Chapter Five
1624 Words
A Reluctant Second Look
Chisom was waiting outside the doors.
The moment Amara emerged, she hurried towards her.
“How was it?”
“I don’t know.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I don’t know.”
“Did they like it?”
“Some of them.”
“Some?”
Amara glanced back at the closed doors.
“And then there was Mr Okafor.”
Chisom froze.
“Wait.”
Amara knew what was coming.
“The corridor man?”
“Yes.”
“That was Tobe Okafor?”
“Yes.”
Chisom’s eyes widened.
“Wow.”
“He’s even finer now.”
“Chisom.”
“I’m just saying.”
“He questioned me like I’d personally stolen his money.”
“Maybe that’s his love language.”
Amara stopped walking.
Chisom immediately raised both hands.
“I apologise.”
“Deeply, I hope.”
“From the bottom of my heart.”
“Go and check the garments.”
“They’re fine.”
“Check them again.”
Chisom laughed and hurried away.
Amara exhaled.
She should have been thinking about whether the panel would invest.
Instead, one infuriatingly controlled face kept appearing in her mind.
His expression when she’d challenged him.
That almost-smile.
The way he’d looked at her during the presentation—not dismissively anymore, but as though something in his original opinion had been forced to move.
Amara frowned.
She didn’t care what Tobe Okafor thought of her.
Obviously.
Inside the panel room, the discussion had moved on.
Technically.
One investor closed Amara’s file.
“Strong.”
Another nodded.
“Very.”
The panel chair looked at Tobe.
“You disagree?”
“No.”
The speed of the answer surprised even him.
The man beside him smiled.
“You certainly questioned her like you did.”
“That is the purpose of the panel.”
“She handled you.”
Tobe turned slowly.
“Handled me?”
The man laughed.
“You look offended.”
“I’m not.”
“You do.”
“This is my face.”
That earned laughter around the table.
Tobe ignored them.
The fourth founder was called.
He opened the new file.
Listened.
Asked questions.
Made notes.
But at one point his gaze shifted towards the stack beside him.
Amara’s file sat on top.
I’m comfortable saying no when yes would cost more than it gives.
He’d said versions of the same thing throughout his career.
Most people thought ambition meant saying yes faster.
Tobe had built much of his company by learning when to say no.
He looked towards the presentation again.
Focus.
Amara Nwosu had understood her business.
He’d misjudged her.
It happened.
Rarely.
Nothing more.
The forum concluded later that evening.
Rain still tapped against the glass frontage of the hotel, though the worst of the storm had passed.
Amara’s team had already begun moving the garment bags downstairs.
Her phone buzzed.
Zina.
SO????
Amara smiled.
She typed:
I survived.
The reply came almost immediately.
That is NOT information. Call me.
Amara was still laughing when the lift doors opened.
Then she stopped.
Tobe stood inside.
Alone.
Of course.
For one second, neither moved.
Amara briefly considered waiting for the next lift.
Then rejected the thought.
Absolutely not.
She stepped inside.
The doors closed.
Silence.
Tobe pressed the button for the lobby.
Amara faced forward.
“You did well.”
Amara turned.
Tobe was still looking straight ahead.
For a second she wondered whether she had imagined it.
“I’m sorry?”
His eyes moved towards her.
“I said you did well.”
She stared.
“Was that a compliment?”
The faintest irritation crossed his face.
“An observation.”
“Ah.”
Amara faced forward again.
“Wouldn’t want to make it significant.”
Something at the corner of his mouth shifted.
She caught it.
“There,” she said.
Tobe frowned.
“What?”
“You almost smiled.”
“I didn’t.”
“You did.”
“No.”
“Interesting.”
“What is?”
“That you’re denying it.”
“I have no reason to deny smiling.”
“Then admit you did.”
“I didn’t.”
Amara laughed softly.
The lift continued down.
Tobe looked at her.
She was different when she wasn’t presenting.
Lighter.
More teasing.
Annoying, yes.
But not unpleasantly so.
He dismissed the thought.
“You don’t like me,” Amara said suddenly.
That surprised him.
“You’ve known me approximately fifteen minutes.”
“Long enough to notice.”
“You’re very confident.”
“Usually.”
“Is that what people call it?”
She turned towards him.
“What do you call it?”
The lift reached the third floor.
Neither noticed.
Tobe held her gaze.
“I haven’t decided.”
Amara smiled.
“Well, when you do, I’m sure I’ll survive the verdict.”
The doors opened into the lobby.
She stepped out.
