The Whisper in Ottawa
Snow blanketed Ottawa, the Parliament buildings glowing faintly against a cold night sky. Inside a private chamber, Canadian ministers argued in hushed tones.
"The Americans want us to crack down on Ashford-backed companies moving north," one snapped.Another whispered nervously, "But those companies are propping up half our energy shortfall. Without them, Alberta collapses."A third muttered, "Washington insists… but if Mexico is already lost to Ashford, can we afford to provoke him?"
What they didn't know: the room was bugged. Thousands of miles away in Mexico City, Arthur Ashford leaned back, listening to every trembling word.
"Fear," he murmured, sipping wine. "The perfect seed."
Arthur's Cold Gamble
The North American arc had entered its second stage. Mexico was the base, but Canada was the test—if he could infiltrate one of the most stable, American-dependent nations, then no frontier was beyond his grasp.
At his side, Aurora laid out a dossier. "Canada's strength is also its weakness. Natural resources, but overreliance on American trade. The moment we cut off U.S. monopolies and step in, they'll have no choice but to deal with us."
Arthur's smirk sharpened. "We'll bleed them politely. A velvet glove, not an iron fist."
Step One: Energy Chains
Canada's oil sands were lucrative but chained to American pipelines. Arthur's empire moved quietly—through Swiss and Caribbean shell companies, Ghost operatives began purchasing minority stakes in companies ignored by U.S. giants.
Eva, ruthless as ever, spearheaded the financial assault. In Calgary boardrooms, she smiled sweetly as she signed contracts that transferred controlling power without shareholders realizing until it was too late.
Within six months, Ashford-linked corporations controlled 20% of Canada's refining capacity.
"This is how you conquer nations," Eva whispered in Arthur's ear, her nails grazing his arm. "Not by soldiers, but by signatures."
Step Two: Media Silk
Aurora and Bianca turned their eyes to Toronto.
Canada's media, long smug in its "neutrality," soon discovered Ghost influence creeping through advertising and quiet buyouts.
One by one, major news outlets began airing segments subtly praising Mexican "recovery" under Ashford-linked policies. Commentators ridiculed Washington's constant wars and debt crises, while portraying Ashford as a stabilizing force.
Canadian viewers, weary of American arrogance, listened.
Step Three: Nobility in Shadows
Canada didn't flaunt noble houses like Europe, but old families—banking dynasties, corporate clans—held power in shadows.
Arthur traveled quietly, under aliases, meeting them in Montreal and Vancouver mansions.
To some, he offered lucrative partnerships:
"Your shipping empire doesn't have to bow to Wall Street. Align with me, and you'll bypass American tariffs entirely."
To others, he showed leverage—photos, debts, family scandals uncovered by Ghost operatives.
Resistance melted.
The Empresses in Motion
Carmen forged ties with biker gangs and underground networks, ensuring Ashford muscle in Canada's underworld.
Isabella dazzled Quebec crowds with fiery speeches about sovereignty, playing into Canada's complex cultural identity.
Summer worked her charm in diplomatic circles, befriending ministers and wives of parliamentarians.
Bianca launched Ashford-funded hospitals in Indigenous communities, winning hearts where the Canadian state had long failed.
Together, they weren't just infiltrating—they were embedding themselves as saviors.
The Americans Stir
But Washington wasn't blind.
A secret meeting in the Pentagon: generals, intelligence chiefs, senators.
One slammed his fist. "First Mexico, now Canada? This Ashford bastard is carving up North America!"Another growled, "We can't move directly—our economy is too tied to theirs. If we hit Ashford, markets crash."The CIA director, pale from recent losses, whispered, "We need another Specter."
But in the shadows, Arthur already had dossiers on each man at that table.
The Dinner with Power
Arthur's boldest move came in Toronto, under the guise of a gala fundraiser. Ministers, CEOs, and socialites gathered.
Arthur walked in with his empresses, their beauty and presence stealing the night. Whispers rippled: That's him… the man who owns Mexico.
He raised a glass.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the world is shifting. America builds walls; we build bridges. You have a choice tonight—to be chained to a sinking empire, or to rise with a new one."
Applause thundered. Deals were struck that night—millions pledged, loyalties sealed.
Ghost in the Snow
Not everyone bent. One Canadian magnate refused to sell his telecom empire.
That night, his private jet exploded midair. Official reports said "engine malfunction." Insiders whispered otherwise.
The next day, his shares plummeted—and Eva's hands scooped them up.
Arthur said nothing, but everyone in the boardrooms now understood: the Ashford hand was velvet, but the Ghost shadow was steel.
Frost and Fire
By the year's end, Ashford influence touched every Canadian sector—oil, media, healthcare, underground networks, politics.
Canada wasn't conquered with violence, but seduced, infiltrated, and quietly bound.
Aurora summarized it perfectly one evening, watching snowfall outside their Toronto penthouse:
"North America isn't falling to you, Arthur. It's handing itself over. Piece by piece."
Arthur's smirk was cold fire.
"And when the Americans finally realize, it will already be too late."