The murmurs started low—almost harmless.
A whisper here, a passing comment there.
But like wildfire in dry season, it spread.
Across boardrooms.
Across private lounges.
Across the quiet corridors where power truly lived.
Anthony had done it.
He now held the majority shares of the Balogun Group.
At first, many dismissed it as impossible.
A temporary shift.
A technicality that would soon correct itself.
But it didn’t.
The numbers remained unchanged.
The filings were verified.
And the old guard… said nothing.
The old money…
said nothing.
That silence said everything.
The reality settled in slowly, then all at once.
Anthony was no longer a rising player.
He was a fixed force.
A behemoth Himself.
And he wasn’t going anywhere.
Anthony leaned back in his chair, phone pressed to his ear, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“…you got in?”
“Yes, I got in!” her voice burst through, filled with excitement.
“Lagos State University! Can you imagine?”
“I can,” Anthony replied calmly.
“You’ve always been brilliant.”
“I was shaking when I saw it,” she continued.
“I thought maybe it was a mistake. I even refreshed the page three times!”
Anthony let out a soft chuckle.
“Still doubting yourself, I see.”
“Not doubting—just being careful,” she shot back playfully.
“Hmm.”
“What?”
There was a pause, then her voice lowered slightly.
“They’ve started talking about accommodation already.”
Anthony’s expression shifted—just a fraction.
“Hostel?”
“I don’t know yet,” she admitted.
“The school hostel is… you know how it is. Limited space. And the private hostels around—some are too expensive, some are not even safe.”
In the background, their mother’s voice drifted in.
“Tell him the truth. Those places are not good.”
“Mom, I’m telling him,” she replied, half-laughing.
Anthony straightened a little.
“Where are you planning to stay?”
“I was thinking maybe… a shared apartment near the school,” she said cautiously.
“Some of my friends are also looking. If we split the rent, it might be manageable.”
“Manageable,” Anthony repeated quietly.
“Yes,” she said quickly.
“We’ll make it work. I just need somewhere close enough so I don’t have to be trekking too far every day.”
“And your lectures?”
“They said first year will be intense,” she continued.
“I’ll have to attend early classes, group work, practicals… I’m not even sure how I’ll balance everything yet.”
Anthony’s gaze drifted to the city again, thoughtful.
“You will,” he said.
“You’ve always adapted.”
“I hope so,” she murmured.
“University is different.”
Their mother cut in again.
“She will be fine. As long as she doesn’t follow bad friends.”
“Mom!…” she groaned.
“What? Am I lying?”
Anthony smiled faintly.
A brief silence followed.
Then—
“No.”
It came from both of them.
Firm.
Immediate.
His sister sighed.
“Anthony… I know what you’re thinking.”
“And what am I thinking?” he asked, amused.
“Get me a perfect apartment, pay everything, remove all the stress.”
He said nothing.
“That’s not how I want to do it,” she continued, softer now.
“I want to try. At least… a little.”
Their mother added, “We are doing fine here Anthony, I heard you even lost your job”
“Mom, I am doing okay myself. Don’t stress your health over this.”
“Be good Anthony”
“Ok mom.”
Anthony’s smile widened—not in mockery, but in quiet understanding.
They didn’t see it yet.
Didn’t understand how far things had changed.
But they would.
“What about feeding?” he asked calmly.
“Transport? Books?”
“I’ve already started planning,” she said quickly.
“I’ll budget everything. Maybe even find something small to do on the side later.”
“A side job?” Anthony raised a brow, though she couldn’t see it.
“Nothing serious,” she said defensively.
“Just… something to support myself a bit.”
He exhaled softly.
“You won’t lack,” he said.
“I know,” she replied gently.
“But I don’t want to depend on you for everything.”
Another pause.
This one quieter.
More meaningful.
“Alright,” he said lightly.
“We’ll talk about it later.”
“Focus on your books first.”
“Yes, sir,” his sister teased.
“And you,” their mother added, “don’t forget where you’re coming from.”
Anthony let out a low laugh.
“I won’t, Mom.”
“When are you coming to Lagos?”
“Probably next week Friday”
“Anthony, don’t be out of reach when we get to Lagos.”
“For what Mom?”
“I will be coming to Lagos for your sister admission, and I will be bringing some fresh farm produce for you.”
“Mom, like I said I will pick Pelumi up at the bus terminal on Friday.”
“But, you are going through a rough patch at the moment.”
“Mom, like I said I can handle it. I’ll be picking her up at the bus terminal next week weekend.”
“Yes brother, and besides I will be coming with my friends too.”
Pelumi interjected.
“Ok, inform be when you are leaving home, and entering Lagos.”
“Ok brother.”
” And don’t stop inspecting her wellbeing when she get to Lagos o.”
“Moti gbọ yín mama.” ( Meaning i have heard you.)
*In Yoruba*.
The call ended shortly after, their voices lingering faintly in his mind.
For a moment… just a moment… the noise of power faded.
Then reality returned.
A notification blinked on his tablet.
New notification.
Anthony’s eyes sharpened.
He opened it.
The details loaded quickly.
A partnership opportunity.
Strategic infrastructure.
Long-term influence.
He read the final line once… then again.
A research center.
Located within Lagos State University.
His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
His sister’s voice echoed faintly in his mind.
Adaora, I didn’t dote on you in vain.
Approved.
All donation must be made under the company’s name.
Do not make my name public.
“I just need somewhere close enough…”
“I’ll make it work…”
“I want to try…”
Anthony’s gaze softened.
This is clearly a edged sword.
An opportunity for partnership and paving way for his sister.
A different kind of calculation began to form.
Not interference.
Not control.
Something… quieter.
A slow smile spread across his face—not loud, not exaggerated—but certain.
Calculated.
If education was influence…
Then research was control.
And control… was everything.
Without hesitation, he authorized the acquisition.
You can proceed.
He texted Adaora.
But this time, his finger didn’t move away immediately.
He opened a secondary panel—internal structuring.
Private funding layers.
Naming rights.
Administrative influence.
Then—
A small addition.
Buried deep within the framework.
Student Research Access Initiative — Merit-Based Entry.
No names.
No favoritism.
No trace leading back to him.
Just… a door.
One that only the capable could walk through.
Anthony leaned back slowly, satisfied.
“If she’s as good as I know…” he murmured under his breath.
“…she’ll find her way in.”
He stood, adjusting his cufflinks with quiet precision.
From boardrooms…
To institutions…
To the next generation itself.
The game was no longer about surviving power.
It was about shaping it.
And somewhere in that future—
Without even knowing it—
His sister had just been given a path.
Whether she earned it…
Was entirely up to her.
Salutations team #TRTLN.
Have a blast!