The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Ethan’s mind reeled in disbelief. *Why does Victor sound so respectful?* he wondered, struggling to process the scene before him. Victor was easily two decades older than Nova—he could be her father. Yet here he was, speaking to her as if pleading with his superior, his tone almost reverential.

Everyone in Frostwave Bar was well aware that Victor was a major player in Ravensport’s shadowy underworld. Still, the way he addressed Nova now was unlike anything Ethan had ever seen. It was as if the usual power dynamics had been completely upended.

A wave of shock washed over Ethan’s round, youthful face. He wanted to shout, to demand answers. *Can someone please explain what on earth is happening?* But his voice was swallowed by the thick tension in the air; no one paid him any heed.

All eyes in the bar were locked onto the pair—Victor and Nova—caught in their charged exchange.

“Go ahead,” Nova said with a slight nod, her voice calm but firm.

Only after receiving her silent approval did Victor gather the courage to speak again.

“To be honest,” he began, his voice heavy with a mixture of frustration and resignation, “Frostwave Bar has been spiraling downward for some time now. No point pretending otherwise, Nova.”

He paused, taking a slow breath as bitterness crept into his tone. “I may be known as one of the top dogs in Ravensport’s underground scene, but the truth is, I’ve been under constant pressure from Leewaine’s boss—Frank Davidson, the head of Verdant Reign.”

Victor’s eyes darkened with the weight of his confession. “I own a total of one hundred and nine establishments across Ravensport—bars, nightclubs, after-hours lounges, you name it.”

He exhaled sharply. “But in recent years, all the alcohol supply chains for those venues have been monopolized by Verdant Reign. That’s left us with barely any profit.”

“And it gets worse,” he added grimly. “Frank has been poaching our VIP clients—the regulars who used to spend big in my places. Business has been bleeding out.”

Victor’s voice grew heavier, each word laden with defeat. “A few weeks ago, he sent word through his men. He wants to buy out all my assets at a dirt-cheap price. He’s made it clear—he plans to replace me and crown himself the new king of Ravensport’s underground.”

He looked away briefly, then met Nova’s gaze again. “He wants control over both cities.”

The room seemed to grow quieter as Victor’s confession settled over everyone.

“Truthfully, I could walk away anytime,” he admitted, voice rough with emotion. “I don’t care about the title. But I have a crew—men who’ve stood by me for years. I owe them that much. I can’t just abandon them.”

Ethan listened, stunned, as Victor laid bare the fragile state of his empire.

Verdant Reign was the notorious syndicate controlling Leewaine’s underworld. Though Victor and Frank held comparable ranks within their domains, Victor had never built a crime syndicate. Instead, he and his crew had quietly built those 109 venues as a means to make an honest living.

Most of the men who worked for him were middle-aged, burdened with families to feed and aging parents to support. For years, they had run their businesses legitimately, keeping a low profile.

But Frank’s ambitions were ruthless and boundless—he wanted everything Victor had painstakingly built.

The problem was, Victor no longer had the strength to fight back.

He refused to watch everything he and his men had worked for—everything that kept their families afloat—fall into Frank’s grasp.

Victor knew the man too well to believe Frank would ever show mercy.

Nova, sharp as ever, immediately grasped the reason behind Victor’s visit.

“You want my help?” she asked, her voice steady and curious.

Before Victor could answer, Ethan blurted out, still trying to process the revelation, “Wait—you’re the owner of Frostwave Bar? The big boss of Ravensport’s underground?”

All this time, Ethan had assumed Victor was simply a high-ranking figure within Frostwave Bar.

But now, the very man whose name was whispered with fear and respect throughout the city was standing right before him.

Even Ethan, who had witnessed his fair share of wild and dangerous situations, was utterly dumbfounded.

*Did the king of Ravensport’s underworld just bow to Nova?* he thought incredulously. *What kind of power does she wield to command that kind of respect from Victor?*

Yet Ethan’s astonishment barely caused a ripple between Nova and Victor.

Both of them—and everyone else in the bar—ignored the wide-eyed young man completely.

Victor nodded solemnly and said, “Yes, Nova. I’m asking for your help—to save me and my men. And for that, I am willing to relinquish my position as the boss of Frostwave Bar and appoint you as our new leader.”

Surrendering the Frostwave Bar title meant far more than simply stepping down as its owner.

It was tantamount to handing over his crown as Ravensport’s underground king—the city’s top dog title—to Nova.

Once one of the senior crew members voiced his objection, the rest of the Frostwave staff quickly joined in, their protests rising in a chorus of disbelief.

*Are you kidding me?* they thought. *Nova’s weak—just a girl—and she’s supposed to lead us? She’d be better off nursing babies than running a bar.*

Ethan, overwhelmed by the chaos, shouted, “Hey! Nova, let’s get out of here. We’re just students—this isn’t our battle. Let’s leave. Please, come on, right now!”

But before he could finish, Nova’s icy gaze locked onto Victor with unwavering resolve.

In that instant, she carried herself like a queen, radiating authority.

Ignoring the outrage and disbelief swirling around her, she spoke in a tone that brooked no argument—calm, commanding, absolute.

“I accept your petition.”

Her words were brief but carried the weight of a royal decree.

She stood there, untouchable and unshakable, as if the entire room belonged to her.

Before anyone could respond, a sharp thud echoed through the bar.

Nova had grabbed a nearby stool and hurled it in front of her, its wooden legs scraping loudly against the floor.

She planted one foot firmly atop the stool.

In that moment, she looked like the sovereign of the entire room—the undisputed ruler of all she surveyed.

Facing the men who dared to defy her, Nova declared her challenge with cold, unrestrained arrogance.

“From this moment on, I’m your new boss.”

“Frostwave Bar belongs to me. You have three minutes. If anyone disagrees—step forward and fight.”