2024-11-11 03:30:29
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The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 37: Five Percent Paradise
Ethan stiffened. "Matter with you? This is pure profit."Sophia traded a look with Sergei. "Then we'll make that call ourselves."Ethan's glance dropped to his watch. The bruise from Ramirez throbbed. He exhaled. "How about you make it fast."Outside, the L-train thundered overhead as Sophia punched in Mason's private number."Talk." Mason's voice cut through the train's clatter."Recording's solid. Got Ramirez, the payment structure-" Sophia dropped her voice. "Plus a bonus. Our friend wants the wife installed as Operations Director. Overseeing his remaining stake."Mason's laugh had teeth in it. "Perfect." The L-train screeched around a corner. "That's better than we originally planned. Having her in-house... that's poetry.""What about the media leak? The investigation?""New play. Give him everything - Ramirez's payment, his cut, the wife's position. Let him think he's won." Steel crept into Mason's voice over the train's screech. "Olivia under our thumb beats any scandal."Someti
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 38: High-Rise Hunters
Trying to kill time, Ethan stood to watch Chicago from up here in his penthouse. Chicago spread out below him like his personal kingdom. The penthouse's floor-to-ceiling windows framed Chicago's skyline, all those lights twinkling like scattered diamonds.All that power. His power.Speaking of diamonds...Ethan's fingers tapped a familiar number. The auction house's receptionist answered on the second ring."Morrison's Private Collections, how may I assist you?""Judas Morrison. Put him on." Ethan's voice carried the weight of old money.A pause. "I'm sorry, Mr. Morrison is in a meeting—""Tell him it's Ethan Langford." He examined his manicured nails. "He'll take it."Muzak filtered through the line. Ethan's mind wandered to the King family's charity luncheon. Such a perfect opportunity. All of Chicago's elite gathered in one place, including their precious Aurora Borealis."Ethan!" Judas's voice boomed through the speaker. "To what do I owe the pleasure?""That King girl." Ethan kep
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 39: The Snake and The Saint
Mason strolled up to Jake's apartment complex in a modest sedan - not the kind of ride Leo King would be caught dead in, but perfect for keeping a low profile. The box with him held a stack of comic books, medical journals for Sarah, and a tablet loaded with games for Tommy.Chicago's late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the crumbling concrete, highlighting every crack and water stain on the building's facade. The place looked even worse than Mason remembered. A constant reminder of how the other half lived - the half he used to belong to.The security door buzzed him in, its hinges protesting with a screech that made Mason wince. Jake's voice crackled through the ancient intercom: "Third floor's still working, brother. Elevator's about as reliable as campaign promises."Mason took the stairs two at a time, his footsteps echoing in the narrow stairwell. The smell of curry from 2B mixed with cleaning supplies from the super's closet. Some things never changed.Jake waited in his
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 40: A Devil's Charity
Here was the moment - the chance to set his plan in motion. The weight of his plan sat heavy in his gut. Mason took a deep breath, letting the night air fill his lungs."Got a lead on a job," Mason said, keeping his voice casual. "Risk Assessment Manager position. Real corporate stuff, benefits package that'd make your union rep jealous."Jake's eyebrows shot up. "Yeah? What's the fine print?""No fine print. Company's called LangCorp Technologies." Mason watched Jake's face carefully. "They're restructuring, looking for fresh blood in management.""LangCorp?" Jake recoiled. "Ain't that your wife's new sugar daddy's company? Hell no, Mason. That's like twisting the knife."Mason held up a hand, shoulders strained. Thankfully he's managed so far to hide the injured shoulder away from Jake's notice. "Was his company. Word is Langford sold off seventy percent of his shares. Different beast now.""Still..." Jake's jaw worked. "After what that bastard did to you?""This ain't about him."
