chapter 1 leaving home

As I lay in bed, my mom's voice pierced through the door.

"Come on Maya, we're all waiting for you!"

I hastily put on my shoes, took a deep breath and glanced at my reflection in the mirror. Twenty-eight years old and my life was about to take a dramatic turn.

I hurried to the living room, where my parents were waiting anxiously.

"Mum, I'm here," I announced.

My dad's voice was laced with urgency.

"What took you so long? You'll miss your flight!" I reassured him, "I'm ready, let's go."

Christi, our loyal maid, helped me with my luggage while my parents exchanged worried glances. I've known Christi since childhood, and her mom used to work for us before she passed away. My parents took Christi in and she's been like a sister ever since.

As we said our goodbyes, Christi's eyes welled up with tears. I fought back my own emotions, promising her,

"Don't worry, when I settle in, I'll tell Mum and Dad to send you over.We'll leave this old place behind, and start fresh." Christi smiled, and I hugged her tightly before bidding her farewell.

As we drove to the airport, the silence was palpable. Mum sat beside me, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. Dad was engrossed in his business calls, his expression stern. I gazed out the window, watching as the familiar landscape gave way to the unknown.

We arrived at the airport, and the driver helped us with the luggage. Mum clung to me, her voice trembling.

"Oh, my dear, I'll really miss you." I reassured her, "I'll miss you too, Mummy."

Dad's voice was filled with pride.

"Maya, I'm really happy you've decided to take over the company." I smiled, knowing that this was my destiny. "Being the only child of a multi-millionaire comes with a price and this is mine to pay."

As we hugged goodbye, I reminded dad,

"Don't forget to take your medication." His health had been declining over the past year, and this was a major reason for my decision to take over the company.

I walked into the airport and I knew from that moment on, my life would never be the same again.

NEXT DAY

The sound of my alarm clock jolted me awake. It was my first day at Stanbic Corporation. I lazily got out of bed, showered, and put on a classic gray business suit. My diamond earring caught my eye and I couldn't help but smile. It was a gift I received on my 20th birthday, and even after almost eight years, it still sparkled beautifully.

I quickly made myself breakfast, ate, and drove to the office. As I walked in, I was surprised to see a crowd of workers gathered, all wearing smiles and holding banners that read "Welcome, New CEO."

"Welcome, ma'am," said a young man, likely in his early twenties. Standing beside him was a slim, beautiful young girl wearing a blue short dress.

My eyes narrowed as I scanned the room, noticing that a few of the employees, about five to seven, were wearing blue or had a touch of blue in their outfits. I felt a surge of annoyance.

"Why are you all gathered here?" I asked coldly, my eyes sweeping across the crowd. They looked at me with shock and surprise.

"Rule number one," I began, my voice firm. "I hate gatherings. Rule number two: no worker is allowed to wear a dress with even the slightest touch of blue. Those of you wearing blue, you have three minutes to change into something else."

I turned and started walking, leaving the stunned crowd behind. I hated gatherings, especially weddings. The pain of being left at the altar six years ago still lingered.

I met Maxwell in high school, and we had been inseparable ever since. We started dating in college, and everything seemed perfect. He was caring, loving, and supportive. Our relationship was the envy of our friends.

Maxwell proposed to me on our graduation day, and I accepted without hesitation. We started preparing for our dream wedding, a fairy-tale ceremony on a beautiful island. The color of the day was blue, Maxwell's favorite color.

The night before the wedding, we spent our last moments together, gazing into each other's eyes, and promising to love each other forever. I felt like I was on top of the world.

But the next day, Maxwell was nowhere to be found. I waited for him at the altar, but he never showed up. The reporters we had hired to capture our special moment instead took pictures of me, alone and devastated, in my white wedding gown.

The news of my abandonment spread like wildfire, and I became the laughingstock of the town.Friends from school would post pictures of me crying in my wedding dress on social media, and I would receive mocking messages and comments. It was a painful and humiliating experience.

I tried to reach out to Maxwell, but his phone was switched off. I sent him messages, begging him to explain why he had left me, but he never responded. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

The pain and depression that followed were overwhelming. I shut myself away from the world, finding comfort only in my family. We had to relocate to Freta to protect me from the constant ridicule and humiliation.

But now, six years later, I was back in medae, ready to start a new chapter in my life. I was determined to put the past behind me and focus on my future.

As I walked into my office, I was greeted by Jude, the manager. "Welcome, ma'am," he said, smiling. "We're glad to have you on board."

I smiled back, trying to appear confident.

"Thank you, Jude. I'm excited to get started."

But as I looked around the office, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The girl in blue was still standing there, looking at me with a mixture of curiosity and fear.

I turned to Jude. "Who is she?" I asked, nodding towards the girl.

"Ah, that's blessing, your new assistant," Jude replied. "She's been with the company for a few months now."

I raised an eyebrow. "And she's wearing blue?" I asked, my voice cold.

Jude looked taken aback. "I-I apologize, ma'am. I didn't think it would be a problem."

I sighed, trying to compose myself. "It's fine. Just make sure she changes into something else and remind her of the no-blue rule."

Jude nodded, looking relieved. "Yes, ma'am. I'll take care of it."

As Jude walked away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. I had a feeling that this was going to be a long day.