“Good evening, Mr Okafor.”
“Ms Nwosu.”
She walked away.
Tobe remained inside for half a second before stepping out himself.
He watched her cross the lobby.
Only briefly.
Then his phone rang.
Tara.
“Where are you?”
“Lobby.”
“I have the panel scores. We need your final recommendation tonight.”
“I know.”
“Also, David called.”
“No.”
“I haven’t told you why.”
“The answer remains no.”
Tara laughed.
Tobe ended the call.
Ahead, a hotel attendant opened an umbrella over Amara as she stepped outside.
She didn’t look back.
Tobe did.
Once.
Then walked towards the car park.
By the time Amara was home and settled on the sofa, Zina called.
“So.”
“So what?”
“Tell me everything.”
“I presented.”
“Yes.”
“They asked questions.”
“Yes.”
“I answered.”
“Amara.”
“What?”
“I have tolerated you for many years. Please don’t make me regret it.”
Amara laughed and sank deeper into the sofa.
“It went well.”
“I knew it.”
“I don’t know the decision yet.”
“I didn’t ask about the decision.”
Amara frowned.
“What did you ask?”
“Mr Corridor.”
“No.”
“Mr Tall-Dark-and-Questionably-Mannered.”
“Goodnight.”
“Amara!”
She laughed.
“He’s arrogant.”
“Mm-hm.”
“Difficult.”
“Mm-hm.”
“Annoying.”
“Very concerning that you noticed so many things.”
“Zina.”
“Handsome?”
Amara paused.
There was silence on the line.
Then Zina screamed.
“I KNEW IT!”
“I didn’t say anything!”
“You paused!”
“A pause isn’t an answer.”
“A pause is the loudest answer.”
Amara rolled her eyes.
“He’s attractive. So what?”
“So nothing.”
“Exactly.”
“Did he notice you?”
“He has functioning eyes.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“Goodnight.”
“Amara—”
She ended the call.
The phone immediately rang again.
She rejected it.
A message appeared.
Coward. 😂
Amara laughed.
Then shook her head.
Tobe Okafor.
There was absolutely nothing to think about.
She had an investment decision to worry about.
Not a man.
Especially not that one.
Across Lagos, Tobe sat at his dining table with the final evaluation form open on his laptop.
Five founders completed.
One remained.
AMARA NWOSU.
He looked at the scoring categories.
Business viability.
Strong.
Market potential.
Strong.
Financial discipline.
Very strong.
Founder competence.
His fingers rested on the keyboard.
He remembered his first assessment.
Another wealthy daughter with a business.
Then her answer at the forum.
I’m comfortable saying no when yes would cost more than it gives.
Tobe entered the score.
The highest he’d given anyone that afternoon.
He noticed.
Didn’t change it.
Next:
INVESTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Three options.
DECLINE
RECONSIDER AFTER REVIEW
RECOMMEND
His cursor moved.
He clicked.
RECOMMEND
Done.
Tobe leaned back.
His phone buzzed.
Tara.
All scores submitted?
Yes.
A moment later:
Interesting.
Tobe frowned.
What?
He stared at the word.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
“What?”
Tara was laughing.
“Tara.”
“Sorry.”
“You called.”
“Yes. Just one observation.”
“I didn’t ask for one.”
“Your highest founder-competence score today went to Amara Nwosu.”
Silence.
Tobe looked at the laptop.
“She’s competent.”
“Clearly.”
“Is there a reason you’re calling me about this?”
“No reason whatsoever.”
“Goodnight, Tara.”
“Tobe—”
He ended the call.
Ridiculous.
Amara had earned the score.
He had given it.
There was nothing interesting about that.
His phone buzzed again.
You put her file on top of the others last night too.
Tobe stared at the message.
How did she even know that?
Another arrived.
Goodnight, boss. 😂
He put the phone face down.
Tomorrow he had actual work to do.
The forum was over.
Amara Nwosu would receive the panel’s decision.
He would return to his company.
Presumably, that would be the last of it.
Tobe closed the laptop and stood.
Behind him, the screen of his phone lit up.
A new email.
LAGOS DESIGN AND ENTERPRISE FORUM
He didn’t see it.
The subject line read:
Final Investment Pairings & Founder Advisory Programme
And underneath, in the preview:
Assigned Founder: Amara Nwosu
Lead Advisor: Tobe Okafor
Tobe continued towards the kitchen.
Completely unaware that somewhere in Lagos, somebody had just made a decision on his behalf.
A decision he was going to hate.
At least—
at first.
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