Chapter 10: The Sugar Boys' Conspiracy

Leo Built a Network

He wasn't simply charming and a playboy; Leo Udeh was a brain. There had to be power and riches for him. He had seen Elsie and thought she was an opportunity he could not let go. She was beautiful, naive, and married to one of the richest men in the city. To Leo, she was the ideal pawn on his chessboard.

On one of those evenings, he gathered a clique of his inner core at a dimly lit private lounge. Every one of them was young, good-looking, and equally ambitious: men that have grown so tired of living a shit life and shall do anything to get ahead. Leo was at the middle of the room, voice soft yet commanding.

"Gentlemen," he began, his eyes gleaming with mischief, "I have a proposition for you. A way for all of us to get what we want. But it requires finesse, charm, and a willingness to play the long game." The men leaned in, their interest piqued. Leo continued, "Elsie Cole is our ticket to Damian's fortune. She's infatuated with me, but she's also drawn to attention, to adoration. If we play our cards right, we can use her to siphon Damian's wealth—bit by bit, until we've taken everything."

All eyes were fixed on Leo, breathtakingly handsome and incredibly rich at their level. He fell silent and gently walked to the window. The men were absorbing what he had said: Then they all began to nod, their expressions morphing from curiosity to something akin to determination.

Mama Elsie relished the luxury her daughter provided

Mama Elsie sat in the plush living room of Elsie's penthouse, her fingers tracing the intricate embroidery of the silk cushion beneath her. The room was a monumental demonstration of Damian's wealth - expensive Persian rug on glistening and polished French tiles, floor-to-ceiling windows, and rare art pieces costing probably more than the entire village she had come from. She took her tea in a delicate porcelain cup, surveying the room with a mixture of pride and greed.

"It is the great life, my child, Elsie," said Mama Elsie, all sweet satisfaction lacing her voice, "look at what you have made possible. This life, this luxury, is everything we could dream of. But not just like that. This wealth is much wider than this; you must try to have as much of it as possible in your possession."

Elsie squirmed into her seat, which happened to be across her mother's. She had almost gotten used to the sumptuousness of this new life, but there was something about the constant pushing of her mother that left her uncomfortably frazzled. "Mama, I'm already taking so much. Damian trusts me. I don't want to betray him."

The hardness of Mama Elsie's expression grew as she leaned in and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Betray him? Elsie, this isn't betrayal. This is survival. You should have it always in your mind that you are in control. Damian's wealth is your safety net, your future. Don't let sentimentality get in the way. 

Elsie hesitated, her mind racing. She knew that her mother was right, but the idea of betraying Damian made her stomach flip. But the seed of greed was planted, and each day brought it more nourishment.

"Actually, fairly tight," Mama Elsie reached out, clasping her daughter's hand with a firm grip. "Listen to me, Elsie. You are a woman of power now. Use that power. Demand more properties, investments, and jewelry, again all in your name. That way, in the case anything was to happen, you'd still have control."