Chapter 14 - The Boardroom Confrontation
The final hurdle in our corporate transformation was the Castiglion syndicate’s old guard—the remaining regional capos who still believed power was maintained through violence and intimidation rather than contracts and compliance.
Two weeks after the federal meeting, Leo called a mandatory assembly in the estate's grand conference room. Twelve senior capos sat around the massive mahogany table, murmuring anxiously among themselves. When Leo walked in, flanked by Carmine and me carrying my digital tablet, absolute silence fell over the room.
"You've all seen the new federal contracts," Leo began, his voice cutting through the tension like a razor. "You've seen the restructuring of the shipping lanes. Effective today, the old ways of operating in this city are permanently terminated. Anyone who attempts to run contraband through our slips will be handed over to federal authorities by my own security detail."
A burly capo named Salvatore slammed his fist onto the table, standing up in a fury. "You're selling us out, Castiglion! You're turning a multi-million-dollar syndicate into a clean corporate ledger for a woman—"
Before Salvatore could finish his sentence, the heavy oak doors swung open, and four federal agents—acting on an anonymous, perfectly timed tip coordinated by our legal team regarding Salvatore's private drug distribution ring—stepped into the room with zip-ties ready.
"Salvatore DeLuca," Agent Vance announced, stepping forward with an arrest warrant. "You're under federal arrest for rackonomics and drug trafficking."
Salvatore turned pale, staring in sheer horror at Leo, who hadn't even blinked.
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"Take him out," Leo commanded coldly.
As the agents dragged the screaming capo out of the room, the remaining eleven capos looked around the table, swallowed hard, and slowly lowered their gaze. The message was unmistakable: Leo Castiglion ruled the city, but Mave was the architect of its survival.
