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The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 25: Different Devil
Twenty minutes later, Maria clicked her way into Ramirez's study, trading her "tactical black gear" for a slinky red dress that hugged her curves like a Ferrari on Lake Shore Drive. The mansion rose like an old-world castle transplanted to Chicago's Gold Coast - all limestone and arrogance. The foyer's marble floor, imported straight from Carrara, Italy, spread beneath her feet like frozen music. Crystal chandeliers dripped light onto oil paintings worth more than most people made in a lifetime. Renaissance masters stared down from gilded frames - silent witnesses to decades of deals and deaths.Armed guards stood at attention, their respect genuine. In Ramirez's world, Maria had earned her stripes the hard way. The study itself was a testament to power - Brazilian walnut panels lined walls thick enough to muffle screams, while floor-to-ceiling windows offered panoramic views of the city Ramirez helped rule. Books nobody read filled custom shelves, their leather spines more prop than
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 26: When Dragons Count Their Golds
Thunder cracked overhead as Ethan Langford burst into Ramirez's study, rainwater dripping from his thousand-dollar suit. The usual polish was gone, replaced by something raw and desperate. His perfectly styled hair hung in wet strands, and his designer shoes squeaked against the imported marble.Maria watched from her position behind Ramirez's chair, cataloging every detail. The tremor in Ethan's manicured hands. The wild look in those calculating eyes. The way his chest heaved with barely controlled panic."Ricardo," Ethan started, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace. "We need to talk."Ramirez didn't look up from his tablet, letting the silence stretch until it burned. When he finally spoke, his voice carried the warmth of an Arctic wind. "Talking costs money, amigo. Speaking of which..." He tapped the screen. "You owe me quite a bit, no?""That's why I'm here." Ethan moved closer, water pooling beneath his feet. "The warehouse-""Ah yes, the warehouse." Ramirez's smile
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 27: Ghosts of What Could Be
Eve's fingers traced the message on Mason's phone screen, its blue glow painting shadows across her face in the dimly lit penthouse bedroom. The text about Ethan's deadline with Ramirez burned into her mind, but her attention kept drifting to the man lying unconscious before her.Mason's chest rose and fell steadily, his features softened by sleep and medication. The bullet had torn through his shoulder, missing anything vital. Eve had patched him up with practiced efficiency. That's what obscene amounts of money bought in Chicago – making beds out of people."Helluva mess you stepped in," Eve muttered, adjusting the IV drip. Her fingers lingered on Mason's arm, feeling the warmth of his skin. Something stirred in her chest – that damn feeling she'd been trying to squash more lately.First time that feeling hit her, she was just a scrawny kid, she'd been fifteen, face-to-face, trying to lift Leo King's wallet on Maxwell Street – stupid, desperate move.Her fingers? Then clumsy and col
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 28: Ghosts of Grace
Mason's eyes yanked open to harsh morning light streaming through floor-to-ceiling bulletproofed windows. His shoulder throbbed with each heartbeat, a steady reminder of last night's firefight. Beside Mason's king-sized bed lay a bloody steel plate - the bullet that had tried to claim his life."Some guardian angel you got there, Rivers," Mason shifted, testing the limits of his bandaged shoulder. The movement sent lightning bolts of pain down his arm, but he'd had worse. Construction work wasn't exactly gentle on the body. Though these days, his calluses were getting soft, replaced by the kind of hands that signed death warrants instead of timecards.The crucifix on his wall caught his eye. Sister Agnes's voice rang in his head, clear as Sunday bells: "Remember, bambinos, every choice carves your soul."Mason almost laughed. If only the good Sister could see her star pupil now. The little boy who'd spent hours helping her tend the orphanage garden, now watering Chicago's streets with
