Chapter 11: Temptation and distraction

Adelani sat in her car outside her flat, gripping the steering wheel, her mind

replaying her conversation with Dayo. 

She had walked away from him firmly, clearly but his words still lingered. You and I… we were never really finished.

She hated that part of her was still analyzing his tone, searching for hidden

meaning. What did he expect? That she would forget why she left? That she would

be swayed by nostalgia? 

She exhaled sharply and grabbed her phone. Ronke needed to hear this nonsense. 

Ronke: why is your forehead probably creased right now? 

Adelani rolled her eyes and called instead. 

As soon as Ronke picked up, she launched in. "Dayo basically told me I've had my

fun and it's time to come home." 

A loud hiss came through the speaker. "Egbami! He really said that?" 

"In fewer words, but the message was clear." 

Ronke snorted. "So, in his mind, you were just out here gallivanting, waiting for him

to mature?" 

"Exactly." 

"And he's confident too?" 

"Very." 

"Men are audacious." 

Adelani sighed. "I should've walked away the moment I saw him." 

"But you didn't." 

She frowned. "Ronke—" 

"I'm just saying, if you were truly over him, you wouldn't even be analyzing all

this." 

"I'm not analyzing. I'm annoyed." 

Ronke hummed. "If you say so." 

Adelani closed her eyes. "I do." 

A pause. Then Ronke asked, "Does Alexander know about him?" 

Adelani hesitated. "No." 

"Interesting." 

"What's interesting about that?" 

Ronke sighed dramatically. "A Nigerian ex trying to worm his way back in while a

British gentleman is actively pursuing you? Sis, this is a Nollywood-Netflix

crossover." 

Adelani groaned. "Goodnight, Ronke." 

Ronke just cackled as Adelani ended the call. 

The next day, work at the library was uneventful until, just before closing, she

spotted a familiar figure near the entrance. 

Alexander. 

He was dressed casually in a navy blue sweater and dark jeans, but his presence

still managed to turn heads. His grey-streaked hair was neatly styled, his

sharp blue eyes scanning the shelves as if he were actually looking for a book. 

Adelani's stomach did a small, unexpected flip. She hadn't seen him since their date night the kiss, the heated moment before

reality forced them apart. 

He finally spotted her and smiled. "Fancy meeting you here." 

She rolled her eyes, fighting back a smile. "What do you want, Alexander?" 

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Dinner."

Her breath caught slightly. "Tonight?" 

"Yes." His gaze was steady, expectant. 

She hesitated. She should say no. Her emotions were already tangled after seeing

Dayo, and Alexander… well, Alexander made her feel things she wasn't ready to

name. 

But the way he was looking at her, like she was something intriguing, something

desired it was a dangerous temptation. 

She exhaled. "Fine. But I choose the place." 

His lips curved. "Fair enough." 

Adelani sat at the small, round table in the dimly lit Chinese restaurant, watching Alexander scan the menu. He looked perfectly at ease, flipping through the pages with a slight smirk, as if he already knew what he wanted. 

She, on the other hand, was struggling to focus. The remnants of her last conversation with Dayo still lingered in her mind, like an unpleasant aftertaste. 

She shook the thought away. Not today.

"You're quiet," Alexander observed, not looking up. 

"I'm reading." 

"Liar." He finally glanced at her, amusement in his eyes. "You're thinking." 

She huffed, setting the menu down. "Fine. You got me." 

He leaned in slightly. "Care to share?" 

She hesitated. The last thing she wanted was for Dayo to intrude on this moment. 

So she redirected. "How old are you?" 

A pause. Then a slow, amused smile. "How bold of you." 

"I'm curious." 

He tilted his head, studying her like she was a puzzle he enjoyed figuring out.

"Forty-four." 

Adelani blinked. Not bad.

He raised an eyebrow. "Expected older?" 

She shrugged. "Expected more hesitation." 

He chuckled. "Why? Worried about the age gap?" 

"No." She sipped her water. "But you seem like the type to enjoy keeping people

guessing." 

"True." He reached for his drink. "You're quite good at it yourself." 

She smirked. "I know." 

As the waiter arrived, Alexander ordered without hesitation—crispy duck, dim sum,

and Sichuan-style beef. 

"Have you been here before?" she asked, noting his confidence with the menu. 

"No I just know what I want ." He said given her a pointed look.

She studied him, tapping her fingers against her chopsticks. "Do you have any tattoos?" 

It was an impulsive question, born from her curiosity about what was hidden

beneath the crisp shirts and tailored blazers. 

Alexander's smirk deepened. "Wouldn't you like to know?" 

She rolled her eyes. "If you don't want to answer, just say so." 

"Now, now, where's the fun in that?" 

Adelani narrowed her eyes. "So, you do have one." 

"Maybe." 

She sighed. "You are exhausting." 

"And yet, here you are," he said smoothly. 

She couldn't argue with that. 

As the meal arrived, their conversation flowed easily. He told her more about his

childhood—his strict but loving mother, his rebellious teenage years, the

places he had traveled to. 

"My mother always expected me to marry well," he said at one point, swirling his

wine glass. "A woman from the right family, someone who fit the image." 

"And did you?" 

He gave a dry chuckle. "No. I fell in love with a woman who cared very little about images." 

Adelani frowned. "And what happened?" 

"Life. Distance. Misaligned expectations." He met her gaze. "It happens." 

She nodded, feeling an unexpected sense of understanding. 

"And your father?" she asked, twirling chow mein around her chop stick

His expression flickered slightly. "Distant. A man of duty rather than

warmth." 

She nodded, understanding more than she expected to. "That must have been

difficult." 

He shrugged. "It taught me how to build my own life. My own happiness." 

She looked at him, really looked at him. He was so different from Dayo—older, more

certain, but not in the way that dismissed her. 

For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel the need to be guarded. She laughed freely, ate without restraint, and let herself be.

And when they stepped out into the cool night air, Alexander reached for her hand without hesitation. 

She let him. 

For now