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The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 9: Unstoppable and Unapologetic
Mason's heart did a weird stutter-step. The video showed Olivia, clearly tipsy, ranting to reporters:"You want to know the truth about that man?" She swayed slightly, her perfect composure betraying her. "He was a big fat nothing! A nobody! I flushed six whole years down the drain with him, and what'd I get? Empty promises and jewelry that'd make a gumball machine blush!" She laughed. "And now he waltzes in with some magic black card? Please! Give me a break! I know that man better than anyone – he's just a two-bit con in a fancy monkey suit!"Mason watched, keeping his expression blank. Once upon a time, those words would've crushed the old him like a bug. But now? Now he saw something different in her eyes. Unrepentant. Sin. A total she-devil, reeling from realization that maybe, just maybe, she didn't have him all figured out after all."You good, boss?" Eve's voice was uncharacteristically gentle. "And... six years? What's she on about?"Mason's brain kicked into overdrive, spinni
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 10: Chicago Boy in the Ranks
Ethan reached out, taking her hand in his. "Well, you certainly traded up, didn't you?" He flashed her his million-dollar smile, the one that graced magazine covers and charmed investors.Olivia's expression softened. "I did, didn't I?" She squeezed his hand. "God, I'm so glad I left when I did. Can you imagine if I'd stuck around? I'd probably be visiting him in lockup right now, listening to him swear he'd 'make it big' someday."They shared another laugh, the champagne making everything seem brighter, funnier. Ethan topped off their glasses, his mind already working on possibilities. "We could really milk this for all it's worth, you know.""Oh?" Olivia leaned in, intrigued."Think about it," Ethan continued, warming to his theme. "Chicago's golden couple, exposing a would-be fraudster? We could spin this into a crusade against financial crime. I'll give some impassioned interviews about the importance of vigilance, maybe even start a foundation..."Olivia's eyes lit up. "Ethan, tha
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 11: Secrets in the Safe
They burst out into the night air, the rest of the team converging from different directions. Sirens wailed in the distance, growing closer by the second."Everyone in the cars, now!" Mason barked. They piled in, tires squealing as they peeled away from the warehouse.Mason's mind spinned with different thoughts as they sped through the empty streets. He'd been so damn sure, so cocky about his plan to turn Ethan against Ramirez. But now... now it felt like he'd stepped in something way deeper and stinkier than he'd ever imagined.Back at the safehouse, the team gathered in tense silence. Mason paced, running a hand through his hair, trying to imitate what Leo could be playing when a mission failed. "What in the ever-loving hell happened back there?" he demanded. "How'd they know we were coming?"Eve's face was fame. "Someone squealed. We've got a rat."The implications of her words settled over the room. If they had a mole, in Leo's leadership, it meant death and a gruesome one at tha
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 12: Power Plays and Phone Calls
He took a deep breath and answered. "Hello?""Leo, darling!" The voice that purred through his phone dripped old money and maternal disapproval. "Six months without a word! I was starting to think you'd joined a monastery and had completely forgotten about your poor old mother."Mason's mind raced. "Come on, Mother," he said, trying to infuse his voice with affection. "Just drowning in work, you know how it is.""Oh, I'm sure," she practically sang. "Your... 'work.' Speaking of which, have you given any thought to our Christmas discussion?"Christmas? Shit. Mason scrambled for a response. "Uh, refresh my memory?"A sigh crackled through the line. "The family business, Leo. Your father's legacy. I understand you have your... alternative interests, being in the old shoes of your father, but it's time you took a more active role in the legitimate side of things. I don't want to loose you."Mason's eyebrows shot up so fast they nearly left his forehead. Legitimate business? Now that was an
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 13: Payback's a Boss
Mason turned to her, the heady rush of power coursing through him. "Eve, I think it's time I paid a little visit to an old hood. Got some unfinished business there. I will love to go alone."Eve's face hardened. "Hell no. Last time you went solo, you vanished for half a year and left everything in shambles. And yesterday?" She jabbed a finger at his chest. "I barely let you out of my sight and you ended up in handcuffs. I'm done with your 'experiments.'"A lazy smile spread across Mason's face. "Worried about strike three?""Strike three might end with your head decorating Ramirez's dining room. We just hit their warehouse, and someone's feeding them intel. God knows what's waiting out there – if I even let you walk out that door."Mason's smile took on a dangerous edge. "You know what they say about the third time being the charm? Like how Christ rose on the third day?" His voice dropped to steel. "This isn't a request, Eve. It's an order."Eve's eyebrows shot toward her hairline. "Af
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 14: The Boss of all Bosses
Mason watched Bill scurry away like a frightened rat, savoring the taste of power on his tongue. The construction site hummed with whispers and sideways glances. His former co-workers gathered in small clusters, their conversations dying whenever they caught his eye."Hey, Rivers!" Jake jogged over, dust coating his safety vest. "What's gotten into you, man? Standing up to Bill like that?"Mason shrugged, letting a cryptic smile play across his lips. "Let's just say I found my backbone.""Found it? More like you grew an adamantium one overnight." Jake wiped sweat from his brow, leaving a streak of dirt. "Though I gotta admit, seeing old Bill turn whiter than printer paper? Worth the price of admission."The office door banged open. Bill emerged, clutching a check like it physically pained him. His face had taken on an interesting shade of puce that clashed magnificently with his yellow hard hat."Here's your blood money," Bill spat, thrusting the paper at Mason. "Now get off my site be
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 15: When Vengeance Meets Virtue
Mason hadn't taken three steps when a voice called out behind him, urgent and pleading."Mr. Rivers! Please, a moment of your time." Hughes's voice carried a desperate edge that made several workers turn their heads.The site president hurried across the construction yard, his Italian leather shoes collecting dust with each stride. The man's usual usually immaculate suit was dusted with concrete powder, his carefully styled hair disheveled from running."Sir?" Mason turned, catching Jake's equally puzzled expression beside him.Hughes reached them, slightly out of breath. "I must personally apologize for the inexcusable behavior you've endured under Bill Hawkin's supervision. The way he treated you... treated all of you..." He gestured helplessly at the construction site. "The company's failure to address this situation earlier reflects poorly on my leadership. It was a failure of leadership on my part. I should have seen it sooner."Jake stood nearby, mouth slightly agape at the sight
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 16: In the Shoes of a King
Jake's laugh held more pain than humor. "Right. Fifty thousand dollars just lying around?" He shook his head."Things change." Mason straightened, decision crystallizing. "Let me do this. For my nephew.""Nephew?" Tommy perked up, studying Mason with curious eyes."Yeah, kid." Mason's throat tightened. "Uncle Mason's got your back.""Ha! I'm onto you, Mason—I caught what you did there. That sneaky little mood-boost of yours? It totally worked. "Let's say I could," Mason pressed. "Hypothetically."Jake studied him, something shifting in his expression. "Then I'd have to ask where the money came from. And who you really are. Because the Mason Rivers I know barely had two nickels to rub together this morning."Mason muttered under his breath, "Can't blame him for doubting."Tommy coughed again, and Jake's attention immediately returned to his son, murmuring soft reassurances."I love you, Daddy," Tommy whispered, his small voice carrying surprising strength despite his frail frame.Maso
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- 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."
- 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 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
