chapter 23

Kane’s POV

The moment I stepped into the private dining room at Piazza Navona, I knew this meeting was going to be an uphill battle.

Chairman Alistair Voss sat at the far end of the long table. His silver hair was combed back flawlessly, his expression guarded and entirely devoid of emotion. He didn't even look up when I walked in.

I steeled myself for the confrontation.

“You're late,” he said flatly, glancing at his watch.

“I arrived three minutes before our scheduled time.”

“And yet I have been sitting here waiting for you. Do you understand what time means in our industry, Mr. Ravello?”

I pulled out the leather chair opposite him and sat down. “Then I apologize for wasting three minutes of your time.”

His lips twitched, not into a smile, but a subtle show of amusement.

“Still arrogant, I see. The years haven't changed you.”

“I've been called worse.”

“I imagine you have.”

The Voss family had dominated the steel sector for generations, building an undisputed reputation for high-grade materials and ruthless corporate tactics. The old man knew he held all the cards, which meant I was essentially at his mercy.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between us before I decided to cut through it. “I came to discuss the Kings Steel contract.”

He didn't respond immediately. For weeks after Adrian’s stunt, Alistair had rejected every single attempt I made to contact him. But now he was sitting across from me. That meant a door was still cracked open.

“I know why you're here,” he finally said, opening a thick leather file without glancing at the documents inside. “Your brother is a fool.”

My jaw tightened. “Adrian made a grave mistake….”

“A grave mistake?” Alistair cut in, looking up, his dark eyes piercing into mine, but I didn't back down. “He terminated a contract that took months to negotiate, endangered a generational partnership, and nearly caused both our companies irreparable financial damage. Calling him a 'fool' is a generous understatement, don't you think?”

I remained silent, accepting the bitter truth.

He leaned back in his chair. “Do you know why I didn't terminate our agreement immediately last year when your so-called director of procurement appeared?”

I kept my expression stone-faced, though it took immense willpower. “Why?”

“Because I assumed you were running your own house. But you allowed him close enough to sabotage it. You dropped your guard.”

That hit home. It made my blood boil because he was right.

In all my years running the Ravello empire, I had never been sloppy, until I let family loyalty cloud my judgment.

“You're right,” I admitted, my jaw set.

Alistair’s eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise.

“I expected better from you,” he continued. “From your father's successor.”

“My track record speaks for itself,” I said firmly. “This was an error in oversight, and I take full responsibility for it.”

The old man studied me in silence for several long seconds. “Your father…. rest his soul, was a formidable man. But he knew never to let miscreants near his core operations. He was careful.”

“My father isn't here anymore,” I replied swiftly.

“No,” Alistair’s tone softened marginally. “And that is precisely why you need to be twice as vigilant.”

I leaned forward, placing my hands on the table. “I want Kings Steel back as our primary supplier. How do we make this right?”

“First, the default penalty.”

I knew it was coming. “How much?”

“Twenty million dollars. For old times' sake.”

I didn't so much as blink, even though the figure would have discouraged most executives. “You'll have it by tomorrow morning.”

“Second, the revised contract will be drafted by my personal legal team. No alterations.”

“Agreed.”

“And third...” Alistair spat out the next name like a bitter seed. “Your stepbrother Adrian will have zero involvement. I will deal with you directly…..no intermediaries, no middle management, no sales reps. Just you.”

“Agreed.”

Alistair closed the file with a decisive snap. “Then we have a deal.”

I stared at him, slightly caught off guard. “That easy? I expected more resistance.”

He let out a dry, raspy chuckle.

“Nothing about business is easy, Mr. Ravello. I simply needed to see if you were still capable of standing up and taking responsibility for your company.”

“It’s a pleasure doing business with you, Chairman.” I stood up and extended my hand.

He shook it with a firm, surprisingly strong grip. “My legal team will send the revised paperwork over tomorrow.”

“I'll be waiting.” I turned to leave.

“Kane?”

I paused at the door and looked back. Alistair’s eyes held a stern, almost paternal gravity.

“A word of advice from an old man. Cut that stepbrother of yours loose for good. If you have to be ruthless about it, so be it.”

I gave him a singular, understanding nod.

“Remember,” he added softly, “business is rarely the only thing that truly destroys powerful men.”

He didn't elaborate, and I didn't ask, but I understood the meaning.

“Good night, Chairman.”

I walked out of the suite feeling the first genuine wave of relief I’d experienced in weeks. One massive crisis was finally heading in the right direction.

My phone buzzed in my pocket just as I reached the elevator. It was a text from Josephine.

Are we still on for tonight?

I stared at the glowing screen for a second before typing back:

Yes.

Her reply was instant.

Good. You know I hate being kept waiting.

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. I'll fix it, one problem at a time.