Chapter 9

"Give me time to think," he finally said. "This is... I need to process it.""Take all the time you need," Adanna spoke for the first time, her voice firm despite her tears. "But my son fulfilled his part of the deal. We expect you to do the same."Mother and son left the office, followed by the gazes of everyone present. As they exited, conversations erupted. Employees debated what had just happened, its implications, and how incredible it had been to witness that moment.Aisha approached Chief Okoro, who remained motionless in his chair. "Sir, you need to make a decision soon. This is already being shared on social media.""What?""Several employees uploaded the videos. There are thousands of views already. People are asking what will happen, if you will keep your promise."Chief Okoro felt as if the world was crumbling around him. Not only had he lost an impossible bet, but now it was public. Thousands of people were watching, waiting to see what kind of man he truly was.Malam Abubakar stayed after everyone else left. "Obinna," he said, using his first name for the first time in years, "I know that boy and his mother. They've been working here for a while. They are good people who have been through very difficult situations.""And what does that matter?""It matters because you have the opportunity to do something extraordinary. Not just fulfill a promise, but change lives. Or you can be the man who humiliated a child, and then denied him what he earned fairly."Chief Okoro did not respond. He remained seated in his empty office, staring at the open safe, processing that an eleven-year-old boy had just taught him the most humiliating lesson of his life.Outside, in the hallway, Emeka hugged his mother as she cried a mixture of pride, fear, and hope. The bet had been won, but the real test was just beginning.Night had fallen over the city when Adanna and Emeka finally arrived at their small apartment in the outskirts. The bus ride had been silent; both were still processing what had happened. The cool night air contrasted with the suffocating heat Emeka had felt in that office full of stares.Chike awaited them at the door, his face showing a mixture of concern and curiosity. He leaned on his walking stick, his right leg barely supporting his weight. "What happened? I got messages saying there were videos of Emeka online."Adanna hugged her husband, and for the first time since leaving the office, she allowed herself to cry without restraint. They were not tears of sadness, but of an emotion so intense it needed to escape somehow."Papa," Emeka spoke in a small voice, "I solved a riddle that no one could solve."

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