Chapter Sixteen

As the couple cut their wedding cake—a towering masterpiece of white and gold

tiers—Olatunji found himself scanning the crowd, and his heart skipped a beat.

Across the hall, he spotted her—the girl from the car. Temilade stood out effortlessly, her soft

beauty accentuated by her royal blue lace dress. Her makeup was subtle yet stunning, and

her hair was styled in an elegant bun.

Temilade also noticed him. Her breath caught as recognition dawned. The man she had

been thinking about—the one she had secretly wished to see again—was standing right

there.

Throughout the reception, they stole glances at each other. Every time their eyes met, a

current of excitement passed between them.

When the event began to wind down, Olatunji made his way through the crowd toward her.

Temilade was standing by the dessert table, pretending to be engrossed in a conversation

with one of the bridesmaids.

"Hi," Olatunji said, his deep voice breaking through the music.

Temilade turned to him, her heart pounding. "Hi," she replied, a shy smile playing on her lips.

And just like that, the moment they had both been waiting for finally arrived.

Temilade's heart skipped a beat as she heard his voice. It was calm, smooth, and carried an

air of confidence that instantly drew her in. She could hardly believe the man she'd been

daydreaming about was now standing in front of her.

Olatunji smiled gently, his gaze steady. "I'm sorry about the other time," he began. "I couldn't

look away, and I was foolish for not getting down to talk to you then. Honestly, I've been

thinking about you ever since. I'm sure you remember."

Temilade tilted her head, trying to mask her emotions. "I remember," she said casually,

though her heart was racing, "but I don't think about it." She lied effortlessly, though her flushed cheeks threatened to give her away.

Olatunji's smile deepened. "Well, I've thought about you. A lot. I even prayed to God for a

second chance to meet you. And look—here we are. I guess I'm lucky. I just hope I'm not too

late."

Temilade raised an eyebrow, playing coy. "I'm not searching," she replied, crossing her arms.

His eyes lit up with a spark of hope. "That means you're still single?"

She gave a slight nod, and he exhaled, visibly relieved.

"Well, now that fate has given me this chance," Olatunji continued, "I want to know more

about you. My name's Olatunji, by the way. I'm based in Abuja. I'm a businessman who

enjoys traveling, and it was during one of my business trips that I saw you—on my way to

the airport. May I know more about you?"

Temilade hesitated but finally said, "You can call me Temilade. I'm a fashion designer."

"Temilade," he said thoughtfully. "Or maybe I should start calling you 'Temi'...you know, like

'mine.'"

Her eyes widened, and she frowned playfully. "Yours kor," she teased. "Who gave you

permission to claim me?"

"I want you to be mine," he said sincerely, his tone soft but confident.

She laughed, shaking her head. "Help me, oh. I don't even know you, and you're already

making claims."

"I've known you since the moment I saw you," he replied, leaning slightly closer. "And I've

been thinking about you ever since."

Temilade narrowed her eyes, her tone turning slightly serious. "Are you married?"

"I've never been married," Olatunji assured her. "I'm single, with no kids. What about you?

Have you ever been married?"

"No," she replied. "But I was in a relationship once. It ended three years ago, and since then,

I've been focused on my life."

"That's good," Olatunji said, smiling warmly. "If not, how else would I have met mine?"

"You're a bad person," she teased, rolling her eyes.

"Let me be!" he said, chuckling. "Besides, it's his loss, not mine."

She smiled but quickly turned the conversation back to him. "And you? What about your past relationships?"

"I've never had a serious one," he admitted. "I've always been a shy type, but somehow, I

feel comfortable with you. Like I can be myself."

"Hmmm," Temilade said, her skepticism softening.

"I'm serious, Temilade," he said, his tone more earnest now. "You've captivated my heart."

She couldn't help but smile at his boldness. "Well," she said, "I can't say yes just like that. I

have to get to know you first."

"And I promise you won't regret it," he said confidently. "But please, don't let me leave here

without your contact."

After a moment of hesitation, she gave him her number, and they continued talking, their

conversation flowing effortlessly.

"I'm staying in Lagos for a while," Olatunji said before they parted ways. "I want to see you

again before I head back to Abuja."

Temilade's cheeks flushed as she nodded. "We'll see," she said with a smile, her heart fluttering.

The wedding ceremony was still in full swing as guests enjoyed their meals and collected

souvenirs. The vibrant atmosphere buzzed with laughter, music, and clinking glasses.

Temilade, after her brief conversation with Olatunji, decided to use the restroom. She asked

one of the ushers for directions and was guided to the hallway where the restrooms were

located.

As she stepped inside and closed the door to ease herself, she suddenly paused, hearing

faint noises from the adjoining restroom. At first, she dismissed them as typical sounds of

chatter or someone speaking on the phone. But the sounds grew louder and more

distinct—soft moans and gasps intertwined with whispered words of urgency. Her ears

perked up when she clearly heard a female voice saying, "Harder, please… yes, just like

that."

Temilade's stomach churned with disgust. What kind of people have the audacity to do this

at a wedding? In the restroom of all places? she thought, her brows furrowing. Don't they

have homes or cars for such behavior? What if someone else needed to use the restroom?

Though she tried to mind her business, her curiosity got the better of her. Deciding to wait

outside and catch a glimpse of the culprits, she stepped out of the restroom and positioned

herself behind the corner, carefully peeking to avoid being seen.