Selina sat at a corner table, quietly sipping a cold drink. She had arrived at the country club some minutes earlier so as to be fully prepared when Chief Agbah arrived.
"Every Friday evening at 6 pm, he comes to the club to play a game of tennis. The only time he doesn't come is when he's out of the country. So, be there this week and try to meet him," Lexie had told her a few days before. With a contact he had at the exclusive club, Lexie had arranged for admission for her.
Selina brought out her small compact powder from her bag and studied her face in the mirror. She had taken great care with her appearance and she knew she looked really 'hot' as Lexie liked to say.
Just then, a small group of men entered the large lounge of the club where she sat. Two of them, who looked like bodyguards, were dressed in dark suits and dark glasses.
In their midst was a well-built, slightly tall older man wearing tennis gear- white shorts and T-shirt. Selina instantly recognised him from the pictures she had seen of him.
Chief Agbah!
For a man in his 60s, he looked fit, she thought.
She watched surreptitiously as he stood talking with another man who had come up to greet him. As one of the men in his group walked towards the bar, Selina made her move.
Picking up her drink, she went in the direction of the bar as if to order another drink.
She met the other man who was returning to his boss and 'accidentally' bumped into him, spilling her drink on her white blouse.
Selina looked down at the large spill that had spread and stained her pretty blouse and glancing up furiously at the dark-goggled man exclaimed:
"Oh my God! Look at what you have done! Why don't you look where you are going?"
"I'm sorry, Madam. It was an accident. I didn't..." the man began to apologise.
"You are sorry? Is that all you can say after ruining my top? You think it's any ordinary top? It's a Prada and you know how much I bought it in London? How could you..."
She continued talking to the man in such a loud voice that it drew the attention of Chief Agbah and the others in the lounge...
***
"Men! That was some good acting! You deserve an award for that!" Lexie said some days later. She had just recounted to him the incident at the club and the outcome.
"Yes! I never knew I was such a good actress. Perhaps, I should join Nollywood and become a star like Genevieve!" she said smugly, remembering with pride her performance that day.
Chief Agbah had come up to where she stood arguing with his man. He had settled the matter amicably, apologised on his man's behalf and even promised to pay for the ruined top.
But Selina had graciously declined his offer of payment, insisting the apology was enough. He had looked at her with something like interest. And something else; the kind of look she had seen in most of the men she had met who wanted to possess her.
Later, as she was getting into her car at the car park, one of Chief's men had run up to her with a card and had taken her number and contact details.
That morning, a parcel had been delivered to her apartment. It was from Chief.
"It's an IV for the birthday party of one of his friends," and she mentioned the name of a top politician in the country.
"This came with it too," she announced, flashing her left hand in his face. Lexie studied the bracelet on her hand, noting the expensive-looking stones on it.
He smiled.
"You must have really made an impression on him for him to go to all this trouble for you," he said. "But you can't attend the party. And you have to return the gift," he stated firmly.
"Why not? How do I get close to him if we don't meet up?" Selina protested.
"It's like this," he said and went on to explain his father's attitude towards women. Due to his status and wealth, women were attracted to him, he said, with some even throwing themselves at him.
"My father sees most women as playthings, to be used and discarded when he's tired of them. He keeps a string of girlfriends and mistresses whom he changes often as he soon gets bored with them.
To keep his interest for long, you need to be different, be less easy to get. Don't make him think you will jump to attention whenever he snaps his fingers.
And when you return his gift, you will send the message that you are not interested in his money. That will pique his interest, make him want to know you more," Lexie said.
Selina glanced at the bracelet, feeling sad that she had to return such a nice looking piece of jewelry.
Lexie was right. A day after she returned the bracelet, she got a call from Chief.
"It seems you are still angry about the incident of the other day," were his first words to her.
"Why do you say that, Sir?" she said, smiling to herself. She felt elated that he had called her himself and not an aide. "If he calls you directly and not through a staff, it shows you've really got his attention," Lexie had said some days before.
"You returned the gift," Chief simply stated.
"I had to. I feel I haven't done anything to deserve such a costly present," she explained.
"Ok, then. Can I see you this weekend? I'm having a little party at my guest house in G.R.A. I want you to come," he said.
"Ah! I would have loved to. But I will be in Abuja this weekend. On business," she said. She was not going anywhere but it was all part of the game of being elusive, playing hard to get.
"When will you be back?" he asked, sounding disappointed.
"I should be back by Monday."
He told her to call him when she arrived the city before hanging up. She smiled. She had no intention of calling.
A week later.
Selina was at home one evening watching a movie with her friend Lara when the door bell rang.
"Are you expecting anyone?" her friend asked as she took a sip of wine.
Selina shook her head. Alhaji Ibrahim one of her regular boyfriends was out of the country on a business trip. He was the only one she allowed to visit her without prior notice.
Selina opened the door and was surprised to see the man standing there.
"Chief!" she exclaimed...
To be continued
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