Chapter 101
ADRIAN’S POV
After a few minutes of waiting in silence, the car door on the opposite side finally opened. Olivia stepped in, her face telling me everything I needed to know–she didn’t want to be here. I could practically see the annoyance stitched into her brows, the reluctance in her every move. She didn’t even try to hide the fact that I was forcing her into this outing. For once, I wished she would just go along with my plans without giving me that look, the same one that made me feel like the villain in her story.
Without a word, I gave the driver a simple nod. He understood and started the engine, pulling out onto the road. The low hum of the car filled the silence between us. I leaned back into the seat and stared out my window, my own thoughts louder than any sound in the car.
This–this wasn’t how I envisioned it going.
At the office earlier today, this idea had seemed perfect. A casual outing. A break from the tension that always lingered between us. Maybe even a chance for us to talk without all the walls we usually put up. But now? Now it felt like I was dragging someone out against their will, like I was coercing her into spending time with me. That wasn’t the point at all. I wanted this to be something light, maybe even enjoyable, for both of us.
A small sound pulled me out of my thoughts.
I turned my head slightly toward Olivia, my eyes scanning her. She shifted in her seat, still looking out the window, clearly pretending I didn’t exist. Just as I was about to turn my head back, I heard it again.
A low rumble.
Her stomach.
I blinked. Was she seriously hungry right now?
I looked down at her stomach–subtly, of course. There was a slight curve to it, more noticeable now that I was paying attention. How hadn’t I seen that earlier? It looked… rounder than usual. Not bloated, but like it had been that way for a while.
I opened my mouth to speak, but stopped myself. Saying anything about it would probably come off as body–shaming, and the last thing I needed was to offend her more than I already had by dragging her along. Still, we literally had a gym at home. If she used it even once in a while…
No. Stop. Don’t go there.
Her stomach growled again, louder this time. She shifted in her seat awkwardly, probably hoping I hadn’t heard it–but I had. Twice now.
“Alright,” I muttered under my breath. “We’ll eat first.”
By the time we reached the cinema, I was thankful to see a small restaurant nestled just beside the building. No, it wasn’t exactly five–star, not even close to my usual standards, but it would do for now. Hopefully, the food wouldn’t be a complete disaster.
We got out of the car, and I gestured toward the restaurant. Olivia hesitated for a brief second, then began walking toward it with me. And even though she kept her face neutral, I caught it—the tiniest flicker of excitement in her eyes.
She was hungry. Really hungry. It made me wonder–had she eaten anything at all today? Or even yesterday? Where exactly had she gone earlier?
As we stepped into the restaurant, the smell of freshly cooked food hit me like a wave–rich, savory, and nostalgic. That familiar scent never failed to awaken something in me. Maybe this place wouldn’t be so bad after all.
I also noticed some of the staff and other customers were staring at us, not just a glance, but full–on, lingering stares. Mostly at me, of course, and we all know why. Who wouldn’t stare at the famous Adrian Westwood when they got the rare opportunity? It wasn’t arrogance; it was just fact. People recognized me, and they didn’t try to hide it.
A small smirk tugged at the corners of my lips as Olivia and I walked toward our table, I could practically feel the curiosity bouncing off their gazes. As I said, this wasn’t my usual kind of restaurant. It lacked the class, the elegance, the refinement I was used to, but for today, I had no choice but to make do. I didn’t expect much from the menu either. The outside of the place already warned me what to expect.
Once we sat, I reached for their menu, flipping through the pages with minimal interest. And just as I’d predicted, what I saw made me sigh internally. Burgers, rice and eggs, Chinese noodles… Seriously? These were basic dishes, things you’d find in any street food spot or college cafeteria. No creativity. No finesse. Just plain, unexciting food. I doubted any of it would taste decent, let alone impress me.
Just then, Olivia’s voice broke through my thoughts, tinged with unexpected excitement.
“Oh, they serve Nigerian dishes!”
I raised an eyebrow. Is that so?
Curious despite myself, I scanned the menu again, this time focusing on the section she mentioned. There they were–names I recognized vaguely but hadn’t had the chance to try growing up. Eba and egusi soup? Was that how it was pronounced? I wasn’t entirely sure, and I wasn’t about to risk
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Chapter 101
sounding like an amateur in front of Olivia–or worse, the staff.
Besides, I wasn’t even that hungry. My appetite was lukewarm at best, and the idea of mispronouncing “egusi” and embarrassing myself didn’t sit right. So, I made the mature decision to let Olivia take the lead on ordering. I dropped the menu and leaned back slightly, watching as she signaled for the attention of a staff member with practiced ease.
Then came the order.
“I’ll have the jollof rice, three chicken thighs, three chicken breasts, five turkey legs, five fried beef, and the vegetable soup,” she said casually.
I blinked. Wait. What?
For a moment, I didn’t even realize my mouth had fallen open. I just stared at her, stunned. Was she planning to feed a village? All that food for one person?
And what amazed me even more was how flawlessly she pronounced everything. Jollof, vegetable soup–she made it sound so smooth and natural. Meanwhile, I had spent the last few minutes worrying I’d butcher a simple word like “egusi.” Embarrassing.
Why didn’t I just go for the vegetable soup? It sounded harmless enough.
As I sat there trying to recover from my shock, a couple of staff members returned with trays filled with the food Olivia had ordered. One of them mistakenly placed a plate of jollof rice in front of me, probably assuming it was mine.
“Their all hers,” I said plainly, gesturing toward Olivia.
The look on the staff member’s face was priceless. Wide–eyed. Confused. Amused. It was almost enough to make me smile–almost.
Olivia, meanwhile, started dragging the dishes toward her like a dragon guarding treasure. She positioned them carefully, almost defensively, like someone might try to steal a piece. It was kind of impressive, in a wild way.
I watched her dig in, barely hesitating as she started with the jollof rice. She didn’t even look up at me.
- e. Just focused on her meal like it was the only thing that mattered right now.
It was today that I realized something–this girl had a side I hadn’t fully seen before. When I first met her, she barely touched her food, always acting too proper. Now? She looked like she hadn’t eaten in three days.
I leaned back and crossed my arms, watching her with a raised brow.
Well, at least now I know where that stomach came from.
But still, I couldn’t help wondering–what changed?
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