TWO

CHAPTER TWO

Adele was restless the entire morning at work. The announcement that had been made the previous night was beyond shocking and what mortified her the most was Jamal's response.

"If it's grandma's wish that I marry Adele, then I will honour it. Let me know when the wedding date is set."

His words replayed on her mind like music and every time it did, her heart missed a bit.

She and Jamal were complete strangers and the man's entire existence intimidated her. He wasnt only rich, but he was the most famous bachelor in the entire country.

Not a day passed without him appearing in the newspapers. He went to public places with guards because of the multitude of paparazzis that flocked around him wherever he showed up and above all, he was a workaholic.

Jamal's entire life centred around his work. He didn't have time for anything else in his life. Adele didn't want to marry a man who would not give her the attention she needed.

She didn't want to marry Jamal King Dominick.

She was terrified of the man and his entire existence.

She was not even able to have a single conversation with the man, not to talk of sharing the same bedroom with him and having sex with him. The thought sent chills down her spine and she immediately shot her eyes wide open and shook her head.

"Gahhhh!" She screamed, shaking her head violently. "That cannot happen" She said as she picked up her cell phone and scrolled through her contact list.

Before she left that morning, Grandma had shown up from nowhere in her bedroom and saved Jamal's contact in her phone. She had instructed her to call him if she needed anything. She did not object, but deep in her heart, she knew she would have to die before she called Jamal to ask him for anything!

When she found Jamal's contact, she stared at him for a whole lot of seconds as she contemplated on whether to call him or not.

She wanted them to meet and talk, probably talk him out of the marriage. She knew he had more influence over grandma than she did and that if he told Grandma he did not want to marry her, then grandma would let the matter go.

After a few moments of contemplating, she dialed the number and waited patiently for the phone to ring. She held the phone over her ear and paced about her desk as she waited for him to pick the call. After several rings, the call was finally answered.

"Jamal King's office, how may I help you?" A female voice came through and Adele was astonished but she immediately understood it was his secretary.

"Of course it's his secretary. All calls are forwarded to her desk" She thought in her mind and cleared her throat.

"I will like to speak with Mr. Dominick if he is not busy"

"And you are?" The secretary interrogated and Adele could feel the rudeness in her voice.

"Just tell him Adele Mackenzie will like to talk to him." She instructed as she waited patiently for the secretary to forward the call to Jamal.

"Adele" Jamal's deep voice came through, causing Adele to stop on her tracks. The voice came like a smooth baritone.

Clear and calm. Certainly intelligent.

Reasonable.

"Jamal… uh… hello. I'm sorry for calling so abruptly"

"Do you need anything?" He asked calmly and Adele could sense a hint of concern in his voice.

"Umm… not… n…" She stammered nervously and at that moment, she wondered whether to pose the invitation or not.

They were just talking over the phone and she had already lost her calm and was blabbering like an idiot. She wondered what would happen to her if she talked to him in person.

"Adele, are you there?" Jamal's voice came through again, snapping Adele out of her thoughts.

"Yes, yes, I am… I .. I just wanted to ask if we can meet … you know. To talk about this whole issue, that is if you are not busy, of course… but if you are busy, then it's fine… you…"

"When do you want us to meet?" Jamal cut her off.

"Oh… ok…. Um… by one pm." She blabbered.

"And where will that be?" He asks curtly.

"At Wangis restaurant. "

"Alright then, see you at Wangis restaurant in two hours time." Then the line went dead.

Adele let out a heavy breath as she tiredly slumped on her office chair. She could feel sweat forming on her forehead.

How was she supposed to marry and live with that man when she couldn't even talk to him?

"Miss Mackenzie '' A man called as he walked into his office and immediately, Adele sat upright to address the man properly because that was her superior at her work place.

She worked as an editor in a famous publishing company in the city and her grandma was the one who had gotten her the job.

"Yes, Mr. Franck"

"Kayla took a sick leave so I need you to fill in for her for a few hours."

"Oh… okay. What do I need to do?"

"Jamal King Dominick was spotted at Vegas restaurant yesterday. So I called their manager and asked if they would like to do an interview about their restaurant that would be published in the newspapers and he was more than delighted to oblige. I need you to go there with Ciara and interview the manager. Ask him a few question about Mr. Dominick's visit" He explained with all seriousness and Adele just kept looking up at him as if he had lost his mind. "Adele, have you heard a single word I just said?" He asked after noticing Adele's lost gaze.

"Yes, I have. I'm just, you know wondering… you want to interview the restaurant just because Jamal… I mean… Mr. Dominick went there to have lunch?" She asked in a state of surprise and the middle aged man nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah. That's a big deal. Now, get the questions prepared, you leave at one pm"

"One pm!" Adele asked aghast.

Her meeting with Jamal was at one pm.

"Yes, I know it's your break time, but I'll compensate for that. After the interview, all you have to do is come back here and hand me the final draft of the article to be published tomorrow and then you can retire home for the day."

"Mr. Franco, I have made an appointment with someone at one pm. I can't fail him"

"Reschedule!"

"I can't… I really can't"

"Whoever it is, I'm sure he will understand when you tell him it's about work, just reschedule. It can't be that hard!" Mr. Franck proclaimed carelessly as he swaddled out of the office, leaving Adele totally dumbfounded.

"I really can't reschedule " She whispered breathlessly as she covered her face with her hands and groaned in frustration.

Where would she get the audacity to call Jamal and reschedule their meeting?

How would she call a man who even his choice of place for lunch mattered so much that it had to go in the newspapers and cancel a meeting she herself arranged?

Then a brilliant idea came to her mind.

"Yes!"