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The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 67: The Antidote to Jealousy
Mason's footsteps fell like judge's gavels against marble as he advanced. Each click of his Italian leather shoes carried the weight of promised retribution. The crowd parted before him, society vultures sensing the electricity crackling in his wake."Cowards." The word rolled off his tongue like expensive whiskey – smooth but burning. His laughter, low and dangerous, made nearby phones tremble in manicured hands. "That's what you are. Scared little children playing dress-up in designer wears."His gaze swept over Ethan and Olivia like a coroner examining corpses. These clowns who'd once loomed so large in his world now looked... small. Insignificant. Like ants scurrying across a picnic blanket, convinced their tiny struggles mattered."Listen carefully. Lemme break it down real simple-like." Mason's voice carried that particular quiet that made smart people reach for their phones to call their lawyers. "What I'm doing here ain't none of your business and yours, none of mine. For once
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 68: A Little Powwow with the Feathered Fools
The shadow dropping over Mason's plate belonged to a face he'd pegged from the Morrison auction house—Gerard Holbrook III, the business tycoon who'd bid $400,000 for the Aurora Borealis Diamond."Well well, ain't this something?" Holbrook's voice oozed that North Shore money. His Savile Row suit probably cost more than what Mason used to pull down in a year of honest work. "The Platinum Pinnacle thief, gracing us with his presence."Static buzzed in Mason's hidden piece. One of his camouflaged security detail—scattered strategic-like through the joint—twitched, ready to intervene. Mason gave an imperceptible shake of his head. Stand down.Mason kept working them chopsticks against that fancy plate, letting the silence do the heavy lifting. His quiet was getting under Holbrook's skin something fierce."What's wrong, thief?" A new voice slithered from behind. "Lost your gift of gab?"Ethan. Of course. And where there was smoke..."My my my." The Chanel No. 5 hit before Olivia's words di
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 69: Sweet as Sin, Twice as Dangerous
Eve's laughter rang through the Drake's marble halls, sweet as sin and twice as dangerous. "Hot damn, boss! Ya catch Gerard's mug when you dropped that line about his old man's company?" Her emerald eyes sparkled with mischief. "Man went from North Shore money to South Side scared in two seconds flat."Mason kept his hand low on her back, feeling the heat of her through Italian silk. Every curve was a loaded weapon. "Our friend Gerard's gonna have himself one hell of a family dinner tonight.""The kind where somebody ends up sleeping with the fishes?" Eve pressed closer. "Or the kind where daddy's checkbook gets a workout?""Let's just say..." Mason guided them toward a quiet corner, away from prying eyes and hungry cameras. The way Eve moved beside him, like midnight given form – it stirred something in his chest he hadn't felt since... well, since before the rain. "Some conversations leave deeper scars than bullets.""You know something?" Eve's voice dropped low, intimate. "You're g
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 70: Inheritance of Thorns
"Mother's right about this Tom Ford." Mason drawled, adjusting his cuff with deliberate casualness. The platinum cufflinks – Leo's favorites – caught the light like stolen stars. "Makes a man look like he belongs anywhere. Even places he shouldn't." His eyes met Charlotte's mischievous gaze. "As for the sharks... let's just say some folks are having trouble deciding whether I'm the next course or the competition. Might be better to let them keep guessing."Helena King's arctic blue eyes missed nothing – not the way Mason wore power like a second skin, not the calculating grace behind his easy smile, and certainly not the way his gaze kept finding Eve across the crowded ballroom. The King matriarch's lips curved into something that might have been amusement, if amusement came with teeth."Your... right hand." Helena's voice could've frozen champagne. "She cleans up rather nicely. Though I suspect her talents extend far beyond making problems disappear." The pause was delicate as spun s
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 71: The Heir's Opening Move
