Chapter 4 - The Boardroom of Vipers
The realization that her children were targets changed everything for Clara. She could no longer afford the luxury of her pride. The next morning, she walked into Vincent’s private study, her posture straight, her jaw set.
"Teach me," she demanded.
Vincent looked up from his mahogany desk, a flicker of surprise passing through his winter-blue eyes before turning into dark amusement. "Teach you what, Clara?"
"How to survive in your world," she said, stepping up to the desk. "If these people are coming for my children, I won't be a helpless victim anymore. I won't let them see me as a weakness you have to protect. I want to know who the enemies are."
Vincent stared at her for a long moment, evaluating the fire in her eyes. Slowly, a proud smile touched his lips. "Spoken like a true queen. Get dressed. We're going to a meeting."
An hour later, a convoy of black armored SUVs arrived at a high-rise office building in downtown Chicago. This was the legitimate face of the Kane empire—a massive real estate and logistics conglomerate. Vincent walked through the lobby, his hand firmly gripping Clara’s lower back, broadcasting to the world that she belonged to him.
They entered the top-floor boardroom. Sitting around the glass table were the heads of Chicago’s five major families, alongside a cold, sharp-featured man with a thick Russian accent: Victor Romanov.
"Vincent," Victor purred, his eyes instantly drifting to Clara, a predatory smirk on his face. "We didn't expect you to bring a guest. Especially not the ghost who disappeared five years ago."
Vincent didn't sit down. He walked to the head of the table, his presence commanding the absolute silence of the room. He leaned both hands on the glass, looking directly at Victor.
"I hear you’ve been looking for apartment listings on Archer Avenue, Victor," Vincent said, his voice entirely devoid of emotion, yet dripping with a terrifying weight. "I hear you like to harass single mothers."
The other family bosses shifted uncomfortably. Victor’s smile faltered slightly. "It’s a free real estate market, Kane. We all look for assets."
"Let me make the rules of this market very clear to everyone in this room," Vincent whispered, slamming his fist onto the table so hard the glass cracked slightly underneath. "The woman standing next to me is Clara Kane. And the two children currently sleeping in my estate are the sole heirs to the Kane Syndicate. If a single one of your men so much as breathes the air in their direction, I will not start a war. I will execute every person sitting at this table, seize your territories, and feed your legacies to the dogs. Do we understand each other?"
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The absolute certainty in Vincent’s voice sent a visible shiver through the room. Victor Romanov slowly stood up, his face darkened with malice. "You think you are invincible because you found your bastards, Kane? This city changes hands very quickly."
"Try me," Vincent challenged.
