“By then, it was too late. His financial resources were tied up, his supply lines were broken, and his key lieutenants were either compromised, arrested, or had defected due to Lena’s manipulations. She didn’t just bribe them, Max. She showed them the writing on the wall. She offered them a better deal, a more stable future, under her banner.”“She turned his own people against him,” Max mused. “That’s cold. And effective.”“More than effective. When Becker finally confronted her – a desperate, last-ditch attempt to intimidate her – she had already isolated him completely. His security detail had been replaced, his communications were cut off. He walked into a room, expecting to find Lena alone, ready to beg for mercy.”Ronald paused for dramatic effect. “Instead, he found her surrounded by his own former lieutenants, now loyal to her. They were the ones who delivered the final message. Becker was given a choice: retire, disappear, and live a quiet life of obscurity, or face the full

Later that evening, after hours of reviewing reports, drafting new policy documents, and countless secure calls, Lena and Nathan were back in her office. Takeout containers sat on a side table, mostly untouched.“The financial restructuring is going to be the trickiest part,” Nathan said, pointing to a complex spreadsheet on the screen. “Becker’s money was so intertwined with his criminal activities. Untangling it without triggering a cascade of investigations will require surgical precision.”“That’s why we’re using Max’s offshore network,” Lena replied, tapping a stylus on the screen. “We’ll filter the legitimate assets through his established, clean channels. The illicit funds will be… liquidated. Not transferred, not laundered. Just made to disappear. And then we’ll inject new, clean capital into the legitimate businesses, effectively recapitalizing them.”“That’s a bold move,” Nathan mused. “It means taking a hit on the immediate cash flow from the criminal side, but it completel

He stood up, walking around the desk to stand beside Bucky. “This life, Bucky, it changes you. It hardens you. It makes you capable of things most people cannot even imagine. And that is a burden. A heavy one. But it is also who you are.”Max placed a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “Sarai saw a glimpse of that burden. Now, you must decide if you will share the full weight of it with her, or if you will carry it alone. But understand this: if you carry it alone, you will forever be alone in that part of your life. And that will eventually poison everything else.”“She must be allowed to choose,” Max reiterated. “To choose if she can accept your reality, or if the chasm is too wide to bridge. It will be painful, Bucky. For both of you. But it is the only honest path forward.”Bucky sat there for a long time after Max had finished speaking, the words echoing in his mind. *Honest path. Chasm too wide to bridge. Her choice.* The thought of losing Sarai was a cold, sharp pain in his chest. But t

The rain lashed against the windows of the prison visiting room, a fitting soundtrack to the storm brewing inside. Bobby and Tommy Becker sat across from their mother, Anastasia, their faces tight with a mixture of confusion and irritation. She had arrived unannounced, looking pale and a little frail, a stark contrast to her usual sharp demeanor."So, you just show up, Mom?" Bobby's voice was flat, devoid of any warmth. "After all this time? No call, no warning?"Anastasia wrung her hands, a gesture they hadn't seen from her in years. "I had to come, boys. I... I have something important to tell you."Tommy leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. "Spit it out, Mom. As you can see your boys are not in their highest of situations."She took a deep breath, her gaze flitting between her two sons. "I'm pregnant."Silence. The only sound was the drumming rain. Bobby's jaw dropped. Tommy stared, unblinking, as if she'd just spoken in a foreign language."Pregnant?" Bobby finally managed, his voic

The morning after Anastasia's dramatic arrival at the Lucky mansion, the air was thick with unspoken tension. The grand breakfast room, usually a place of quiet routine, felt like a powder keg. Anastasia sat at the head of the long table, a position usually occupied by Vincenzo, who now sat to her right. Max, Lena, and Trisha were opposite them, picking at their food."This coffee is rather weak, wouldn't you say, Vincenzo?" Anastasia remarked, pushing her cup away with a delicate sniff. "I prefer something with a bit more... kick. Like a good espresso. Or perhaps a strong Turkish blend."Vincenzo merely smiled, taking a sip from his own cup. "Our butler, Jenkins, usually makes an excellent brew. Perhaps your palate is simply accustomed to something different, my dear.""Oh, I'm sure it is," Anastasia purred, her eyes flicking to Lena. "Some people are content with mediocrity, aren't they? But I've always believed in striving for the best. Especially when it comes to the simple pleasu