"Stone." Helena's voice called out to the guard already approaching them. "Tell your... associates that my son will address everyone at the conclusion of our gathering." Her smile was no smile. "Their patience will be rewarded."The guard – built like a brick wall in an Armani suit – shifted uncomfortably. His eyes darted between Helena and Mason, uncertainty written in every line of his face. "Mrs. King, with all due respect... The elders insist on knowing now. They say tradition demands—""Tradition?" Mason's laugh carried just enough edge to make smart people nervous. "Last I checked, tradition also demanded respect for the family head's decisions." His fingers drummed against the crystal water glass, each tap like a hammer striking steel. "Or have things changed that much while I was away?"Charlotte's eyes sparkled with barely contained mischief. "Oh, this is gonna be good."Eve, deadly grace wrapped in designer silk, caught Mason's eye across the table. Her slight nod carried vo
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 72: Behind Closed Doors and Windows
Helena's fingers tensed against Mason's shoulder – a tell so subtle only someone raised under her exacting standards would notice. "Charlotte's inheritance is none of your concern.""See, that's where you're wrong." Mason guided them through a flawless turn, his voice pitched for her ears alone. "Everything about this family is my concern now.""Is that what life at South Side taught you?" Her smile remained perfect, even as her eyes went arctic. "How to meddle in affairs that don't concern you?"Around them, the charity luncheon's carefully cultivated atmosphere crackled with tension. Every society photographer's lens tracked their movement, hungry for any hint of the drama clearly unfolding between Chicago's most notorious mother-son duo."Actually," Mason's laugh carried just enough warmth to seem genuine to anyone watching, "it taught me something far more valuable." He spun her with practiced ease. "The difference between power and control.""Fascinating." Helena's grip tightened
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 73: Dance with the Devil's Daughter
"You sound just like him sometimes." Helena's voice carried something that might have been grief, if grief came wrapped in steel. "Thomas had that same way of making threats sound like poetry.""Maybe that's why you haven't exposed me yet." Mason guided her through another turn, perfect as sin. "Because for just a moment, when I talk like him, move like him – you can pretend he ain't really gone."Helena's laugh was poison. "Or maybe I'm just curious to see how far you'll take this little charade before it all comes crashing down.""Speaking of crashing..." Mason's eyes flicked to where the four family elders had gathered, their faces dark as storm clouds. "Them vultures over there? They ain't just here about succession. They're here because they know something's changed. Power's shifting. Old alliances are breaking down.""And you think you're the one to stop it?" Helena's voice dripped aristocratic amusement."I think..." Mason spun her out, then drew her back in close enough to whis
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 74: My Price is Nothing
Helena King stood before Mason, generations of breeding and brutality carved into every line of her face. The distant music from the ballroom filtered through the walls – a mocking reminder of the masks they both wore."What do you hope to gain from all this?" Helena's voice carried winter and warning. "Money? Power? The King name?"Mason's laugh was pure South Side steel, sharp enough to cut. "Nothing.""Nothing?" Helena's perfect eyebrow arched like a question mark made of ice."See, that's the thing about having nothing." Mason adjusted his cufflinks – Leo's cufflinks – with lethal precision. "Once you've lost everything, you stop being afraid of losing more."Helena's eyes narrowed, reading stories written in micro-expressions and calculated risks. "Explain.""Barely days ago, I had it all." Mason's voice carried echoes of old wounds. "Beautiful wife, a struggling contractor, managed a house with one of them white picket fences South Side boys ain't supposed to dream about."The b
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- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 121: Mason King
