The Man I Promised to Hate

Chapter Three — An Unwanted Proposal

Amara woke up at 4:37 a.m.

She had no idea why.

For several seconds, she stared at the ceiling, trying to remember what had pulled her out of sleep.

Then she remembered.

Daniel Asare.

She groaned and pulled the blanket over her face.

"Absolutely not."

She had spent half the night thinking about the message she'd accidentally seen on his phone.

Not the one he'd received.

The one she'd imagined.

There was something about him she couldn't explain.

He was arrogant.

Cold.

Infuriating.

And yet, yesterday, he had brought her coffee.

She sat up.

That was what bothered her.

Not the assignment.

Not the long hours.

Not even his impossible personality.

The coffee.

It had been thoughtful.

Almost gentle.

And she didn't know what to do with gentle Daniel.

She preferred the arrogant one.

The arrogant one was easier to dislike.

She reached for her phone.

5:02 a.m.

She had another hour before she needed to get ready.

She closed her eyes.

Sleep didn't return.

By 8:45 a.m., Amara was already at the office.

The building was quieter than usual.

She placed the completed project report on her desk and smiled.

Two hundred pages.

One night.

She had done it.

She had also discovered twenty-three problems with the proposed healthcare initiative.

Twenty-three.

Daniel had better appreciate it.

At exactly nine, her phone rang.

"Miss Mensah?"

It was Lydia.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Asare wants to see you."

Amara sighed.

"Of course he does."

She picked up the report and headed toward his office.

She knocked.

"Come in."

Daniel was standing near the window.

He didn't turn around.

"Close the door."

Amara did.

"I finished the report."

"I know."

She placed it on his desk.

"Twenty-three weaknesses."

Daniel turned.

"Twenty-three?"

"Yes."

"You found all of them?"

"I found what I could."

He opened the report.

His eyes moved quickly across the pages.

Amara watched him.

She couldn't decide whether she wanted him to praise her or admit that she had made a mistake.

After several minutes, he looked up.

"You did well."

Amara smiled.

"Thank you."

"You've also created a problem."

Her smile disappeared.

"What problem?"

Daniel pushed the report toward her.

"Your recommendation."

She read the highlighted section.

"I recommended that we postpone the launch."

"Yes."

"Because the proposal isn't ready."

"I know."

"Then what's the problem?"

"My father wants the project launched next month."

Amara leaned back.

"Then he'll have to hear the truth."

Daniel stared at her.

"You don't know my father."

"No."

"But you're already telling him what to do."

"I'm not telling him what to do. I'm telling you what the report shows."

"And what if I tell you the project cannot be postponed?"

"Then you'll be launching a project that isn't ready."

Daniel's eyes narrowed.

"You're very comfortable challenging authority."

"Only when authority is wrong."

A long silence followed.

Then Daniel laughed.

It was quiet.

Unexpected.

Amara stared at him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You laughed."

"I do that sometimes."

"I wasn't sure."

He smiled.

"You're getting comfortable around me."

"No."

"You're arguing more."

"I argued with you on my first day."

"Exactly."

Amara folded her arms.

"So what happens now?"

Daniel closed the report.

"We don't postpone the project."

She frowned.

"What?"

"We improve it."

She blinked.

"How?"

"You'll lead the review."

Amara stared at him.

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you found the weaknesses."

"That's not enough reason."

"It is for me."

She shook her head.

"Daniel, I'm new."

"I know."

"I don't know your team."

"You'll learn."

"I don't know the budget."

"You'll have access."

"I don't know the partners."

"You'll meet them."

Amara stared at him.

"You've already decided."

"Yes."

She sighed.

"Of course you have."

Daniel walked toward her.

"There's one more thing."

"What?"

"The project requires field visits."

"Okay."

"Some of them will be outside Accra."

"How far?"

"Kumasi."

Amara paused.

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

Her eyes widened.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Three days."

She stared at him.

"You're sending me to Kumasi tomorrow?"

"Not sending."

He picked up his jacket.

"I'm going with you."

Amara's heart skipped.

She immediately hated it.

"No."

Daniel stopped.

"No?"

"I can go with the project team."

"You could."

"Then I will."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I'll be meeting the regional partners."

"I can take notes."

"I'm sure you can."

"Then why are you coming?"

Daniel looked directly at her.

"Because I don't trust anyone else to handle this."

Something about the way he said it made her chest tighten.

"Fine."

She turned toward the door.

"Miss Mensah."

She looked back.

"Pack lightly."

"Why?"

"Because we're staying an extra night."

"Why?"

"The meeting schedule changed."

"When?"

"Ten minutes ago."

Amara stared at him.

