On November 11th, as a new week began, the fashion buzz surrounding the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show continued to dominate conversations. However, for those focused on global political developments, another story emerged—one far removed from the glamour of runways. A major scandal involving Ukraine seemed to erupt overnight.
That morning, prominent American newspapers such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times prominently reported on the November 9th assassination of Yefim Shcherban, a businessman and influential figure in Ukraine's Liberal Party, in Donetsk Oblast.
Though the coverage varied in angle, and none of the reports explicitly pointed fingers, they all took the opportunity to criticize Ukraine's worsening business environment and escalating partisan struggles.
Adding fuel to the fire, the White House press briefing that morning addressed the matter when asked by reporters. The spokesperson expressed concern over the incident, pointing out growing worries about Ukraine's democratization process and the openness of its market economy. The statement also emphasized how international investments over the past few years had significantly boosted Ukraine's economy and created millions of jobs. The White House urged Kyiv to take measures to protect the legitimate rights of foreign investors.
But the issue didn't stop there.
On the same day, leading Russian newspapers, such as Izvestia, Pravda, and Rossiyskaya Gazeta, also reported on Shcherban's assassination, accompanied by statements of concern from the Kremlin.
With both global superpowers speaking out simultaneously, what might have remained a domestic incident in Ukraine suddenly became international news. No one was naive enough to believe that the U.S. and Russia's statements were motivated solely by justice or the surface-level concerns expressed. Speculation spread like wildfire, with media outlets around the world turning their attention to Donetsk, an industrially rich and resource-abundant region already under scrutiny.
Kyiv, Ukraine
By the morning of November 12th, the situation had fully spiraled. After spending a sleepless night, Pavlo Lazarenko was summoned to the presidential office. The moment he stepped inside, President Leonid Kuchma hurled a stack of newspaper clippings at him, followed by an angry tirade.
"You idiot! Look at what you've done—now the whole world is watching us!" Kuchma roared. "Just this morning, the IMF representative called to inform me that next year's loans to Ukraine might be reevaluated. Do you have any idea what kind of chain reaction this mess could cause? You son of a bitch!"
Lazarenko barely dodged the incoming papers and instinctively clenched his fists. Seeing Kuchma glaring at him from behind the desk, he quickly adjusted his demeanor and stammered, "Leonid, I don't quite understand what you—"
Before he could finish, a coffee cup flew at him.
Lazarenko managed to avoid the cup this time, but not the splatter of liquid that stained his jacket. Wiping himself off, he suppressed his growing anger and said, "I mean, this is clearly someone targeting me."
"No shit! Even a blind man could see that!" Kuchma snapped. "I'm asking you—what's your plan to clean this up?"
"I've already… dealt with it. No one will find those hitmen."
Kuchma grabbed another folder and hurled it at him. "And that's why you're an idiot. If no one finds the killers, the blame falls on you!"
"I… Leonid—"
"I don't want to hear your excuses! You have one week to resolve this mess. And from now on, stay away from Donetsk. That includes that woman by your side—you all better rein it in, or I'll personally kick you out of the prime minister's office."
"…"
"Did you hear me, you moron?"
Lazarenko bit his lip, forcing himself to swallow his pride. "I understand, Mr. President."
"From now on, address me as 'Mr. President.'"
That icy response sent a chill down Lazarenko's spine. It was clear—Kuchma no longer viewed him as a trusted ally. After a brief hesitation, Lazarenko finally nodded. "Yes, Mr. President."
"Get out. Remember, you have one week."
Lazarenko didn't leave immediately. He hesitated before asking, "Mr. President, I still want to know—who's targeting me?"
"Get out!" Kuchma bellowed.
As Lazarenko slinked away, Kuchma leaned back in his chair, his fury gradually subsiding. However, the morning's conversations with the U.S. ambassador and IMF representatives still left him with a headache.
After two years of effort, Ukraine had finally achieved a fragile semblance of stability. The economic freefall had been halted—barely. At this critical juncture, the country could not afford any major disruptions.
But now, one of his closest allies had thrown everything into disarray.
