The Tycoon Reluctant Bride

Board meeting disaster

*Chapter 5

Rule #2: Appear together. Don’t embarrass him.

I didn’t know "appear together" meant standing in front of 20 billionaires at 8AM.

“Mrs. Adeleke will be joining us today,” Damian said to me at 7AM while adjusting his cufflinks. “My board wants to meet you.”

“Me? Why?” I was still in my pajamas.

“Because you’re my wife,” he said like it was obvious. “Rule #2.”

30 minutes later, I was in a black dress Nneka picked out. Hair done. Makeup done. Hands shaking.

The Adeleke Holdings boardroom was on the 40th floor. Glass walls. View of all of Lagos. And 20 men in suits staring at me when we walked in.

“Good morning,” Damian said, voice cold. “This is my wife, Amara Adeleke.”

Silence.

Then: “Mr. Adeleke, we weren’t informed there was a wedding,” said an old man with white hair. Mr. Okonkwo, I think.

“It was private,” Damian said. No smile.

“Convenient,” another man muttered.

I felt my face burn. They didn’t believe me.

The meeting started. Numbers. Investments. Merger with a UK company.

I understood none of it. I just sat there, smiling, nodding like Damian told me.

Halfway through, Mr. Okonkwo turned to me.

“Mrs. Adeleke, as the wife of our CEO, what’s your opinion on the merger?”

All eyes on me.

My mouth went dry. Damian didn’t warn me about this.

I glanced at him. His face gave nothing away.

“Um,” I said. “I think... I think any merger should benefit the people who work here first. Not just the shareholders.”

The room went quiet.

Then Mr. Okonkwo laughed. “Interesting. A CEO’s wife with a heart.”

Some men nodded. Others frowned.

Damian’s jaw ticked, but he said nothing.

After the meeting, we walked out. The moment the elevator doors closed, he turned to me.

“Did I tell you to speak?”

“No.”

“Then why did you?”

“Because he asked me directly. And because I meant it.”

He stared at me. “You embarrassed me.”

“I told the truth.”

The elevator dinged. We got out. He walked ahead, fast.

“Wait,” I called. “Damian.”

He stopped but didn’t turn. “Don’t call me that in public.”

“Then what should I call you?”

“Mr. Adeleke.”

That night he didn’t come home till 1AM.

I was awake in the living room.

“You’re mad at me,” I said.

“I’m not mad,” he said, pouring whiskey. “I’m disappointed. You don’t understand how business works, Amara. Emotions have no place here.”

“Maybe they should,” I said quietly. “Maybe that’s why everyone is scared of you.”

The glass in his hand paused.

“Get out,” he said.

“I’m not leaving.”

“I said GET OUT.”

I stood up. “Fine. But rule #2 says appear together. So tomorrow, I’ll be there. And I’ll speak again if I have to.”

I walked to my room.

5 minutes later, there was a knock.

It was Nneka. “Mr. Adeleke said to give you this.”

It was a file. Inside: the entire merger proposal. Highlighted. With notes in the margin in Damian’s handwriting.

On the last page, a sticky note:

_Read this. So next time you speak, you sound like you belong here._

_- D_

He was teaching me. Not punishing me.

I stayed up all night reading it.

The next morning at 7AM, I was in the boardroom again. This time with the file.

Mr. Okonkwo raised an eyebrow. “Back again, Mrs. Adeleke?”

“Yes sir,” I said. “And I have 3 questions about the UK merger’s employee clause.”

Damian looked at me from the head of the table.

For the first time, he didn’t look angry.

He looked... surprised.

And maybe, just a little proud.

---

*[End of Chapter 5]*

*Author’s Note:* Did Amara just stand up to Damian AND the board?? 😱