Essy_The_Author1
Maya Balogun is a master of structure. As the eldest daughter anchoring her family's survival and the lead strategist at a top advertising agency, she cannot afford a single miscalculation. She lives her life behind unassailable walls until Julian walks into the creative bay.
Julian is chaotic, brilliant, and deeply guarded. Haunted by the ghost of his father's expectations and terrified of failure, he uses his easy-going charm as a shield. When the pressure mounts, he finds a rare, uncomplicated sanctuary in Maya's quiet stability.
They were never supposed to be lovers. It was just an easy friendship, a comfortable habit of shared late-night conversations and stolen office glances. But while Julian relies on Maya to piece his broken confidence back together, Maya does the one thing she promised herself she wouldn't do: she falls first. And she stays silent.
By the time Julian finally heals from his insecurities and realizes what she truly means to him, the timing has shattered. He is chasing success in the fast-paced world of Lagos, and Maya is left behind in Ibadan, tired of being an anchor for a man who only saw her as a safe harbor.
A devastatingly polite, bittersweet story about two people who were perfect for each other, but met as the entirely wrong versions of themselves. Can a clean slate and a year of growth bridge the distance between who they were, and who they've finally become?