It was a beautiful day in Lagos. A day to live your life. A day of less traffic and less noise. The famine rate has gone down. The desperation to survive is less than usual. Now you can enjoy a normal life. Normal life here is still stressful, but we are used to it. Used to the queuing, traffic, and noise. A place of business. Talking about business, it's a busy day at Admade Branding Pro.
Everyone at work is engaged in one thing or the other. Profit must be made. Hard work is your ticket to keeping your job. The company has a reputation for being accurate and efficient, which is backed up by records to show that. The various awards sitting in Rose's office can seal the argument. She is sitting in her fluffy armchair on a Monday morning. Sitting in her seat of authority, and putting her expensive signature on various files brought to her Chamber. Indeed, her standards can't be simplified. The oral of victory abounds in her presence. She is old at the game. A hustler from day one. A Queen that built her empire from scratch to the top, all by herself. She now sits among kings, with keys to the city. After hours of deliberation and delegations were over, Rose had some time to relax. She then picked up her phone and went on social media. She came across Harry's post on i********:. Harry's post drew comments like sugar to ants. Out of curiosity, Rose went through his comments section. Some comments on the post ruined Rose's day. A lady called sweet coco on i********: wrote a comment saying "Dm me when you need a warm massage". This and other similar comments changed Rose's mood. The thought of inferiority had started to break the wall of her confidence. Those girls in Harry's comments section were the bomb. Rose had gone through some of their online profiles and girls have a reputation for showing off their shapes and wearing hot clothes to attract men. Her discovery had put a knife through her feelings for Harry. She saw Harry's reply to some of the comments. Harry was flirting with them for sure. She searched for a way to break the weight of rejection that bounds her heart. " Do I even have the right to be offended?" she asked herself. Harry had not popped the question yet, so she felt she might have overreacted a little bit. She had missed him but her pride, which she assumed for self-esteem, would not let her chat him up or call him. She is the Princess here and it's the responsibility of the prince to ask for a dance. Not the other way around. But Harry, these days, has not shown any signs of caring not to even talk about love. He seems to be cut up with business and the chase for greens. The hustle and the game didn't stop Harry from posting on social media. He is influential and when he posts, the community turns up. He already has a great status for inspiring and motivating youths in the city. From the man in a suit in an office to the thug on the street, all respect his Government. Her quiet moment was caught short when she received a message from Alexander. She felt better and her smile found its way back to her cheeks. At least someone is recklessly in love with her, on the other hand. There was no better way to forget Harry than to clinch with Alexander for a bit.
The text from Alex was sweet. He had promised Rose a surprise package. "Here is a package for you. "It said it's from Alex". " Oh yes, bring it". Out of curiosity, Ruth hung around the office a little bit. Her mission was to find out the misery in the box. Rose couldn't wait but went straight away to unravel what was in the box. The package had an exotic brand, with a gaze alone you could tell that it was foreign and luxurious. It was a diamond necklace. It wasn't just a regular necklace. It could be compared to a piece from Queen Elizabeth's drawers. A smell of royalty bounded around it. People who wear such necklaces should be guarded by bodyguards because they are assumed to be wearing a fortune on their necks. The siege of surprise froze Rose and Ruth's lips. "Wow, you got to be kidding me" as she picked it up for a proper examination. "How much do you think it cost Ruth?". " Can't think of the figure right now but am sure it has a lot of zeros behind". She then placed it back into the box, and they finally broke out of the spell of shock. No doubt it's beautiful, but Rose couldn't figure out the occasion that would make her wear that. Maybe a five-star reception on a yacht will, but she is a business person. If it was possible, she would work on a weekend. "This Alex of guy is madly in love with you," said Ruth. "He did ask me out". " So are you thinking of giving him a chance?". "Am still thinking of considering him but I need to be sure". " Ok if you say so. I want you to be happy babe". "Alright, love instructor, it's time for you to get back to work" as she pointed to the door with a smiley face. After Ruth had left, the urge to be loved sank into her like throwing a stone into a lake. A strange feeling ran through the pathway to her heart. She had begun to imagine herself and Harry together in a frame. Alex is sweet but Rose was skeptical about his attitude that might arise shortly if she gave him a chance. She believes that there is always something fishy about guys that are always suited with shiny beards. There is a disgusting ego abounding around their belt. For these reasons, she fights the urge of loneliness that is protesting from her heart to her brain. She always knew a way to sacrifice to keep her empire. She felt that falling in love would take away her superpowers. Standing by this knowledge of hers, she won the contest, and the feeling of loneliness was slayed. She picked up her phone and took a selfie for the gram. With a victorious smile, she posted a feed on i********:. "Can't be unhappy for no reason". She whispered to herself. Her company had been nominated for the category for the rising company awards, a ceremony hosted by Coca-Cola. Her mind was fixed on tomorrow's event. For sure, numbers don't lie. The event has created a platform for her to put on the 2.5 million naira necklace Alex gifted her. She had started to imagine how glamorous she would look at the ceremony.