The dining room had been a war zone of flavors—roasted duck drizzled with plum glaze, garlic butter potatoes so soft they melted in your mouth, and desserts that looked too perfect to eat. Now, hours later, the King family had retreated to the living room, everyone full, tired, but unwilling to call it a night just yet.Mason leaned back into the oversized couch, trying to make himself invisible. He was getting good at it—blending into the luxury he still wasn’t used to. A crackling fire lit the room, its glow softening the sharp angles of the family he was playing house with. Charlotte was perched cross-legged on the floor, a glass of wine dangling from her fingers as she scrolled through her phone. Eve sat stiff-backed beside Helena, shoulders squared as though a rogue thought might blow her cover.Helena commanded the space like she commanded everything else in her life, one leg crossed over the other, sipping her wine with the patience that came from years of making Chicago's elit
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 120: The Fall of a King
Midnight. Pier 19.The air hung heavy with tension at the warehouse—every breath tainted with the sweet, metallic stench of premium cocaine and bitter anticipation. Ramirez's footsteps echoed through the concrete maze that had made him Chicago's most feared supplier. The dim fluorescent lights cast an eerie glow over endless rows of perfectly stacked crates, each one worth more than what most people made in a lifetime."Che cazzo," Ramirez muttered under his breath, checking his Rolex for the third time. Thirty-six years of running Chicago's largest distribution network had taught him that waiting meant weakness, and weakness meant death.He stood motionless, muscles tense beneath his tailored Armani suit, waiting for Leo's men to make their move. Maria's intel had promised an attack, but the warehouse remained dead silent except for the distant hum of the industrial ventilation system."The stupid bastard's taking his sweet time," Ramirez spat, his Chicago accent bleeding through his
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 119: Blood is the Final Result
Meanwhile, in Eastern Europe sat a warehouse at the edge of nowhere like a forgotten secret. Inside, blue light from dozens of monitors painted Diego, Yuri, and Katya in digital twilight. The place smelled of coffee gone cold and ambition gone hungry.Diego lounged in his chair, expensive boots propped on metal like he owned the place. The Armenian cognac in his hand caught the screen light, amber turning to gold. Six months of their lives spent crawling through digital vaults, and what did they have?"Míra esto," he drawled, Spanish accent thick with irony. He gestured at the largest diamond on display, his lips curled in amusement. "Six months breaking into banks, and what's our prize? Rocks." He took another pull from the bottle. "Pretty ones, sure. But Chicago?" He shook his head. "They fight over these things like they're made of pure power.""These aren't mere stones," Yuri's voice rumbled like distant thunder across the warehouse. His massive frame hunched over the monitor, thi
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 118: Father's Wisdom, Son's War
Ethan's head was pounding, each throb a reminder of how spectacularly everything had gone to shit. The kind of mess that made South Side gang wars look like kindergarten squabbles. His fingers pressed against his temples, trying to massage away the reality that was bearing down on him like a freight train.The whiskey bottle beckoned. He grabbed it, poured himself a glass like his life depended on it. Arthur's eyes followed the amber liquid, and without a word, Ethan knew his old man wanted in.The chair screamed against concrete as Ethan shoved it back. Chicago's finest furniture didn't belong in this basement office, but then again, neither did they anymore. He passed the bottle to Arthur, his movements sharp, controlled—barely"That woman," he spat the words like poison, memories of the King's annual luncheon burning fresh. "Helena fucking King. You know what she did? One phone call. Maybe not even—could've been a damn text for all I know. That fast." He snapped his fingers, the so
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 117: The Aurora's Secret
Ethan felt the cold crawl down his spine like a drunk spider, the name Thomas hanging in the air thick as Chicago fog. Thomas wasn't just a name—he was a goddamn legend whispered in back alleys and dimly lit bars. A cipher that spelled out chaos, sharp as a razor's edge, dangerous as a loaded gun.His voice cut through the silence, that particular tone Arthur knew too well—part confusion, part intrigue. The kind of voice that said he'd seen some shit but wasn't about to back down."That Thomas King you mentioned..." Ethan drawled. "Same Leo's old man?"Arthur paused. Not the kind of pause that meant he was thinking—the kind that meant memories were wrestling beneath his skin.He exhaled slow, a rasp that spoke volumes. "Yeah, Ethan. Same Thomas King."Ethan leaned back, those sharp eyes narrowing. The smirk that crawled across his lips was pure cynical, knowing. "Huhhhh. Thought that bastard was worm food by now."Arthur's mouth twitched. Not a smile. Something darker. "Oh, he's dead
