All Chapters of I Was Never Just Dead Weight: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

Over a hundred core members looked at the shiny plastic trophy on stage."Congrats to Valentina, the Biggest Dead Weight!"Applause. But I heard the mockery. Whispers started. Phones went up to record.I frowned at the stage. This prank award was for low-level street thugs. Why me?"What are you waiting for, Valentina?" Chloe stepped out from the crowd. Red dress. Cover-girl makeup. She nudged my shoulder. Sweet voice. "Go on. Everyone voted for you."The laughs died down. The vibe got weird."Are you okay?" She blinked, looking flawlessly innocent. "Don't take the results personally."I turned to her. Calm tone. "What do you want?""I just think everyone should know the reasons." She pulled a folder from her clutch. Elegant like a stage play.The music still played. But the talking stopped.People formed a circle around us."I handle the books now. And I found some fun numbers." Chloe opened the folder. Clean financial sheets. "Our top earner hasn't visited the casinos in three mon

Chapter 2

I looked at Silas. Gave a soft laugh."An excuse?" I repeated. "Do you really want to hear it?"Silas stared at me for a few seconds. His face turned hard."You feel no guilt at all." He stood up. His voice filled the room. "As the Don, I must protect the family."He looked around. Making sure everyone heard him."We have zero tolerance for skimming. No matter who it is."Silas turned to David. David was faking busy with his papers. "Cut Valentina's access right now. Offshore wires, the slush funds, and the encrypted ledgers."David’s hands shook. But he nodded. "Yes, Boss."I looked at this man. He used to beg on his knees for my help with the IRS. Now he couldn't even look me in the eye."Also," Silas looked at Chloe, "you handle this financial cleanup. Every penny goes back to where it belongs."Chloe's eyes lit up. Like she heard angels singing. "Got it, Boss. I'll fix the family's losses."She sighed, acting like she felt sorry for me. "Rules are rules, Valentina. We have to be fa

Chapter 3

I picked up the bill. Checked the total."$157,423." I read it softly. Looked up at Chloe. "You charged me retail?"Chloe blinked innocently. "I'm just following protocol, Valentina. Every swipe is on record."I smiled. "You missed one detail. I used my private Centurion Card. My concierge comps half the fees. The real cost was around 110 grand."Chloe froze for a second. Then went back to being arrogant."Discounts? You used that card for family business. That makes it a family asset." She held out her hand. "Hand it over."I looked at her greedy eyes. The audacity was insane."Also," Chloe looked around my office. Staring at my expensive imported desk. "Silas gave me the books. This office is mine now."She walked to the window. Taking in the Manhattan view. "The penthouse hits different. You can move down to the lobby."I stared at her quietly."You really want this office?""Well," Chloe tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, playing shy. "Silas insisted it fits my new title."I n

Chapter 4

9:00 AM the next day. Jessica, Silas's personal fixer, tapped on my desk.She held a file. Looking nervous and awkward."Valentina, this is... your new assignment." She couldn't even look at me. "One-week probation. Lobby security. You log in the street soldiers and pat them down for wires."I took the file. Scanned it.The written orders were a pure insult. Dumping me from top earner to a lobby rat. A massive slap in the face in our world."Also," Jessica cleared her throat, "Chloe needs all the core VIP files. Their numbers and habits."I nodded. "Sure. Of course.""She's waiting in the penthouse." Jessica ran off. Like she was scared to be seen with me.I rode the elevator up. Pushed open my old doors.I almost laughed out loud.My clean, minimal office was dead.Gold baroque furniture everywhere. Tacky oil paintings. Heavy velvet curtains.It looked like a cheap pimp's living room.Chloe sat behind the decorated desk. Wearing a brand-new Chanel suit. Pearl necklace.She gave me a b

Chapter 5

For the next week, I played the perfect grunt.Showed up early. Left late. I sorted trash papers. I patted down goons with a deadpan face. I laid low like a real street rat.Up in the penthouse, Chloe lived her best life.New designer fit every day. Prada on Monday. Versace on Tuesday. Saint Laurent on Wednesday. Rotating Hermès bags. Telling the world she made it.Her Insta was worse. Every two hours, a new post."Busy mob life #GirlBoss #Grind""Power lunch with VIPs #WomenInBusiness #Elite""Late nights for the big project #Hustle #WorthIt"Dozens of likes. Fake hype.She was addicted. She thought social media clout meant real mafia power.But reality hit hard.Tuesday. I heard her panicking on the phone."Senator Morrison? It's Chloe. The new financial head... What? You don't know me? I can explain...""Judge Hamilton? About our immunity deal... What deal? You've never heard of me?"Click. Click. Click. Hung up every time.The politicians who used to kiss my ring? They froze Chloe

