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The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 53: Whispers in the Walls
Maria lingered in the shadows of the stairwell. Down below, Mason's crew was having their usual late-night powwow in the break room. Tonight though, the usual ball-busting had an edge that made her skin prickle."Y'all seen what happened at the Morrison?" Big Mike's bass rumble filled the space. "Boss had six of the meanest sons of bitches in Chicago pissing themselves. With training rounds." He emphasized those last words like they were gospel."Training rounds," Joey Two-Times wasn't buying it. His Jersey accent dripped with disgust. "Training rounds, training rounds. That's exactly the problem right there. Since when do Kings play with rubber bullets?"Maria held her breath, pressed against cold concrete. This was the kind of intel that made careers – or ended them."Getting squeamish, Two-Times?" Lucia's voice cut through the darkness. "Maybe we shoulda turned the Morrison into Chicago's newest demolition site? Get the feds crawling up our asses like roaches in a tenement?""Bette
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 54: Blood Doesn't Lie
The penthouse lab blazed under surgical lights, a testament to Leo's obsession with control. Maria's heels echoed off against polished concrete as she navigated past sleek workstations and humming machinery that cost more than records could keep. The place screamed money – the kind of setup that made university research facilities look like kindergarten science fairs."Evening, Maria." Dr. Chen barely glanced up from his microscope, his latex-gloved hands steady as surgeon's. "Bit late for lab work.""Never too late for science." Maria's laugh came easy, practiced. Three years undercover had taught her to wear lies like designer suits. "Got that presentation tomorrow. You know how it goes."The YouTube thing had started as cover, but somewhere between fake experiments and shadow accounts, Maria had found herself actually enjoying the performance of it all. Funny how lies could grow roots.Chen's eyes flickered to the security badge on her hip – the one that gave her clearance higher t
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 55: Mother's Intuition
Helena King's phone lit up her silk sheets, the screen burning her tired eyes. Maria's message burned into her retinas:Got ourselves a body snatcher wearing the Leo's face. DNA don't lie. Evidence incoming.Helena's manicured fingers tightened around her phone. Years running Chicago's legitimate empire had taught her to smell trouble before it walked through the door. This? This reeked of it."Margaret!" Her voice carried that precise pitch that sent servants scurrying. "Coffee. Now."The pressure was building like a copper's deadline, and she needed something to let off that steam - classy-like.The attached files loaded with painful slowness. Lab results. Genetic markers. Two profiles - one labeled LEO KING, the other MASON RIVERS. The similarities made her stomach turn circus tricks."Sweet Jesus," she whispered, but numbers were numbers. Ninety-nine point nine-nine percent match, but these profiles weren't twins - they were copies."Rivers." The name rolled off her tongue. A nobo
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 56: Realizing the Perfect Mistake
Chicago's morning sunlight painted Mason's penthouse in gold, but his mind was anywhere but heavenly. Standing before the floor-length mirror, Mason adjusted his tie for the hundredth time - a silk number in deep burgundy. The custom Tom Ford suit fit like sin itself, dark navy fabric catching light like water at midnight."Damn thing," he muttered, fingers working the silk. Eve had picked it out. Between putting holes in people and patching them up, she had a knack for keeping him looking the part.Every detail had to be perfect. One wrong move, one slip in this masquerade, and his whole house of cards would come tumbling down faster than a snitch in concrete shoes.His reflection stared back - all polish and shine except for that raw edge in his eyes. One wrong move today and everything he'd built would collapse faster than a card game in a prison yard. His shoulder still ached where that bullet had kissed him, a souvenir from Ramirez's warehouse hit and a constant reminder that he
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 57: Family Bleeds Deepest
Mason forced his hands steady, though every nerve screamed to run. Eve's casual mention of Thomas's catchphrase had just opened a crater under his feet. The mirror showed him Leo King's face - the face he'd stolen along with everything else. Dead men's shoes always pinched, but these ones might just strangle him. Another thought pushed through the panic:Funny thing about Mason Rivers - he never ran from a fight. Not even when he should've. No family left to mourn him anyway. No wife crying at his grave, no kid growing up fatherless, no business partners to settle accounts with. Death might be knocking, but hell, maybe dying clean beat living dirty."Family bleeds deepest," he repeated, testing the words like a man testing thin ice. "Pop had his way with words, didn't he?"Eve's fingers traced the lapel of his suit, but her eyes had gone sharp as broken glass. "Had his way with everything. Man could make murder sound like poetry." She paused, head tilting. "You never used to call him
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 58: Elevator to Judgment
He shoved the image aside and stepped in. Game time. Time to dance with the devils who'd raised Leo King.Even if it meant burning with them.The black Cadillac Escalade carved through Chicago's Gold Coast, a ten-million-dollar coffin on wheels. Mason watched the streets blur past through bulletproof glass, his fingers drumming against his thigh. All that armor plating between him and a bullet, but his skin crawled like he was naked in a snake pit.Eve sat beside him, legs crossed at the ankle, one hand resting casual-like on her clutch. Mason knew better - that little designer number packed enough firepower to start a small war. Old habits died hard in his newly found line of work."Your head's making too much noise." Eve's voice sliced through his thoughts. "Your family's had their fingers in this city's throat since before either of us took our first breath. One fancy lunch ain't gonna change jack."Mason's laugh came out harder than he meant it to. "Yeah? Tell that to Thomas King'
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 59: The Vultures’ Ball
The Drake Hotel's Grand Ballroom blazed like heaven's own spotlight before them. Crystal chandeliers raining light on Chicago's finest vultures dressed in their Sunday best. White-jacketed waiters glided between round tables draped in cream silk, silver trays balanced with champagne flutes that caught light like stars. Some fancy orchestra arrangement filled the air - the kind of music that reminded you just how poor you really were.They glided past like royalty, leaving the press pack yapping at their heels. Mason's eyes did what they always did - catalog every face, every movement, every potential threat. Chicago's elite played their parts in this elaborate dance of power. Politicians flashing those trademark smiles that promised everything and delivered nothing but heartache. Society women dripping diamonds that could've fed half the South Side for a year. Real estate kings sharing jokes with judges, probably plotting which neighborhood to gentrify next. Judge Martinez holding cou
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 60: Digging Up Devils
While Mason hunted fresh meat at the Drake, someone else had him in their crosshairs. Maria wasn't just watching - she was dissecting his every move, piece by bloody piece.Maria's secret bunker smelled like three-day-old coffee and desperation. Yellow light from a desk lamp cast shadows across the walls, where photos, documents, and red string created a web of connections that would've made any conspiracy theorist proud.She slumped in her chair, rubbing tired eyes that had been burning from hours of screen time. Empty Red Bulls cluttered her desk like bodies after a mob hit. Her ancient Dell's clock read 2:47 PM - right when Mason would be playing king of the castle at the Drake Hotel.Maria cracked her knuckles. "Alright, you sneaky bastard. Let's see what skeletons you're hiding."Her wall had become a museum of mysteries. Photos of Mason - or Leo, depending on who you asked - dominated the center. Timeline sticky notes tracked his movements since that first night Eve dragged him
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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