It was a sunny Friday and the day of the event had arrived. Rose and her sidekick look astonishing, reflecting a fragrance of elegance and style. It was a five-star occasion, the governor was there. The fragrance of oil money and billionaires' money paraded the atmosphere. She went to the awards with Alex. Both of them looked cute together. It was like placing two precious stones on a cliff of a mountain. They were sparked together. Her mission was clear. Go get your man and do it in a sleek way like she wasn't even trying. She came for both awards. The rising star awards, and get Harry's attention. She was wearing a white Channel handless jumpsuit with black stripes, accompanied by a necklace and a matching Dior bag. Rose, on the other hand, was wearing a purple trumpet gown, black heels, and a matching Versace bag. They were a joy to watch on the red carpet. Welcomed by the flashing lights from the cameras, they walked inside. After the section of acknowledgment was over. It was finally time for the awards presentations. Rose company was nominated for the rising star category. This would be the biggest collection. She already has a couple of State Awards but it was a National Recognition for her. She hoped that her parents were watching. Her dreams were coming true and Rose was always a big dreamer. Harry had been nominated for the Humanity awards and when it was time to call the winner, there was anxiety painted on Harry's Face. " And the winner is Adedeji Ayo Harry!". Accompanied by applause from everyone, he climbed to receive it with a warm smile. "First of all, I want to thank God Almighty. I want to thank my father who supported me all the way and believed in me and pushed me beyond my limit. I wished my Mother had been there to see her boy become a man. I want to say that life would be better if we came out from our angle to see other people's views. I thank everyone that made this possible. I love you and a big thanks to everyone" After the statement, he was also accompanied by applause. Rose's memories were refreshed by Harry's statement. She had a flash-by on the day at the Orphanage. Indeed, he has touched people's lives. When it was time to announce the winner of Rose's category, her feet were frozen with fear and anxiety. "And the award goes to Olumide Rosemary!". Her joy jumped for the hills. She walked up majestically to receive it, accompanied by Alex. Alex held her to climb. It was all the plan of the boss. If something was stunning about Rose, it would be the way she manages to look pretty under pressure. Her mental focus is flawless. No matter how her shoe may hurt, she would still walk straight. " First I thank God Almighty. I want to thank my Mum, who never stopped believing, and who invested in my dreams. I want to thank the JAN (Jobs association of Nigeria ) for getting the scout right and my team. I would say you are the best. Thank you for this". After receiving the award, she was also held and assisted by Alex to come down. After the show was over, there was time to greet and mingle. It was a five-star gathering and it seemed everybody had their bodyguard. It was security tight. "Hello Prime Rose," a voice said behind Rose. "Hi, Harry", she replied. She had recognized his voice. Seductive and creamy to hear. "Just wanted to say hi to the superwoman in town. "Nice, trick question, we all know that you are the superman this city recognizes. "Is that a compliment?" he asked with a suspicious smile. "It seems that you that you got the game running at your pace so no matter the odds you would still get away with a win". "really it wasn`t like that my dear. After school, I couldn`t get a job to cater for myself. I was in the street for years. After years of joblessness, I found a friend who introduced me to online trading and affiliate marketing, which gave me a boost towards my career. Since then, I have had the burden of giving back to the community". "Now I see where you get your accolades from". Rose was impressed, it was like in her imagination, she could see his scars of war now. Their moment of admiration was cut short by an intruding voice. "Harry darling, come, let's take a picture". "Pardon my manners. Rose met Cassandra, my girlfriend! "Oh really, nice to meet you. "Harry darling, can we go now?". "Yes baby, take care, Rose". After they left, the smile on Rose`s face had capsided. Like someone finding her way in the dark, she crept her way back in search of Ruth and Alex. When all was said and done, it was time to go home. She wore a partial smile all the way home. She's good at hiding her feelings, like she was undercover. Her bestie had noticed something strange about her that evening but she refused to share it. All that comforted the boss was a song from the radio. She sang along slowly with a trophy in her bag, but some trophies are meant to be won some other day. Getting home, she forced herself to forget all that had happened. A bottle of the four cousins' wine in her indoor bar helped her also.