Chapter 6

The golf ball went completely off track. It flew straight into the artificial lake, making a splash.The whole course fell dead silent. Massive bodyguards instantly reached into their suit jackets. They glared at them. Arthur turned around slowly. His weathered old face was full of terrifying rage. He looked the flashy Chloe up and down like she was a bag of stinking trash."Which sewer did you crawl out of, you rat?" His voice was low but heavy with absolute power. "Who gave you permission to step on my lawn?"Chloe’s proud smile froze. Extreme embarrassment turned her face bright red. "I'm... I'm Silas’s new accountant," she stuttered, trying to push out her chest and look charming. "My name is Chloe. We fired Valentina. I handle the books now."Silas cursed the idiot in his head. He hurried forward with a fake smile plastered on his face. "Mr. Arthur. I am so sorry for interrupting your game." Silas bowed slightly. He handed over the thick contract with both hands. "This is the

Chapter 7

Silas floored the gas pedal. His heart beat so fast it almost burst out of his chest. Ten minutes later. He slammed on the brakes in front of the five-star hotel. The once-glamorous headquarters doors were gone. The ground was covered in shattered crystal glass and blasted bricks. The fancy revolving door was blown into twisted scrap metal. The expensive Persian rugs were stained with mud and blood. His guys were piled up in the corner of the lobby. All disarmed. They were rolling on the floor groaning, clutching their wounds. Pure rage instantly swallowed Silas’s reason. "Viktor!" Silas pulled the Glock from his waist. He stormed into the lobby yelling. "Take your Russian bastards and get off my turf right now!"He wanted to show them who was boss. He was still the Don on top. But the next second, the sound of guns cocking rang in his ears. Three cold AK-47s pressed against the back of his head. A heavy kick smashed into the back of Silas’s knees. Thud. He dropped hard to

Chapter 8

A loud bang. The doors to this leaky, rundown Brooklyn warehouse slammed shut. Rain kept dripping from the rusty tin roof. Outside, police sirens and rival gang cars roared close by, then faded. The Irish mob had already put out a hit on them. Panic fully exploded inside the warehouse. Silas leaned against the cold, moldy brick wall. He looked at the couple dozen core guys he had left. Just days ago, they treated him with total respect. He used to be the Don at the top. But now, they stared him down like a pack of starving wolves. "We need weapons. We need money." David, the money laundering boss, pushed roughly through the crowd. His hand was pressed hard against his gun holster. "Silas. You screwed everything up. The funds are dry. The ledger is toast. How are we supposed to fight those mad dogs out there?"Silas took a step back. His back pressed tight against the wall. "Everybody chill out." He put his hands up, trying in vain to get his old authority back. "Give me some ti

Chapter 9

Thunder roared. Rainy nights in Long Island always had a bone-chilling cold. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows of my hillside estate. Holding a glass of expensive Romanée-Conti. The hem of my silk robe dragged lazily across the luxury rug. Marcus stood behind me. He reported the final battle results in a low voice. "Only five days. Miss Valentina. His empire is totally wiped out.""What about the politicians?" I took a small sip of wine. "They all flipped. And the feds used that idiot Chloe’s Instagram check-ins to pinpoint their last few safehouses. They busted the whole operation."I smirked. That’s what happens to street trash. Without me, they didn't even know the basic rules of survival. The security screen for the estate’s main gate suddenly lit up. A dark figure was climbing up toward the gate in the pouring rain. It was Silas. He had none of his old mob boss swagger left. He was covered in mud. His suit was ripped to shreds. "Open the gates. Let him crawl in." I

Chapter 10

"Forty years." Arthur swirled the champagne in his glass. Looking away from the TV. He gave a deeply disgusted laugh. "That stupid woman won't even last the first day of trial."Breaking news was playing on the TV screen. FBI agents were roughly escorting Chloe out of the federal courthouse for the Southern District of New York. She was in a bright orange jumpsuit. Heavy handcuffs on her wrists. Her once shiny blonde hair now looked like a smelly rat's nest. A massive crowd of camera flashes bombarded her. Reporters shoved mics in her face. Asking crazy questions about the multi-million-dollar money laundering ring. Chloe screamed in breakdown. Her face was a mess of tears and snot. Crying hysterically at the cameras that she didn't know anything. But nobody would believe her. Those Instagram posts she put up to show off her power. Along with the arrogant selfie of her holding champagne at my desk. The feds printed them all out. Calling them the most undeniable core evidence

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