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 41: Family Obligations
Mason's phone buzzed. Again. Like a damn wasp that wouldn't quit.He squared up, pulling on Leo's blue-blood swagger like a tailored suit. Time to play make-believe with mommy dearest."Mother." Mason infused his voice with practiced warmth. "What a pleasant surprise.""Pleasant? Is that what we're calling it now?" Helena King's voice dripped acid-sweet sarcasm. "Six months of you playin' ghost on me, and now what – you expect me to be all sunshine and roses? Maybe I oughta ring you up every hour on the hour, yeah? Give ya a taste of what *pleasant disturbance* really feels like, sugar."Mason winced. "Listen, Ma—""Oh spare me the escuses, darling." Helena cut through his words. "Don't think I forgot the annual King Foundation Charity Luncheon darling. Saturday when the clock strikes noon. All the big shots and their dames'll be there, dressed to the nines." A pause pregnant with meaning. "Memory still working, or did that ghost too?"Mason's insides did a free-fall. Another test of
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 42: Queen Takes Knight
"Hmm." Eve tapped her chin in mock consideration. "Spend my Saturday watching Chicago's elite pretend they're not terrified of you while eating overpriced rubber chicken?" Something wicked flashed in her eyes. "Wouldn't miss it. And that's a 'you owe me big time.'" Eve stretched, the movement doing interesting things to her silk nightwear. "Besides, got the perfect present for mommy dearest, too."Mason's eyebrows climbed. "Present?""The diamond necklace you gave me on your birthday." Eve's face softened. "Eve..." Mason's voice softened. "That was a gift.""And now it's a strategic move." Eve's smile turned calculating. "Six months without showing face? She'll be expecting groveling. Instead, her boy's new... companion presents her with a small fortune in diamonds?" She shrugged. "Besides, what better way to say 'potential daughter-in-law material'?"Mason's brain stalled. "Daughter-in-law?""Well, what else would she think?" Eve's smile turned wicked. "We've been practically living
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 43: Lords of Chicago
Mason adjusted his silk tie in the mirror, studying the reflection like a general inspecting troops. The hand-tailored Brioni suit - charcoal gray with subtle pinstripes - draped his frame like liquid money. A blood-red pocket square added the perfect dash of menace."Looking sharp, boss." Eve lounged in the doorway of his private suite, already dressed to kill in a black Versace number that hugged curves like a second skin. "Though I still say you're making a mistake leaving me behind."Mason's smirked, watching her reflection. His mind drifted to their first job together - the way she'd slit a traitor's throat without getting a drop on her designer heels. "What's wrong, piccola morte? Afraid I can't handle myself without my guardian angel?""What can I say?" Eve slunk into the room, stalking closer on stiletto heels that could double as weapons. "Seven of Chicago's finest scumbags in one place? That's better than Christmas." Her fingers twitched, probably imagining all the throats b
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 44: Six Lords and a Lie
Ramirez let the silence stretch, savoring the moment. His cream suit stood out against the room's shadows – como un faro en la oscuridad, a beacon in the darkness. He'd chosen it specifically for that effect. In this business, appearance was everything. Power was about perception, after all."Miren, señores." Ramirez's voice carried the weight of tradition. "Our beautiful Chicago bleeds herself dry while we sit here playing games." His gaze locked onto Mason, dark and knowing. "Because someone decided the old rules don't apply anymore."Tommy Chen's dragon tattoos danced across his neck as he shifted. "Rules change, old man. City changes too.""Ay, pero la tradición?" Ramirez's hands painted pictures in the air. "Tradition keeps our world spinning. Break that wheel...chaos follows." His smile showed teeth. "Isn't that right, Leone?"Mason kept still, fought the urge to roll his shoulder where the bullet had left its mark. Through eyes trained by years on the street, he cataloged detai
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Chapter 137: Burning Rubber, Burning Hearts
The air in the room shifted. Mason's eyes locked onto Eve while Sister Agnes's prayers buzzed in the background like white noise. The space felt cramped as a jail cell and big as Lake Michigan all at once, like the universe had condensed to focus on this single, volatile moment."Gotta lay this out straight," Mason said, voice rough as Chicago asphalt. "This ain't some walk in the park for me. These feelings for you... wanting you... still been burning me up inside for years. But I can't let you fall for some counterfeit Leo version of me. Not like this."Eve cocked her head, eyes sharp as a street hustler's. "You think you got exclusive rights to damaged goods, sugar?" Her words cut deep as a switchblade. "Maybe if you'd put in more effort finding me. Wasn't like I vanished into thin air."Mason's jaw clenched tight enough to crack teeth, her words stinging worse than he'd expected. "I busted my ass looking," he growled, frustration bleeding through. "Hit up every damn foster joint,
Chapter 136: A Thirty-Three-Year Secret
