Mr. President’s

Chapter 14

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Nathan got to his penthouse and helped Lanre to the Italian luxury sofa. “What do you want to eat?” He unbuttoned his white shirt and asked.

“Anything,” Lanre responded faintly, his arm over his head and his eyes closed.

“I’ll make you some soup, Nathan offered. He loved to cook since he lived alone. Professionals came once a week to clean but aside from that, no other person came in except Lanre and a few family members occasionally.

“You know how I hate soup,” he retorted in a haze. Nathan was slightly irritated.

“Then you should stop exceeding your alcohol limit. It’s the best for your condition unless you want to snack on a banana,” Nathan proposed. He knew how much Lanre hated bananas and wanted to provoke him. Lanre was his childhood friend and like all best friends, they always stood for each other but somehow, Lanre’s marriage has drawn them a little bit apart. He no longer had time to spend with Nathan like he used to but whenever there was a problem, Nathan was his first resort.

“I’ll take the soup, Lanre relinquished. The corner of Nathan’s lip curled, as he went to the kitchen and made him broth. When he returned, Lanre was asleep. He tapped him slightly roughly. “Hey, wake up. Your soup is ready.”

Lanre lifted himself slowly to a sitting position and grimaced at the content. “I hate it.”

The reaction was expected of Lanre so Nathan wasn’t offended. made it so drink up. It’s late and I have to go to work tomorrow,” Nathan impatiently said. He never missed work and was never late. Reluctantly, Lanre took the soup and drank it all in one gulp. “Happy?” He heaved and rhetorically asked while his throat scorched a little from the temperature of the

soup.

“Go shower and sleep in the guest room,” Nathan instructed. Anytime Lanre was drunk, he behaved like a kid and Nathan would be the big brother. Nathan however, never exceeded his alcohol limit. He always made sure he had some dignity left. Lanre used to be like Nathan but marriage changed him tremendously.

“Naaah,” Lanre disagreed, shaking his head gently from side to side, as he laid back on the Italian sofa.

“Now, Lanre!” Nathan was slightly harsh.

“Fine, you are just like her.” Lanre was infuriated and accused. He didn’t like being ordered around but right now, he wasn’t being responsible enough to not be.

“If that’s why the two of you are fighting, then she’s right.”

Lanre didn’t answer. Instead, he went to shower in the guest room while Nathan left for the Masters‘ bedroom. When he stepped out of the shower, Lanre was sleeping on his bed. “Hey, to the guest room, Nathan ordered.

“Come on, I want to sleep here like old times, Lanre adjusted himself on the luxury king size bed and said.

Nathan was displeased. No one has slept close to him since Lanre got married three years ago. “We are not kids anymore. I don’t want a hard body close to me, he snickered.

“And neither do you want a soft one,” Lanre uttered with clarity in his tone. Nathan realized the effect of alcohol on him had

reduced.

You seem fine. You should go home, Nathan sat beside him and nudged.

Lanre turned around, wide–eyed and lifted himself to sit. “Come on, it’s late already and that woman?”

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“What is the problem?” Nathan was curious. He was never excited about marriage because he never felt attracted to unlike Lanre who had Rebecca and was in love.

anyone,

“Ever heard of a housewife with maids who gets too tired to make love to her husband?” Lanre sank with displeasure in his tone. Nathan felt pity for him but didn’t show it.

“You can’t get it every time. You have to understand that,” he tried to encourage

”

him.

“It’s four months, Nat. Four months without action. Should I get some whore? I’m a man with needs you know, I’m not some monk or reverend father. Nathan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He hadn’t done it like forever. Not until his one night stand with Mercedes. In a situation like this, he couldn’t give tangible advice. He was just the wrong person to turn to.

“I told you not to get married but you insisted you were in love so endure it as it is. Like my dad said, marriage is the only school where you get your certificate before taking the class. It’s a risk I’m not ready to take,” he shrugged and strode to his closet to wear his pyjamas.

“Ready or not willing?” Lanre yelled after him since he had disappeared into the closet.

“Does it matter?” He asked back indifferently.

“Have you been hearing from Jane?” Lanre asked from the blue. Years ago, this was a name Nathan loved to hear but now, “I told you that name is forbidden,” he seethed, walking back to the bed and laying down instantly after turning off the bedside lamp.

You have to patch things up Nat, especially when-” Lanre didn’t end his sentence when Nathan raged, “Get out, Lanre.”

Lanre was calm. Tm sorry Nat, but who was the girl in the car?”

“My assistant.” The response was prompt but Lanre was fascinated. “You have a female assistant? That is impossible.”

“Well, it is. She’s a professional.” Lanre couldn’t believe it but from Nathan being all relaxed about it, he suddenly recalled something. “Wait, was she the girl you met at the club?”

Nathan had called Lanre after Mercedes left that day, accusing him of being the reason he fell into her trap. If he had come to the club as planned, he wouldn’t have ended up in bed with her.

“How could you guess so directly?” Nathan was always amazed by his friend’s smart analysis.

“Because I’m a psychologist,” Lanre smirked, surging irritation in Nathan. “Then go crack your wife and stay out of my damn business,” Nathan seethed but Lanre was curious.

“Don’t you think she’s up to something? Having known Nathan’s history with Jane, Lanre was concerned.