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 29: The Weight of Lies
Mason padded toward his kitchen, a parade of "Morning, boss" and "Looking berter, Mr. King" following him down the marble hallway. Even the cleaning lady, Maria, dropped her duster to bow slightly. "Coffee's fresh, señor Rivers. Colombian, like you prefer."The penthouse screamed money louder than a stool pigeon under pressure. Italian marble that cost more than most guys made in a year. Art worth killing for (and some of it actually had been). Floor-to-ceiling windows offering a view of Chicago that'd make God jealous.The coffee maker - some fancy German thing that probably cost more than his first car - hummed to life like it was greeting its master. "Good morning, Mr. King," the digital display actually read, programmed to kiss his ring just like everyone else.As he waited for the imported coffee maker to work its magic, Mason caught his reflection in the chrome, Mason barely recognized himself. Gone was the wide-eyed kid who'd helped Sister Agnes plant flowers. These eyes belong
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 30: The Gospel According to King
Mason's religion talk hit the room like a Tommy gun - loud and dangerous. Eve's fingers did their usual dance, hunting for steel at her hip. Something wasn't adding up, and in their world, math errors got people killed."Religion?" Eve barked out a laugh that'd wake the dead. "What's next? Joining them holy rollers down at Saint Mary's?"Mason squared his shoulders, Leo King's authority flooding his stance. "You forgetting Morrison's deal last spring? When I switched the whole game plan ten minutes before showtime because the feng shui felt wrong?"Eve's retort died in her throat. She remembered that night - Leo tearing up a million-dollar setup because something in his gut screamed sideways. They'd thought he'd lost it until the feds raided the original location exactly when they should've been there.Leo's little black book Mason had found turned out to be his ace in Eve's hole. Who knew it could be in this situation?"Or that time in Detroit," Mason continued, voice dropping to tha
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 31: The Devil's Dance Card
Mason drummed his fingers on the mahogany table. Eve posted up by the door, loose but ready."Ramirez wants a sit-down. All seven families." Mason kept his voice flat.Sergei, a mountain in an expensive suit, leaned forward. "Last time families had such meeting, didn't make it home." His accent thick as molasses. "Was beautiful funeral though. Very expensive flowers."Sarah touched the fresh bandages at her neck. "Yeah, and those flowers ended up decorating five more graves before the month was out.""Different times," Thomas countered, cigarette smoke curling around his words. "Different players.""Same game though." Viktor's scarred hands splayed across blueprints of neutral territories. "Same rules. Same price for losing."Mason let that sink in. Outside, Chicago pretended to be honest while its real business happened in rooms like this."Boss." Sophia never looked up from her tablet. "Ramirez's movements last forty-eight hours. Three meetings with Ethan Langford. Two visits to Jud
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 32: Devils in the Details
Eve fell into step beside Mason as they strode toward Leo's office, her heels clicking a deadly rhythm on marble floors."You're really doing this thing." Not a question. Her voice carried something new - respect mixed with concern.Mason shouldered through Leo's office doors, breathing in that gotten familiar smell of money and power. "Doing what?""Getting in bed with the devil." Eve's lips curled mean. "In the pale moonlight."Mason dropped into his chair, ignoring his bad singing shoulder. "Way I see it, Chicago's already got its devil." His good hand found a crystal tumbler, amber liquid catching the light. "Might as well show him some new steps.""This ain't some back-alley dice game.""Never is." Dark laughter colored his words. "That's the trade."Mason settled behind his desk, ignoring the throb in his shoulder. "You're playing a dangerous game.""Always am." Mason's voice held dark amusement. "Nature of the business.""This is different." Eve leaned in close. "Ramirez ain't
