17/07/2026
Episode 8 🎬💘
Story Title: 🔥"Mean Boss And His Intern" ❤️🌹
........................................
Monday at Apex Finance Holdings was already in full swing.
Phones rang without pause. The reception area buzzed with visiting clients, while staff hurried from one department to another. The building had fully awakened after the weekend, carrying with it, the familiar energy that always came with the first working day of the week.
Inside the executive office on the top floor, Mrs. Grace had just finished reviewing a set of board schedules with the CEO, Michael Lawson.
She gathered her documents and rose from the visitor's chair.
"Is there anything else, sir?"
Michael remained silent for a brief moment, his eyes resting on the documents in front of him.
Then he looked back at her.
"On your way out..."
"...ask Miss Adeyemi to see me."
"Yes, sir."
............
A few minutes later...
A gentle knock sounded against the polished wooden door.
Michael looked up from the report on his desk.
"Come in."
The door opened slowly... Bukky stepped inside.
She wore a neatly tailored caramel office suit that complemented her calm appearance.
"Good morning, sir."
"Morning Bukky..." His voice was different...
No sharp edge.. No impatience.. Just calm.
Bukky looked at him carefully, almost wondering if she had entered the wrong office.
Michael noticed the brief confusion on her face, then gestured toward the empty seat.
"Please... have a seat."
In all the weeks she had spent at Apex...Never once had Michael Lawson invited her to sit.
She pulled the chair back cautiously and sat down. Silence settled between them.
Then...
Michael folded his hands together on the desk.
"I wanted to speak with you about Friday."
Bukky immediately understood... It was obviously about Muna.
Michael continued,
"I didn't have the opportunity to thank you properly that day."
She shook her head gently.
"There really isn't anything to thank me for, sir."
"There is..." His answer came immediately.
"You handled a situation that could have become a very difficult moment for my daughter."
He paused, choosing his next words carefully.
"You made her feel safe."
"And as her father..."
He looked away briefly before meeting her eyes again.
"...I'm very grateful."
Bukky smiled.
"I'm glad she's okay."
Michael nodded slowly.
"She is."
Another brief silence followed.
He watched the smile spread across her face, and for a fleeting moment...
It reminded him of the day she had first walked into Apex... That same effortless warmth her smile brought to his heart.
The warmth he had spent weeks yearning for after the office ban.
He cleared his throat.
"There is one more thing."
Her smile faded into attentive professionalism.
"The instruction I gave some time ago..."
He paused.
"...about you no longer coming to my office... I've withdrawn it."
Her brows lifted slightly.
"From today..."
"..you should submit any reports and project updates that I personally assign to you directly to me... Feel free to ask questions about anything you don't understand."
For a moment... Bukky wasn't sure what to say.
"Thank you, sir."
Michael gave a single nod.
Bukky searched his face. The stern CEO she had grown accustomed to was still there...
Only now, he seemed calmer, more respectful, and less guarded than before.
She rose from her chair.
"I appreciate it, sir."
"Thank you again for taking care of my child...". His gratitude sounded personal, not professional.
Bukky nodded politely.
"It was my pleasure."
She left the office with mixed emotions. As the door closed behind her, she found herself slowing her steps...
That was a different Michael she had seen in there...
She had never seen him speak so kindly to anyone before... except the people closest to him........................
Barely two hours later, Michael returned from an executive meeting with Apex's institutional clients.
As he walked through the executive hallway, he remembered the investment analysis report Ruben had prepared for one of their upcoming portfolio reviews.
He needed it before another meeting scheduled for the afternoon.
Stopping by Ruben's office, he stepped inside.
Ruben looked up immediately.
"Sir..."
"Let me have the investment analysis report for the Sterling Capital review." .... Micheal told him.
Ruben's expression changed almost instantly.
"Oh..."
He stood up so quickly his chair rolled backward.
"I... I actually gave it to Miss Bukky this morning."
Michael waited patiently for him to finish...
"She asked questions about the valuation assumptions, so I felt the report would be useful to her. I asked her to study it and return it afterward."
Ruben looked visibly uneasy.
"I'm sorry, sir."
"I'll go and collect it immediately."
He had barely taken a step when Michael spoke.
"Don't bother...."
"I'll pick it up myself," Michael added.