Kuchma had long been aware of Lazarenko and his ally Yulia Tymoshenko's voracious appetite for power and wealth. In a country like Ukraine, where corruption was rampant, he had tolerated it—up to a point. However, this incident was a wake-up call. Over the past few years, Lazarenko's ambition and influence had grown exponentially. If left unchecked, there was no guarantee Lazarenko wouldn't attempt a coup, much like Kuchma himself had done in 1994 when he transitioned from prime minister to president.
Initially hesitant, Kuchma now resolved to remove Lazarenko. But Lazarenko's entrenched position made this easier said than done.
After organizing his thoughts, Kuchma pressed the intercom button and summoned his son-in-law, Viktor Pinchuk. When Pinchuk arrived, Kuchma got straight to the point: "Viktor, I need you to go to Rivne immediately. Find out what Simon Westeros wants."
Pinchuk, quick to connect the dots, asked, "Leonid, are you saying the fallout from the Donetsk incident was orchestrated by Westeros?"
Kuchma nodded. During his earlier meeting with the U.S. ambassador, the American diplomat had not concealed this information, though deeper details remained elusive. While Kuchma initially felt resentment at being played, he realized he had no choice but to address the situation carefully.
The power of the Westeros system was simply too overwhelming. And in Rivne, the Westeros-backed Rivne Bloc had firmly established itself. Recently, with the completion of Ukraine's electoral reforms, the bloc had even registered a new political party—the Ukrainian Progressive Alliance—clearly aiming to influence next year's parliamentary elections.
While Rivne had aligned itself with Kuchma as an ally, his unease about their growing power outweighed his reliance on them. The old adage—you can't allow others to sleep peacefully beside you—rang true. For Kuchma, the Westeros system's dominance was a constant source of anxiety.
This time, the global spotlight on Ukraine had been sudden and overwhelming. Even though it wasn't directly aimed at him, Kuchma couldn't shake his growing unease.
Still, his current position was far from secure. Beyond Lazarenko, other threats loomed—particularly the Donetsk-based industrialist faction, which had been steadily consolidating power. Alienating the Rivne Bloc at such a critical juncture would only play into the hands of his opponents.
If confrontation was impossible, then maintaining the alliance was essential.
To Kuchma, the situation presented an opportunity. Westeros was clearly dissatisfied with Lazarenko. By aiding Westeros in removing Lazarenko, Kuchma could eliminate a rival. At the same time, he suspected that Westeros might have its eyes on Donetsk's industrial assets. If he could subtly provoke tensions between the Rivne Bloc and Donetsk, Kuchma stood to gain the most.
After a detailed discussion with his son-in-law, Pinchuk hurriedly left Kyiv for Rivne.
Meanwhile, Lazarenko returned to the prime minister's residence, where Tymoshenko was already waiting. Seeing his barely contained rage, she wasted no time laying out her analysis. While they lacked Kuchma's direct sources, the signs were clear enough to deduce who was behind the fallout.
It wasn't difficult to trace back.
Recently, Lazarenko had tried to siphon a portion of the Westeros-funded $200 million housing project in Rivne by securing steel supply contracts for a shell company Tymoshenko controlled. However, their bids failed spectacularly during an open tender hosted by Aldek Corporation. Frustrated, Lazarenko retaliated by deliberately stalling the approval process for Rivne's power plant project, even though Kuchma had endorsed it.
This was just one of many incidents.
Both Lazarenko and Tymoshenko had repeatedly clashed with the Westeros-backed Rivne Bloc, often underestimating their influence. Now, with the full force of Westeros's network bearing down on them, they realized the folly of their actions.
As Tymoshenko analyzed the situation, it became painfully clear: they had crossed a line. The Westeros system wasn't just a powerful entity—it was a global behemoth capable of mobilizing the U.S. and Russia simultaneously.
In a bid to salvage the situation, Tymoshenko secretly left Kyiv for Rivne.
By November 13th, the political drama reached Rivne, where representatives from Ukraine's three most prominent factions—Pinchuk for the Kyiv government, Tymoshenko for Lazarenko's camp, and Viktor Yanukovych for the Donetsk faction—all arrived, seeking an audience with the Rivne Bloc.
Caught off guard by the sudden convergence of political heavyweights, Rivne's leadership
reached out to Simon directly.