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 116: The Aurora Borealis Revelation
Ethan slammed his fist against a close desk, sending a thunderous crack through his father's meticulously organized workspace. Blueprints and papers scattered, each document a testament to his mounting frustration—the Aurora Borealis diamond dancing just beyond his grasp. "Damn it!" he hissed, reaching for his phone. His fingers hovered over Marcus's contact before he dialed, his breath ragged, bitterness coating every syllable when the connection clicked. "You better pick up, Marcus. We've got a serious goddamn problem."The line crackled with Marcus's trademark edge—part irritation, part calculated cool. "What now, Ethan? Another half-baked scheme?" "Cut the smart-ass routine," Ethan exploded, heat rising from his collar like steam off Lake Michigan in December. "I want that real diamond by tomorrow, or I'm burning your entire operation to the ground. You hear me?"Marcus's laugh was razor-sharp. "Watch yourself, hotshot. I ain't some corner boy you can intimidate. Remember who ex
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 115: When Diamonds Deceive
Mason rolled up to the King mansion like he owned every square inch of Chicago's most brutal real estate. The place wasn't just a house—it was a statement. Massive oak trees framed the property like sentinels, their branches casting long shadows that whispered old secrets. Leo's SUV cut through the wrought-iron gates—those gates had seen more drama than a South Side courthouse on a Friday night.The gates swung open with an electronic hum, a technological ballet that screamed money and power. Mason knew this wasn't just an entrance. This was a threshold between worlds.He paused. One heartbeat. Two.His eyes—sharp as a loan shark's accounting ledger—scanned the estate. Every window, every marble pathway was a narrative waiting to spill. Old money mixed with new power, and the combination was volatile as hell. The mansion glinted in the evening light, a chrome-plated promise of everything and nothing.Staff materialized like ghosts. Maids in pressed uniforms. Security personnel who mov
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 114: Who Left Me at the Gates?
"Hey, Jake," he said, the lie sliding smooth as butter, "LangCorp pushed the interview to Tuesday."Jake responded with a satisfied grunt. "Works for me. Gives me time to wrap things up at the site."The conversation shifted, and Mason's voice softened. "How's Tommy doing?"Jake's tone dropped, carrying the raw weight of a father's worry. "He's holding steady. But his next round of meds? Ten grand. Been breaking my back trying to scrape together every dollar.""Faith, Jake," Mason said, his voice low and steady—the voice of someone who'd seen Chicago chew up dreams and sometimes, just sometimes, spit them back whole. "Tommy's a fighter. This city don't break kids like him easy."A pause, then Jake lowered his voice. "You know I’ve always got your back, bro. Nothing’s played out yet, but don't wait too long to find out if this whole doppelganger thing is a winning play.""Yeah, I know," Mason replied softly, but it felt like a lie. The truth haunched on his shoulders like a lead weight
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 113: The Leo Paradox
Mason deliberately sidestepped Jake's calls, his footsteps echoing against the worn concrete as he made his way to the SUV parked down the block.Night draped Chicago like a heavy coat, the air thick with potential. Mason's fingers traced the cool metal of the SUV, feeling the vehicle vibrate with a restless energy that matched his own. It was a sharp contrast to the suffocating atmosphere of the church basement he’d just left.His phone buzzed. Again. Jake's name flashed persistent, a digital drumbeat demanding attention.Mason finally relented, thumb swiping across the screen. "Jake? You there?"Jake's voice crackled through, raw and unfiltered. "Damn, took you long enough. Thought I'd have to send out a search party."A dry chuckle escaped Mason's lips. "Been busy.""Same here! Crazy night yesterday; I crashed out at the site. That foundation ain’t gonna pour itself, you know?"Mason chuckled, shaking his head. "Found you another multilevel bender job?""Dude, I was working my ass