For a second... Ruben wondered if he had heard correctly.
Michael turned towards the door, while Ruben stared after him in disbelief.
Since when?
He wasn't even angry that he had given Bukky such a sensitive report?
..................
Bukky's office door stood slightly open, but she wasn't there.
Michael stepped inside. His eyes instinctively moved around the office.
He walked towards her desk, scanning the neatly arranged folders to see if he could find what he came for.
Everything on her desk was meticulously organized...
Color-coded notes.. Sticky reminders.. A calculator... An open notebook filled with neat handwriting.
Just as he reached for a stack of documents... a phone resting near the edge of the desk vibrated.
Its screen lit up.
*CJ Okafor Calling...*
Michael's hand froze. His eyes remained fixed on the screen.
CJ?
His first thought was that perhaps it was another contact with the same name.
Almost without thinking and out of curiosity, he swiped to view the missed calls.
He glanced at the number displayed beneath the name on the latest missed call.
It was unmistakably CJ's.
A faint crease formed between his brows.. How had CJ gotten Bukky's number so quickly?
He hadn't given it to him...
Or had Bukky?
But she didn't strike him as someone who would casually give her number to every Dick and Harry.
A second later... Footsteps approached.
"Sir."
Michael turned.
Bukky stood at the doorway, holding a pack of printer paper and several freshly printed documents against her chest.
She looked mildly surprised to find him inside her office.
"Do you need anything, sir?"
"Where is the Sterling Capital investment report?"
"Oh...". Realization immediately crossed her face.
"I'm sorry, sir."
"I just wanted to study it before returning it."
"I'll get it."
She quickly crossed the room, set the printer paper aside, and reached for the report. There was a trace of nervousness in her movements.
She knew the report had originally been entrusted to Ruben and wasn't supposed to be moved around carelessly or mishandled.
She handed it to him carefully.
"Are you done with what you needed it for?" he asked calmly.
The question caught Bukky slightly off guard. He had been surprising her since she came to work that morning .
What was with all the niceness?
"I'm done with it, sir.. Thank you."
He collected the report and turned toward the door.
Then... almost as an afterthought, he stopped.
Without looking directly at her, he said quietly,
"You had a call."
Bukky instinctively looked toward the phone on her desk.
"Oh..." Her expression shifted.
"CJ called," ... Michael said, his voice remained even.
"I didn't know the two of you had become friends already."
His words were calm, yet something about them felt strangely restrained.
Bukky looked back at him.
"It's not really like that, sir."
"He only... "
Michael gently lifted a hand, stopping her before she could finish.
"You don't have to explain."
"Carry on with your work."
Then he walked out. The door clicked softly behind him.
Bukky remained where she was for several seconds.. her gaze drifted from the closed door to her phone...
She let out a small, helpless sigh and brushed a hand lightly through her hair.
"...Of all the times to call."
She couldn't help smiling at the absurd timing before shaking her head.
"Seriously, CJ..."
"This guy wants to put me in trouble... Why was he calling during work hour"
She reached for the phone, feeling strangely embarrassed.
She hoped her boss didn't think she was flirting around with his friend or something.
........................
Meanwhile,
Michael entered his office with the report tucked beneath his arm.
The moment the door closed behind him, his expression changed.
CJ had Bukky's number?
..
So somehow, that guy had found a way, just like he had said he would.
It dawned to him that CJ might genuinely become a part of Bukky's life..
For her to give him her phone number...
It only meant she Liked him....
..................
By five-thirty that evening Apex Finance building had begun to empty.
One after another, employees streamed through the revolving glass doors, exchanging quick goodbyes before disappearing into the fading Lagos evening. The once-busy reception gradually settled into silence as the security personnel took over night shift..
Bukky adjusted the strap of her handbag as she stepped outside the building.
Her car was still at the mechanic's workshop.
Pulling out her phone, she opened her ride app. She waited while the app searched for drivers.. The loading circle continued spinning across the screen.
She cancelled the request and tried again... Still nothing.
A sigh escaped her lips.
"Seriously?"
She glanced toward the busy road outside the company gate. At this hour, traffic could become unbearable within minutes.
Normally, Ruben would have dropped her somewhere close to her estate before heading home...
But, he had left almost an hour earlier for an important client dinner.
