Chapter 16

Gala Night.

At the venue of the gala night, a glamorously long red carpet was placed on the ground, just at the

entrance.

The scene was encircled with various forms of paparazzi swarming the surroundings, with their phones and cameras. Invited guest, mostly celebrities, were out there having their pictures taken, together with their dates. The paparazzi also didn't let the chance of having an interview with this big shots, pass them by.

It was 7:30pm already, when a black sedan stretch limo, pulled up at the entrance.

The driver ran to open the car door and right there in the presence of everyone, a drop dead handsome young man, clad in a beautiful slim fitted beige suit came down from the luxurious car parked by the entrance, exhibiting a cold and elegant aura. His good looks were beyond this world.

After getting off, Richard stretched forth his hands towards the car for Damilola to take. The taken aback Damilola who was confused and wondering what was going on in Richard's head, pushed all thoughts behind her head and took his hand. A pair of stunning beige heels stepped out, accompanied by a pair of dark skinned long legs.

Damilola made her way out of the car, and with a loving smile, wrapped her hand around Richard's arm, taking him by surprise.

Damilola's elegant look rendered the people speechless. Her perfectly shaped face, showed how much time God took in creating it. Her beautiful royal blue gown exhibited her beautiful skin and gracefully refined body shape.

Just who was this beauty? Was the question on everyone's mind.

They were already surprised that Richard came to the event. He never attended such events. As if that wasn't enough, he came along with such a beauty.

The paparazzi didn't want to miss such a great scoop as this. They began flashing their camera, as they took several pictures of them.

Damilola stared at her hands which were wrapped around Richard's arm. She could feel extreme warmth coming from him. If possible, she wanted to stay in this position forever.

Taking a look at Richard's face, she realized that unlike the way she felt, Richard was completely calm, like nothing was happening.

"He is capable of staying calm while causing such turmoil in my heart?"

Anyways, this wasn't something that happened always, she should enjoy it while it lasts.

She was holding hands with the most handsome man she'd ever seen.

Together, they walked down the red carpet, completely ignoring all questions being asked by the

paparazzi.

The hall was designed beautifully and many business men and women could be seen working around, chatting and laughing. A perfect venue and time for networking.

Damilola and Richard were led to their seats, which was of course a special one. Damilola's eyes kept

roaming around the banquet hall. Her eyes were fishing out various celebrities she never thought she would ever meet.

Few moments after finding a seat, Richard stood up, as Damilola reluctantly followed him.

Damilola and Richard made their way to the other end of the hall, where a young man who looked like he was in his late 30s was standing. He was tall and handsome. Damilola immediately recognised him. Which Nigerian wouldn't know this man? He was the president of crystal industries limited, which was the biggest conglomerate in Africa.

Damilola stared at the man before her. This man was definitely taking enormous care of himself to look this young,  when he was way older.

"Hi, Mr Richard, nice meeting you here," he said, as he stretched forth his hands for a handshake, which Richard took.

"Same here, Mr Bankole, you look well" Richard said, pronouncing the man's name in an all too funny manner, that almost pushed Damilola to laughter. Didn't the man find it funny? He seemed too calm.

"Thank you, so do you," he replied with a smile.

Mr Bankole then turned to Damilola, who was standing right beside Richard and his face became pale.

"Is anything the matter, sir?" Richard inquired, seeing how Bankole's face had lost his colour.

Bankole eyes didn't leave Damilola when he said, "I am fine."

Richard noticed his look and decided to introduce Damilola. "Mr Bankole, this is Alex, Alexandra Hall, my date for tonight. Alex, this is Mr Bankole, the president of Crystal Conglomerate. I am hoping to form a collaboration with him someday, but he really is a difficult man to convince." Richard teased.

Mr Bankole whose pale eyes didn't leave you all through the introduction, finally looked away and smiled at Richard's words.

"Hi. Mr Bankole. It's a pleasure meeting you." Damilola said pronouncing his name perfectly. Surprising the man.

"You are Nigerian?" He asked.

"Yes, sir," she said with a smile. After a while, she asked "By the way, when I saw you across the room, I thought you were in your 30s. You looked so young. Mind teaching me how?"

"You flatter me, Miss Alex. I am just an ordinary Old man. I definitely don't look 20 years younger." He smiled.

"You sure do, sir"

Damilola talked on an on with the man, showering him with flatteries and getting to know him better. The two of them talked so much that they almost completely forgot Richard's presence.

