KING OF NEW YORK

chap 22. The Delivery of the next generation

**Chapter: The Delivery of the Next Generation for the Mafia Kingdom of New York**

The private bar in Midtown was dimly lit, closed to the public for the night. Lucas Materazzi sat at a table near the window, his gaze shifting between the city lights and the glass of whiskey in his hand. He wasn't one for idle conversations with rivals, but tonight was different. Tonight, he was waiting for Lee Chang.

Lee arrived, his usual composed expression softened slightly. The tension between him and Lucas had long dictated their interactions, both men dancing around each other in a subtle power play, each trying to gauge and outmaneuver the other. Yet, as they exchanged brief nods and settled into their chairs, the usual edge was replaced by a silent understanding. They had both come for more than just words.

For a few moments, neither spoke. They each took a measured sip from their glasses, letting the silence mark the weight of what was at stake.

"It's strange, isn't it?" Lucas began, his voice low but steady. "We've both spent years building empires, setting up alliances, and outmaneuvering each other. But now... now it's all for them."

Lee nodded, his eyes fixed on the liquid in his glass as he considered his words. "It changes things, knowing that they'll inherit all of this-our battles, our alliances. I used to think strength alone would keep my family safe. But this... this is different."

Lucas leaned back, his expression contemplative. "Aisha's strong, but this world we've built-our enemies, our pasts-they're always there, lingering. My son won't just inherit my name, he'll inherit every debt, every grudge, every dark deal I've made. Same for yours."

Their words lingered, heavy with the burden of their legacies. For so long, they had been rivals. Their ambitions, their bloodlines, had defined them. But as they faced the prospect of fatherhood, the rivalry seemed hollow compared to the future they needed to secure for their children.

"We've both made sacrifices," Lee said quietly. "But if we don't change things now, we'll be sentencing them to fight the same wars we did, the same struggles. It might not be peace, but it could be a truce."

Lucas raised an eyebrow, a small, skeptical smile on his lips. "A truce, huh? Between a Romanov-linked Chang and a Materazzi? People would laugh us out of this city."

Lee chuckled, a rare and genuine sound. "Maybe they would. But our wives... they're stronger than most of those people. And if they can coexist, then maybe we can figure something out too. For their sake."

Lucas sighed, taking another sip of his whiskey before setting the glass down with finality. "Aisha keeps telling me that we don't always have to be at war, that there's a bigger picture. That maybe, if we focus on our families first, we won't need to keep all this power to protect them."

Lee nodded, understanding that more than ever. "Alina says the same. She's always been willing to sacrifice for her family, but now, it's about her son. Our son. They didn't marry us to have us destroyed by this. They're right."

A silence fell over them again, this time a different one. It was not the silence of two rivals sparring with words, but of two fathers-to-be acknowledging the reality that awaited them.

"So, what's your proposal?" Lucas finally asked, his eyes narrowing, yet his tone softened with a trace of humor. "Let's hear it."

Lee took a breath, leaning forward. "The way I see it, we could shift our approach. We manage our own families, our own territories, but agree not to cross each other's lines. We can share intelligence, make each other stronger, and, at least for now, set aside this back-and-forth. Our families need stability right now, not chaos."