Dreams Come True E-Book

Mariam Campbell

• Herausgeber: Mariam Campbell
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Biases, single stories and a return of the past threatens the love between two lovers. A working-class lady has to decide if she can forgo her bias about the rich and powerful while a billionaire must overcome his past to open up to love.
Rosemary is a rising star at the advertising agency where she works as an advert executive. She has set her own personal rule as never to get a contract using her body and this makes it difficult for her to get the big juicy contracts.
Damien is a highly private billionaire that few people know about since he has also set the rule to never mix business and pleasure. He is rarely seen in public and very few know him as the owner of one of the fastest growing tech companies that is spreading across 3 continents.
The return of an abusive ex gives Damien the in he needs to win Rosemary completely even though it means he has to be more public about their relationship. 

Leseprobe

Dreams Come True

Dreams

Mariam Campbell

Published by Mariam Campbell, 2023.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

DREAMS COME TRUE

First edition. August 7, 2023.

Copyright © 2023 Mariam Campbell.

Written by Mariam Campbell.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

EPILOGUE

 

To my family who have stood by me and walked with me as I nurtured my dream.

CHAPTER ONE

“I don’t understand why I have to be the one to attend the meeting” grumbles Rosemary as she zips her black and white polka dot pencil skirt. She keeps a change of cloth in her office for such a day like this when she has to have a dinner date with a client, you know last minute things.

“The CEO asked for you specifically, said someone recommended you” Dami is the advert manager in charge of her unit and her best friend. Although, sometimes she can be a shitty boss and I almost want to conk her over the head, never mind the best friend part.

“Isn’t Shade responsible for that firm? I don’t want any issues with that madam” Rosemary buttons the white blouse to go with the skirt. She looks at the heels and shakes her head. With her curves and size sometimes, heels can be a pain in her behind.

“No, the firm was reassigned last month by management. The guy didn’t like Shade or the new person.” Dami hands her a heavy file of the account and all that Rosemary needs to know about the client and their needs before the dinner meeting.

“Then he asked for me? Why?” asks Rosemary

“I have no idea” says Dami and they both look at each other.

“You know I hate all this late dinner meetings which almost always ends up with me being propositioned by the client” Rosemary glares at Dami “why could you not schedule a lunch work meeting or a meeting at the client’s office instead? Dinner makes it sound like a date, especially since it is at a swanky restaurant inside a high-class hotel”

“That part is all the client dear bestie” Dami grins as I frown at her “Sorry, my bad, you don’t want the bestie thing at work” she says as she walks or should I say swings her waist to the door.

Dami and Rosemary have known each other from their first year in secondary school, they stuck together through all the awkward boyfriend and teenage years and remained friend through the university and now work for the same company. Although, Rosemary didn’t join the company until a couple of years after Dami, hence the reason why she is now the boss and not on the same level with Rosemary.

The dinner meeting was with a client of the company they work with but this particular client wasn’t one initially handled by Rosemary. As an account director with an Advertising Agency, she had her own list of clients that she was responsible for. Mesh is a product brand owned by Damsal Holdings, one of the leading tech businesses in the continent. From what Rosemary understands they are not a client that is easily satisfied.

I hate these late meetings that lasted until way past my bedtime. However, annual evaluation was coming up in two weeks and I just had to clinch this deal as it was the biggest deal on my plate this year. If I am able to get the contract the commission alone will pay for the first instalment on the flat my sisters and I wanted to buy for Mom in the estate on the mainland. Aside from that, it would ensure that my target for the year is met and even exceed it. All of us have an annual target given at the start of the year and the annual review would be based solely on whether or not we are able to meet the target assigned to us or not. The industry is a cut throat one and since I have refused to play the game like my colleagues to get contract, it was more challenging for me. Fortunately for me, I thrive on challenges and overcoming them. I am aware of what most of my colleagues in the industry did to get the big contracts but as far as I am concerned, my body just was not part of the contract.