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Chapter 130: Between Lines and Choices
Agnes stumbled, her foot catching on an upturned root as she fled through the back garden. Mason stalked behind her, his breath coming in slow, measured exhales. He had no intention of harming her. His presence alone was a suffocating weight pressing down on her shoulders. When her knees finally gave out, she collapsed onto the damp earth, trembling hands clutching the hem of her worn skirt. Her tear-streaked face turned skyward as if seeking divine absolution. The garden's mint and lavender - normally so soothing - mixed with the metallic tang of fear coating her tongue."Please..." Agnes sobbed, her voice thin and cracking. "Don't kill me! I'll confess. I'll tell you everything. Yes... I switched... him. I switched him!" The words spilled from her like a prayer, desperate and raw.Mason crouched before her, his expression unreadable. Inside, his mind raced through possibilities he'd never allowed himself to consider. The words tumbling from her mouth were erratic, but the fragments
Chapter 129: More Pieces Missing Than Whole
Mason tore through the orphanage's corridors like a man running from his own shadow. He found Sister Margaret in the courtyard, her hands deep in the dirt, tending roses that had seen better days – just like everything else in this joint."Sister Margaret." The words came out with urgency."Mace?" She turned, concern etching lines in her face. "Didn't expect to see you back so quick."His throat worked like he was choking down bad booze. "Eva – she say anything about me? Anything strange?" The desperation in his voice would've gotten him killed in his other life, the one where Leo King ruled the Underworld with an iron fist.Margaret wiped earth from hands that had dried more tears than he could count. "You're shaking like a junkie in withdrawal, boy. Eva dropped by, played Santa Claus to the kids, took a walk in the garden. Nothing worth getting your shorts in a twist over." Her eyes cut through him sharper than a switchblade. "Though she seemed... thoughtful but harmless.""The gard
Chapter 128: Never Go Home Again
The Lincoln Continental's tires screeched to a stop as Mason pulled up to St. Catherine's. His knuckles went white on the steering wheel, eyes fixed on the weathered brick facade like a hitman studying his mark. This joint should've felt like relief, even clarity, driving toward a place tied to his childhood. Instead, his gut twisted with the kind of warning that had kept him breathing through Chicago's bloodiest turf wars.The dashboard lit up with his phone's buzz, cutting through his dark thoughts.Sophia’s name lit up the screen."Talk to me," he barked into the phone."Boss," she purred, but there was a crackling urgency beneath her usual charm. "Just making sure we're still good for tonight with the Lords. Got everything lined up neat – the donations, the cuts, the whole nine. Ethan's prepped and ready to dance."She paused, and Mason's radar pinged. "Those Drake surveillance tapes? Someone did a number on them. Real professional job – whoever cleaned house knew their tech bette
Chapter 127: Leo King Wants Me Dead
Sister Margaret stood in the doorway, older now but unmistakable in her habits, her face a museum of memories suddenly brought to life."Sweet Jesus," Sister Margaret breathed. "It really is you."Eve forced her lips into what passed for a smile these days. The orphanage knew her as Eva, but the streets gave her a name: 'Eve, daughter of disaster'."Still breathing, Sister."The nun crossed the floor like she was racing time itself, hands reaching out. Eve's muscles coiled tight as Sister Margaret grabbed her hands, but the warmth in that touch was like sunlight breaking through Chicago's endless winter."Look at you, all grown up strong," Sister Margaret's voice wavered with emotion. "I always knew you’d make something of yourself."Eve swallowed a laugh that tasted like broken glass. "You're seeing what you want to see, Sister."Sister Margaret's eyes went soft around the edges. "Whatever weight you're carrying, you don't have to shoulder it alone. Whatever brought you back here..."
