Chapter 103: A Throne for the Taking

The air inside Blackwood Tower's private conference hall was thick with unspoken tension. The King of England sat across from Chris, his sharp blue eyes studying him with a mix of curiosity and caution. A faint smile touched his lips, but there was no mistaking the weight behind his words.

"Your rise has been... formidable," the King said, swirling the golden liquid in his crystal glass. "Few have ascended this fast without making enemies in high places."

Chris leaned back in his chair, unfazed. His tailored black suit hugged his frame with an effortless authority, and his piercing gaze met the King's without hesitation.

"Enemies are inevitable," he replied. "The real question is whether they have the power to stop me."

The King chuckled, setting his glass down. "Spoken like a man who understands the game. But tell me, Christopher—what is it that you truly want?"

Chris exhaled slowly. He could dance around the answer, but that wasn't his style. Not anymore.

"Control." His voice was steady, unwavering. "Of markets. Of media. Of influence. The kind that shapes nations."

The King's expression didn't waver, but something flickered behind his eyes—interest. Amusement. Perhaps even a sliver of concern.

"You speak like a ruler, yet you have no crown," the King mused. "Tell me, would you take one if offered?"

Chris smirked. "A crown is just a symbol. Power is what truly matters."

A pause. A test. The King studied him again, as if weighing something in his mind.

"You remind me of men from another era—ruthless, ambitious, unwilling to bow. The kind who either reshape the world... or are destroyed by it."

Chris's fingers tapped lightly against the polished table. "Then I suppose history will have to decide which I become."

The King exhaled, standing. "Perhaps it will." He extended a hand. "A pleasure, Mr. Blackwood. We'll see where your ambitions take you."

Chris shook his hand, feeling the silent acknowledgment pass between them.

As the King's entourage escorted him out, Ethan stepped forward, his expression unreadable.

"You just stared down a monarch and didn't blink," Ethan murmured.

Chris glanced out the window, where the city stretched beneath him like a kingdom waiting to be seized.

"This is just the beginning."

And for the first time, Ethan truly believed it.