Bukky requested another ride. Again... No driver accepted.
She rubbed her forehead gently.
"This can't be happening..."
...................
Several metres away...
Michael Lawson came out of the company building.. His suit jacket rested neatly over one arm.
The security guards immediately greeted him.
"Good evening, sir."
He acknowledged them with a brief nod, before walking toward his deep midnight-blue Range Rover Autobiography.
The vehicle unlocked automatically as he approached. He settled behind the steering wheel and started the engine.
The soft hum of the powerful SUV filled the quiet parking area.
Just as he shifted into drive, his eyes drifted toward the entrance.. and he saw Bukky standing there.
She still hadn't left? He thought..
She stood near the landscaped flower bed, staring at her phone with a little bit frustration..
Without fully understanding why, Micheal eased his foot off the accelerator.
Instead of driving through the gate, he turned the steering wheel. The SUV rolled quietly toward where she stood.
Bukky looked up, startled by the sound of tyres coming to a stop beside her.
The tinted window glided down... Michael looked at her.
"Everything alright?"
She blinked, looking surprised.
"Oh..."
"Yes, sir."
"...Well, not exactly." She added as she lifted her phone slightly.
"My car is at the mechanic's, so I've been trying to book a ride."
She gave an awkward smile.
"It doesn't seem to be connecting."
Michael glanced briefly at his watch, before looking back at her.
"Get in."
Bukky stared.
"...Sir?"
His expression remained calm.
"I said get in... before this traffic becomes worse"
He looked ahead toward the traffic forming gradually on the road..
"...Thank you, sir." .. She said as she hurried around to the passenger side.
Before she could reach for the handle, the front passenger door unlocked automatically...
She climbed in carefully. The door closed with a soft, luxurious thud.
...................
The interior of the SUV was every bit as refined as Michael's office.
Rich espresso-brown leather seats...
Polished walnut wood, stretched across the dashboard, blending seamlessly with brushed aluminium finishes.
The cabin carried the faint scent of sandalwood , while a gentle instrumental jazz melody flowed through the premium sound system.
Everything about the vehicle reflected its owner....
Elegant.. Orderly and Expensive.
Bukky fastened her seatbelt.
For reasons she couldn't explain, she felt strangely divided. Half of her relaxed into the calmness surrounding her.
The other half remained aware that she was sitting beside Michael Lawson.
The same man who, barely weeks ago, had made her dread walking into his company.
Michael pulled smoothly onto the road.
"Which area?"
"Emerald Crest Estate." She answered...
He gave a slight nod.
A few moments passed before he spoke again.
"How do you people cope with the flooding there?
His eyes remained on the road.
Bukky smiled faintly.
"Our side isn't too bad."
She gestured lightly.
"The estates closer to the expressway usually have it worse."
"Although... we still somehow suffer it when it rains heavily.
The corner of Michael's mouth lifted slightly, like he was about to smile..
"Lagos!! ." He said as he entered another side of the road.
She chuckled.. still wondering why he had been nice , not only to her, but almost to everyone that whole day.
Silence settled between them again.
The gentle music drifting through the cabin somehow softened the quiet between them.
Bukky turned slightly toward the window.
Then...
Almost without thinking, she stole a quick glance at him...
His attention never left the road.
The fading evening light traced the lines of his jaw, highlighting the quiet confidence with which he drove.
She found herself studying him for some seconds, longer than she intended.
So... He can actually be this nice? The thought surprised her.
She had grown so used to the stern, impossible-to-please CEO, that this version of Michael Lawson almost felt like meeting someone entirely different.
There was something undeniably commanding about him...
Everything from his designer watch resting against the steering wheel, to the effortless composure with which he carried himself, spoke of a man accustomed to responsibility.
He got serious aura... A maddening one...
She smiled to herself.
Realising she had been staring, she quickly looked away and unlocked her phone, pretending to scroll through a news app.
As they drove farther into Lekki, traffic gradually started building up much..
Vehicles moved in slow measured lines, forcing Michael to ease his foot off the accelerator every few seconds.
Cars rolled forward.. Then stopped.. Then moved again.
Instinctively, his eyes drifted sideways..
Bukky was quietly scrolling through something on her phone, completely unaware that he was looking at her.
