The room was silent for a moment after Senator Hayes’ proposition. The kind of silence that stretched thin and tight, waiting for someone to snap it. Austin leaned back in his chair, one hand resting on the edge of the polished oak table, the other drumming his fingers against his knee. He studied Hayes like a cat watching a cornered mouse, his expression blank but his mind already ten steps ahead.“You said your daughter is head over heels for me,” Austin finally said, his tone dry, almost amused. “What makes you think that matters to me?” Senator Hayes laughed nervously, dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief. “Ah, Mr. Austin, you misunderstand me. I know you well enough to know emotions aren’t your currency. But alliances are. My proposal isn’t about love—it’s about power. Mutual benefits.” “Mutual?” Austin tilted his head, arching an eyebrow. “What’s mutual about me tying myself to your family? You get the Blake name, the status, the protection. What do I get, Senator?” H

The helicopter hummed against the heavy silence as Evans sat stiffly, his jaw locked tight. His fists clenched so hard his knuckles went white. Paul, seated across from him, shifted uncomfortably, glancing at his boss. “It’s not just strange,” Paul muttered, more to himself than anyone. “It’s downright unheard of. The Antonio group shutting down their entire territory? No one does that. What the hell are they playing at?” Evans’ glare shot to Paul, sharp enough to cut. “Do you think I’m blind? Or do you think I’m stupid?” His voice was low, dangerous, and Paul flinched. “Of course it’s strange. The bastards didn’t even bother with an explanation. Just turned me away like I’m some bloody beggar.” Paul opened his mouth, but whatever he was about to say, he swallowed it back. He knew better than to push when Evans was like this. The man’s temper was a blade—sharp and ready to slice through anyone in reach. “Pilot,” Evans barked, leaning toward the cockpit. “How much longer?” “A

Austin leaned back in his chair, eyes scanning the latest reports, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. He wasn’t just the world’s richest man anymore; he was a force of nature. His influence had seeped into every corner of the globe. The wealth, the power—it was more than just numbers now. It was a legacy.He had reshaped the global financial system, rewritten the rules, and made them work in his favor. It hadn't been easy. Resistance had come from every direction: billionaires, governments, corporations. Everyone who had been on top for too long. They fought tooth and nail to maintain the old order. They fought for their monopolies, their unchecked power, and their influence. But Austin had played his hand like a seasoned strategist, chipping away at the old systems until they crumbled."Mr. Blake, the global response is... positive," James said, stepping into the room. His voice was cool, but there was a hint of disbelief in his eyes. The change had been nothing short

---Austin stood at the head of the long table, the room packed with the usual faces—shadowy figures, the ones who played in the background, making sure the world never knew they existed. His presence, once just a ripple in the storm of global power, was now a tidal wave. He felt the weight of it pressing down on him as the minutes ticked by. His mind worked like a machine, calculating the next moves, understanding how every piece on this board fit into place. It was a skill that had gotten him this far—and one that had made him nearly unstoppable.The room was tense, the air thick with expectation. He'd expected nothing less from the Shadow Council. These were the same people who ran things in the dark corners of the world, the ones who'd once been content to pull strings from the shadows. Now they had come to him for direction. To him, Austin Blake. The man who had single-handedly reshaped the world economy, taken down entire monopolies, and made the masses see him as something mo

Austin leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping the smooth surface of the oak desk, eyes sharp and focused. Lady Katerina stood across from him, her posture perfect, exuding the kind of quiet authority that demanded respect. Her words had a weight to them, each sentence calculated, deliberate. He'd been listening to her talk for hours now, but it wasn’t just the information she was feeding him that held his attention—it was the way she spoke, the calm confidence in her voice that made even the most dangerous of revelations sound almost inevitable.“The Antonio Group... You’ve got to understand, Austin,” Lady Katerina began, her eyes never leaving his, “I’ve been playing this game long before you even knew what it was. Ten years ago, I infiltrated their ranks. I wasn’t just playing chess—I was setting up the board for a checkmate that would come much later. The Antonios were strong, yes. But they were fractured. Power struggles, greed... it was all brewing under the surface, and I sa