Entangled

Unexpectedmessages

Chapter 3 — Unexpected Messages

I didn’t have any appointments scheduled that day, so I was surprised when my assistant gently knocked on my door and peeked into my office with an apologetic look.

“Sorry, ma’am. There’s someone here to see you. He came by on Saturday when you weren’t around, but I forgot to mention it.”

“It’s fine,” I said, waving it off. “Let him in.”

She stepped aside, and the man walked in. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Clean-cut. Masculine in every sense of the word. The kind of man that makes you pause for half a second longer than necessary.

He smiled politely and introduced himself. “My name is Afreed.”

His voice was smooth and confident, but there was a kindness behind his words that made me listen closely.

He explained that his sister was planning a wedding — a secret one. She had no idea he was taking care of the entire event for her. It was meant to be a surprise gift, a show of love. He wanted everything perfect, down to the last detail. And he didn’t want to waste time — he needed to know if I was available on her chosen date.

So I checked my schedule.

Luckily, that day was still open. I told him I was available, and we discussed the full scope of the job — from logistics to cost breakdown. Once we agreed on everything, we signed the contract in my office.

Professional. Simple. Efficient.

Still, I couldn’t help but notice how good he looked. Like, good. That kind of clean, sharp handsomeness that almost distracts you from reality. His presence was magnetic, but I kept it strictly business. I wasn’t in the mood for distractions — not from men, not from anyone.

Before he left, we exchanged contacts. I asked for his email so we could communicate professionally, and he agreed without hesitation. No unnecessary drama.

After he left, I got back to my work. It was around 12:30 p.m., and I realized I hadn’t even eaten. I ordered a muffin and some coffee — more like brunch than breakfast at that point — and let myself breathe for a moment.

I leaned back in my chair, scrolling through the messages I had missed from the night before. When I switched off my data, Ayo had sent a few texts. He told me to think about everything we discussed… about seeing him again. About the past we’d buried and the feelings I pretended not to have.

I still didn’t know what to say. A part of me wanted to see him. Another part wanted to run far away.

And just like that, it clicked — Christmas was coming. That had to be why he was planning a trip back. He was still in England, but I could feel him getting closer.

I needed air.

I grabbed my laptop bag and headed to a nearby grocery store to restock the fridge. My house had been running low on everything lately — like me, running low on peace.

As I walked through the aisles, I spotted a face I recognized — but couldn’t place right away.

Then it hit me. Afreed.

He saw me too, and for a moment, our eyes locked. There was something almost cinematic about it. Like the kind of scene you don’t plan — it just happens.

He walked over and greeted me warmly. “Good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon,” I replied with a small smile.

“Are you doing okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine, thank you.”

He looked at me curiously. “Do you remember me?”

I chuckled softly. “Yeah, you’re the guy from earlier today. The one planning a secret wedding.”

“Exactly,” he laughed.

We chatted for about two minutes. It was casual — friendly. Then he asked if I lived nearby. I told him yes, that my house was close to the store. He nodded, like he was mentally taking note.

As I was about to say goodbye, he stopped me.

“Wait… can I have your number?”

I blinked. Surprised. “My number?”

He smiled, a little sheepishly. “Just for easier communication… You know, work stuff.”

I hesitated for a moment. Earlier, I’d only given him my email to keep things official. But something about this moment felt different. He wasn’t trying to be pushy — just genuine.

So I nodded. “Okay, no problem.”

I gave him the number, then grabbed the few items I needed and headed home.

—

When I got home, I crashed on the couch and slept for two straight hours. I hadn’t even realized how tired I was. After I woke up, I unpacked the groceries, sorted what needed to go in the freezer, and then took a long, refreshing shower.

That was when I picked up my phone.

I didn’t open it to check Afreed’s message — no. I opened it to check for Ayo.

And there it was — three new messages.

“How are you?”

“Have you eaten today?”

“Please don’t ignore me.”

I stared at the screen for a moment, unsure how to feel. Then I replied:

“I’m good. But you don’t have to message me all the time.”

I waited.

And waited.

I refreshed the page. Nothing. The message wasn’t even delivered. He was probably offline.

I sighed, dropped the phone, and tried not to care.

Then — ding.

A new message popped up. This time, it wasn’t Ayo.

It was Afreed.

“Hey, what’s up?”

I blinked.

It was late. Why was he messaging me now? Didn’t he know work hours were over?

Still, I replied.

“I’m good. What about you sir?”

“I’m fine,” he responded.

“That’s good to hear,” I replied. Then I added:

“How can I help you, sir?”

Yes, I used sir. Again. I had to remind myself — and him — that this was a professional relationship.

But he noticed.

“Haha. ‘Sir’? You know I’m not that old, right?”

I smiled a little.

“Still… you’re my client. It’s just how I talk.”

He replied quickly.

“I want you to be comfortable chatting with me. If you don’t mind, we can talk casually.”

That caught me off guard.

I paused. Blinked. Thought about it.

Then I typed:

“Okay. Let’s have it.”

From there, the conversation flowed like water. He was funny. Easy to talk to. Nothing heavy — just light, refreshing words that made the night feel softer.

I didn’t even realize how long we’d been chatting until my alarm went off.

6:30 a.m.

Morning had come.

And somewhere in the middle of messages and laughter…

I had fallen asleep.