“Look, she’s nothing like that. It was a coincidence and from her reaction when I met her the first time, she wasn’t pretending. She even admitted she took a morning–after pill, Nathan’s defensive gears soared.

“You are defending a girl for the first time. What happened to you?” Lanre thought aloud.

“Let’s end this. I’ll introduce her to you if I meet you in your right mind the next time,” Nathan said plainly. He was already exhausted but Lanre’s energy seemed to rather escalate.

“I will be in your office today. I have to see her,” he said solidly. Somehow, he felt that this new assistant was a scam and he needed to protect his best friend.

Nathan neither agreed itor denied him. “So let’s get some sleep. It’s already 3 am.”

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When Nathan woke up, it was already midday. He missed so many calls. 204 in all. The latest ones were from Lanre’s wife and just when he was about to radial, she called again.

“Yes Rebecca, your husband is with me,” Nathan said before she uttered a word. He had woken up late because he slept too late. It made him upset.

“Oh thank God. I’m coming to get him.”

“Sure.” Nathan ended the call, went to shower and got ready for the office. By the time he finished dressing, his doorbell rang. He opened the door and walked away without a glance at her. “He’s on the bed in my room,” He said coldly to Rebecca, who was following closely behind. She has been there several times but Nathan only spoke a few words to her. Lanre was his best friend but that didn’t include his wife.

“Sometimes I wonder what kind of relationship you two have. He feels more comfortable with you than me, his wife,” she lamented while she tried to wake Lanre.

“Maybe you should lay with him more often or another woman would,” Nathan directly said, fixing his cufflinks, still not glancing at her. Her presence was already irritating him.

Rebecca was washed with embarrassment with Nathan’s direct words. She has always known him to be cold to her but this time, he spoke about the intimate part of their marriage so casually, it made her uncomfortable. “He told you?”

“He was drunk. But don’t you think four months is a bit extreme? He’s a man you know?” Nathan glared at her and said. His eyes pierced hers, she shivered slightly, as guilt covered her. However, Nathan noticed something. It was faint but still visible. He ignored his disgust and ambled close to her.

“I know but I get tired,” she said, uncomfortable with Nathan’s closeness. ‘Is that a hickey on your neck? I see why you’ve been busy,” he avidly said. Rebecca shook slightly, her face paled but Nathan had turned to his best friend.

“Lanre, Lanre wake up!” He jerked him.

Lanre jolted awake but seeing his wife, he was upset and gave Nathan a befuddled look,

I’m off to work. Go home with your wife. I didn’t stay single to settle marital issues,” he glared coldly at Rebecca. He hated women in general but the likes of her were horrendous.

“But you won’t be single for long. Your two years grace period is almost over, Lanre blurted out, still in a daze. He felt Nathan was the one who called his wife to come for him.

“Get out, Lanre and don’t ever call me again. Nathan was upset with his two years‘ reminder. It was something he never wanted to think about.

“Oh, you know I will. I can’t wait for you to join the married men’s union, MMU.”

Nathan got to the office at 2 pm. He was surprised to be welcomed by a strange masculine fragrance. Mercedes always had a rose lavender scent he loved. Everything on his desk was neatly arranged with the report from last night. There was coffee on his desk that had turned cold. He was upset. Mercedes would only prepare coffee when he was there so it would be hot.

Why was she giving him cold coffee? “Mercedes,” he yelled.

There was no response so he naturally ambled to her office but before he reached there, a young man met him at the doorway. “Mr President, my name is Mark, your new assistant.” He extended his hand for greeting, which Nathan

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Chapter 14

overlooked.

He was seeing stars but worst of all, worry fledged him. “What happened to Mercedes?” His voice was cold, menacing the worry in his question.

“HR Manager said she was temporary and sent her to another department. So I’ll be your permanent assistant,” Mark grinned and bowed slightly. He was a young man of twenty–three and full of energy.

However, Nathan was upset and picked the phone to make a call. While he was at it, he instructed, “get me coffee.”

Mark stared at the cold coffee on his desk, picked it and ambled to the kitchen. He could tell the reason Nathan hadn’t drunk it. Instantly, Nathan made a call. “Mr President, I hope you like your new assistant?” Excitement screamed in Vincent’s tone when he spoke.

“You have five minutes to get Mercedes back to this office. If a second passes, you are fired,” he ended the call, just as Mark returned with the coffee. Nathan sipped, instantly spitting out the content, covering his desk with coffee. Mark was aghast. “Was it too hot? I’m sorry, Mr President.”

Nathan’s glare turned cold. “Who asked you to put sugar in my coffee?” He seethed. Mark was speechless. He should have asked how he liked his coffee.

I’m sorry. Fll get you another one,” he pleaded.

“Pack your tools. Vincent will send you to another department,” Nathan said coldly. He hated incompetent assistants. He had two principles – ask or do your own research. Mercedes chose the research method but the young man here did neither.

Márk turned pale. It was his first day with his role model and he messed it up. He was about to speak when Nathan said, go back and wait in the office.” He was slightly calm so Mark didn’t push further.

just

Nathan wanted to blame Vincent but recalled he hadn’t told him to make Mercedes his permanent assistant, which was his reason for turning calm. But at least, Vincent should have still asked him first. He kept watching the time. Four minutes passed and he was counting the seconds. Thirty seconds. Forty–five. He picked his phone to dial a number when the door pushed open.

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