The bridge that was leading to Harry was broken. It was time to give Alex a chance. She thought about it all through the night. Getting to work the next day, she had hoped to get a call or a text from Alex. Everyone at work had noticed her strange mood. "Hey baby girl, how are you doing?" she didn`t get her desired response. A look of concern wrapped around her face and she wanted to know what was going on. "Harry has a girlfriend". He is a Casanova, and a skilled one for that matter." "Am sorry dear. I feel your pain". Alex's call interrupted their conversation. "Hey dear, how is my princess doing?". "Am good sweetheart". "I was thinking we could hang out this weekend". "No problem dear, it's fine". The call had brought light to Rose's dark moment. Alex had invited her to visit. Getting to Alex's place, Alex welcomed her with flowers at the door. "I am asking you again Rose, will you be my girlfriend ?". "OK, let's give it a try". The joy of hearing that, puffed out Alex`s cheeks. They had a warm hug and Alex invited her to the dining table. "A toast. To a good life. A life of more loving, less stress, and more money" said Alex. Rose had posted their picture on i********:. The post has drawn a lot of comments. Indeed, they looked good. It was like putting a Gucci bag next to a Versace bag. A sense of elegance, power, and luxury was what complimented their presence. Harry had seen the post. His comments were welcomed by Rose. The caption on the post was clear. It says, "Even when I am dizzy, my aims are still bullseye. A queen found a king". Work the next day was fantastic for Rose. The memories of Alex were her new oxygen. Her feelings for Alex had grown overnight. "Hey sweetheart. I'm here now, so let the cat out of the bag. I saw your post and it seemed you said yea to Alex?". "Yeah, I gave him a chance". "Aww, I am happy for you dear. Come here", said Ruth, as she gave Rose a warm hug. Harry didn't change his ways. He was the man of the moment and he made good use of the moment. From tall to short, from light to dark, he took for himself. He was now nicknamed Bop Daddy. His reputation inspired the name. Rose had started to view Alex in the image of Mr Right. Their post online was the bomb. Harry saw their trending post and when he did, a feeling of jealousy broke into his heart. He had feelings for Rose but was skeptical about making a move. No man wants a woman that is more powerful than him. He forced himself to let go. "We were never gonna work out". These were the words he used to encourage himself. After work, Rose decided to see her Mum. She had missed her and her talk-activeness and all her drama. "You are welcome my dear. Come, sit down. I have missed you, my pride". "Same here Iyami (my mother)". She had told her Mum about Alex. Her mother was pleased. She danced till she got tired. The thought of having a grandchild had made her day.
The love between them was in flames, and the two of them were the talk of the town. A role model couple. From different date posts to matching outfits, they beautified the walls of their timeline, both on social media, and their reality was colorful and it was a beautiful moment. Harry left messages for her on all social media, but she refused to reply any. Soon Harry's eyes were open to life's reality, which is, you can't eat your cake and have it. Like the saying goes, where your treasures are there your heart will be also and Harry's intention now was to go get Rose, no matter what it would take. Rose was now looking younger and everybody around her confirmed it. The joy of being loved served as a skin moisturizer, and she looked good and was not a regular, it was a super fly. Harry's reign as the most handsome in Lagos soon came to an end. Like the saying goes, good things don't last for ever. Cassandra broke up with Harry for a popular reason. It was simple and clear. "Things changed", she said, but the reason was that she had found someone cuter. In the same week, she entered into a relationship with a trending celebrity. Harry still had some charms left to get him a woman, but it was not what his heart desired anymore. He wanted the true love feeling and Rose was the only person that he cultivated this feeling for. The happy man, Harry, was now quiet and his excessive calmness was unlike him. His friends had noticed, because he was charismatic and energetic. The relationship between Alex and Rose was locked with promises and gifts. Alex had gifted her a Benz 2020 and the loving was cooking. In the heat of everything, Harr was confused and didn't know how to get to Rose because the boat had now sailed far into the sea. Harry went back to his regular life, which was being a man that shares the burden of the community. It was difficult to fit back, but he picked himself up. His goals were now set on making himself a better man, and finding true love.