A Faithful Encounter

The streets of Lagos never truly rested. The early morning sun cast a golden hue over the city, but the air was already thick with the scent of roasted plantain, fuel exhaust, and damp earth from last night's rain. Pedestrians weaved between honking danfos, traders balanced baskets of fruit on their heads, and the rhythm of the city pulsed like a beating heart.

Tobi hurried through the chaos, dodging potholes and sidestepping reckless okada riders. His neatly pressed shirt clung to his back, evidence of both the heat and his nervous energy. Today was important—his one chance at a job that could pull him out of the struggle that had defined his life. The interview at Reign Holdings was the break he had been waiting for, and he couldn't afford to be late.

As he neared the towering glass building, he took a deep breath. The entrance was sleek, intimidating, a stark contrast to the dusty streets he had just navigated. The kind of place where power was measured not just in money, but in presence.

Just as he stepped forward, the sound of screeching tires cut through the air.

A sleek black SUV came to a sudden stop right in front of him, barely missing his foot. Tobi stumbled backward, his heart hammering. Before he could react, the back door swung open, and out stepped Alex Adeyemi.

Dressed in a perfectly tailored navy suit, the watch on his wrist probably cost more than Tobi's entire life savings. His smooth, dark skin was flawless, his neatly styled waves catching the sunlight. But it was his eyes—sharp, assessing, and just a little bit bored—that made people hesitate when they spoke to him.

Tobi barely had time to move before—bam!—Alex's shoulder collided with his, hard.

Tobi's folder slipped from his grip, and papers scattered onto the pavement. His CV. His references. Everything he needed for his interview.

Alex barely glanced at the mess. Instead, he adjusted his cuffs and muttered, "Watch where you're going." His tone was cool, dismissive, as if Tobi wasn't even worth the air between them.

Tobi froze. "You bumped into me," he snapped, crouching to grab his papers.

For the first time, Alex actually looked at him. Their eyes met—Tobi's filled with anger and frustration, Alex's dark and unreadable. There was something about the way Alex's gaze lingered, just for a second, before his expression smoothed back into indifference.

"And yet," Alex said, smirking, "you're the one on the ground."

Tobi clenched his jaw, biting back a response. He didn't have time for arrogant rich boys. Snatching up the last of his papers, he pushed past Alex and stormed into the building.

Alex watched him go, the smirk still playing on his lips.

Interesting.

What Tobi didn't know was that the man who had just ruined his morning was about to turn his world upside down.