements. When the name Anozie Olaedo appeared, his cursor hovered for a second, then moved on.