When news broke that the Ukrainian Parliament had officially rejected the European Union's aid, it immediately sent shockwaves across the world! Almost every nation—big or small—especially Ukraine's neighboring countries, turned their attention to this unexpected development.
After all, had Ukraine accepted the aid, its military power would have been rendered useless. Neighboring countries such as Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Turkey would no longer need to fear Ukraine's military strength.
However, Ukraine's decision to reject the EU's assistance was completely unexpected! This unforeseen move left its neighbors and the rest of the world feeling deeply uneasy. No one knew which direction the situation would take next…
Some tabloids, eager to attract attention, went so far as to publish sensational headlines like: "Is World War III About to Begin?!"
- The Washington Post: Breaking News! Yesterday, the Ukrainian Parliament officially announced its rejection of the European Union's proposed $500 million loan aid package! Ukraine remains firm in keeping its 1,300 nuclear warheads and 17 Tu-160 supersonic strategic bombers.
- The Times (UK): Yesterday, the Ukrainian Parliament formally rejected the EU's aid proposal! According to reports, Russia's government was behind the interference that led to this decision.
…
Sitting at his computer, Mavi read through the news reports collected by his subordinates. The way the media was blowing things out of proportion was astonishing! World War III? Seriously? Were they trying to stir up chaos?
This was merely an economic confrontation—a financial dispute—between Ukraine and the European Union. And yet, somehow, they managed to link it to a potential world war… The imagination of these people was truly something else.
That said, the British seemed to have a better grasp of the situation, recognizing that Russia was behind this move. More specifically, he, Mavi, had orchestrated the whole thing from the Russian side…
After finishing the reports from global media outlets, Mavi casually opened his web browser to check what people around the world were saying.
However… to his surprise, when he refreshed the comments on news articles from the UK, France, and Germany, he found that there were no comments at all! The sections were completely clean, as if they had been wiped.
Later, he learned that governments had stepped in to censor online discussions because there were too many posts fueling panic over a potential world war. Authorities had no choice but to intervene to prevent unnecessary fear from spreading among the public.
If things spiraled out of control, it wouldn't be Ukraine suffering the consequences—it would be those very countries dealing with mass protests, strikes, and chaos. Anti-war demonstrations, pro-war rallies… foreign nations loved engaging in such activities, which only created more headaches.
Meanwhile, the $2.5 billion warship order Mavi had secured was just the beginning. The next major deal—the sale of the Varyag aircraft carrier—was still in the approval process and was expected to be formally proposed to the Ukrainian government within the next three months.
---
### A Call from an Old Friend
"Mr. Yuan, I sincerely appreciate your help this time!" Mavi expressed his gratitude over a satellite phone. If it hadn't been for Mr. Yuan using his connections to speed up the approval process, the Black Sea Shipyard's $2.5 billion order would have been stuck in bureaucracy for at least another month.
"No need to thank me. It was just a small favor. Make sure those destroyers are built properly—the quality must be top-notch," Mr. Yuan reminded him.
"Don't worry about that! I guarantee there won't be any issues," Mavi assured him. This was the first major deal between both parties. If any quality problems arose, future cooperation would become much more difficult.
---
An Unexpected Encounter
With everything settled, Mavi planned to leave Ukraine and return to Russia for a few days of rest. Just as he was about to have his pilot arrange a flight, a familiar phone number suddenly popped up on his screen.
"Hello?"
He instantly recognized the caller.
"Are you free tonight?" A woman's captivating voice came through the line.
"Yeah, where do you want to meet?" Mavi asked.
"I'll come find you," she replied before hanging up. She clearly knew where he was staying.
The caller was none other than Sheknia, the daughter of Admiral Petrovich. She had access to internal parliamentary information and had learned about the political maneuvers at play.
After that fateful night on Qingdao Island in China, Sheknia had initially wanted to cut off all contact with Mavi, treating it as nothing more than a fleeting moment of passion.
However, upon discovering that it was Mavi who had played a key role in resolving Ukraine's nuclear disarmament crisis, she found herself wavering once more.
Women… truly unpredictable creatures. Who knew what was going through their minds?
That evening, at 7 PM, inside Mavi's luxury suite, Sheknia arrived dressed in her Ukrainian military uniform. Without saying a word, she simply stood before him, staring intently.
Under the gaze of this stunning female officer, Mavi was at a loss.
Had he been too rough that night in China? No… that wasn't it. As an experienced man, he was certain he had been quite gentle…
To break the awkward silence, Mavi cleared his throat. "Ahem… We're meeting now, so why are you just standing there without saying anything?"
Before he could finish speaking, Sheknia suddenly stepped forward, just as she had that night in Qingdao—without hesitation, she threw her arms around him… and kissed him passionately.
---
The Morning After
When Mavi woke up the next morning, Sheknia was already gone—again. This time, she hadn't even left a note. Instead, she had quietly placed her diamond necklace on the pillow beside him.
What was that supposed to mean?
Was she treating him like some kind of kept man—using him for passion and leaving payment afterward?
Mavi had no interest in deciphering the complexities of a woman's mind. He simply placed the necklace on the bedside table and went back to sleep.
From this moment on, he was officially a thorn in the EU's side. He might as well enjoy himself while he still could…
---
Business Continues
Two weeks later, in accordance with the contract, the purchasing party sent an initial payment of $650 million to the Ukrainian government as a deposit.
This single transaction alone brought Mavi's Black Sea Shipyard a profit of nearly $300 million—since the cost of building five destroyers was around $350 million. And that didn't even include the $1.85 billion in pure profit that would come from the rest of the deal!
(End of Chapter)