Chapter 126: Eve's Return to St. Catherine's
Eve's knuckles went white on the wheel as she sped down the streets of Chicago. The morning lights bled together, much like her thoughts—chaotic, fragmented, impossible to catch. Her favorite jazz playlist played low in the background - saxophones crying out the pain she wouldn't let herself feel.She'd bolted from Leo's penthouse in a fury, needing the distance, the silence, the clarity she couldn’t find between his steady gaze and his maddening presence. She'd made her bones as a killer, carved out a reputation for cutting ties clean and permanent. Now here she was, caught up in Leo's game. And Joey - sprawled out cold on that floor while Leo played judge, jury, and executioner.Eve had seen death before, caused it more times than she could count, but Joey's end hit different. Showed a darkness she didn't want to face. Since Leo came back, he'd been different - sparked something dangerous in her chest that felt too much like hope. In their world, hope was a bullet waiting to find it
Chapter 125: Long Live the Queen
The tension in the penthouse lingered long after Sergei hauled Joey's limp body away. Mason let out a breath, fishing his phone from his pocket like a man pulling an ace from his sleeve. His thumbs danced across the screen, sending Maria the coordinates and the real story behind Joey's theatrical death scene.Mason: Joey's breathing. Heart stimulant. Looks dead for 5 hours. Be ready.He turned to face the window, but Chicago's sprawling skyline offered no escape from the thick air inside. He caught the looks his crew was throwing - fear masked by respect, just the way he had wanted it. A ghost of a smile crossed his face. Back when he was just another construction grunt, nobody gave him the time of day. His voice carried about as much weight as a paper badge.He nodded to himself, satisfaction settling in his bones. Power speaks its own language.Without wasting another breath, he set his sights on St. Catherine's, ready to move on the next play./ / /Miles out, cutting through restr
Chapter 124: Mason Leo
By 6:45 AM, Mason Rivers was already suited up and moving like a man with scores to settle. The click of his Italian leather shoes echoed through the marble hallway as some broad in a pencil skirt tried to cut him off near the elevator."Mr. King," she chirped, proper as Sunday mass, clutching her tablet like it held state secrets. "You've got the board waiting at 9 AM. Mrs. King requested updates on the transition plans."Mason sized her up without breaking stride. Everything about her screamed family business - not the legitimate kind, but the type that kept Chicago's underground spinning like a well-oiled machine. He had to hand it to Helena; the woman knew how to pick her staff. Rich folks and their armies of helpers - some things never changed in the Windy City."Cancel them," Mason ordered curtly, not sparing her a glance. "Tell Helena business demanded my attention elsewhere. And let Vincent know he's acting general manager starting now. Weekly updates only, and I want just the
Chapter 123: Two Kernel Nuts in the Same Shell
Finally, Helena replied, her tone tinged with the weight of years Mason hadn’t lived through. "When you reach my age, you'll understand." The answer wasn’t satisfying, and it wasn’t meant to be. It was the kind of deflection someone used to avoid the sharp edge of a question that cut too close to the bone. Mason felt the frustration bloom in his chest, but Helena wasn't done playing her hand."Now," she said, her voice brisk and businesslike, "Vincent. You should consider him for the general manager position at King's Industries. He's sharp, loyal as a made man, and knows the business inside and out. It's time."But Mason's mind was already running down darker alleys, circling the questions that had haunted him since Jake dropped that bomb about his identity. His thoughts kept coming back to Leo - their mirror-image faces, the fact that Helena wasn't Leo's blood. Maybe if he could track down Leo's real mother, he'd finally get some answers about the reflection that haunted his mirror
Chapter 122: The Queen's Silence
Mason went still as a statue, like someone had just pulled a heater on him at a deal gone wrong. "Come again?""Don't play dumb – it doesn't suit you," Helena said, that South Side edge creeping into her sophisticated tone. "You already put it out there at the luncheon, running your mouth to the media about taking over. Plus those South Side projects you've owned up to handling? You've made quite the name for yourself. Time to own it."Mason's whiskey glass hung suspended between table and lips like his brain had short-circuited. "Hold on now. I'd barely declared my interest—""This ain't up for debate." Helena's voice carried that special kind of authority that made even the hardest street soldiers stand at attention. "You're moving back to the family house. Eve's gonna back your play, but the crown's sitting on your head.""And where does that leave me?" Charlotte piped up, her eyes sparkling with that Lake Shore Drive mischief. "Surely I have a role in this grand plan?"Helena’s ga
