Chapter 18: Kingpin Of Crime.

As Steven worked on his laptop in his office in his warehouse, a man was dragged in by two of his men. "Boss," they bowed.

"We discovered him to be an undercover spy sent by the police." One of his men spoke.

Steven gave a dark chuckle, "how cowardly of the police? They couldn't approach me directly, they had to send a spy."

"We are not afraid of you!" The spy spat, receiving a tight slap from Steven's men.

Steven paused his work, "oh really? Enlighten me." He was getting amused.

"We'll get you, Steven, and you'll pay for everything you've been doing." The spy said firmly.

"What you all fail to understand is that if everyone maintained their lanes and don't bother me, I won't have to treat anyone's shit." Steven replied.

"It doesn't change the fact that you're a criminal!" The spy said confidently.

Steven's lips curled up a little at the corners, "you're very bold, no wonder they sent you."

"So what have you found out about me?" Steven squatted in front of him.

"That you're the Devil who'll soon face God's wrath." The spy replied and Steven sneered.

"Say hi to God for me." Steven smirked, putting a bullet down his throat.

"Send his body to the police." Steven ordered, returning to his seat.

As Steven returned to his laptop, his men dragged the spy's lifeless body out of the office. The sound of footsteps echoing outside was followed by the slamming of the warehouse door.

Steven's eyes scanned the screen, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he typed away. He was amused by the spy's bravery, but it didn't faze him. He had been in this business long enough to know that there would always be people trying to take him down. Just as he was about to finish his work, his phone buzzed. He picked it up, answering with a curt "yes?"

"Boss, we have a problem," one of his men said, sounding worried.

"What is it?" Steven asked, his tone firm but controlled.

"It's about the shipment. The buyer is getting cold feet, and we're not sure if he's going to go through with the deal."

Steven's eyes narrowed. This was not what he needed right now. He had invested too much in this deal to let it fall through.

"Bring him here," Steven ordered. "I'll take care of it."

"Yes, boss," his man replied, hanging up.

Steven leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. He was going to have to use all his charm and persuasion to convince the buyer to go through with the deal.

As he waited for the buyer to arrive, Steven's mind wandered back to Dua. He couldn't believe how easily he fell asleep in Dua's arms, without her putting much efforts in putting her to sleep. Finally he concluded that it was just mere coincidence and nothing more.

The sound of footsteps outside his office broke his reverie. His eyes snapped back to the door as it opened, and the buyer was ushered in.

"Ah, welcome," Steven said, standing up and extending a hand. "Please, have a seat."

The buyer looked nervous, glancing around the office before taking a seat. Steven lightened his facial expression, trying to put the man at ease.

"So, what seems to be the problem?" Steven asked, leaning back in his chair.

The buyer hesitated, fidgeting with his hands. "I don't know if I can go through with this deal," he said finally. "I'm getting cold feet."

Steven could see the fear in the buyer's eyes, and he knew exactly how to exploit it.

"I understand your concerns," Steven said, his voice smooth as silk. "But let me assure you, this deal is going to make you a lot of money. And I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make sure you're comfortable with it."

The buyer looked up at him, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Steven smirked, knowing he had him right where he wanted him.

"Let's discuss the details," Steven said, leaning forward. "And I'll show you exactly why this deal is going to be the best thing that's ever happened to you."

As the buyer nodded, Steven's eyes gleamed with triumph. He was going to make this deal happen, no matter what it took.

"Let's get down to business," Steven said, his voice firm and commanding. "I'll show you the numbers, and you can see for yourself why this deal is a goldmine."

The buyer nodded, his eyes wide with excitement, and Steven smirked, knowing he had him hooked. As they delved into the details, the buyer gave a frustrated sigh, "even with all this, I don't think I can go through with the deal."

Steven leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. "I understand you have concerns about the deal," he said, his voice low and even. "But I want to assure you, we're committed to making this work."

The buyer shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "I appreciate that , but I still have doubts."

Steven nodded sympathetically, "I understand. It's natural to have doubts. But let me ask you, what's holding you back from commiting to the deal?"

The buyer hesitated, then spoke, "I'm just not sure if it's the right move for my business."

"I see. Well, let me ask you this: what's the worst that could happen if you do commit to the deal?"

The buyer thought for a moment before responding. "I suppose the worst case scenario is that the deal falls through and I lose money."

Steven nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. But what if I told you that we're willing to offer a guarantee? If the deal falls through, we'll compensate you for any losses."

The buyer's eyes widened, his expression hopeful. "Really?"

Steven gave a half smile, his eyes glinting with triumph. "Yes, really. We're committed to making this work, and we're willing to take on the risk to ensure it happens."

"Sounds good to me, I'll give you a call." The buyer said and Steven nodded.

As the buyer left, Steven's men gathered around him. "What's the plan, boss?" one of them asked.

Steven narrowed his eyes, his mind racing with possibilities. "We need to make sure the buyer doesn't try to back out. I want you to keep an eye on him, make sure he's on board."

His men nodded, their faces set with determination. Steven gave a satisfied nod, knowing he had a team of ruthless and efficient men at his disposal.

As they left to carry out his orders, his phone buzzed. He answered, his voice cold and detached.

"Yes?"

"Boss, we have a problem," one of his men said, his voice laced with urgency. "The police are getting closer."

Steven smirked, knowing the police had received the spy's corpse. "Take care of it," he said, his voice low and menacing. "I don't want any unwanted attention."

His man nodded, even though Steven couldn't see him. "Yes, boss. We'll take care of it."

Steven hung up the phone, his eyes glinting with determination. "This is beginning to get interesting."

He was a master of manipulation, a kingpin of crime. And no one was going to take that away from him.