Agnes’ trembling hands gripped the edge of the garden bench like it was her last lifeline, her eyes playing ping-pong between Mason's burning stare and the dirt she looked ready to sink into."Aha, it's you, ain't it?" Mason's voice sliced through the silence, raw and unyielding. "You're the one behind all this shit. The reason I got dumped there… abandoned. Split from my own brother, from a mother who—damn her struggles—at least wanted to step up! But you—" His voice broke, but not his anger. "You still got no kids of your own, right? Now I see why."Agnes took the hit like someone catching a bullet, her oversized outfit couldn't hide how bad she was shaking. Even Eve felt that one land. She moved in quick, laying a steadying hand on Mason's arm. "Easy, Mace. Look at her... she's breaking apart here."Just then, Agnes crumpled to the garden soil, folding in on herself like a house of cards. Her lips moved without sound, hands pressing against her ears like she could block out Mason's
Chapter 135: The Road to Reckoning
"Jesus H. Christ," Eve breathed, the words hitting the air like bullets. "Your life's one hell of a mess, ain't it kid?" Her eyes stayed fixed on Agnes, watching for any sign of deception.Mason's face hardened into concrete, jaw working overtime as his teeth ground together. "The fuck you trying to tell me?"Agnes met his gaze. "I'm saying you're the product of a night Ramirez will never admit to, a drunken encounter with Camila. She worked as domestic staff in his residence." A pause to make sure that part sinked. "Camila possessed both beauty and an uncommon kindness. She remained beneath his notice until that particular evening when alcohol clouded his judgment. He..." Her voice wavered slightly. "He took advantage of her. The following morning, in what I can only describe as a fit of shame-induced rage, he had her forcibly removed from the premises. He claimed she... disgusted him, that she had provided him with what he termed 'the poorest sexual experience of his life.'"Mason's
Chapter 134: Between Two Worlds
Sister Agnes sat there looking like death warmed over, her face drawn tight as Mason and Eve leaned in close enough to catch a whisper. The old garden bench creaked under the weight of more than thirty years' worth of secrets.Agnes's fingers wove together like she was about to start praying, maybe for strength to get through this. "I wasn't meant to make it this far. Helena King, she made sure to clean up after herself - and we were the mess she needed gone." Her voice stayed level, but Mason caught that telltale shine in her eyes, the kind of tears tough old broads learn never to let fall.Eve stood rigid, immune to the waterworks routine. She'd seen enough crying games in her time to last several lifetimes. "If you're done with the drama show, maybe get to the part about how you're standing here breathing if you ain't meant to stay breathing this far."A sound escaped Agnes that might've been a laugh in another life. Her head shook slow, like she was trying to clear old cobwebs. "D
Chapter 133: The Truth in Tears
Mason nodded slow, hands still reaching for mercy. "I'm telling it straight. I'm Mason Rivers. Not Leo King. Never was."Eve's eyes narrowed to slits, her mind churning like the dirty waters of the Chicago River. Old memories leaked through the cracks in her armor - glimpses of a skinny kid with fire in his eyes who refused to let the orphanage break him down."Prove it," she spat, her voice a brittle edge. "Tell me something only the real Mace would know."Mason seized the lifeline like a drowning man. "Found you hiding in Sister Agnes's garden after you smashed that fancy china plate. Instead of selling you out, I split my chocolate bar with you." His lips twitched, remembering the exact words he used. "Told you sisters couldn't yell if your mouth was full of candy.""Fuck you!" The gun barked, sending dirt flying at Mason's knees. "I handed you that story myself at the damn luncheon, you two-faced bastard!""Wait... please... I'm not lying." Mason's whole body trembled, sweat mixin
Chapter 132: The Trigger and the Cross
Mason stood frozen, hands raised toward the sky. His mind raced through a lifetime of close calls, but this time felt different. This time, death wore Eve's face. His lips moved in a silent prayer - the kind reserved for men staring down the barrel of certainty.Eve's finger danced on the trigger, her eyes locked on Mason's every breath. Her chest heaved with each sharp intake of air, matching the hurricane of thoughts tearing through her head. Leo. Her teacher. The man who'd shown her how to survive when the streets wanted her dead. The same Leo who'd left bodies cooling in Chicago's darkest corners. Her head snapped side to side, trying to shake the memories loose. If she didn't end him here, now, she'd be next on his list. No way he'd let her walk after this.But before her finger could finish its deadly arc, Sister Agnes darted forward, her arms spreading wide like wings, standing guard against the violence crackling in the air."What are you doing?" Eve's words cut sharp. "Move i
Chapter 131: Checkmate in the Garden
She edged closer to the glass, assessing her surroundings. The garden was dense, its shadows deep and concealing. Perfect for an ambush if she played it right. Her eyes tracked possible escape routes as her mind tallied the odds. Agnes was terrified, which meant this could be a setup. Experience screamed that she needed to secure the perimeter before making her move. One wrong step now would get them both killed.Mason, unaware of Eve’s presence, leaned forward, closing in on Agnes like a shark that's caught the scent of blood, his gaze locking onto Agnes. "Why'd you do it?" he pressed. "Why'd you do it?" His voice scraped low, rough as broken glass. "Who's this woman you're talking about? The one you switched the babies for?"Agnes stuttered, her breath catching. "I... I was young." Her voice came soft, cultured - a reminder of her life before all this. "I didn't know better then. Could've gone to the authorities, yes, but..." She gave a bitter laugh. "They owned this city. What coul
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
