The day was terribly long,meetings kept sweeping in. Finally she could breathe but not for long.
"It's nice having you on board Mr Kareem" Aduni swept in a smile...the client responded likewise
"Most certainly!".... client communication can be hard but fruitful in the end.
Few steps...they were out of the building...she thought she could take a break... looking at her schedule she imagined how fantastic it will be to take a vacation from work and everyone
"Seeing the skies with a cold drink in my hands is going to be more better than seeing all these people and all these papers!" ....she murmur
"Another meeting in few minutes...with Darling Scent!".. blessings burst her bubble
"Bring them in!"....
The conference room smelled faintly of paper, air freshener, and the sharp sweetness of perfume samples lined neatly across the table. Aduni had prepared them herself before the meeting began not because it was her responsibility, but because details mattered. Order mattered. First impressions mattered.
A familiar face walked in first, his familiar easy smile lighting up when he saw her.
"Angel? It's really you." Not many people know her other name,not many people address her by it.
There was warmth in his voice the kind that came from shared childhood afternoons, borrowed notebooks, and years of effortless friendship. They shook hands, but the moment lingered a second longer than a typical business greeting.
Pleasantries took longer than expected,back in the day Aduni also called Angel would argue countless times with Abel about the stars and how it's impossible to count them all
"You're just too lazy to count!"....Abel would always say
"Can you even count...? I can teach you!"..he would add smugly
Behind him stood a fair Young lady,with a odd expression on her face
Her smile was polite. Tight. Measured.
Aduni noticed immediately the quick scan from head to toe, the slight stiffness in her posture, the way her fingers tightened around her handbag.
Professional, Aduni reminded herself. This is work.
Aduni began calmly.
"Perfume distribution requires controlled handling because of its alcohol content and fragility. What I'm proposing is a centralized logistics structure that protects product integrity while supporting your growth."
Her voice was steady, confident not loud, not soft. Certain.
She outlined the plan in details,from the distribution,to goods control,batch tracking and inventory and other logistics team, operational report. She spoke without hesitation, without trying to impress just clarity, structure, and control.
Aduni did not perform competence, she embodied it. There was no unnecessary charm, no exaggerated corporate language. Only precision. Every sentence had direction. Every recommendation had a reason. The room adjusted to her authority without her demanding it.
Abel watched her with quiet admiration. He remembered the girl who organized group assignments when everyone else argued.
Some things about Aduni had not changed except now the confidence had sharpened into something formidable.
The fair lady noticed his attention.
And she didn't like it.
When the meeting ended, Abel turned fully toward Aduni.
"You've always been like this," he said, smiling. "Focused. You haven't changed."
"And you haven't changed, always looking lost...!" Aduni added, settling the documents aside
"Lost in your eyes of course!"...he replied with a smirk "I should have your contact... let's catch up!"..he added. This made the lady more irritated
"Check in with my secretary!".... Aduni added,work is still ongoing
The lady seated beside him, momentarily forgotten.
Only when she shifted her weight did Abel seem to remember.
"Oh Suzan, this is Aduni. We grew up together."
The introduction came late.
Too late.
Suzan's smile returned, but this time it carried a thin edge.
"Your presentation was… very thorough," she said
"Least I forget, I own darling scent and I like your detailed presentation!"...the smile didn't reach her ears.
The compliment felt like an observation, not admiration.
Aduni simply nodded. "Thank you. I'll send the full operational document by close of business."
No competition. No reaction. Just work.
And somehow, that calm professionalism irritated Suzan even more.
Later, outside the building, Abel caught up with Suzan.
"Hey… are you okay?" She didn't answer immediately.
"You ignored me in there," she said finally.
"I didn't mean to," Abel sighed. "It's just… Aduni and I go way back. I got carried away." He meant it as an explanation. Suzan heard it as a comparison.
That evening, Suzan called him.
"I was thinking," she said softly. "Maybe we should go out tomorrow. Dinner."
Abel hesitated. "Tomorrow? I actually planned something already."
"With Aduni?" she asked. The silence answered her.
Suzan inhaled slowly, then spoke gently.
"Abel… remember when you asked me to be your girlfriend?"
He sat up.
"I'm ready now," she continued. "I'd like to say yes." The words landed exactly where she wanted them to.
Abel's hesitation melted into surprise and relief. "I didn't think you were interested," he said.
"I am," she replied. "And I'd really love to spend tomorrow together."
The next morning, Abel called Aduni.
"Hey… something came up. Suzan needs help picking out things for an event. Can we move our plan?"
The anime movie date his idea, something he had been excited about quietly shifted to "later."
Aduni paused, just for a moment then her voice returned, calm as always.
"No problem. Work week is tight anyway." She hung up without complaint.
Because Aduni did not chase attention. She adjusted.
And somewhere between professionalism and quiet restraint, the emotional distance between them grew unnoticed by Abel, but carefully observed by Suzan.