He raised his head and looked at Frank. The laziness in his eyes had long since faded away, replaced by a calm and sharp edge.
"Reply to them," Ribbs' voice was calm, "Chicago City Council President, Thomas Ribbs, is honored to accept the invitation of the Nightingale Club."
"Understood, Speaker! I will reply and confirm immediately through the encrypted channel!" Frank responded immediately, his face full of excitement.
The boss's successful entry into this circle above the clouds has undoubtedly opened up endless imagination space for him as the chief financial officer.
…
New York, Long Island, a hidden manor by the sea.
The air is filled with the aroma of cigars and champagne, and understated luxury permeates every piece of carefully polished stone. This is the core of the "Nightingale Club".
Ribbs walked into the main hall, his arm naturally linked with Keshia.
She was wearing a perfectly tailored burgundy backless long dress tonight, which made her skin look whiter than snow, and the expensive diamond necklace around her neck sparkled under the soft crystal light.
The appearance of two unfamiliar faces instantly attracted countless gazes.
The political and business tycoons who were originally standing in groups of three or four, whispering to each other and looking relaxed, immediately gathered their attention.
The laughter and chatter in the hall froze for a moment, then was replaced by whispers.
"Look over there, is that the speaker from Chicago?" A gray-haired, bespectacled member of an old money family took a sip of champagne and whispered to his old friend beside him, his eyes scanning Reeves' face and the radiant female companion in his arms with inquiry.
"More... fierce than he looks in the photo." The old friend nodded slightly, a reserved and distant smile on his lips: "I heard that this guy is the boss of Chicago, and the whole of Illinois is in his hands. I heard that even his security company can make money by legislating..." He stopped talking at that point, with the tacit scrutiny of people in the circle.
Not far away, several ladies dressed extremely elegantly half-covered their lips with delicate lace fans.
"Oh, God, that's Reeves! And one of the girls he keeps in Chicago? She's a real beauty," one of them said in a low voice with contempt. "Bringing her to an occasion like this? That's really... Chicago efficiency."
"Efficiency? It's more like ambition." Her friend beside her snorted softly, glancing critically at Kezia. "After all, his foundation is so thin that he can only rely on these methods to declare his existence. Let's see how big a wave he can make in this pond."
"That 'Thunder Speaker', haha, it's easy to crush Chicago, but here..." a voice said with a playful tone, "Look at the woman he brought with him, she has the Chicago style - direct and passionate..."
In the eyes of these old money New Yorkers, Reeves was not just a new member, but an "outsider" who had broken into Chicago with violence, money and power.
Of course, Ribs knew what these people were whispering about, but he didn't care about these looks and whispers at all. He just calmly walked in the hall with Kezia, looking at the sea view outside the window from time to time.
A few minutes later, William Hamilton came through the crowd.
The chairman of the club's external relations committee had his silver hair combed meticulously and wore a navy blue velvet shirt. One could tell at a glance that at least three generations of his ancestors were wealthy and old.
"Chairman Reeves?" Hamilton's voice was gentle, and his sharp eyes swept over Reeves and Kezia, immediately revealing sincere admiration. "Welcome to Nightingale. And to this beautiful lady, good evening. You two make the stars pale in comparison tonight."
He nodded warmly to Kezia, then turned his attention to Ribs.
Obviously, he had already noticed the discussions around him, but as the owner of the club, he played the role of glue perfectly.
"I guess you are Mr. Hamilton!" Ribbs shook the strong and steady hand. "This invitation is very important."
"Height belongs to those who are worthy." Hamilton said with approval. "Your 'Thunderbolt Methods' in Chicago are equally resounding on the East Coast. Tonight's ceremony isn't a formal initiation, but simply a chance for you to experience the Nightingale's... atmosphere."
He gracefully turned sideways, motioning for Ribs and Keshia to follow him.
"The atmosphere is very unique." Ribbs glanced at the guests present, who seemed to be a financial giant and a former Secretary of State.
Hamilton chuckled softly, expressing his tolerance and admiration for the younger generation's brilliance. "This is exactly what Nightingale means to us. We love those who can control the storm the most..."
The three of them walked deeper into the club, and a waiter approached with a tray.
Hamilton took two glasses of port from the tray, handed one to Ribbs, and handed the other to Kezia with a smile.
Ribs took the wine glass and casually glanced at the archway at the entrance to the terrace in the distance. An unexpected figure suddenly came into his sight.
It's Kroon.
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