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2024-12-09 14:19:44
Orion SteeleThis is my first book ever published. At this time, I would need some encouragement.🙏
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The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 76: Now's My Turn
The live stream chat exploded. Olivia's face went from designer bronze to ghost white faster than a stock market crash. Her mouth opened and closed but no words could come out. Behind her, Ethan's face went from smug to stunned faster than a South Side minute."Mother." Mason's voice carried that dangerous quiet that made smart people reach for their lawyers. "Don't waste your breath. Some folks can't tell the difference between cubic zirconia and diamonds." His smile sharpened. "No matter how many times life tries to teach them.""How dare you!" Ethan started forward, but Eve's quiet cough stopped him cold. The way her hand rested on her clutch—just so—reminded everyone that South Side girls carried more than lipstick in their evening bags."Perhaps," Mason drawled, channeling every ounce of Leo's aristocratic arrogance, "y'all should reconsider your position here. Geographical and... otherwise.""Are you threatening us?" Ethan's voice cracked like cheap crystal."Nah." Mason's smile
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 77: From Wealth to Knees
"Kneel."Helena's command cut through the ballroom like a blade. The single word carried enough authority to make generals snap to attention.Ethan Langford, who'd spent his life believing money could buy respect, found himself facing something his millionaire cards couldn't touch – real power."I... what?" Ethan's face went from red to white faster than a traffic light."Your hearing seems impaired, Mr. Langford. Perhaps I should speak with someone more... responsive. Your father, perhaps?".The threat slithered through the air like a designer-clad cobra. Around them, phones appeared, everyone hungry for a piece of this latest King family drama, desperate to capture the moment Chicago's golden boy got his crown knocked sideways."Kneel." Helena stood, every inch the queen in her domain. "And apologize to my son."The crowd's collective gasp could've sucked the oxygen from the room. Whispers rippled through the crowd like wind through autumn leaves. "Is that really Leo King?" "The son
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 78: The Fall of House Influencer
Olivia's world crumbled in real time. Her phone buzzed incessantly – notifications from her "besties" unfollowing en masse, brand deals evaporating, and her carefully curated image dissolving with each refresh.Mrs. King had barely coughed and she was already disappearing."Three million followers," Charlotte mused, swirling her champagne while checking her phone. "Down to two point eight... two point five... sweet Jesus on a jewelry heist." Her laugh tinkled like crystal breaking. "They're dropping faster than bodies during Prohibition."Eve crossed her legs, South Side confidence in a North Shore setting. "Baby girl, where I come from – and trust, that ain't nowhere near your zip code – we got a saying: karma ain't just a bitch, she's a whole damn collection agency. And today?" She smirked. "She's come to collect."Mason hadn't moved from his chair, hadn't even looked at Olivia directly. His attention seemed focused entirely on adjusting his cufflinks – Leo's cufflinks – with the sa
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 79: The Weight of a Single Call
Mason watched Olivia crumble with the detached interest of a man studying a particularly fascinating car crash. The designer dress that had once made her feel invincible now looked like expensive wrapping paper after Christmas – beautiful, but ultimately disposable."You know what's funny?" His voice carried that particular South Side quiet that made smart people nervous. "All them followers, all them likes... and not one of them's gonna help you up off that floor."Charlotte's livestream count hit six figures. Comments flew past faster than bullets on a bad night:"THE QUEEN OF INSTA IS DEAD 👑💀""karma serving LOOKS tonight 💅""this tea is nuclear ☢️"Eve's laugh sparkled like broken glass. "Sugar, where I come from, we call this a biblical dropping of receipts.""Mr. Langford. Ms. Parker." Her voice cut through. "I believe your... performance has concluded. Though do remember – social media is forever. And Chicago..." Her smile promised winter in August. "Chicago never forgets."