There was something unusually peaceful about her..
No after work makeup touch-ups.. No unnecessary conversation or desperate attempt to fill the silence.
She simply sat there, the soft glow from her phone reflecting faintly across her face as a few loose curls framed her cheeks.
A strand of hair had fallen gently across one side of her face.
Without thinking, his eyes lingered longer than they should have.
His gaze traveled over her calm features, before settling briefly on the small smile playing at the corner of her lips as she read something on her screen.
A strange warmth stirred quietly inside him.
She was close... Too close.
Close enough for him to catch the soft floral scent of her perfume...
Close enough that every brief glance, became harder to pull away from.
He forced his attention back to the road.
It had been years since any lady that is not family, occupied the front passenger seat of his car.
After his late wife, he had grown used to not having any other woman there..
Yet somehow...
Having Bukky sitting quietly beside him didn't feel like an intrusion.
It felt calming and natural.
The realization caught him completely off guard. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
His eyes flickered toward her once more.
She was still completely absorbed in her phone... Then he looked away again.
Every passing day made it harder to convince himself these feelings were temporary and harder to believe they would eventually disappear.
Because instead of fading...
They seemed to find a new reason to grow every single time she came close.
And now...
With her sitting barely an arm's length away...
Keeping those feelings buried suddenly felt far more difficult than he had ever imagined.
....................
The traffic thickened as they approached the axis to Bukky's estate.
Vehicles crawled forward in uneven lines, horns occasionally breaking the evening calm.
Michael eased the car forward another few metres, before stopping again.
He glanced through the windshield, and then muttered,
"You people living around this side are really trying."
Bukky laughed softly.
"You haven't seen it in the morning."
He spared her a brief glance.
"It gets worse in the morning?"
She nodded.
"A lot worse.. Reason I always leave home before 6"..
"There are mornings you'll wonder whether everyone in Lagos suddenly decided to use the same road."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Michael's lips.
Suddenly, Bukky's eyes brightened.
"Oh!"
She leaned forward slightly.
"My neighbour."
A silver Lexus RX had pulled up almost parallel to them.
Inside sat a cheerful-looking woman in her late thirties, with two young children chatting excitedly in the back seat.
Bukky turned politely.
"Sir... may I lower the window?"
Without a word, Michael pressed the control button from his side.
The window glided down and she waved at the lady.
"Bukky!" the woman beamed immediately.
Bukky smiled back.
"Good evening, ma."
"Good evening," the woman replied with a smile.
Bukky hesitated for a second before asking,
"Are you heading straight home?"
"Yes."...
"If you don't mind..."
"...could I join you from here?"... She smiled apologetically.
"Of course."
"Come over." The woman said cheerfully..
Bukky looked back at Michael, genuine gratitude shining in her eyes.
"I think this would save you from having to drive deeper into the estate and then struggle to turn back."
She glanced at the long queue of vehicles ahead.
"I really don't want you getting trapped in this traffic because of me."
Michael looked ahead for a brief moment, then nodded once.
"Fair enough."... His answer was simple and calm.
Bukky smiled warmly.
"Thank you, sir."
He gave a small nod.
"You're welcome."
She climbed out carefully, shutting the passenger door gently behind her, before hurrying toward her neighbour's vehicle.
The little girl in the back seat immediately shifted excitedly to make room for her.
Within seconds, the Lexus merged into the slow-moving line ahead.
Michael slowly drove a little farther until he found enough space to make a U-turn.
The SUV headed back towards the expressway.
Bukky's fragrance still lingered inside his car.. he couldn't help feeling her absence almost immediately..
...................
Later that evening...
Bukky had barely finished arranging a few things in her apartment when her phone vibrated across the coffee table.
She picked it up absentmindedly. Then her brows knitted together as she looked at the caller ID.
*My Boss....*
For nearly three seconds, she simply stared at the screen.
"Mr Michael?" She blinked.
"This one he's calling, hope there is no problem..."
she murmured to herself anxiously..
She then answered quickly.
"Hello, sir."
There was a brief pause..
Then Michael's calm voice came through the speaker.
"I just wanted to be sure you got home safely."
Bukky froze.
For a heartbeat, she wasn't sure she had heard correctly.
"You got home safely?" he asked again, his voice as composed as ever.