Rosemary enters the restaurant of a popular hotel in Lekki some hours later. I look around for the client I am here to meet with. I have spent the last few hours researching the company and their brand and going through the thick file that Dami had given to me while I was changing. It is an international brand with subsidiaries in over fifteen countries around the world. Even though the founder of the company was Nigerian, the company and its brand was well known in most African countries and a few in Europe and Asia.

One thing I never found on the company website was the picture of the founder of the company. Seems he is a private person and the fact that he wanted to handle this particular campaign himself was strange. Normally, the brand director of the client company took care of the leg work and meeting with the Account executive but this case is different. Maybe, it is because I am the fourth person to work on this campaign and he asked for me specifically and by name.

As I bring out my phone from my extra big bag to call Dami or call the contact number she had already programmed into it, someone walks up to me.

“Good evening, Rosemary. I can call you Rosemary? My name is Damien Salako, your meeting for the evening” he extends his hand to shake hers with an easy smile on his face.

I almost drops the phone when I look up at him. I don’t think I have ever seen a Nigerian male look this good. I can hear my heart beat increase and there was a ringing in my ears as I continued to stare at the man holding out his hand waiting patiently for me to take it.

Damien smiles at her as he takes in the beautiful woman in front of him. She had a natural look that was refreshing, different from the trend going around these days of ladies going all out with make-up and makeovers. She has on make-up but it is understated and brings out her natural beauty instead of taking away from it. Most ladies these days apply make-up so they can look like someone else, with the contours and blush that gives a false impression of beauty.

Finally, Rosemary takes his hands and had a flash of him naked in bed from just that one touch. “Don’t you think he is good enough to eat as dinner” my mind says and I try to shut the voice before it gets its way.

“Pleased to meet you Mr. Salako” I try to get the image out of my head as he leads the way to the table for the evening.

“How are you doing?” Damien inquires as we take our seat

“I’m good. You?” was my reply from a safe distance away with the table acting as the buffer between us. For the first time I didn’t mind that the meeting was late upon seeing the Client. Why did he ask for me specifically though? I was still thinking about that when he looked at me again.

“May I ask what you are thinking about?” asks Damien

“Sure. I was just thinking why you asked for me specifically. I don’t know you” I look around the restaurant to avoid looking directly at him.

“I happen to have asked a friend of mine who worked on the advert campaign for their company. He told me it was you and I requested that my company’s account be given to you since the previous executives were finding it difficult to give me what I want” was his reply.

“May I ask what....” I stop talking as he raises up his hands.

“Let’s order first, after dinner we will discuss the advert campaign. I hope that is okay?” He says before picking up the menu before him.

“Yes sir, that sound good” the menu looks like a booklet but I can see it doesn’t have any prices against any of the meals as I open it

“Please, not sir” he smiles and I stare at his mouth “call me Damien. Let’s discard the formalities”

I adjust myself slowly on my seat and looks around the restaurant. I can feel him looking at me and pray the waiter shows at the table quickly. I have never had to meet with the founder of a company before for an advert campaign. Usually, the head of the brand or corporate department in the company is the one to meet with us and discuss what the client needs and never at a dinner.

“You seem to be uncomfortable with the meeting” Damien leans towards her.

“Oh! Not at all” I look at him with a frown.

He raises a brow at my response and I picks up the napkin on the table. Honestly, I am a bit nervous and it shows.

“Well, the thing is that I am not used to having dinner meetings with clients and usually we meet a head of department and not the company owner” the waiter seems to appear from nowhere and I know my relief is all over my face as I turn to him.

“Let us order and then we can get back to your point” Damien orders his meal and waits for me to make my order before asking the waiter to bring them a bottle of wine.

As the waiter turns to leave Rosemary begins to get anxious all over again.

“I did a little research on your tech company and realized you have presence in other countries as well as a few subsidiaries”

Damien turns his gaze to me as I try to stir the meeting to the reason for the dinner.

