Chapter 9 - The New Rules of the City
Three months later, a high-level summit of the Chicago syndicate bosses was convened in the private boardroom of one of Cole’s luxury hotels.
Men in expensive suits sat around the polished walnut table, their faces tense, whispering among themselves. They had all heard the rumors about what happened to Arthur Sterling. They knew that Cole Ashworth had transformed from a ruthless businessman into something far more terrifying—a man with a deeply personal, unyielding moral code.
The heavy double doors opened, and Cole walked in.
He didn't wear a smile. His gray eyes swept over the room like a winter storm, silencing every whisper instantly. He took his seat at the head of the table, resting his hands flat on the polished wood.
“Gentlemen,” Cole began, his voice cutting through the silence like a razor blade. “I called this meeting to make our new policy crystal clear.”
He leaned forward, locking eyes with the oldest caporegime in the room.
“In this city, we move money, we build enterprises, and we settle disputes. But from this day forward, any man in my organization—or any associate under my protection—who preys on the vulnerable, neglects the helpless, or forgets where he came from... will meet the exact same fate as Arthur Sterling.”
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No one breathed. No one argued.
They all knew he meant every single word.
