THE GREEK BILLIONARE'S HEART

Chapter 1:Business Face.

What woke me up wasn't the alarm, rather it was the thrill of a new business deal on my hands.

This is what I lived for, to grow, to build, to exploit new ground, add to my account be richer, more untouchable out of reach even.

It is what it is in the end. We are what we were made from the beginning, am a money making machine. I knew the minute I signed up that I was up to a lot of changes but never the less I joined.

He taught me all the machinations of surviving the business world, I learned. I may be the most emotionally screwed up girl on earth, what I do know though is that am well-off enough to buy friends and even the unloyal ones I buy with money. It is all I got. Am okay, and the demons I will keep at bay no matter the cost.

So, I take the longest shower, brush my teeth go through my early morning motions as I always do. Then I sit before my laptop one hour prior to my meeting because we women on this oil field need to be twice as tough as the men to survive.

I munch on the reminders of my evening meal the result of dismissing Blanca, my chef. The man I am meeting today Niko Petroski, owner of Petroski oils is a renowned name in the oil business and if I snug this deal it might as well be the climbing step to being world reckoned.

A lot is being counted on this.  People are expecting me to fail too but they have no idea the stuff I am made of. For the hundredth time, I would prove them wrong, I will make sure that they don't just fear the name of my father they will fear mine too. So, Niko Petroski better be ready for Julia Minos.

The air is pretty hot for this time of the year and although summer is approaching, I need the cold to surround me in the face of business sharks in that boardroom. I enter the office buildings for the Petroski oils, pitch in hand my assistant in toe and my business face on point. I got this but something in my tummy doesn't feel right.

In the lobby, an overly chatty receptionist who also happens to be drop-dead gorge gives us directions to the company's main conference room. I guess the man's reputation for being a womanizer is no joke. Even his staff must be tacked away booty calls. None of my concern of course if he has to scratch an itch then I can deal with it.

Deep breathe girl you've got this. I step in and freeze on the spot. The conference room is full of people as expected and all of them men, no woman in sight and all at once they turn and I am the center of attention of nearly 20 people give or take.

This is the moment where I look embarrassed blush, duck or do one of those things that naive girls do but that was never me. My papa taught me well. So, chin held up high I take up my cue to ruffle them and head straight for the jugular.

"Mr. Petroski Julia Minos at your service". Handheld out.

Niko,s POV

I expected a million things when I heard of this woman, not with all the stories going over the media,  controversies on her father's death and whatnots.

She sure as hell didn't look the part of a grieving daughter. She held her hand out for greeting and he got another surprise, firm, short, precise businesslike. So, he went in on her face to see the weakness there but then again, he was met by nothing. She was the pure definition of ice queen beauty, calm, collected, poised and so put together.

Niko felt the urge to ruffle her feathers to see whether a smile hid beneath that aloof face she was projecting or whether the zing that just went through his arm was boardroom or bedroom excitement.

She was so the last thing he expected. Those almond-shaped eyes so piercing a green, her hair raven black upswept on her head, lips a ruby red, pert nose and a body made for sin. With the slight sway she had to her hips, firm breasts she was every bit the in-control woman while men fell on her feet.