“Why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself? Where did you go to school, why advertising as your chosen career, do you have siblings? I would like to know the person that will be handling the brand of my company” He nods at me as the waiter returns with the wine.

I wait for the waiter pours the wine in the glasses then set the bottle aside and walk away before I speaks.

“I usually don’t share personal information with client sir”

He frowns at my continued use of the word ‘sir’ but I chose to ignore it.

“The budget for the campaign is in the millions and I would rather get to know who will be in charge of said money”

“I will not be handling your money sir; it goes into the company account and only the accountant and management has access to it. My role is to manage the advert placement, planning, production, and every other aspect of the campaign; nothing else” she tells him

“Do you not get a commission from the budget?”

“Yes, I do get a commission if I am able to win the contract for the company”

“Then you will be getting part of the money, besides you will be working directly with me on the campaign”

That is a surprise to me and something that has never happened before. Which CEO works with an advert executive on an advert campaign? “Working directly with you? We usually work with the corporate associate or head of the department in charge of branding or advertising”.

This is very unusual and it make me begin to wonder what game he is playing. Why are there no pictures of him around? For someone who owns a tech company he should be all over the news, his company is but someone else is the face of the company.

“I can understand your questions but this campaign is a very delicate one and even though you come highly recommended and I have spoken to about three clients you have worked with; I would appreciate if you would humour me” Damien leans back and wait for me to talk about myself.

CHAPTER TWO

Most women I know jump at the opportunity to talk about themselves and try to wrangle another date out of the whole dinner. Wait, did I just think date? This is a business dinner and that is it. I can’t remember the last time I put myself out there like this. In fact, very few people knew me since I don’t accept interviews nor is my picture on the company website. Truth be told this meeting is not something I usually do myself because I have people to do it.

However, when I spoke with Dele about the advert of his company that was on CNN and he told me about Rosemary I was intrigued. When I did a search of her and saw her pictures, I just could not help it, I used the excuse of the past colleagues of hers not working as the excuse to handle this meeting myself and so far, I am very impressed.

Rosemary has avoided divulging anything personal but has answered all my question professionally. I think she is trying to not show the attraction I saw in her eyes at the start of the dinner. It is refreshing to see a beautiful lady that doesn’t just know what she is doing but can also stay professional while she does it. Nothing gets to me like a beautiful lady with brains.

“What you are saying is that the whole campaign needs to change? What was wrong with the ones your colleague presented?” Damien signals for a waiter.

“Your organization caters to professionals who work remotely specifically and the current brand you want to promote through the campaign has a series of services to make working from home more fun and less of a stress with a cheaper VPN that individual users can afford. Owing to the rise in the cyber attacks as a result of the pandemic and improvement in technology, your product would be beneficial to the subscribers who value online security and privacy” Rosemary stops talking as the waiter gets to their table.

Damien asks the waiter for another bottle of wine and tells Rosemary to order anything else she wants. She thanks him but declines and the waiter leaves to get the wine.  They are both silent as the waiter returns and pours the wine.

“You seem to have done your research about the campaign” Damien smiles and nods at the waiter who leaves the bottle on the table and leaves.

“No sir” she stops at Damien’s frown. “Sorry, no Damien I only had a few hours to familiarize myself with the campaign and your company. I have not really done much with the file I was given. I do know that the company I work for had some security issues during the lockdown as a result of more people working from home and accessing the portal from all over”.

“Well, your colleagues had all that time and I wasn’t very happy with what they put together. It is true that the product is for remote workers but it can be used by employees working from the physical office too. The product ensures that all the work they do on their computers, whether at a physical office location or the home office, is encrypted and secure. Like you can do on the mobile phone by locking apps to prevent anyone scrolling through your pictures or opening your app, the product also offers such protection for computers. The security is not only for when you get on the internet so it is more than a VPN” Damien stops talking as he looks at her and see she looks lost.