Chapter 7 - Checkers and Chess

Viviane

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I have always been the smartest person in the room.

I was valedictorian in high school, top of my class in college, and the brightest kid in every single classroom I ever walked into. If Alessandro Costello thinks he’s outplayed me, he’s in for a rude awakening.

I've always got a game plan. And a backup plan. And a backup for the backup. I don’t just wing it; every single move is meticulously thought out, every little detail tweaked to perfection.

When I make a move, you better believe it's all been plotted and planned with precision, down to the very last second. I've got contingencies for my contingencies. When I act, it’s because I’ve already run through every scenario in my head. There’s no such thing as chance or luck in my world, just calculated decisions and flawless execution.

He's playing checkers, and I’m playing chess.

I strolled into La Notte Nera—The Black Night—one of the swankiest nightclubs the Costellos owned. This was their playground, where th