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 80: The Battle for the Aurora Borealis Diamond
Eve moved with the grace of a street cat in designer heels, increasing the room's heartbeat, the small velvet box cradled in her hands."Mrs. King. Since we ain't been properly acquainted till now, I thought it right to mark the occasion." She extended the box with practiced elegance. "Something to show proper respect."Helena's fingers accepted the offering with aristocratic grace. "How... thoughtful." Her tone carried decades of social superiority. She paused, studying Eve with the intensity of a jeweler examining a suspicious stone. "Though one wonders what could warrant such... generosity.""Consider it a down payment," Eve purred, the street's edge barely masked by designer vowels. "On future family dinners."Charlotte perked up like a shark scenting blood. "Oh, this gonna be good." Her phone stayed steady, catching every micro-expression. The box opened with a whisper of expensive hinges.Light exploded.The Aurora Borealis Diamond caught the chandeliers' glow and multiplied it
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 81: The Stranger's Charm
While Mason and Eve claimed their spot on the dance floor, Olivia dragged what remained of her dignity toward the restroom. The walls of the Drake seemed to close in, each step on Italian marble echoing her downfall. No escape route tonight – not with Ethan locked into this circus of a party. Her only refuge? The powder room, where at least she could fall apart in private.She stumbled inside, her dress snagging the door like some bargain basement knockoff. Cold marble bit into her palms as she gripped the counter, staring at her reflection through tears that turned five grand worth of makeup into abstract art."Pull yourself together," she hissed, voice raw. "You're Olivia fucking Parker. You don't break. You break others."But the mirror wasn't buying her tough act. Designer dress, couture makeup, social media throne – all of it crashing harder than her her father's career. Fresh tears carved new paths down her cheeks, and this time she didn't fight them.The bathroom door creaked.
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 82: Sweet Poison
Charlotte King wasn't the type to stumble. Not in six-inch Louboutins, not in business, and definitely not into strange men at charity functions. But those eyes - deep brown with flecks of gold, like expensive bourbon in crystal - they made her forget about steady feet."Adrian De Silva." His voice carried Old World charm wrapped in New Money confidence. "And you must be Charlotte King." He caught her elbow as she steadied herself, his touch precise as a surgeon's."Must I?" Charlotte's eyebrow arched with practiced disdain, but her pulse quickened traitorously. The velvet box felt warm in her hands."The camera loves you," Adrian gestured to her phone. "Though it hardly does you justice.""Smooth." Charlotte's laugh held razors. "You practice that line in the mirror?""Only for the past hour." His smile turned self-deprecating. "Was it too much?""Honey, everything in this room's too much." Charlotte glanced around the opulent ballroom. "That's kind of the point."Adrian stepped clos
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 83: Echoes of Yesterday's Promise
The orchestra's music washed over the ballroom like memories turned liquid. Eve pressed closer to Mason, her breath warm against his collar. The champagne and caviar crowd faded to background noise, leaving just the two of them spinning through moments stolen from fate itself."Ya know what's funny about dancing?" Eve drawled, her fingers tracing patterns on Mason's shoulder. "Gets a girl thinking about the old days."Mason's grip tightened on her waist, protective and possessive all at once. "That so, doll?""Mmhmm." Eve's eyes went distant, seeing past the glittering chandeliers to a concrete garden years ago. "Got me remembering this kid I knew back in the joint - St. Catherine's. Funny thing about them orphanage dumps," her voice carried whiskey-smooth over the music. "Sometimes you strike gold in all that garbage."Mason's heart stopped, then stuttered back to life. But his feet kept moving, muscle memory carrying them through the waltz. "Tell me more.""Had this sweet kid there.
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- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 87: Chicago's New Testament
The spotlight found Mason like an old friend as he approached the podium. Three hundred of Chicago's finest waited in pristine silence, their expectations heavy as Lake Michigan storm clouds.He adjusted his tie and let his eyes sweep the crowd. Petrov, hunched over his cane, eyes sharp as winter steel. The Calabrese twins lounged like mirror-image panthers. Tommy Chen's tattooed dragons writhed beneath his collar as he lit another cigarette.And there, in the back, Helena King - the woman who'd claimed him today as her son. She watched from the shadows, her gaze dissecting him layer by layer."Ladies and gentlemen." Mason's voice carried quiet authority. "Thanks for sticking around this late."The words felt strange in his mouth - too polished, too proper. This wasn't his world. He belonged in construction sites and back alleys, not addressing society's cream in the Drake Hotel's grand ballroom.But Eve's eyes found his from the crowd, carrying that mix of challenge and faith that ma
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Mission Accomplished?
