Chapter 10: Foundations & Fault Lines
1023 Words
Saturday evening brought a calm Tiara hadn’t felt in days. She arrived at Kemi’s apartment with popcorn, plantain chips, and a bottle of cranberry juice tucked under her arm. The scent of roasted peppers and grilled chicken wafted out as soon as Kemi opened the door.
"You’re officially forgiven for being a ghost," Kemi said, pulling her in for a hug.
"I brought snacks. Redemption in edible form."
They settled into the living room, Tiara sinking into the sofa while Kemi handed her a glass of wine.
"So," Kemi began, legs tucked beneath her. "Let’s start with the tech prince."
Tiara rolled her eyes. "He’s just... consistent. Present. It’s unnerving."
"Unnerving is good. Consistency is better."
"It’s the business angle that complicates things. He wants to partner. His fintech might plug into FarmConnect’s identity verification flow. It’s a smart move."
"So what’s the hold-up?"
"I don’t want to confuse curiosity with compatibility. Or merge too soon—professionally or otherwise."
Kemi took a sip of wine. "You don’t need to marry the man. Just meet him in the middle."
"Easier said than done."
"You’re building a digital bridge for farmers across the country, and you’re scared of one man."
Tiara laughed. "Point taken."
On Sunday, Iremide stayed in work mode. He reviewed user data, finalized a deck for OneID’s first press preview, and scanned FarmConnect’s community activity online. People were talking. Good things.
Keji called just before noon.
"Thought you’d be at brunch with your tech bros."
"Took a rain check. Too much on my desk."
"Too much or too personal?"
He ignored the jab. "I’m drafting a proposal for a joint pilot with FarmConnect. If Tiara’s team accepts, it could be huge."
"And if she says no?"
"Then we keep building. Separately."
Keji was quite a moment. Just don’t let ego confuse clarity. If it’s right, you’ll know."
That evening, Iremide visited Olaide again. The vibe was more chill ,low music, a charcoal burner on the balcony, two glasses of cold zobo in hand.
"You’re actually nervous," Olaide said, watching him. "Wow. Didn’t think anything short of market collapse could do that."
"She’s different."
"Then send the damn email. You’re not proposing marriage. Just a pilot test."
Iremide laughed, pulled out his phone, and hit send.
On Monday morning, Tiara opened her inbox and paused.
Subject: OneID + FarmConnect – Pilot Synergy Proposal
She clicked.
He was detailed, respectful, and clearly thought it through. No assumptions. Just potential.
She read it twice.
Then opened w******p.
Tiara: Got your proposal. It’s solid. Let’s talk more on Wednesday afternoon?
Iremide: Name the place. I’ll bring coffee.
She smiled, took a breath, and typed:
Tiara: Let’s build carefully.
It wasn’t a commitment. But it was a beginning. And this time, she didn’t mind walking toward it.
The TechSpark Accelerator had entered its final stretch, and Tiaraoluwa felt the pressure build with every passing hour. The once manageable sprint schedule now felt like a relentless treadmill, and FarmConnect was at the center of it all, stability hanging by a thread. With the pitch demo just two weeks away, the weight of expectations pushed against her shoulders like a physical force.
She arrived at the shared workspace early that day, coffee in one hand, her tote slung across her shoulder. Her curls were tucked into a scarf, and she wore a plain black jumpsuit sharp, functional, no nonsense. The vibe said: do not disturb. But inside, she was already unravelling the day’s tasks into mental post-it notes.
Her team had grown quiet lately. Chinelo was overworked, Tobi was running on caffeine and two hours of sleep, and their intern had made a design mistake that cost them half a day’s rework. Tiara managed it all with a calm face and a clenched jaw.
Then, as she was reviewing test case results in Figma, her phone buzzed with a message from Iremide:
Iremide: Have you eaten today?
She stared at the message, debating how to answer. The truth? No. The polite lie? I will soon. She chose silence.
He called a minute later.
"I’m sending lunch. Don’t argue. Just drop a location."
Her lips curled in spite of herself. "You’re impossible."
"You’re not easy either. But I like you full and focused."
Lunch arrived within forty-five minutes—jollof rice, grilled chicken, salad, and a smoothie. The note attached read: Eat. Build. Breathe. — I.
It was a small gesture, but it hit like a balm. Tiara ate with slow gratitude, then dove back into work.
Later that day, the accelerator hosted a closed-door mentorship session for top contenders. Tiara was surprised to find herself paired with Iremide again.
"We keep meeting like this," he teased as she sat across from him.
She rolled her eyes. "Careful. You’re becoming predictable."
"Maybe. But I’m still effective."
Their session started with professional metrics, pitch polish, and user acquisition strategy. But as the conversation deepened, so did their tone.
"You have everything they’re looking for," he said. "But you’re holding something back."
She frowned. "Like what?"
"Like part of you doesn’t believe you belong in the room."
The words hit home more than she liked. She looked away.
"I’ve had to fight too hard to be here. Sometimes I forget I have already made it in."
"Then let me remind you," he said. "You belong." In every room."
Silence settled between them, not awkward, but reverent. Like they had crossed into a different space entirely.
After the session, Tiara lingered outside. Lagos lights glowed through the blinds. Iremide stepped beside her.
"Let me take you out after this demo is done," he said, hands in pockets. No business. No strategy. Just... us."
She raised an eyebrow. "A real date?"
He nodded. "A proper one. Where I try to impress you."
She considered it, eyes narrowed in mock suspicion.
"We’ll see. Impressing me isn’t easy."
"Challenge accepted."
She smiled, then walked ahead of him, back to her team’s table, mind sharper, heart a little fuller.
Tiaraoluwa was still building an empire. But now, it seemed, someone was willing to guard the gates with her.
And for once, the idea didn’t terrify her.
- Writer
