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Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 59
59As Allvar stepped into the sleek conference room that morning, he noticed the familiar lineup of cold faces across the table. Mr. Henley sat at the head, his expression unreadable but with a faint hint of skepticism in his eyes. His associates, equally stiff and formal, eyed Allvar as if waiting for another failure. "Mr. Falck," Mr. Henley greeted, the words coming out more like a formality than an actual welcome. "I trust you’ve had time to reconsider your last proposal?""I have," Allvar said, his voice steady. He took his seat opposite Mr. Henley, placing the updated contracts on the table. "And I believe you’ll find this version much more aligned with your expectations.""Let’s hope so," one of Mr. Henley’s colleagues muttered under his breath, earning a small nod of approval from the boss himself.Allvar glanced at him but chose to remain composed. He had anticipated this attitude, but he wasn’t here to engage in petty jabs. He was here to win.Mr. Henley leaned forward, flip
Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 60
60Allvar didn’t flinch. He met Henley’s stare with a calm, steady gaze. “You’ve been with Waterfall Corporation long enough to know we don’t make promises we can’t keep. If this deal goes through, I personally guarantee that my team will deliver everything we’ve outlined, and more. I’m prepared to put my reputation on the line for this, Mr. Henley. And I don’t take that lightly.”Henley’s eyes narrowed, clearly not expecting such a direct response. There was a long, tense silence as he studied Allvar, tapping his fingers against the table.There was a long pause as Mr. Henley and his team deliberated. Allvar sat back in his chair, watching them, but not with the anxiety he’d felt during the first meeting. This time, he knew he had given them something they couldn’t easily refuse.After what felt like an eternity, Mr. Henley finally spoke. "We’ll need time to review these documents in detail. But based on what I’ve seen today... you’ve given us something to think about."Allvar nodded
Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 61
61Jake clenched his fists, visibly seething. “You’ve got a big mouth for someone who’s about to get kicked to the curb. Just wait. I’d give it a week before you’re begging for your job back.”“Begging? Oh, I wouldn’t want to embarrass myself like that,” Allvar said, a smirk curling at the corners of his lips. “I prefer to maintain a level of dignity, unlike some of us here.”“Dignity?” Edgar scoffed, crossing his arms tightly. “Is that what you call stepping on Marcus Vale's back to climb up the ladder? I guess you learned a lot about ambition, didn’t you? It must be nice to get promoted after a week while the rest of us have been grinding for years.”They were still struggling to swallow the bitter truth: just a week after Allvar’s admission into the company, he had already secured a seat on the board, a position that had taken even the luckiest among them at least five years to attain. To make matters worse, their former colleague and friend, Marcus Vale, had been fired, and the i
Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 62
62Another week had passed, and Derek was at his breaking point. His office felt smaller with each passing day, the walls seemingly closing in on him as frustration bubbled over. He sat behind his desk, his jaw clenched so tightly it hurt. His eyes burned from sleepless nights, and still—nothing. No new leads, no loopholes, nothing about Allvar’s contract that could help him.The door creaked open cautiously, and Ethan stepped inside, looking hesitant. Derek didn’t even bother looking up."Don’t tell me," Derek said, his voice cold and sharp as glass, "nothing again."Ethan let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping. "I’ve looked through everything, Derek. Every possible angle. I even hired an outside consultant to go over the contract with me. There’s nothing there."Derek shot up from his chair, slamming his fist down on the desk so hard that papers scattered across the room. "So what you’re telling me is that I’ve wasted 'two weeks' chasing after a ghost?!" His voice boomed, thic
Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 63
63Dean cut him off with a chuckle, dripping with smug satisfaction. "Now, now. Let’s keep this civil. I told you there’d be a little favor in exchange, didn’t I?"Derek’s jaw tightened as his teeth ground together. "You’re a manipulative bastard, Dean," he growled, voice low and dangerous. "You’ve been playing me from the start.""Playing?" Dean’s laugh echoed through the phone, calm and infuriatingly smooth. "Derek, this is *business*. Games are for children, and frankly, I thought you knew better.""You think screwing me over is business?" Derek’s voice shot up, filled with venom. "You think stringing me along is just part of the job?"Dean hummed as if amused by Derek’s outrage. "Come on, Derek. You can’t seriously be surprised. This is how the game is played. You, of all people, should know that by now."Derek’s pulse pounded in his ears, his rage bubbling over. "You think this is a game? You 'used' me! You’re going to pay for this."Dean’s laugh grated on Derek’s last nerve. "I
Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 64
64Ethan sighed, folding his arms. "Look, man. I get it. Dean’s a snake. But if you start making decisions out of anger, you’ll lose sight of what’s important."Derek turned on him, his voice sharp. "And what’s important, Ethan? Because right now, I can’t see anything past wiping that smug grin off Dean’s face."Ethan held his gaze, unfazed by Derek’s outburst. "What’s important is that we’re smarter than him. We don’t let him manipulate us into making reckless moves. Dean wants you angry, Derek. He wants you blinded by it."Derek stared at him for a long moment, breathing heavily, before his shoulders slumped. "He’s laughing at me. Right now, he’s laughing at how easy I am to rile up."Ethan nodded, his voice gentler now. "Yeah, he is. And the only way to win is to stop playing his game. Focus on the bigger picture. Figure out what he meant by ‘more at stake.’ There’s something we’re missing, Derek."Derek ran a hand through his hair, frustration still simmering beneath the surface.
Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 65
65Allvar stepped into 'La Maison Élégance', feeling the stares hit him like a wave. He had never cared much about formalities, but the tension in the air made it impossible to ignore. His t-shirt and jeans suddenly felt too casual, too plain, for a place where even the chandeliers seemed to judge him. The murmurs started almost immediately, and his heart raced as he made his way toward the front desk.“Is that the guy with the Ferrari?” A woman’s whisper barely reached his ears, but the sharp tone pierced through.“He doesn’t 'look' like someone who should be driving one,” her husband scoffed, giving Allvar a once-over that lingered just long enough to burn.Allvar’s cheeks flushed, and he quickened his pace, wishing he could disappear.“Really?” another voice chimed in from his left. “A t-shirt and jeans at 'La Maison Élégance'?” The woman snickered, nudging her friend. “I guess he thinks money equals class.”Her friend’s laughter echoed as Allvar passed by, his shoulders stiffening
Get Ready For Allvar Falck's Ruthless Return 66
66“God, just look at him,” a woman at the next table sneered, her voice like a dagger. “You’d think he’d at least try to look decent if he’s going to a place like this.”Her friend leaned in, whispering loudly enough for Allvar to hear. “Maybe he’s lost. I mean, who dresses like that? I didn’t realize this place had started letting 'anyone' in.”Allvar clenched his jaw, feeling the burn of embarrassment creep up his neck. He could feel the sweat gathering at the nape of his neck, and every second in that chair felt like an eternity.Just as he thought it couldn’t get worse, a man at a nearby table laughed, loud and obnoxious. “Can you imagine him trying to pronounce anything here? He’s clearly not from around 'this'part of town.”Allvar wanted to disappear. His vision blurred with frustration, his hands trembling. He felt as though he was under a microscope, every move he made scrutinized by the sneering faces surrounding him.Someone else chuckled. “Guess anyone can walk in here the
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298Allvar didn’t answer right away. His mind was working, trying to come up with a way out, a plan, anything. But the truth was, he wasn’t sure he could escape. The pain from the slap still throbbed in his jaw, and the ropes around his wrists were too tight to slip free from. His muscles burned, his body heavy with fatigue from the earlier struggles.Tobias waited, watching him carefully. “Nothing to say? Interesting.”Allvar glared at him, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths. His thoughts raced, trying to formulate a plan. But Tobias’s mocking gaze made it hard to focus. He clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding together.“You’re not going to win,” Allvar said quietly, though he wasn’t entirely sure he believed it himself. “This will end. It always does.”Tobias chuckled darkly, his voice low and dripping with amusement. “We’ll see about that, won’t we?”Allvar couldn’t help but snap. The frustration, the anger, it all welled up inside of him. “Why don’t you just get it o
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297The stocky man shrugged. “Told you. He’s—”Without warning, Tobias slapped Allvar across the face, the sharp crack echoing through the warehouse. Allvar’s head snapped to the side, and a groan escaped his lips. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused.“There he is,” Tobias said, his voice dripping with mock sweetness. He crouched down again, grabbing Allvar by the chin and forcing him to look up. “Welcome back, Allvar. Did you have a nice nap?”Allvar winced, his jaw throbbing from the slap. He tried to pull away, but Tobias’s grip tightened. “Go to hell,” he rasped, his voice hoarse.Tobias chuckled darkly. “Oh, you’ve got some fight left in you. Good. I’d hate for this to be too easy.”The tall man and the stocky one snickered behind him, but Tobias silenced them with a sharp look. “You two—stand back. I’ll handle this.”They nodded quickly, retreating a few steps but staying close enough to watch.Tobias turned his attention back to Allvar, his expression turning
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296The group moved quickly through the damp alley, their prisoner slumped between the tall man and the stocky one. Allvar’s body hung limply, his head drooping as though unconscious. His feet dragged against the ground, leaving faint streaks of blood in their wake. The men didn’t seem to care, their focus solely on bringing him to Tobias."Pick up the pace," the tall man growled, his voice sharp with irritation. His eyes darted ahead, scanning the darkened alley for any signs of danger. "Boss doesn’t like waiting."The stocky man grunted in annoyance. "What’s the rush? He’s not going anywhere. Look at him—barely breathing.""Yeah? And whose fault will it be if he dies before Tobias gets a word out of him?" the tall man snapped, shooting his partner a glare that could cut through steel. His grip tightened on Allvar’s arm as if to emphasize the point.The stocky man let out an exasperated sigh but said nothing. "Not my problem," he muttered under his breath, though his eyes flicked to
