The Almighty Dominance

Sophia's brow knitted tightly, the haze lifting from her mind as clarity pierced through her confusion.

Her gaze sharpened, landing accusingly on Jack.

"You told me Alex shattered your hands and feet," she snapped, eyes burning like smoldering embers.

"Now you're saying The Thugs hit you? What's the truth, Jack?"

Florence sprang up, her voice shrill with urgency. "Sophia, it was Alex who attacked Jack first, then hired thugs to finish the job! Can't you see the truth?" "That's right!" Jack growled, desperation sharpening the edge of his voice. "Sophia, how can you doubt your own family-your mother and brother-for a nobody like Alex? He nearly killed us!"

Disgusted, Sophia spun on her heels, storming from the room, fury and doubt wrestling within her.

She moved swiftly to find Barco, her mother's trusted driver, but the moment their eyes met, Barco visibly paled, his feet scrambling to escape.

"Stop right there!" Sophia commanded, her voice a cold blade slicing through the air.

"I'm the head of Lancaster now. Take one more step and you're finished!"

Frozen in place, Barco reluctantly turned, sweat pooling on his forehead as he bowed stiffly.

"Miss Sophia," he stammered, avoiding her piercing stare.

"Why were you running?" Sophia's voice was dangerously soft, a quiet storm brewing beneath.

"I—I remembered an urgent errand," Barco muttered weakly, eyes pinned firmly to the ground.

"Enough lies," Sophia warned icily. "Tell me exactly what happened to my mother and Jack."

Barco's throat tightened visibly, his nerves fraying at the edges. He hesitated, struggling under the weight of the truth he had been warned never to reveal.

Finally, he croaked, "I can't say it outright. But there's a dashcam in the car—it recorded everything. See it yourself. Just please, don't tell your mother I gave it to you. Say you found it yourself."

"Fine," Sophia snapped impatiently. "Give it to me now."

Barco fumbled with shaking fingers, quickly transmitting the footage through his smartwatch.

Sophia received it, her pulse accelerating as she pressed play, a dark dread seizing her heart.

The video flickered to life, revealing Jack and Florence perfectly unharmed as they exited Alex's clinic.

But their expressions twisted into venomous rage as they confronted the hired thugs. Faint, angry voices rose from the footage.

"You worthless idiots!" Jack snarled viciously. "I paid you to take Alex down, and you couldn't even touch him! I'm not paying losers like you!"

"You better cough up the cash!" a thug spat back menacingly.

part; it ain't our fault your target was tougher than you thought. Pay us

to pay! If you want money, go back to Alex who hit

your fault useless bastard!"

did? Guys, teach them a lesson!" the thug

retaliation unfolded on camera-blows landing, curses erupting,

thundered painfully in

sting of betrayal

entire life she'd trusted them, believing the steadfast lesson drilled into

was sacrosanct, their intentions

here, brutally, indisputably, they had betrayed

her, twisted her anger toward Alex, who was innocent in all of

Sophia stormed back to confront them. She flung

force, glaring

me?" Her voice quivered, raw

feigned innocence. "What are

voice cracking under the

was those thugs who beat you! Why frame Alex? Why drag me into your

twisted, venom

couldn't handle him, they turned on us. All of

Sophia hissed, her

didn't want to pay the thugs you hired, so they turned on you. Stop lying to me-I know

Jack fell silent.

voice cracked with disbelief. "Why are you two

owes us respect he owes us everything!" Florence thundered, her

slowly, grief twisting through

she demanded, her voice trembling with rage and sorrow. "Why did you

don't you dare accuse us!" Florence shot back, eyes blazing

if he refused to play by our rules, shouldn't we have taught

twisted in disgust. "You're unbelievable. Both of

always known her mother's ruthless streak, but this malicious distortion

vicious meddling that triggered this war, yet she spun the story until

her

"Fine, maybe we

hadn't set Clara up, do you think we would have

sharply, her eyes drilling into

have connections at Hilton-I can have the truth dragged

the lie catching in

narrowed her eyes,

dare lie again, I swear I'll drag every ugly truth into