Chapter 2

Lewis was once a one-stop man for Elsie. When their love was novel he made her feel like she could get everything she wanted in a man in him. He had all those qualities that turned her on besides money and his remarkable prowess under the sheets he was funny, smart, considerate and caring and above all loving- he reminded her how much she meant to him every chance he got and complemented her hair, dress code, cooking among other small things that melted her heart and she reciprocated the same by trying to be the best a one-stop woman for him. Nothing but the best.

With the sudden change he was none of those things she wanted and fell in love with. Lewis was like a politician who made a lot promises during campaign and ended up fulfilling none once he got in office instead he put up a few white elephant projects. Unlike the politician though, he had rounded off everything to money and what it can do. She complained about boredom he got her a personal assistant. For what? He was throwing money at her instead of being there himself. No dates, no cuddling, no random kisses and surprise hugs from behind, snuggles during movies and sex in the shower instead expensive gifts and dozen employees. 

"Mum there is a guest for you" a maid said clearing the dining table.

"Who? I'm not expecting anyone" 

"She said her name is Bella"

"Ooh let her in" 

Bella was Elsie's best friend. The two knew everything about each other since childhood. She owned a beauty shop in town. Most of the time Elsie would recognize her presence because of the excess cologne she wore. You would think its expiry date was due.

"The accountant who stays at home, hi girl" Bella said cat walking towards Elsie's, her arms hanging loose for balance and also to show off her done nails, they were yellow matching her dress and black plateau pumps shoes. 

"The CEO of Westbrook beauty in my backyard what a surprise!" Elsie said hugging her.

"Missed you girl, you don't look well let's go out" she said.

That was no surprise that she could tell. Sadness had engulfed Elsie like fog, it was around her even in the air she was breathing. 

"I..."

"Don't think about it, let's go am sure one lunch date at the most exquisite restaurant in town won't make the super thick Woodley wallets thin"

"Okay, let me grab my bag or even better. Go get me my bag and tell the driver I want to go out he should get the car ready!" She ordered her PA.

Bella smiled broadly staring at her girl boss up and live her best life. I guess it's obvious she was an expert at taking advantage of her friend  and you might wonder if Elsie knew this, the painful truth is she did and no she couldn't cut her lose because Bella was her only friend. The only one who had not stabbed in her the back...yet. Let’s just say Elsie had bad luck when it came to friendships.

"Ready mum" the PA said. 

Since she didn't want the PA in the first place, Elsie had not bothered to ask her about her name. 

"Let's go"

"Check if you have the credit card, I don't want to be embarrassed"

"Relax girl" Elsie said going through her bag, she fished a gold credit card, "We solid"

"I can now relax" she said happily.

The Honda CR-V was the car the driver had prepared for the girls. Not that it was the only one available in their expensive parking lot. And Bella was quick to notice the kind of disrespect the employees were showing her best friend. So before Elsie hopped in she requested to talk to her in private.

"What? I thought you wanted us to go out?" She asked looking surprised.

"No, I still want to go out I just..." Bella looked at the car hoping Elsie was smart enough to join the dots. 

"Just say it, am not a psychic or something" 

"A Honda CR-V? Really we deserve something better girl I can see a lot of classy rides in the garage unless they are stopping you..."

"No, watch this" 

Poor Elsie under peer influence and feeling the need to impress her best friend she was slowly losing her grip to the values her parents raised her with and more so the principles she followed as a human. 

"Is this the only car in the garage?"

"No mum"

"Get me a decent car?" She shouted at the driver, "Do I look like a Honda CR-V to you? Get me a Toyota V-8!"

"Okay mum, give me a minute to check the oil and everything"

"Okay" she said and walked back to the puppet mistress Bella with her head held high, "How was that?"

"Classic, from now on they'll put resect on your name. You are not on the same level, they need to know that one day all this will be yours" she said showing off the vast Woodley manor and all the wealth in it.

It took the driver approximately three minutes to prepare the V-8. Once it was ready the girls took the back seat, the driver ensured they were all set to leave before he drove them out of the compound. It was time for the city to know about the new boss bitch in town. 

***

By mid-day Lewis was done with his meetings and he was doing some paper work in his office while looking forward to that golf session with the rich and effluent of Westbrook.  He looked at picture of him and Elsie on his desk. They were both looking happy, in love. Elsie was leaning on his shoulder she was holding her long braids in a bunch. That was three months back. Before he got engaged to her. So what changed? Lewis took the picture in his hands and took a close look at it, his fingers tried to touch her soft skin and lively eyes. She was close but yet too far. He wanted to kiss it but a knock on his door interrupted him.