"You expect me to rearrange my life because you changed your schedule?"

Daniel smiled.

"Welcome to Asare Holdings."

She shook her head and walked out.

At lunchtime, Amara called her best friend, Nia.

"I have news."

"Good or bad?"

"Both."

"Start with good."

"I got the job."

Nia screamed.

"Amara!"

Amara laughed.

"I know."

"I'm so proud of you!"

"Thank you."

"So what's the bad?"

Amara hesitated.

"My boss."

"What about him?"

"He's impossible."

"Is he handsome?"

Amara rolled her eyes.

"That's irrelevant."

"So he's handsome."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

Amara looked toward Daniel's office.

The glass door was closed.

"He's..."

She paused.

"Annoying."

Nia laughed.

"That's not what I asked."

"He's rich."

"Okay."

"Powerful."

"Okay."

"Arrogant."

"Definitely your type."

"He's not my type."

"Amara."

"What?"

"You've been single for almost two years."

"Because I'm focusing on my career."

"You're avoiding men."

"I'm not."

"You are."

Amara sighed.

"Anyway, I'm going to Kumasi tomorrow."

"With Mr. Arrogant?"

"Unfortunately."

Nia laughed.

"Be careful."

"Of what?"

"Falling for him."

Amara laughed.

"That will never happen."

She didn't notice Daniel standing several feet away.

He had heard the last sentence.

And for some reason, it irritated him.

That evening, Amara packed a small suitcase.

Three days.

Maybe four.

She wasn't worried.

She had travelled before.

What bothered her was the thought of spending hours alone with Daniel.

She couldn't explain why.

There was something about him.

Something beneath the arrogance.

Something he refused to show.

Her phone rang.

"Hello?"

It was Lydia.

"Amara, Mr. Asare wants you downstairs."

"Now?"

"Yes."

She checked the time.

7:18 p.m.

She grabbed her handbag and headed down.

Daniel was waiting beside a black SUV.

He looked at her suitcase.

"That's all?"

"Yes."

"We'll be away for four days."

"Four?"

He smiled.

"I said pack lightly."

"You didn't say four days."

"I assumed you understood."

"You assume too much."

He opened the back door.

"Get in."

Amara stared at him.

"Where are we going?"

"Kumasi."

"Tonight?"

"Yes."

She looked at the time.

"We were supposed to leave tomorrow."

"I changed the plan."

"Again?"

"Again."

She sighed and got into the car.

Daniel walked around to the driver's side.

Amara frowned.

"Where's the driver?"

"Not coming."

"You drive?"

"Sometimes."

She watched him get in.

He started the engine.

The car pulled away.

For the first twenty minutes, neither spoke.

The city lights slowly disappeared behind them.

Amara looked through the window.

"You really don't like talking, do you?"

Daniel kept his eyes on the road.

"I talk when there's something worth saying."

"That's arrogant."

"So you've mentioned."

She smiled despite herself.

"You're impossible."

"I've heard that too."

Silence returned.

Then Daniel asked,

"Why did you choose this job?"

Amara looked at him.

"I need the experience."

"That's not the real reason."

"Why do you think there's another reason?"

"Everyone has one."

She looked out the window.

"My father."

Daniel's hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel.

"Your father?"

"Yes."

"What about him?"

Amara hesitated.

"He died when I was seventeen."

Daniel's expression changed.

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

"What happened?"

"An accident."

Daniel said nothing.

Amara looked at him.

"Why are you asking?"

"I was curious."

"About my father?"

"About you."

Her heart skipped.

She looked away quickly.

"Don't be."

"Don't be what?"

"Curious."

"Why?"

"Because curiosity gets people into trouble."

Daniel smiled faintly.

"I know."

Neither of them noticed the dark vehicle that had been following them for the last twenty minutes.

But someone inside it was watching.

Waiting.

And when Daniel's SUV finally disappeared into the darkness of the highway, the stranger made a phone call.

"She's with him."

A pause.

Then a cold voice answered.

"Good."

"Should we stop them?"

"No."

The stranger looked ahead.

"Then what?"

The voice on the other end was quiet.

"Let them go to Kumasi."

Another pause.

"Why?"

"Because the truth is buried there."

The call ended.

Inside Daniel's car, Amara was beginning to fall asleep.

Her head slowly leaned against the window.

Daniel glanced at her.

For the first time, he noticed how peaceful she looked when she wasn't arguing with him.

He smiled.

Then quickly looked back at the road.

He didn't know what was waiting for them in Kumasi.

He only knew one thing.

Taking Amara there might be the biggest mistake of his life.

Because some secrets were never meant to be uncovered.

And one of those secrets had Amara Mensah's name written all over it.