Monsters

Chapter 3: The Grand Deception

Ayman had mastered small manipulations, but he knew that to truly rise, he needed something bigger—something that would establish him as a force to be reckoned with. The incident with Omar had taught him that people were easy to control when they trusted you, but it had also been a small game. Now, he needed a grander stage.

The opportunity presented itself in the form of Youssef, the son of a powerful businessman who controlled a network of small enterprises in the city. Youssef was arrogant, spoiled, and believed that money could solve all his problems. But beneath his confidence, Ayman saw something else—desperation. Youssef wanted approval from his father, who rarely paid him any attention.

Ayman’s plan started with a simple conversation. He positioned himself as a knowledgeable, resourceful friend. “Youssef, have you ever thought about making your own legacy?” he asked one day.

Youssef scoffed. “What do you mean?”

Ayman leaned in. “Your father built his empire from nothing, right? Imagine if you could do the same. What if you had an opportunity to prove yourself, to make real money without waiting for him to hand it to you?”

Youssef was intrigued. No one had ever spoken to him like this before. Most people either feared or envied him, but Ayman acted like he saw potential in him.

Over the next few weeks, Ayman fed Youssef’s ego, making him believe that he had a brilliant mind for business. Then, he planted the real idea: an exclusive event—an underground gambling operation disguised as a high-class poker night.

Youssef was excited by the thrill of it. He had access to wealthy young men who would eagerly throw their money around for the sake of fun. But the real trick? Ayman had already arranged for carefully selected players—people he controlled—to ensure that most of the money ended up in his hands.

The night of the event, the atmosphere was electric. Expensive suits, golden watches, the scent of expensive cologne mixed with the tension in the air. Youssef was at the center, basking in the attention, believing he was the mastermind behind it all.

What he didn’t realize was that Ayman had orchestrated everything. The dealers were on his side, the key players were under his influence, and the game was rigged from the start.

By the end of the night, Youssef had unknowingly funneled a fortune into Ayman’s pockets. When he realized how much money he had lost, panic set in. “How could this happen?” he whispered.

Ayman placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “These things happen in business, my friend. But don’t worry. I have an idea to recover the losses.”

And just like that, Youssef was hooked, a pawn in Ayman’s much larger game.

This was no longer about survival. This was about power.

And Ayman was just beginning to wield it.

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The next morning, Ayman woke up with a sense of satisfaction. The poker night had been a success, and he had walked away with more money than he had ever seen in his life. But more importantly, he had proven to himself that he could control people far wealthier and more powerful than he was.

As he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind raced with possibilities. If he could manipulate Youssef, he could manipulate anyone. The trick was to find their weaknesses, their insecurities, and make them believe he was their solution.

At school, Youssef looked exhausted. He hadn’t slept, still reeling from his loss. When Ayman approached him, Youssef immediately grabbed his arm. “We need to fix this.”

Ayman sighed, pretending to think hard. “There’s a way,” he said finally. “But it requires risk.”

Youssef leaned in, desperate. “I’ll do anything.”

Ayman smirked inwardly. That was exactly what he wanted to hear.

Over the next few weeks, Ayman expanded his operation. He convinced Youssef to invest more money, claiming they could recover his losses if they ran more poker nights. But Ayman controlled every aspect—who won, who lost, and how the money flowed. He introduced new players, men from outside the school, older and more experienced, who were actually working for him.

Slowly, Youssef fell deeper into the trap. He borrowed money from friends, from his father’s business, from anyone he could. And every time he lost, Ayman was there with another “solution.”

One evening, Youssef sat across from Ayman in an expensive café. His hands trembled as he took a sip of his coffee. “Ayman, I can’t keep this up. My father is starting to ask questions.”

Ayman frowned, playing the role of the concerned friend. “Youssef, I told you to be careful. But don’t worry—I can help.”

Youssef looked up with hope. “How?”

Ayman leaned forward. “There’s an investment opportunity. A business deal that could make us both rich. But I need capital.”

Youssef hesitated. He had nothing left to give. “I… I don’t know, Ayman.”

Ayman sighed. “I understand. Maybe I should find someone else. Someone who’s ready to take a real step toward power.”

Youssef panicked. He couldn’t let Ayman walk away. “Wait! I’ll find the money.”

That night, Youssef stole a large sum from his father’s business, transferring it to Ayman.

Ayman knew the end was near. Youssef would eventually get caught. But Ayman had already prepared his escape plan. He had created a false paper trail, making it look like Youssef had been the mastermind all along. When Youssef’s father discovered the missing money, the blame would fall entirely on him.

And that’s exactly what happened.

A week later, Youssef was gone. Expelled from school, sent away by his furious father. His name was ruined.

Ayman, however, remained untouched.

As he walked through the school corridors, he heard whispers. People feared him now. They didn’t know exactly what had happened, but they knew one thing—Ayman was not someone to cross.

And that was exactly what he wanted.