The chandeliers sparkled overhead as Mason and Eve stood frozen in time, the crowd's chanting growing louder. Eve's green eyes met Mason's, a mixture of challenge and vulnerability in their depths."What do you say, sugar?" Eve whispered, her voice carrying just enough edge to make it a dare. "Ready to give Chicago something to talk about?"Mason's hand tightened on her waist. The boy from St. Catherine's, who'd carved chess pieces from soap and stolen chocolate bars, warred with the man he'd become. Around them, smartphone cameras lifted like fireflies, ready to capture whatever came next."Your call, doll," Mason murmured. "Always has been."Eve's smile bloomed slow and dangerous. She reached up, fingers curling around his neck, and pulled him down to meet her lips. The kiss exploded through the room like summer lightning, electric and inevitable. Cameras flashed, capturing the moment Chicago's most eligible bachelor fell for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks.Helena watched
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 85: Collateral Desires
She studied him through hooded eyes. Vincent Romano - self-made billionaire, corporate shark, the man who'd whispered poison in Thomas's ear about bloodlines and legacy. The same man who'd nearly succeeded in destroying her marriage when no male heir appeared after Charlotte."Thinking about masks," Helena's voice carried cut crystal edges. "And the men who wear them.""No masks tonight." Vincent's thumb traced dangerous patterns on her waist. "Just truth.""Truth?" Helena's laugh could've frozen champagne. "From the man who tried to convince my husband I was barren? Who suggested Thai surrogates and discrete divorce lawyers?"Vincent had the grace to flinch. "Ancient history.""Nothing's ancient in Chicago." Helena's nails dug into his shoulder. "Power has a long memory.""Then let me make new memories." Vincent pulled her closer, cologne wrapping around them like expensive sin. "Let me prove my worth.""Worth?" Helena's smile could gut a banker. "And what exactly do you think you're
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 84: Ghosts of Yesterday's Crown
Meanwhile across the floor, Helena and Vincent wove through their own dangerous ballet, decades of rivalry and respect spinning between them like a spider's web made of platinum and poison."Your thoughts are thundering, Vincent." Helena's voice carried the kind of amusement that preceded bloodshed. "Rather crude for a man of your... reputation. Now drop the charming rogue act." Her tone could've frozen Dom Pérignon mid-pour. "What's your real play here?"Vincent's laugh rolled rich and dark. "Can't a gentleman simply savor excellence?""Gentlemen like you don't do simple." Helena's eyes narrowed. "And they certainly don't waltz with their greatest threat without proper motivation.""Threat?" Vincent pulled her closer, testing boundaries. "Such harsh language for such an... intimate moment.""Sweet talk is for amateurs." Helena's smile could gut a diamond. "I expected more finesse."Vincent's eyes mapped her features like territory to conquer. "Time's been kinder to you than most, Hel
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 83: Echoes of Yesterday's Promise
The orchestra's music washed over the ballroom like memories turned liquid. Eve pressed closer to Mason, her breath warm against his collar. The champagne and caviar crowd faded to background noise, leaving just the two of them spinning through moments stolen from fate itself."Ya know what's funny about dancing?" Eve drawled, her fingers tracing patterns on Mason's shoulder. "Gets a girl thinking about the old days."Mason's grip tightened on her waist, protective and possessive all at once. "That so, doll?""Mmhmm." Eve's eyes went distant, seeing past the glittering chandeliers to a concrete garden years ago. "Got me remembering this kid I knew back in the joint - St. Catherine's. Funny thing about them orphanage dumps," her voice carried whiskey-smooth over the music. "Sometimes you strike gold in all that garbage."Mason's heart stopped, then stuttered back to life. But his feet kept moving, muscle memory carrying them through the waltz. "Tell me more.""Had this sweet kid there.
