Binary Hearts

17| Unexpected Confrontation

Tunde headed back to Spike Technologies, feeling a mix of frustration and determination. The garage, which had once felt like a bustling hub of innovation, now seemed eerily empty with Ada's belongings all packed and her room completely cleared out. He wandered through the space, his footsteps echoing against the bare walls.

"Where could she possibly have gone?" Tunde thought to himself, feeling a pang of regret. He realized it was the end of the month; perhaps she had finally found a place of her own. Trying to relax, he retrieved the bottle of wine Mide had given him from his bus. He sat down at his desk and poured himself a glass, trying to shake off his worries.

Just then, his phone rang. It was Mide.

"How far, bro," Mide greeted.

"Nigga, what's up," Tunde replied, trying to sound casual.

"Have you guys settled... I mean, you and Ada?" Mide asked curiously.

"Not yet. She's kinda busy at the company, I guess. I already called her and she said we should meet in the afternoon," Tunde replied.

"Busy indeed," Mide said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Wetin dey sup?" Tunde asked, sensing something was off.

"Your design... wait! Just check your phone, bro. The new version of the Paystack app, then call me back," Mide said before hanging up.

Tunde quickly searched for the news and saw that Paystack had released their new version. He clicked to view it, and to his shock and frustration, the new version featured the design he had sketched for his future fintech app. The credits went to Ada.

"Ada! Who exactly are you?" he screamed in anger, feeling betrayed. As he scrolled through the comments, he saw positive feedback like "We didn't expect this from you, Paystack, but bravo!" which only fueled his rage.

He immediately called Mide back.

"Bro, this is my design! She stole it!" Tunde fumed.

"I remember seeing that design when we were still working together at Spike Technologies. Did you give it to her?" Mide asked, trying to calm him down.

"No, I didn't! I can't believe this. Is this the person I planned to make peace with? I should have suspected she came closer to me for a mission," Tunde said, regretting everything.

"You still need to hear from her," Mide advised. "Go and meet her this afternoon as planned."

Tunde reluctantly agreed and ended the call. He didn't bother pouring the wine into a glass anymore; instead, he drank straight from the bottle, trying to drown his frustration.

Finally, it was noon, and Tunde was prepared to confront Ada. He left the garage and drove straight to Yellow Chili and Bar Restaurant. He reserved a table and waited impatiently for Ada to arrive.

Ada, on the other hand, was nervous about how Tunde would react. She was determined to settle things between them but was unsure of how the conversation would go. When she finally arrived at the restaurant, she saw Tunde already waiting. She walked over gently and took a seat.

"Uhmmm, why did you call me here?" Ada stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tunde, ready to accuse her of stealing his design, found himself hesitating. Something was holding him back.

"Uhmmm... I... I'm really sorry for the other day. I misunderstood you guys," he stammered, the words coming out reluctantly.

"I'm more than sorry for shouting back at you. I don't know what Chidi Okoye did to you, but I know you hate him so much... I shouldn't have..." Ada said in a low tone, looking regretful.

"No, no, it's fine. I'm really sorry," Tunde said, surprising himself with his own words. He couldn't stop staring at Ada's face. Her presence seemed to calm him in a way he couldn't explain.

Ada noticed Tunde staring at her, which made her even more nervous. She tried to look down, but his charming brown yet innocent eyes were commanding and tempting her to hold his gaze.

There was a long silence between them until Ada cleared her throat. "Are we good now?" she asked, her voice hopeful.

"Yes, we're good," Tunde replied, feeling a sense of relief.

As Ada was about to enter her car outside, Tunde held the car door, preventing her from opening it. He pinned her against the car, their bodies close.

"Tunde... we're... in public," Ada managed to say, her voice barely a whisper.

Tunde moved closer, his lips tracing a path from her cheek to her ear.

"Tomorrow by 4, let's grab some drinks," he whispered before heading back to his bus.

"Is that a date?" Ada asked, her voice louder, catching him before he left.

Tunde turned and gave her a wink that made her heart skip a beat. "You'll see," he said with a mischievous smile, leaving Ada to gulp down in nervous anticipation.

As the afternoon sun set, Tunde drove away, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Ada watched him go, her heart pounding in her chest. The day had taken a surprising turn, and she couldn't wait to see what tomorrow would bring.