The Cold CEO's Woman

Anita Baker was a 24-year-old lady and the first daughter of her parents. She had five younger sisters. Her father was a banker, while her mother was a trader.

Anita was fair-complexioned and very beautiful, with sexy, curvy hips.

Among all her sisters, Anita was the only fair-skinned one; the rest were dark-skinned or fair brown in complexion.

Anita looked like her mother but was even more beautiful. Sometimes her father accused her mother of cheating on him and doubted he was truly her father because she was so fair-skinned. But her mother always kept quiet about it and told Anita not to mind her father, assuring her that she was really his child.

Her father even threatened to run a paternity DNA test on her because he couldn't understand why she was so fair unlike the rest of her sisters.

Anita's immediate younger sister, Flora—a 22-year-old dark-skinned beauty—also disliked her, even though Anita was two years older.

About four of her sisters hated her, except for her youngest sister, Glory, who genuinely loved her.

They say blood is thicker than water, but in Anita's case, water was thicker than blood.

Anita's father, Mr. Joshua Baker, didn't stop sending her to school. He only accused his wife of cheating on him and foisting another man's child on him so she could marry him. Nonetheless, he still sent her to university to study business administration.

Anita was so happy as she wrote her final exams, and the results came out in flying colors.

Because of her father's constant accusations toward her calm mother, Mrs. Tonia Baker, Anita had refused any relationship proposals from guys asking her out. She only went on dates with them but ended up rejecting their love proposals.

Anita's best friend at university, Temisa Patrick, had also advised her to give love a chance, but she refused and said, "My father constantly accuses my mother of cheating on him, and yet he still goes back to her and impregnates her to birth the six of us."

"Mother says he loves her, but his daily insults don't show us that he truly loves her." Anita shook her head as she spoke to her friend when they were still in their second year at university.

Guys were tripping over themselves to have Anita—handsome, well-to-do guys—but she felt they only wanted to use her. She believed once the man crossed that bridge and took her virginity, he would dump her or accuse her of cheating, just like her father constantly did to her mother, driving her and her mother into depression.

———

Anita sat in a private room with her best friend, preparing for their final convocation.

"Anita, I'm so happy. Finally, we will be parting from this school. I cannot explain how much I've missed home," Temisa said.

"Me too," Anita faintly replied, knowing it wasn't entirely true. She hated home and knew she would face her father's constant insults toward her and her mother again, while her three younger sisters—Flora, Esther, and Favour—would torment her, calling her an outcast because they were jealous of her looks, as if it were entirely her fault.

Anita shook her head in sadness, and Temisa noticed.

"What is it, girlfriend? You don't seem happy, even though you're graduating as one of the best graduating students today in our university," Temisa asked as she stood up from her seat facing the mirror and walked over to Anita, who was sitting on the couch. But Anita shook her head again and stared away from Temisa without responding.

"What's the problem, dear?" Temisa approached and crouched in front of Anita, even though she knew what the problem was, as Anita had told her why she hated men in general and saw them as scumbags.

"Don't worry, girlfriend. When I get home, I can talk to my mother to allow you to come live with us, even though it's just for your I.T. until you get a better job to cater for yourself."

"Thank you," Anita said with a faint smile.

"You're welcome. You know you're like a sister to me, so you don't have to worry or cry much. Graduating with a first class is no joke, so you should be happy, as today is your most blessed day. Come sit here; let me apply some makeup on your face."

Temisa pulled Anita to stand up from her seat. Anita smiled faintly and walked to sit on the seat facing the mirror in their shared private room.

"You know I don't like makeup," Anita said as she sat and watched Temisa open one of her makeup kits and start preparing her brush.

"I know, but today is your lucky day, so you should look sweet when collecting your awards. No excuses from you. Just do this for me, okay? It will make you smile throughout today and lighten your mood."

"Okay," Anita replied, and she stared at her beautiful reflection in the mirror as Temisa started applying the beautiful brown powder to her face.

Temisa started on Anita's eyelashes first, and after that, she switched to work on her cheeks and nose, applying the beautiful makeup powder. Once she was through making her over, Anita was stunned by her new look in the mirror.

Anita had never applied makeup to her face before, and staring at her new reflection, she was speechless. She now understood why Temisa had so many boyfriends.

Temisa was a billionaire's daughter; her father worked in the Benson Group of Companies. The Benson family was one of the richest in their country, and Anita had read about them and wished she could work for them. That was all the more reason she had studied so hard and read day and night to graduate as one of the best students in her university.

Anita had thought of asking Temisa if she could help her ask her father for a job application at the Benson Group, but she knew that if she did, it might seem like she was trying to gain unmerited favor. It might make others see her as a gold digger or a lady selling her body to men for favors. So, she thought against it and decided not to ask Temisa for her father's help again.

"All done now. Don't you see how sweet you look in the mirror? Oh my God! I'm the best makeup artist on campus!" Temisa fanned herself with her hand, while Anita smiled at her.

"Don't overhype yourself too much because of me, girlfriend. Yes, you tried, but still, I don't like makeup," Anita admitted.

"Tch! Shut up. I'm hoping a handsome guy will see you today and ask you out," Temisa giggled.

Everything about Temisa was guys; she changed boyfriends every month like pants. She was unapologetic about multiple relationships and didn't care what other ladies said.

Temisa didn't believe in love but rather spent time dating different guys. She never admitted to sleeping with any of them, which was hard to believe.

Temisa was always seen with different guys—at the beach, in restaurants, in clubhouses—taking photos, yet she claimed she was still a virgin, even after Anita told her she was also a virgin.

That was hard to believe, as Anita hadn't believed Temisa either. A virgin was supposed to be calm and keep to herself so no guy would use her, but Temisa dressed hot, wearing bum shorts, crop tops, and all sorts of seductive and tempting clothes.

Temisa was a dark-skinned beauty, sexy and curvy like Anita, but she wasn't jealous of Anita being light-skinned. They were in the same department, studied the same course, and became best friends. Anita was more intelligent, while Temisa was the party-hard type.

"Let's go out now. I'm sure most of our families have arrived," Temisa said as she quickly packed her remaining things and makeup kits into her box and zipped it closed.

They had rented the room they stayed in, so they stayed there most times, even though school was on holiday.

It was their final year, time to say goodbye, so Anita dragged out her two boxes as she was already going back home after the awarding ceremony.

They stepped out to witness the university's final event and the awarding of the best graduating students.

Anita Baker was called and awarded a first-class award and recognition for her academic excellence.

Temisa was all smiles as she clapped for her friend, who stepped out from where she was sitting among the crowd of groups of graduands and families attending their graduation ceremony to receive her awards.