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 82: Sweet Poison
Charlotte King wasn't the type to stumble. Not in six-inch Louboutins, not in business, and definitely not into strange men at charity functions. But those eyes - deep brown with flecks of gold, like expensive bourbon in crystal - they made her forget about steady feet."Adrian De Silva." His voice carried Old World charm wrapped in New Money confidence. "And you must be Charlotte King." He caught her elbow as she steadied herself, his touch precise as a surgeon's."Must I?" Charlotte's eyebrow arched with practiced disdain, but her pulse quickened traitorously. The velvet box felt warm in her hands."The camera loves you," Adrian gestured to her phone. "Though it hardly does you justice.""Smooth." Charlotte's laugh held razors. "You practice that line in the mirror?""Only for the past hour." His smile turned self-deprecating. "Was it too much?""Honey, everything in this room's too much." Charlotte glanced around the opulent ballroom. "That's kind of the point."Adrian stepped clos
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 81: The Stranger's Charm
While Mason and Eve claimed their spot on the dance floor, Olivia dragged what remained of her dignity toward the restroom. The walls of the Drake seemed to close in, each step on Italian marble echoing her downfall. No escape route tonight – not with Ethan locked into this circus of a party. Her only refuge? The powder room, where at least she could fall apart in private.She stumbled inside, her dress snagging the door like some bargain basement knockoff. Cold marble bit into her palms as she gripped the counter, staring at her reflection through tears that turned five grand worth of makeup into abstract art."Pull yourself together," she hissed, voice raw. "You're Olivia fucking Parker. You don't break. You break others."But the mirror wasn't buying her tough act. Designer dress, couture makeup, social media throne – all of it crashing harder than her her father's career. Fresh tears carved new paths down her cheeks, and this time she didn't fight them.The bathroom door creaked.
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 80: The Battle for the Aurora Borealis Diamond
Eve moved with the grace of a street cat in designer heels, increasing the room's heartbeat, the small velvet box cradled in her hands."Mrs. King. Since we ain't been properly acquainted till now, I thought it right to mark the occasion." She extended the box with practiced elegance. "Something to show proper respect."Helena's fingers accepted the offering with aristocratic grace. "How... thoughtful." Her tone carried decades of social superiority. She paused, studying Eve with the intensity of a jeweler examining a suspicious stone. "Though one wonders what could warrant such... generosity.""Consider it a down payment," Eve purred, the street's edge barely masked by designer vowels. "On future family dinners."Charlotte perked up like a shark scenting blood. "Oh, this gonna be good." Her phone stayed steady, catching every micro-expression. The box opened with a whisper of expensive hinges.Light exploded.The Aurora Borealis Diamond caught the chandeliers' glow and multiplied it
- The Underdog Turned Kingpin
Chapter 79: The Weight of a Single Call
Mason watched Olivia crumble with the detached interest of a man studying a particularly fascinating car crash. The designer dress that had once made her feel invincible now looked like expensive wrapping paper after Christmas – beautiful, but ultimately disposable."You know what's funny?" His voice carried that particular South Side quiet that made smart people nervous. "All them followers, all them likes... and not one of them's gonna help you up off that floor."Charlotte's livestream count hit six figures. Comments flew past faster than bullets on a bad night:"THE QUEEN OF INSTA IS DEAD 👑💀""karma serving LOOKS tonight 💅""this tea is nuclear ☢️"Eve's laugh sparkled like broken glass. "Sugar, where I come from, we call this a biblical dropping of receipts.""Mr. Langford. Ms. Parker." Her voice cut through. "I believe your... performance has concluded. Though do remember – social media is forever. And Chicago..." Her smile promised winter in August. "Chicago never forgets."