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295“Careful,” the tall man said mockingly, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Don’t want him bleeding out before Tobias sees him.”Weston chuckled, shaking Allvar’s limp arm. “Bleeding out?” he scoffed. “Look at him. He’s practically swimming in his own blood already. Tobias’ll think we hit a slaughterhouse on the way.”Allvar could barely make out their words through the haze of pain, his vision blurring in and out. His muscles trembled, but he held on, fighting against the darkness threatening to swallow him whole. He clenched his teeth and managed to grunt, though his words came out in a painful rasp. “You… won’t win,” he hissed, barely audible, but enough to taunt them.The tall man stopped in his tracks, turning to lean down toward Allvar. He moved slowly, his breath hot and foul against Allvar’s ear as he whispered. “Win?” The man’s voice was thick with amusement. “Oh, Allvar, we already have. You’re just too stubborn to admit it.”Weston snorted behind him, clearly enjoying the
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294The sound of heavy boots brought Allvar back from the brink of unconsciousness. His body felt like it was being torn apart, each movement sending fresh waves of agony through his limbs. His skin was slick with sweat, his breath ragged and shallow. He stirred slightly, barely able to move, and his surroundings swam in and out of focus.The storage closet was still cloaked in darkness, a suffocating void of silence and pain. Allvar tried to push himself up, but his strength failed him. His head was pounding, and his body was weak from the beating he had taken earlier. He could hear the footsteps now, their rhythm echoing through the narrow space. The voices outside were unmistakably closer, too close.“Check that door again,” barked one of the men, his voice sharp with authority.“All right, all right,” came the response, gruff and impatient. “You checked it five minutes ago, Holt. He’s not Houdini. He’s not gonna vanish into thin air.”“You checked it, but you didn’t check it right
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293Desperation coursed through him, pushing him forward once more, despite the pain, despite the blood dripping down his side. Every movement burned, but stopping wasn’t an option. His breaths came short and fast, his chest heaving with the effort.“It’s not… it’s not far…” Allvar rasped, though he knew he was lying to himself. His body was failing him, and he could feel it. He was slowing down, his legs refusing to carry him any further. Every step felt like an eternity, his boots dragging against the uneven pavement.A voice in his head screamed at him to stop, to rest, to let the pain win. But he shook his head violently, gritting his teeth. "No… not yet," he hissed, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart in his ears.The narrow alley stretched endlessly ahead of him, the shadows swallowing the dim light of the flickering streetlamps. The air smelled of damp concrete and rot, and the walls seemed to close in tighter with every step he took.“Where is it?” he mutte
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292Allvar’s legs screamed in agony as he forced himself to move, each step like a hot iron being driven into his muscles. The bleeding from the stab wound in his side had slowed to a steady trickle, but the pain was unbearable, gnawing at him with every breath. He could feel the blood soaking into his shirt, warm and sticky, as it ran down his torso.He had to keep going.“Move, damn it,” he muttered under his breath, gritting his teeth. “Just one more step. One more…”But his body wasn’t listening. Each movement felt heavier, slower. Tobias’s men were closing in, their footsteps echoing through the narrow alleyways like death’s march. He couldn’t afford to stop, couldn’t let them get close enough to see the blood. If they saw it, they’d know how weak he was.Allvar glanced over his shoulder, his eyes scanning the darkened streets. “Where the hell are they?” he whispered, his voice trembling. The night was too quiet. He could hear his own heart pounding, erratic and loud, in his ears
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291“They’re getting closer,” Allvar repeated, his voice laced with desperation as he stumbled forward, his gaze darting over his shoulder. The faint echo of footsteps reverberated in the cold night air, sending a shiver down his spine. His stomach churned as the realization hit him—Tobias’s men were closing in, and his options were running out.“This can’t be it,” he muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening. “I can’t let him win. Not like this.”The sound of footsteps grew louder, more distinct. Allvar’s eyes darted to the left, then the right, scanning the maze of narrow alleyways and shadowed buildings. Every pathway seemed to stretch into endless darkness, and every corner felt like a potential ambush. He forced himself to make a choice, lunging toward a dimly lit alley to his left.“You’re wasting time,” he hissed to himself. “Move, Allvar. Move!”His boots pounded against the uneven ground as he sprinted forward, his breaths ragged and sharp in the icy air. His heart hammer
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290The men scrambled to comply, their fear propelling them into action. But Tobias wasn’t finished. His eyes locked onto one of them, the closest to him, as he advanced slowly, his footsteps deliberate and menacing.“You,” Tobias spat, his voice like ice. “You were supposed to keep him contained. What the hell happened?”The man’s breath hitched as he swallowed hard, eyes darting nervously. “I—I’m sorry, Tobias,” he stammered, taking a hesitant step back, his body tense, as though he were anticipating the strike. “We didn’t—”Before the man could finish, Tobias’s hand shot out, the blade flashing in the low light. He didn’t hesitate. The knife buried itself deep into the man’s neck with a sickening sound, blood spraying across the floor. A gurgling sound escaped the man’s throat as he collapsed to the ground, his hands twitching desperately in his final moments.The remaining men froze, their eyes wide in horror. The air in the room thickened, filled with the scent of blood and terro
