Julie was dressed and ready for work on a Monday morning. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she slipped into her heels and stood to admire herself in the mirror. Her reflection smiled back at her — confident, composed, and satisfied. She picked up her handbag, turned off the lights, and walked out of the room.
Outside, she locked the front door, got into her car, and drove out of the compound. Not long after, she ran into a heavy traffic jam on the expressway. Irritated and unsure of what was causing the delay, she honked repeatedly.
"Out of my way! What nonsense is this?" she muttered impatiently, tapping the steering wheel.
After several minutes, she finally arrived at the office — Dumez Links, one of the largest and most prestigious companies in the country. Julie walked briskly into the building and headed straight for her office.
"Good morning, Ma'am," Amanda, the receptionist, greeted cheerfully as soon as she spotted her boss.
Julie didn't even glance her way. "Morning," she replied coolly.
Amanda sighed quietly. She was already used to Julie's cold demeanor. A few junior staff members greeted her as well, but Julie responded with a blank expression and continued walking toward the elevator.
Prosper slipped in just before the doors closed. Julie could feel his eyes on her, but she remained composed, facing forward with her usual calm poise.
"You look absolutely gorgeous," he said with a confident grin.
Julie ignored him.
"And sexy too," he added, smirking.
Julie bit her lip, resisting the urge to respond. She wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Prosper chuckled softly, knowing her reputation for silence.
"You know," he began again, "I'd love to take you out sometime. Just the two of us — a romantic dinner. I don't think you've noticed, but I'm really into you."
"Not even in your wildest dreams," she replied coldly as the elevator doors opened.
Julie stepped out quickly, her heels clicking against the marble floor.
"You should think about it, Julie," Prosper called after her. "Most women would kill for an offer like that."
"I'm not most women, idiot," she muttered under her breath and kept walking. Prosper smirked to himself and headed to his own office.
Julie entered her office — the plaque on the door read Assistant Managing Director.
Julie Agu was the only daughter of Chief Chidubem Agu, one of the wealthiest business tycoons in the country and the founder of Dumez Links & Co. The company was now run jointly by her elder brother, Damian, as Managing Director, and Julie as his second-in-command.
Growing up, Julie had everything a child could ever want. She was beautiful, light-skinned, and effortlessly drew attention wherever she went. But she had little interest in romance — she believed most men were attracted only to her family's wealth, not her heart.
Prosper was one of many who tried and failed to win her over. Julie had stopped believing in love altogether. Work was her only focus now — and she intended to keep it that way