CHAPTER 1

Five years ago, Damian Tucker, a 28-year-old man, sat in his office on the top floor of a multi-story building. He had blue eyes and short black hair, along with several tattoos on his body. His right arm bore a cross tattoo, and his left arm featured an eagle tattoo. Likewise, two women's names were tattooed on his right chest.

Damian was a mafia boss, respected and feared in his community. He ruled the secret mafia world and cartel in Northwind Town.

Inside his office, Damian wore a black suit and sat behind his desk, going through his laptop to check on his other coded businesses.

His office was painted white, and a knock on the door interrupted him.

"Boss, Mr. Max Dawson is here to see you," his assistant, Jeff Brody, informed him.

Damian sighed. His father had just handed over the leadership position to him. He looked over at Jeff and replied, "Let him in."

Mr. Max Dawson, a businessman involved in illegal dealings, entered Damian's office. The latter made no attempt to stand up or shake hands with him.

"What do you want?" Damian asked, still seated in his chair as he continued clicking on his laptop.

Mr. Max swallowed the hard lump that had formed in his throat, knowing that doing business with Damian was more difficult than it had been with Damian's father, Mr. Mark Tucker. The Tucker's name alone instilled infinite fear in the other groups.

"It's business, Damian. It's a deal worth 10 million dollars," Mr. Max said. He was pleased when he saw Damian look away from his laptop and shift his gaze to him.

"Sit," Damian gestured to the middle-aged man. "Go on." He ordered, and Mr. Max went into details about what the business was all about.

Damian listened with keen interest. "So, what do you need my assistance for?" He queried.

"As the mafia lord, I don't want the other groups to interfere in this business, and I will need your assistance to loan me the money to proceed with it," Mr. Max explained.

Damian was interested in this business; however, he had other ulterior motives. Deals like this—he would personally handle them instead of given them over to his group to take care of.

"I will lend you the money, but you must promise to pay it back with interest. I don't care if the business works out or not. All I care about is my money," Damian told Mr. Max, who nodded.

"You've nothing to worry about, Damian. I will pay you back, but I will need your assistance with it," Mr. Max said, sitting across from Damian, who was looking at him.

"Don't worry. I will have Jeff assist you. First, sign the deal," Damian said. He offered the document to Mr. Max to sign and to loan him the money. His mind worked in mysterious ways as he focused his attention on the man, who reached for a pen and signed the deal.

"Done," Mr. Max said with a broad smile on his face as he rose to leave Damian's office.

"I will be looking forward to the repayment date," Damian commented to which Mr. Max nodded and left the office.

After the deal ended, Damian kept thinking about the deal worth millions of dollars.

"I cannot allow Mr. Max to have that kind of money. It will invoke the police authorities' knowledge of us, so I have to take care of it." A smirk played its way up his lips, and he called Jeff back into his office.

"Take care of Mr. Max's business and ensure that the money gets transferred to my offshore accounts."

"Okay, Boss," Jeff said. His eyes widened in surprise, but he dared not question Damian's orders. He looked up to him as an older brother and was only two years younger. He went to do as told.

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Three months later, Mr. Max was heartbroken to see that the business hadn't gone as planned. After borrowing money from the ruthless mafia lord, he had only a year to pay off the 10 million dollars he had loaned.

"Honey, what's the problem?" Mrs. Jennifer Dawson came into the room. She was a middle-aged woman, 45 years old, and she looked at her husband, who was pacing about worriedly.

"I am finished!" Mr. Max said, placing his hands on his head.

"You cannot be finished, honey. Talk to me," Mrs. Jennifer tried to beg her husband. But he said, "I shouldn't have trusted that mafia boss. Doing business with his father hadn't been bad. Our dealings hadn't been hijacked by the government, and now I have lost everything I worked hard for."

Mr. Max was on the brink of tears. He shouldn't have trusted Damian to handle the business for him. The man was still young and new as a mafia group leader.

"Calm down, honey. Talk to me," Mrs. Jennifer tried to talk her husband out of his misery. But he smacked her hand away and shouted at her, "Don't touch me! Where do I get 10 million dollars to pay the T-Group boss?"

"The T-Group boss? Who is he? Calm down, honey. We can raise the money. Where did you borrow such money from? Why would you even borrow such a huge amount of money? For gambling?" Mrs. Jennifer asked, shocked to hear the huge amount of money her husband owed. But he told her, "Get out of my room. I don't have time to explain anything to you. Just leave me alone. If I don't raise that money within a year, he will come for us—all of his group. And you need to leave with our children. They shouldn't return here. I am finished."

Mrs. Jennifer stubbornly shook her head and told her husband, "I cannot leave you to die alone, honey. You cannot turn me into a widow at this young age. You shouldn't have borrowed the money in the first place. Calm down; we can see how to raise the money."

Mr. Max went to his office, leaving his wife alone in their bedroom. She paced around, wondering what was wrong with her husband.

At 9 PM Mrs. Jennifer went downstairs and saw her youngest daughter, Alicia, in the living room.

"What's going on, Mom? I heard you and Dad arguing," Alicia, a 19-year-old girl, asked. She was a nursing student and hadn't graduated yet. She had fair skin, long blonde hair, enchanting blue eyes and resembled her mother.

"It's your father. He borrowed 10 million dollars, and now he has lost everything." Mrs. Jennifer cried, and Alicia collapsed on the couch.

"What? 10 million dollars? Where do we start paying off such a huge amount of money from? Oh no! We are doomed, Mom. If Dad cannot pay that off," Alicia said, joining her mother in crying in the living room. They were rich, so why had her father gone to borrow such a huge amount of money? It meant they would have to sell off some of their properties. But would it be enough to pay off such a huge debt? Alicia sobbed.