The Cold CEO's Woman

Anita Baker, a 24-year-old woman, had just graduated from the university. She was her parents’ first daughter. She had five younger sisters. Her father was a banker, while her mother was a trader.

Anita was fair in complexion and beautifully shaped, with curvy hips. Among all her sisters, she was the only light-skinned one; the rest were dark-skinned, while some were fair brown in complexion.

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

Her father even threatened to run a paternity DNA test on her because he could not understand why she was so light-skinned, unlike the rest of her sisters.

Her immediately younger sister, Flora, a 22-year-old dark-skinned beauty, also disliked her, even though Anita was two years older than she was. 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.

Her father, Mr. Joshua Baker, did not stop sending her to school. He only accused his wife of cheating on him and forcing another man’s child on him so that he could marry her. Nonetheless, he still sent Anita to the university to study business administration.

Anita was so happy when 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 with any man who asked her to be his woman. She would go out on a date with the man, but she always ended up rejecting their love proposals.

Her best friend at the university, Temisa Patrick, had advised her to give love a chance, but Anita refused and said, “My father constantly accuses my mother of cheating on him, and yet he still goes back to her and gets her pregnant with the six of us. Mother says Dad loves her, but his daily insults do not show us that he truly loves her.” She shook her head as she spoke to her friend when they were still in year two at the university.

Men were always asking for Anita's attention—handsome and well-to-do men—but she felt they only wanted to use her. Once the man crossed the bridge and broke her virginity, she believed he would dump her or accuse her of cheating, just like her father constantly did to her mother, wanting to send her and her mother into depression.

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

“Anita, I am so happy. Finally, we will be parting from this school. I cannot explain how much I have missed home,” Temisa said.

“So am I,” Anita replied faintly, knowing it was not entirely true for her. She hated home and knew she would be facing her father’s constant insults toward her and her mother again, while her three younger sisters, Flora, Esther, and Favour, would want to torment her, calling her an outcast because they were jealous of her looks, as if it were entirely her fault.

Anita shook her head sadly, and Temisa noticed.

“What is it, girlfriend? You don’t seem happy, even though you’re graduating as one of the best graduating students in our university?” Temisa asked. She stood up from her seat, facing the mirror, and walked up to Anita, who was sitting on the couch, but Anita shook her head and looked away, not responding.

“What is the problem, dear?” Temisa asked, crouching in front of Anita. She already knew the problem, since Anita had told her why she hated men in general and saw them as scumbags.

“Don’t worry. When I get home, I can talk to my mother and ask her to allow you to come live with us, even if it is just for your IT, until you get a better job to support yourself.”

“Thank you.” Anita smiled faintly.

“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 degree is no joke, so you should be happy, since today is your most blessed day. Come sit here; let me apply some makeup on your face.”

Temisa pulled Anita to her feet, and she smiled faintly before walking to sit at the vanity in their private room.

“You know I don’t like makeup,” Anita said as she sat and watched Temisa open one of her makeup kits and begin 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.

She stared at her beautiful reflection in the mirror as Temisa began applying the brown powder on her face.

Temisa started with Anita's eyelashes, then worked on her cheeks and nose. When she was done, Anita was stunned by her new look in the mirror. She had never applied makeup to her face before, and as she stared at her reflection, she was speechless. She now understood why Temisa had so many boyfriends.

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

Anita had thought of asking Temisa whether she could help her ask her father for an application at the Benson Group, but she knew that if she did, it might seem as though she was trying to gain a favor she did not deserve.

It might also make others see her as a gold digger or a lady selling her body to men to gain favor from them. So she decided against it and chose 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 am the best makeup artist here 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 I still don’t like makeup,” Anita admitted.

“Ha! Shut up. I am hoping a handsome guy will see you today and ask you out,” Temisa giggled.

Everything about Temisa was men. She changed boyfriends every month like pants and was reckless when it came to multiple relationships. She did not care what other ladies had to say, and she also did not believe in love. Instead, she spent her time dating different guys. She never admitted to sleeping with any of the men she went out with, and that was difficult to believe, since she was always seen with different guys—some at the beach, some in restaurants, and some in clubhouses—taking different photos with them, yet she claimed she was still a virgin, after Anita had also told her that she was a virgin.

Anita did not believe Temisa. She felt a virgin was supposed to be calm and keep to herself so no man would use her, but Temisa dressed provocatively, 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 was not jealous of Anita’s light skin. They were in the same department and studied the same course, which made them best friends. However, Anita was more intelligent, while Temisa was the party-hard type.

“Let’s go out now. I am 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 spent most of their time there, even though the school was on holiday.

It was their final year, and it was time to say goodbye, so Anita dragged out all her two boxes as she prepared to go home after the awarding ceremony.

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

Anita Baker was called and awarded a first-class honor and recognition for her academic excellence, while Temisa smiled and clapped for her friend, as she stepped out from among the crowd of graduands and families attending the ceremony to receive her award.