Chapter Thirty

About one hour later, the evening breeze carried the faint scent of freshly cut grass as the gates of Mark Villa opened smoothly. Two sleek black SUVs, emblazoned with the Aston Martin logo, rolled up the driveway and stopped in front of the main entrance. The villa's human staff, alongside Ihunanya, stood ready to welcome the visitors.

Peter emerged from the swimming pool area, dressed impeccably in a casual cream blazer and tailored trousers. He extended a hand to the team leader, a sharp-eyed man in his fifties with brown hair and an air of authority, dressed smartly in a high-end black suit.

'Welcome to Abuja,' Peter said with a smile. 'Hope your journey was smooth?'

'Yes, thank you, Mr. Peter,' the man replied, shaking his hand firmly. 'I'm Richard Bennett, Aston Martin's Technical Director. It's a pleasure to meet you in person.'

His team—two engineers, a designer, and a data analyst—stood behind him, each holding sleek briefcases and portable diagnostic devices. Ihunanya, ever alert, wheeled forward with a cheerful chime, its polished frame glinting in the evening light.

'Greetings, Mr. Bennett and team. I am Ihunanya, Mark Villa's autonomous assistant. I'll assist with today's activities to ensure everything runs smoothly.'

Richard's eyes lit up. 'So, this is the famous Ihunanya. It's impressive to meet such advanced engineering,' he said, glancing around at the grand villa, where robots moved efficiently, each engaged in its task.

'The pleasure is mine,' Ihunanya replied, its optical sensors glowing warmly.

Richard admired how seamlessly humans, robots, and animals coexisted in this environment. After greeting the visitors, the human staff resumed their duties, working alongside the robots. One of the staff members, a young man, casually tossed a ball that had been lying on the ground. In an instant, a sleek robotic dog darted forward, fetching it for her, its mechanical frame moving with precision and agility.

Nearby, a peacock strutted across the lawn, its iridescent feathers shimmering in the evening light. Beside it was a robotic peacock, crafted with colourful panels that sparkled like the real one's feathers. The robot moved smoothly, copying the natural elegance of the real bird.

Birds chirped from the treetops, some even perching on a drone hovering quietly as it monitored the villa's grounds.

This was the future Richard had always envisioned—a world where human, machine, and animal worked together in perfect harmony. He had imagined such a world centuries from now, in the distant year 2200. Yet, here it was, unfolding before his very eyes. It was as if he had stepped into a science fiction film, except this was reality, a breathtaking reality that redefined the boundaries of possibility. Experiencing it in the flesh made him believe that anything was possible, and it was as if the world he had once only dreamt of had suddenly come to life.

As night settled in and the team appeared tired from their journey, Peter ensured they were well taken care of. A lavish spread of Nigerian high-end dishes was served, featuring mountains of jollof rice, fried rice, spicy abacha, white rice with stew, pepper soup, suya, and succulent grilled fish. These were accompanied by a variety of sides, including fried plantains, fried yam, boiled yam with egg sauce, and roasted plantain served with peppered palm oil and utazi. There was also akpu, garri, and pounded yam with a choice of ofe oha, ofe eju, ofe egusi, or ofe ede—depending on their preference.

To complement the meal, there were small chops such as akara, moimoi, and meat pies, offering an elegant starter to the main feast. The meal was completed with bamboo tea, achara tea, and palm wine.

After they finished eating, Peter escorted his guests to their luxurious rooms, each meticulously prepared for maximum comfort. Once alone in his own room, he picked up his phone, a smile playing on his lips. He dialled Magnus, inviting him to join him at the villa in the morning. As his personal assistant, Magnus's presence was essential.

Peter briefly considered calling Stella, her radiant smile flashing in his mind. But he dismissed the thought—he didn't want her to feel he was overstepping boundaries. He was certain he would bring her to the villa someday and felt sure that when the time came, she would be ready. The thought of bringing her to his villa thrilled him, but for now, he decided to wait.