An unconscious smile found its way onto her face.
"Yes, sir... I did."
"Thank you."
Another brief silence followed.
"Alright.. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, sir."
The call ended.
...................
Bukky slowly lowered the phone from her ear.
She looked at the screen for a long moment, before a shy smile spread across her face.
"What exactly is happening to my boss?"
She shook her head gently, the smile refusing to leave.
The same man who had once found fault with almost everything she did... Had just called...
Simply to make sure she arrived home safely.
She leaned back against the sofa. A thoughtful smile lingered on her lips.
"Hmmm..."
she whispered softly to herself and almost absentmindedly...
Her eyes drifted back to the last caller on the screen.
*My Boss....*
She found herself staring at his name a little longer than necessary.
For some reason...
Just seeing it there stirred something inside her.. Something she couldn't quite explain... It just felt like a comforting feeling that made her blush...
She bit lightly on the corner of her lip before smiling to herself again.
After weeks of surviving his hostility... He had finally showed her kindness.. at least for once.
She shook her head, still smiling, then gently locked the screen... The warm, unfamiliar feeling lingered in her heart.
....................
Just as Bukky was about to turn off the bedside lamp...
Her phone lit up again.
*CJ Calling...*
She was exhausted...
Yet for some reason, she answered the call..
There was just something about talking to CJ... His words had an easy warmth to them that somehow melted away the weight of a stressful day.
He always seemed to know exactly what to say... just enough to make her smile, without dragging the conversation longer than necessary. He was the kind of friend she needed around her in a chaotic city like Lagos...
"Hello?"...
"Pretty.." CJ's said with most smooth and calmest voice ever...
Bukky said softly....
"CJ.. how have you been "...
"I'm good.. you sound tired."
"I am.. The day was madly stressful"..
" Let me allow you get some sleep then..." He said sympathetically
"Thank you"
"Goodnight pretty"
"Goodnight, CJ."
The call ended.......
Bukky set the phone on the bedside table, she switched off the lamp, pulled the duvet over herself, and within minutes...
Sleep claimed her......
..................
The next morning...
Employees moved briskly through the corridors carrying reports, laptops, and presentation folders as another demanding workday settled in...
Around 11:00 am, CJ stepped out of the elevator...
Dressed in a crisp deep-ash designer shirt with charcoal trousers, he looked every bit the successful businessman he was.
In one hand rested a slim leather portfolio.
In the other...
A neatly folded cream paper bag bearing the elegant logo of Wheat Delights Bakery.
Inside were freshly baked Pizza Strips, topped with rich tomato sauce and a chilled bottle of premium Chapman... A thoughtful snack anyone would appreciate during a busy workday.
CJ walked confidently toward Michael's office.
Then...
He slowly diverted toward the glass-partitioned office just beside it... Bukky's office.
A small smile spread across his face as he took one more step toward her office...
And then he froze...
Michael's office door swung open.. He walked out...
Their eyes met instantly.
For one hilarious second...
CJ looked exactly like a schoolboy caught in the middle of some mischievous act.
"My guy..."
"Good morning," he said, a guilty smile creeping onto his face.
Michael's gaze shifted from CJ's face, to the paper bag in his hand...
Then back to CJ again.
"I thought you said you were sending one of your engineers."
CJ scratched lightly behind his ear.
"Well..."
"I was..."
Michael raised an eyebrow, which made CJ chuckle before continuing,
"I just figured it's better I inspect the remaining few installations myself."
Michael's eyes drifted back to the paper bag.
"You now inspect works with pastries?"
CJ instinctively looked down at the bag before laughing.
"Oh..."
"This?"
He lifted it slightly.
"Well... I passed one nice bakery around here"
"I just—"
Before he could finish, Michael spoke quietly....
"You seem to have a lot of free time these days."
His words sounded casual, but there was just enough weight behind them for CJ to know exactly what they meant.
A slow, knowing grin spread across CJs face.
Before he could explain any further...
Michael simply turned around and walked back into his office without waiting for him.
CJ looked once toward Bukky's office... Then back at Michael's closing door.
A knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Wetin dey worry this guy?.."
He muttered under his breath with an amused shake of his head, before following Michael into the executive office, quietly closing the door behind him.
...........
*To Be Continued..........*
