The Almighty Dominance

Alex's lips twisted into a mocking grin as the security guards closed in, circling like vultures eyeing fresh meat. "So that's it, huh? You've decided to settle this with fists instead of brains?"

Charles sneered, stepping forward with a smug confidence.

"You might be ex-military, Alex, but these men aren't rookies-they're elite-trained killers. You're outmatched. Hand over those shares quietly, or we'll beat them out of you until you're puking your guts up alongside your precious stake."

Alex chuckled coldly, eyes flashing with defiance. Maybe, just maybe, he would've reconsidered had they approached him respectfully.

But threats? They were begging for trouble.

"Cute speech, Charles. You really think scaring me is that easy? Careful, boy—your arrogance is showing."

Charles's face flushed red, fists clenched at his sides. "You worthless bastard! Who do you think you're talking to?"

"Charles, that's enough!" Mr. Dune barked, his voice booming like a gunshot.

"Alex owns those shares legitimately. Miss Jasmine gave them to him personally. If you want them back, use some dignity-not brute force!"

"Stay out of this, old man!" Charles spat venomously. "You're just hired help. This isn't your business." Mr. Dune's eyes widened, his breath hitching sharply, ready to unleash fury on the younger man, when Jessica sharply intervened, grabbing his arm.

"Dune, know your place," she hissed icily. "This is family business. Keep your nose out."

Turning her cold, disdainful gaze onto Alex, Jessica continued smoothly, "And you, Alex. A wise man recognizes when he's outmatched."

"You can't hold onto these shares without consequence. Hand them over quietly. Countless fools have met ruin not for what they've done, but simply for holding onto things that never belonged to them."

"With your past and bleak future, all you're doing is inviting disaster. Don't you think your life is worth more than that?"

"That sounds an awful lot like a threat, Mrs. Kingston," Alex retorted, unwavering.

He had long felt Jessica's disdain, sharpened especially when Jasmine publicly declared her love for him.

It seemed Jessica's grand plans of marrying Jasmine off to some rich aristocrat had crumbled—and Alex was the scapegoat.

Jessica's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Call it friendly advice. Know your limits, Alex. Without Jasmine's protection, you'd be nothing but street trash. Know your place!"

Her resentment ran deeper still, fueled by the humiliation Charles faced when Alfred disowned him.

Jasmine's rise, Charles's fall, and all the chaos unraveling in

mention limits," Alex snapped back coldly, his voice like ice cracking

sweat, my success. Jasmine gave me shares as payment-fair and square. I don't care about them one bit, but

hand violently onto the table, rattling glasses and

patient with you, but you're pushing it. One more word, and you'll wish you'd never crossed

voice dripping contempt. "Oh, so I'm the villain now, huh? Fine, I'm done playing nice. Those shares stay with me-end

in his eyes,

of ways to break this stubborn dog until

smirked. “Go ahead

a line you can't come back from,"

you harm Alex, Miss Jasmine and Mr. Alfred will never forgive you.

the stark warning cutting

Alfred and Jasmine was already frayed beyond recognition.

gaze shifted uneasily to

cast Charles out, every penny was monitored by Alfred's hawk-eyed financial team, leaving Jessica helpless whenever Charles asked for

brought up needing assistance to snatch the Kingston Pharmaceutical shares from Alex, Jessica felt this might finally be

bitterly, to let an outsider like Alex control shares that rightfully belonged to her own flesh

accept Alex holding Kingston's

the corner, a man who had

be. Need me to handle this? I promise you, I'll have this punk begging to hand them

Alex's eyes narrowed dangerously.

His voice dripped with venom. This stranger had set off alarm bells from the moment

another mess Charles had dragged

Hernandez—Zane Hernandez,” the man replied coolly. "My father is one of the Chicago Lords.

how

after Dupont's failed attempt to steal their Emerald Elixir, it seemed another faction wanted

This time, I speak for all of Chicago.

"Here's a counteroffer: leave now or prepare yourself

again?” Zane's expression twisted with disdain. “You

is like signing your

Second, do you honestly think your gang

laughed harshly, eyes

long while since someone dared speak to

at a high