An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

Don’t pick a fight you can’t handle.

“Think fast. If you don’t spill the beans, I’m going to use this poison for your extreme makeover.” As he spoke, Dustin unscrewed the bottle. He held it threateningly over Harper’s head.

“No, please! Don’t mess up my face!” Harper’s legs turned to jelly as tears streamed down his face. She pleaded, “Okay, okay, I’ll talk. Just put that thing away!”

“It would’ve been easier if you’d started with that,” Dustin said, putting the bottle away. After all, someone like Harper never changed unless she was backed against the wall. Harper gasped for air and composed herself. In a shaky voice, she began.

The story about Cinna goes back a few years. “One day, a stranger suddenly showed up at our door and chatted with my grandpa. I overheard a bit through the door.

“It turns out this stranger is the one who saved Cinna ten years ago.”

“Wait! Wasn’t it Dr. Busch who saved Mr. Shaffer?” Dustin interjected. “This stranger brought the critically injured Cinna to Harmony Healers. So, my grandpa treated him.

by occasionally to secretly check Cinna’s condition,” Harper

serious. He’d always thought

don’t know,” Harper

visited, my grandpa told me to go somewhere else. I was just curious that

to be protected at all costs. If anyone comes

keeping a secret or hadn’t completely trusted Dustin yet. The pressing question now was

taking serious precautions. Dustin had a gut feeling that

information?” Dustin asked again. “Oh, yeah! I remember my grandpa referring to

“Mr. Judd?”

as he knew, there was neither a prominent Judd family in Oakvale nor any high- ranking officials with the Judd surname. So, who was this,

seconds, making sure she wasn’t lying. “Okay, based on the information you’ve given, I

the future, you both better behave. If you try any more sneaky stuff, don’t