Richard stared at Damilola weirdly. Who on earth dealt with Business in this manner. This wasn't a playground. She should talk business on a business ground for Christ sake.

Richard was drawn out of his thoughts when Damilola said some words to Mr Bankole in Yoruba,

one of Nigeria's languages.

Richard knew immediately that she didn't want him to hear what she said.

Mr Bankole replied back in Yoruba and smiled.

Just at that moment a call came through and he excused himself to receive the call.

Damilola watched his back as he left, then finally turned around only to see Richard staring at her with a look she couldn't figure out. She had been expecting his signature heart piercing gaze, warning her not to mess things up or prepare for a reunion meeting with her ancestors.

Just at that moment, Mr Bankole walked right back to them. "I am so sorry. It was an urgent call. I will be leaving soon," he said. "It was a pleasure meeting you Miss Alex"

"Same here, sir"

"Mr Richard, such a nice person you got here. You sure have a great eye for people."

"By the way, if you don't mind I'd like to invite you and Miss Alex over for dinner at my house tomorrow evening. I will be leaving for Nigeria next week. How about we talk about that collaboration." He said to Richard.

"That would be my pleasure" he replied.

Mr Bankole smiled and said "See you tomorrow" as he left.

Damilola and Richard were all alone once again.

They both walked back to their seat, as the event took off.

The event went on and on and all through, Richard's eyes were closed except for the part of the auction, he participated and ended up buying an expensive painting, which was painted about 400 years ago.

The event before and after, caught not his attention. Damilola on the other hand was enjoying every bit of it, from the cocktail reception, to the dinner, the stage performances, drama to dance and also the fashion parades.

After a while, it was time for the dance.

Damilola watched as people found their way to the dance floor, hand in hand with their dates.

What a beautiful sight to behold.

Damilola angrily stared at Richard. This was what she got for coming to the dinner with such a boring

dude.

As if on cue, Richard opened his eyes and finally stood up.

"Care for a dance?" He said.

Damilola almost spat out the drink in her mouth. Was he really doing what she thinks he is doing? Asking her for a dance. She must be too eager to dance with him that she started day dreaming.

She poked his hands to be sure it was not a dream.

Lo and behold, it really wasn't.

Richard was really asking her for a dance.

This was so unreal.

Even if it was a dream, she wanted to enjoy every part of it.

She took his hands, as he led her to the dance floor.

On getting to the dance floor, the song changed.

Richard placed her two hands around his neck and wrapped his, around her waist and pulled her close to him.

Damilola just stared at his dreamy face in shock. He stared into her beautiful large pair of eyes as

they moved to the rhythm of the song.

Damilola was confused, the Richard she was with isn't the Richard she knew, he looked at her with such a gentle gaze. She had never seen him look at her this way before.

This gala night really brought about different surprises. What other surprises did it have for her?

"You look beautiful," He said, whispering into her ear then looked deeply into her eyes.

Taken aback at his words Damilola looked into his eyes.

His eyes looked completely sincere.

She became lost in his gaze.

His gaze moved from her eyes to her lips.

He then pushed her closer to him when their faces were few inches away from each other, he placed his face right by her ear and said.

"Richard is a very serious guy. Too serious for my liking. He rarely talks and when he does he rarely says more than a sentence. In fact, he is no fun. All that is in that head of his is work. I guess that's how he got this far, bringing a company from scratch to this stage. He is just a young guy, you are scared of taking such risks with someone you see as young and has no experience. He was capable of getting this far at such a young age. Do you really think he isn't experienced? Age isn't the only thing that gives experience, you know. One thing about business is taking risks. Why don't you take this risk, sir? I can assure you that you won't be disappointed."

Damilola was extremely shocked. She pushed him forward to see his face.

"You don't speak Yoruba but you understand it?"

"How? Did you learn it? There actually is no need to learn it though. Every Nigerian business man

speak English. So why learn it?"

Richard simpered and said nothing in return, as Damilola bombarded him with questions.

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At the same time, in a Maybach car, a man is sited saying over the phone.

"I saw her. I am not very sure she is the one but she does not only look like her but acts like her."

"Are you sure?" A deep voice said over the phone

"I invited her over to my house. You can see her from a distance if you'd like to."

"Why not up close?" The man said.

"You can choose however you want to see her, sir,"

"Who was she with?"

"Richard. She was with Richard."

"What? Richard? How is that possible?"