Chapter 14: Leo Orchestrated Bigger Financial Schemes

Leo Udeh, on the other hand, was seated in his dimly lit apartment filled to the brim with bundles of financial papers and a laptop reflecting lines of spreadsheets. A series of calculations and plans were flying through his mind. He had already funneled some portion of Damian's wealth through Elsie; he was far from satisfied. He wanted more—much, much more.

With Elsie's access to Damian's accounts and growing willing participation, Leo could set up a larger and more elaborate scheme, forming shell companies, forging signatures, and manipulating transactions to channel millions into offshore accounts. Each move clearly calculated; each step in sync. 

Elsie, all into Leo's world now, played her part beautifully. She signed documents without questioning them and kept Damian engaged with her charm, all the while transferring assets into her name, sometimes branding it as "financial security." She was aware of the impropriety of her actions, but the intoxicating feeling of power and prospects of a lavish life provided ample strength to override any guilt.

One night, while reviewing the recent transactions, Leo threw a glance at Elsie with a wicked grin. "You're doing fantastic, Elsie. Every step brings us closer to freezing everything. Damian won't even know what hit him."

Elsie nodded, but a glint of guilt crossed her face. "What if he finds out? What if he realizes what we're doing?"

Leo's face hardened. "He won't. As long as you keep playing your part, we're untouchable. Trust me, Elsie. This is our future."

Damage Done to Damian's Business 

Meanwhile, Damian began noticing some strange irregularities in his business operation. Profits were plunging, and expenses were high, making some of his critical investments under perform. He pressed his financial advisors, demanding explanations, but there was no cause anyone could pinpoint.

"It's just a rough patch. The market is very volatile nowadays. It'll stabilize," said one advisor.

Damian frowned; his instincts told him something was off, but he couldn't ferret out what it was. He kept trusting his team, and he kept trusting Elsie. The thought that she could somehow be involved never crossed his mind.

Elsie played the supportive wife for the cameras, comforting Damian while he talked through his frustration. "Just a temporary setback," she said in a soothing tone. "You have built an empire, Damian. You will get through this."

Damian smiled, grateful for her assurance. "You are right, Elsie. I just need to focus."

But as he focused on work trying to fix the problems, the cracks in his empire went wider.

Jonas' Investigation

Damian's stubborn best friend and loyal associate in business, Jonas Akande, did not share his blind faith. Always skeptical about Elsie, when his best friend made mention of the funds, he felt obligated to investigate.

Using every contact he had and every resource, Jonas plunged into an investigation of Damian's accounts. The ensuing findings shocked him to the core. Unexplained withdrawals, documents that had been forged, and transactions going in and out of accounts supposedly offshore. And through it all were Elsie, Leo, and other unidentified individuals.

His heart raced as he put the evidence together. Elsie was not merely a naive village girl. She was a cog in the wheel of a highly sophisticated scheme for draining Damian's wealth. And she wasn't working alone.

Jonas now immediately called Damian, urgency in his voice. "Damian, we need to talk. It's about Elsie."