"Who's it?" He asked sounding agitated as he put the photo back to its rightful position.

"Woodley junior, you're so into your head, with this big office of yours" the intruder said looking around the magnificent office.

The furniture was modern, essential and most luxurious in the market, the veneer mahogany desk in front of his comfy and long black leather C-suite chair. A small kitchen on his left with a fridge and a sink with a few utensils. On the right was a small bathroom and a bedroom with a small bed where Lewis would rest on a busy afternoon for a power nap. There was also a closet full of suits and a rack of shoes, individual drawers full of ties, socks and lavish watches. The air conditioner in the room would have made anyone coming from outside feel like they were in a different world from what they left outside.

"What do you want Steve?"

Steven Woodley. An expert in nothing really but the COO-chief operations officer of the Woodley Energy industries. He was the middle child of the three brothers. As expected, never seen eye to eye with his younger brother Lewis. They always fought while growing up and in adulthood it was arguments. They rarely agreed on something. Well, apart from the fact that a Bentley was the best car in the world, but ironically none was ready to admit that they were blood bothers.

"Relax bro, am just walking around after all am a Woodley right? I don't need permission to visit"

"You're adopted" 

"There we go again, you know technically" Steve took the clients coach, black leather and decorated in arabesque, Lewis had stopped working and he was making a triangle with his elbows on his desk his guess fixed on his brother, "technically you’re the adopted one because there is a chance mum was in menopause by the time you were born"

"Take it back rascal" Lewis growled, Steve got under his skin there, "or else I'll tell mum you called her old"

Heads up. It didn't end so well for anyone who called Beth Woodley old. In fact the word itself did not exist in her vocabulary of words. She looked young and considered herself so and everyone had to believe it. 

"Okay" he said with his arms in the air, "am sorry am not here to fight and don’t tell mum"

"Just say what you have bottled in your little chest" he mocked his skinny figure, Lewis had a physique of a boxer, "or let me tell you brother" he said getting on his feet, walked to the kitchen and got two glasses and a bottle of juice from the fridge, poured one for his brother and one for himself, "it makes you so mad that am the future of this family, I get everything big and you guys get what? Scraps?"

To make him so angry Steve was smiling as though his words did not just cut through his heart like a hot knife going through butter. He was so angry at what the little prick was saying but he was also the adult in the room. His emotions needed to be in check. It was true however, the brat was getting everything while they scrambled for a few millions that remained.

"No little brother, something else" he sipped his juice creating suspense, "I have noticed you are kind off coming home late and you don’t have time for your Fiancée" 

"That's none of your business bro"

"Am not saying it is, I just want you to know despite our little differences am here for you if there is something you're going through"

"Am fine" Lewis said confidently taking back his seat, "and even if I had something bothering me I wouldn't ran to you. Last time I checked you never went to medical school and I have enough money to pay for the best shrink in the world"

He was used to his ego, twice the store size of his balls but Steve still cared about him. He was actually trying to replicate the same kind of love and care he got from their elder brother. 

"Mmh" Steve said drinking from his glass again.

"Yap, you can leave now I got work to do"

"The juice" Steve said emptying his glass.

"What about it?"

"It's the best I have tested in a long time I bet your sassy secretary squeezes the grapes with her boobs or something,” he smiled, Lewis shook his head smiling too, “I'll be on my way brother" he got on his feet and started walking away.

"See you at home man" Lewis said to his disappearing figure at the door.

When he was alone Lewis tried to work but he couldn't. His mind did not care much for lulls and it not give him any peace either as it kept drifting away to that picture of him and Elsie. There was a debate in his head. On one side he was not ready for marriage when got engaged to Elsie. On the other side he loved Elsie and he wanted her for himself till death did them apart. A woman like Elsie came once in a lifetime but Lewis still wanted to have fun. He was just twenty five.

He relaxed on his chair his arms behind his head with his legs on the desk.

The young Woodley had spent his prime years of fun in school trying to be the first Woodley to get a college degree. After his elder brothers flopped, his parents had a lot of hopes in him and the pressure would most of the time get intense but he pulled through. In conclusion, Lewis rushed into marriage. He did not think it through and he was lucky to get a golden goose on his first hunting mission, there was no going back yet marriage has no free trial package. No. This is marriage not a cable subscription. Tell that to a man who still fancied polyamory relationships, had a bucket list that involved stuff like a threesome with strippers and he didn't hesitate to go under the sheets with any willing model in town.