In the rich, restless city of Lagos, where luxury cars whispered power and skyscrapers stretched like proud giants into the sky, lived a man everyone admired: Jackson Ekenna—billionaire, CEO, heartbreaker. Ironically, tonight he was about to have his own heart broken.
Inside his mansion, everything screamed wealth. Golden chandeliers shimmered above him. Soft jazz floated through the air. The walls, decorated with expensive modern art, looked as though they were judging poor people from a distance. Jackson stood in front of a full-length mirror, adjusting his perfectly tailored suit. He sighed.
“Why do I feel like this dinner will stress me?” he muttered.
From behind him, his personal assistant spoke carefully. “Sir, maybe it’s not the dinner. Maybe it’s the person you want to take to the dinner.”
Jackson shot him a look through the mirror. “Since when did you become a relationship expert?”
Mecha shrugged. “Since Madam started lying with confidence.”
Jackson paused. That stung. But he shook it off and picked up his phone. “Let me call her.”
The phone rang once. Twice. Three times. Then Alice picked up.
“Hey, baby,” Jackson said softly, his voice calm but tired. “Are you ready? I want you to come with me to a business dinner.”
There was a slight pause. A very suspicious pause.
Then, “Um… I’m not around,” Alice said quickly. “I traveled.”
Jackson frowned. “Traveled? You didn’t tell me.”
“It was urgent,” she replied. “Family stuff.”
Jackson nodded slowly, though she couldn’t see him. “I see.”
Silence.
Then he forced a smile. “All right. Take care.”
“Yeah. Bye.”
The call ended.
Mecha, who had been pretending not to listen, slowly turned.
“Sir—”
Jackson raised a hand. “Don’t.”
Mecha nodded. “I didn’t say anything. But your face said everything.”
Jackson took a deep breath, picked up his car keys, and straightened his shoulders. “Let’s go. Business doesn’t wait for heartbreak.”
Mecha whispered under his breath, “But heartbreak is already waiting.”
The luxury hotel glowed like a palace that evening. Expensive perfumes filled the air. Rich laughter echoed from every corner.
Jackson stepped out of his sleek black car. Confidence wrapped around him like his suit.
But fate was already smiling wickedly.
As he walked toward the entrance, he saw her.
Alice.
Alive, well, and very much not traveling.
She stood at the reception desk laughing, her head tilted slightly in the same way Jackson used to love. But now that same head was leaning toward another man, and the man’s hand rested boldly on her waist.
Jackson stopped walking.
Everything slowed down.
Even the air felt heavy.
He blinked once. Maybe he was imagining things.
He blinked again.
No. It was real.
Very real.
Alice turned slightly, and her eyes met Jackson’s. Her smile vanished instantly. Her body froze.
The man beside her frowned. “Babe, what’s wrong?”
Alice swallowed hard. “J-Jackson…”
Jackson walked toward them slowly, each step calm, controlled, dangerous.
When he got close, he looked at her from head to toe, then glanced at the man, then back at her.
His voice was quiet. Too quiet.
“So, this is where you traveled to?”
Alice opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again. “I can explain.”
Jackson raised his hand slightly. “No. Don’t.”
The man beside her stepped forward. “Who are you?”
Jackson looked at him calmly. “The man she lied to.”
Silence.
Alice’s voice trembled. “Jackson, please. It’s not what you think.”
Jackson let out a small, bitter laugh. “Really? Because it looks exactly like what I think.”
The man slowly removed his hand from her waist, suddenly uncomfortable.
Smart man.
Jackson leaned slightly closer to Alice, his eyes locked on hers. “You said you weren’t around.”
Pause.
“I guess you were right.”
He glanced around the hotel.
“You’re not around me.”
Alice’s eyes filled with panic. “Jackson, please listen—”
Jackson straightened his suit and smiled. That calm, dangerous smile.
“Enjoy yourself.”
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