Back in the U.S., Simon had returned to the West Coast on November 11th. Due to the time difference, he received word of the developments early Tuesday morning.
As Celia Miller briefed him over the phone, Simon couldn't help but acknowledge what had happened: despite his initial intent to keep the situation controlled, his actions had gone too far.
Still, it wasn't entirely unexpected.
Simon realized he had underestimated the impact of the Westeros system's growing power while overestimating Ukraine's ability to withstand pressure from two global superpowers.
If Ukraine were compared to a company, its estimated $45 billion GDP for the year was only slightly higher than the revenue of Danerys Entertainment. In terms of profitability, Danerys's $5 billion net profit from the previous fiscal year dwarfed Ukraine, a nation surviving on debt. Economically, Ukraine was weaker than one of Simon's media giants.
Thus, whether it was the Westeros-backed Rivne Bloc, Kuchma's Kyiv regime, or the Donetsk industrialists, all their political maneuvering played out in a fragile system overshadowed by Simon's corporate empire.
As Celia's private jet descended over Rivne, she gazed out the window at the city below. The region had just seen its first snowfall, blanketing much of the countryside in white. However, Rivne itself stood out. Unlike the quiet, snow-covered villages and forests, the city buzzed with activity. Construction sites dotted the landscape, and the new housing project along the Ustya River was especially striking.
Waiting to meet her were Sergei Komorov and Vladimir Korkoshko, key members of the Rivne Bloc.
As Celia stepped off the plane into the chilly wind, she pulled her coat tighter and greeted Sergei in polished Russian. "I noticed a lot of construction still underway from the air. Won't the snow cause problems?"
Wearing a black overcoat, Sergei replied, "Daytime temperatures are still above freezing, so construction can continue. By December, when it's below freezing all day, most projects will pause. A few will continue, but only with additional insulation and anti-freeze materials, which significantly increase costs. The housing project won't push through under those conditions."
Celia nodded as her assistant handed her a pair of gloves. The group headed toward a convoy of vehicles waiting on the tarmac.
Noticing her unhurried demeanor, Vladimir couldn't help but ask, "Ms. Miller, Pinchuk, Tymoshenko, and the deputy governor from Donetsk are all waiting in the city. What's Simon's plan?"
Celia didn't answer directly but instead said, "We'll stick to the agenda I sent ahead. Is tonight's dinner prepared?"
"Of course," Vladimir replied. "But are we really only hosting Pinchuk?"
Celia nodded firmly. "That's Simon's directive. We've always maintained our alliance with Kuchma, and that won't change—so long as he remains in a position of strength. Tomorrow morning, I'll meet with Yanukovych. Sergei and Vladimir, you'll join me. To ensure Rivne's development, we need some control over Donetsk's coal resources. As for Tymoshenko, Simon's words were clear: ignore her."
Simon's strategy for Ukraine was straightforward: focus on the primary conflict, which was maintaining their alliance with Kuchma. Secondary players like Lazarenko were left to their own devices, provided they didn't provoke the Westeros system further. Simon was confident that this latest demonstration of power would make all parties think twice before meddling in Rivne's affairs again.
Later that evening, Celia prepared to head to her temporary residence in Rivne before attending the dinner with Pinchuk.
As the convoy arrived at her villa, Sergei couldn't resist making a suggestion. "Ms. Miller, the villas we've built by Lake Basiv Kut are finished. One of them is yours. Wouldn't you like to stay there?"
Celia smiled and shook her head. "Not this time. Tonight, I'm staying here. Tomorrow, I'll stay at the northern estate. That's Simon's arrangement."
Sergei and Vladimir exchanged knowing smiles.
Simon's intent was clear: Celia was tasked with keeping an eye on the group of girls living in Rivne, ensuring no one got any dangerous ideas.
For the Rivne Bloc's leadership, these girls weren't just employees—they were a crucial part of Simon's sphere of influence. Protecting them wasn't just about their safety; it was about safeguarding the Westeros system's interests.
No one dared take unnecessary risks. After all, their current power, wealth, and status all came from the young man who loomed larger than life behind these girls.
______
(≧◡≦) ♡ Support me and read 20 chapters ahead – patreon.com/INNIT
For every 50 Power Stones, one extra chapter will be released on Saturday.