Not a bad ending

The relationship with Cassandra inevitably hit a snag.

You see Daniel was a very busy person, though in a good way. The amount of work he had to juggle daily was a bit much, especially since he was self-learning Finance. Though he tried his best to make it up to her, making time every once in a while to hang out.

One Saturday afternoon, he decided to surprise her by picking up her favourite takeout on his way back from an errand. He pulled up near her house, intending to call her to come out, but paused when he saw her standing by her gate, laughing animatedly with another guy.

The guy was leaning casually against a flashy Lexus SUV, arm draped over the gate, looking very familiar with Cassandra. As Daniel watched from around the corner, the guy leaned in and whispered something in Cassandra's ear, making her giggle and playfully slap his arm. Then, the guy casually reached out and squeezed her backside. Cassandra didn't object; she just laughed again and pushed him away lightly before turning to go inside.

Daniel felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over me. He wasn't nearly as angry as he thought he would be, just a bit upset and disappointed.

'Finally experienced my first canon event, huh?'. He though with a bitter smile.

He'd seen enough. Trust, once broken, especially in a relationship that was already a complication in his carefully managed life, wasn't easily repaired. He turned around and left silently, deciding to eat the takeout when he got home.

And yes, he was a staunch believer of not wasting food.

He didn't text her that evening. She texted him later, asking if he was busy. He replied with a simple, non-committal answer. The next day, he sent her a brief message:

Dat_yung_boi(You): Hey Cassandra. Been thinking. This isn't really working out for me right now. Think it's best we stop seeing each other. Wish you all the best.

Her reply came back almost instantly, a flurry of confused and angry messages.

Cassandra: What?! What are you talking about? Just like that??

Cassandra: After everything? You can't just end things over text Daniel!

'Just did though…'

Cassandra: Is it because I was talking to Tunde yesterday? He's just a friend ffs!

Cassandra: You're unbelievable! Asshole!

Daniel read the messages feeling amused, before deleting the messages and blocking her number.

He did feel a twinge of something – maybe regret, maybe just annoyance at the drama – but mostly relief. He had seen this coming either way.

And then again, it was cleaner this way. Less entanglement, less risk to his carefully constructed world. He simply didn't have the bandwidth for relationship drama fueled by perceived infidelity, regardless of whether Tunde was 'just a friend' or not. The casual squeeze told him enough about the boundaries, or lack thereof. His focus needed to be elsewhere.

At least until he found a way to properly set his plans on Auto-pilot.

The incident, however much he tried to downplay it, bruised his ego even just by a little. And so, he decided it was time to buy a car.

In any case, he wasn't planning on relying on Ubers forever, and felt that he should at least have a car that fit the aesthetic.

 He decided it was time to formalize his mobility. He was still only 17, turning 18 as late as next year, technically too young for a Nigerian driver's license. But rules, he was quickly learning, were often negotiable for those with sufficient resources.

Through discreet inquiries made via online channels known for handling 'specialized documentation', he found an agent who promised a legitimate driver's license, backdated slightly, for the right price. It involved providing his details, passport photos, and a significant fee – N500,000 – paid in untraceable cryptocurrency generated by MH. The agent assured him the license would be entered into the official FRSC database, indistinguishable from one obtained through regular channels, just expedited and overlooking the age requirement.

It felt risky, his first real step into deliberately circumventing the law using his wealth, beyond the grey areas of offshore accounts and nominee arrangements. But the convenience, freedom, and honestly status that came being able to drive his own car legally without constantly looking over his shoulder, felt worth it. He sent the details and the crypto payment. The agent promised the license would be ready for collection via a secure courier within two weeks. Owning the car was one thing; being able to drive it freely was another level of independence he now craved.

Of course, with a license taken care of, the next step was the car.

He spent an evening browsing online car dealerships, specifically those in Lagos known for importing nearly-new, certified pre-owned vehicles. He bypassed the excessively flashy options, settling on something that projected youthful success without screaming 'new money'. A BMW 3 Series, the current G20 model, maybe a year or two old, in a discreet metallic grey or black. Sporty, respectable, common enough in upscale Nigerian circles not to draw excessive scrutiny, but undeniably premium.

He found a promising listing: a 2023 BMW 330i, low mileage, dark grey, offered by a well-reviewed Lekki dealership. The price was around N25 million. Using a separate email address and phone number associated with the 'PeDan Investments' business name, he initiated contact with the dealership. The negotiation was handled entirely via email and WhatsApp, Daniel driving down the price based on comparable listings MH quickly analyzed for him. They eventually settled on N24.5 million.

Arranging payment required the usual careful steps. He executed a series of MH trades to generate the necessary funds, then initiated layered withdrawals into the PeDan nominee accounts. From there, a final wire transfer was made to the dealership's corporate account. He arranged for a discreet car carrier service, explicitly requesting an unmarked truck, to pick up the vehicle from Lagos and deliver it directly to his house address in Abuja late one evening.

When it finally arrived, and Daniel removed the covering on it, he fell in love instantly. There are reasons why cars are called a man's romance.

His mom only knew about the car when it arrived, but she didn't criticize him.

Cause he was already qualified to make these decisions by himself.