Too Big

CHAPTER 3: An Offer Too Big to Refuse

(Amara’s POV)

The next morning started like every other chaotic morning of my life.

Emails.

Vendor complaints.

Two unpaid invoices.

And a notification from my bank that made my stomach twist.

I stared at the screen of my laptop, mentally calculating how long my business could survive if things continued like this.

The answer?

Not long.

Running Nwoye Events had been my dream for three years. I built it from nothing—no investors, no rich parents, just stubborn determination and a belief that I could create beautiful moments for people.

But dreams didn’t pay rent.

Clients did.

And lately, clients had been disappearing faster than my savings.

I sighed and leaned back in my chair.

“Maybe I should just start planning children’s birthday parties,” I muttered to myself.

My phone buzzed on the table.

Unknown Number.

Again.

For a moment, I considered ignoring it.

But my survival instincts won.

“Hello?”

“Good morning, Miss Nwoye.”

The voice was calm.

Deep.

And instantly recognizable.

My heart skipped.

“Daniel?”

A soft chuckle came through the phone.

“I’m glad you remember me.”

Remember him?

How could I forget?

The man had appeared out of nowhere yesterday, analyzed my personality in under five minutes, and somehow left me thinking about him for the rest of the night.

“Did you need something?” I asked carefully.

“Yes.”

A brief pause followed.

“I’d like to hire you.”

I blinked.

“For what?”

“An event.”

I straightened in my chair immediately.

Professional mode activated.

“What type of event?”

“A private celebration.”

“How many guests?”

“Two hundred.”

My eyebrows shot up.

Two hundred guests?

That was not a small celebration.

“What’s your budget?” I asked.

Silence followed.

Then he said calmly,

“That won’t be a problem.”

I almost laughed.

Every client said that.

“Daniel,” I said carefully, “I’ll still need a general idea of your financial range.”

Another pause.

Then he spoke again.

“Five million naira.”

For a moment, I was certain I had heard him wrong.

“I’m sorry… did you say five hundred thousand?”

“No.”

Five million.

My brain completely froze.

That amount could stabilize my company for months.

Maybe even a year.

“Miss Nwoye?”

I realized I hadn’t responded.

“Yes,” I said quickly.

“Are you available to meet today?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Too quickly.

I cleared my throat.

“I mean… yes, I can schedule time.”

“Good.”

“I’ll send you the location.”

The call ended a few seconds later.

I stared at my phone in disbelief.

Five million naira.

From a man I had met once in a café.

Either this was the luckiest business opportunity of my life…

Or the beginning of something very strange.

---

Two hours later, I stood in front of a building that made my entire business look like a child’s lemonade stand.

Glass walls.

Private security.

Luxury cars lined along the entrance.

I checked the message Daniel sent again.

Cole Technologies Headquarters.

My stomach flipped.

Cole.

The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t remember where I had heard it before.

A security guard approached me.

“Can I help you?”

“I have a meeting with Daniel Cole.”

His expression changed immediately.

“Please come inside.”

That reaction alone made my nerves spike.

Inside, the building looked even more intimidating.

Marble floors.

Huge digital screens.

Employees walking quickly with tablets and laptops.

This wasn’t just a company.

It was an empire.

The receptionist smiled politely.

“Miss Nwoye?”

“Yes.”

“Mr. Cole is expecting you.”

Of course he was.

She pressed a button.

“The elevator will take you to the top floor.”

The top floor.

Great.

No pressure.

Inside the elevator, I stared at my reflection in the mirrored walls.

Black dress.

Simple makeup.

Professional.

But suddenly I felt underdressed for whatever world Daniel Cole belonged to.

The elevator doors opened silently.

And there he was.

Standing near the window of a massive office.

Looking even more intimidating than he had in the café.

“Good afternoon, Amara,” he said.

My heart did something weird again.

“Hi.”

I stepped inside slowly.

His office overlooked the entire city.

The view alone probably cost more than my yearly income.

“You own this company?” I asked.

“Yes.”

Just like that.

No bragging.

No arrogance.

Just a simple answer.

“How big is it?”

“Big enough.”

That response made me laugh slightly.

“You’re very mysterious, Daniel.”

“I’ve been called worse.”

He gestured toward the chair in front of his desk.

“Please sit.”

I placed my laptop on the table and opened it quickly.

“Okay. Let’s talk about your event.”

He leaned back in his chair.

Watching me.

Not in a creepy way.

But in a very focused way.

“Why did you choose me?” I asked suddenly.

There were hundreds of event planners in Lagos.

Better known ones too.

He didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he said something unexpected.

“Because you’re honest.”

That caught me off guard.

“You barely know me.”

“I know enough.”

Our eyes locked.

And for a moment, the room felt strangely quiet.

Then he finally spoke again.

“The event is a charity gala.”

“Date?”

“Three weeks from now.”

My fingers flew across the keyboard.

“Theme?”

“Elegant. Memorable.”

“That’s not a theme,” I said.

A small smile appeared on his face.

“You’re the expert.”

Fair point.

I continued typing notes.

But something felt strange.

Too easy.

Too perfect.

Almost like this opportunity had been prepared specifically for me.

“Daniel?”

“Yes?”

“Why do I feel like you’re not telling me something?”

His eyes darkened slightly.

And for the briefest moment…

I saw hesitation there.

But it disappeared quickly.

“You’ll have everything you need to succeed,” he said.

That wasn’t an answer.

But before I could question him further, a voice interrupted from the doorway.

“Daniel, the investors are waiting—”

The woman froze when she saw me.

Tall.

Elegant.

Beautiful.

Her gaze moved slowly between Daniel and me.

And the expression on her face was unmistakable.

Shock.

Then something darker.

Recognition.

“You…” she whispered.

I frowned.

“Do I know you?”

Her eyes sharpened.

“Yes.”

She looked directly at Daniel.

“You didn’t tell me it was her.”

The tension in the room became instantly suffocating.

Daniel stood slowly.

“Victoria,” he said calmly.

“That’s enough.”

But the woman—Victoria—was still staring at me.

Like she had just seen a ghost.

And suddenly…

I had the horrible feeling that this meeting wasn’t just about an event.

It was about something much bigger.