The Almighty Dominance

The next morning, the Kingston family mansion was anything but quiet.

Alfred Kingston had called an emergency family meeting, summoning everyone back to the old estate.

And one by one, every Kingston arrived-none dared to be absent.

As the eldest, Alfred had always been the pillar, but today his eyes carried something different-steel and fire.

His brothers David and Samuel, and his younger sister Sarah, all married with families of their own, filled the long table, their children sitting quietly nearby.

David leaned back, irritation plain on his face. "Alfred, I was in the middle of business when your emergency message came through. What's going on?"

Sarah scoffed, flashing her diamond bracelets.

"Big brother, the money you send isn't enough for me to live the way I deserve. When you summon us like this, we drop everything. So when this circus is over, you'd better transfer more into my account."

Samuel's eyes narrowed, his voice edged with challenge. "What's this about, Alfred? Don't tell me you've finally decided to step down."

The words were barely out when Alfred's palm slammed the table like thunder.

The polished oak cracked under the force, five deep grooves splitting its surface, and silence bowed.

No one had ever seen Alfred like this.

He was the brother who always smiled, who gave without limit, who seemed untouchable by anger.

But now, rage burned in his eyes, and the weight of it made even his nephews and nieces lower their heads.

Alfred's voice came low, "The Kingston family is one step from destruction. And you—each of you play like spoiled children while our house crumbles. Enough is enough."

David bristled. "What are you talking about? The Kingston family is the most powerful in the country. We own Los Angeles, Vancouver, Vermont soon Paris will be on our pocket. We're untouchable."

"Untouchable?" Alfred's growl was a blade.

"Next time, turn on the damn news before you open your mouth. Vermont's already gone-Kelly lost it. Jericho Kane, our sworn enemy, has it back in his grasp."

"And Vancouver? It's hanging by a thread, ready to fall straight into the hands of the Kings."

Shock rippled around the table.

"How the hell could this happen?" David's voice cracked.

"This isn't possible!" Sarah gasped, the glitter in her eyes fading into fear.

Samuel's fists clenched tight, "Explain yourself, Alfred! What the hell have you done?"

"At the last meeting, we all agreed-we'd throw everything we had into taking Paris. With that win, we'd control four states. We were one move away from being crowned kings of this entire country!"

"Kelly!" Sarah turned on Kelly, her eyes wide and frantic. "You're the governor of Vermont-tell me you didn't screw this up!"

Kelly stayed silent. Though adopted, she'd been in this family long enough to understand her place and Sarah's.

With Sarah, words were weapons, and once she started, she never stopped. No one ever won an argument with her.

'Silence is the true friend that never betrays.'

Sarah's hand slammed down on the table with a crack. "Kelly! Why the hell are you sitting there in silence? Where's your responsibility?"

"If you'd done your damn job as Vermont's governor, no one would've stolen that position."

allowance gets cut because of your failure, you'll regret the day you were born! You

across the room. "We don't have time for your petty blaming.

important than losing Vermont? All because of your adopted daughter. You should've

"Yeah, you should've just let her die in the street. Next time, Alfred, adopt a dog or a cat instead of

to ignore the jab. "Did any of you hear

with the

Kingswell's muscle works better than the

tone laced with contempt. "That new King's nothing but a show-off. All he does is

harem. Anyway, Alfred-what's it got to do with us? You're always speaking around the

fingers to his temple, the throb of a headache building. How did he end up with

can't do a damn thing. And in case you've forgotten, the governor of Vancouver is your niece. The Prime Minister's already put us on notice: if she doesn't show her face

Just send Jasmine to handle

house arrest. We cannot allow

frowned, confusion twisting across his face. "And why the

already agreed to back Charles for the Paris governor position. That was decided at the last meeting. Don't pretend you've

all know that. Just say what you mean, Alfred, and stop circling around. I don't care about your politics-all I care about is that my

one path. Gilbert's last will. It states his inheritance will pass to whoever avenges his

only way to lock down the Paris

we tie her to Alex as the cause of

no longer with Kingswell. Killing a man stripped of power,

Alfred. "We agreed to send a hundred assassins after Alex last meeting, with Charles ready to claim the glory. So why the hell

them. Every one of them. But Jasmine—" his voice cracked like steel-"Jasmine betrayed us. She's obsessed

assassin we sent. She made sure none of them touched him. So I had no choice but asked Charles to lock her up in her

blinked, politics was never her strength. "What do you mean, Alfred? Explain

Prime Minister has made it clear-if we don't put Jasmine back in her

her, she'll

slammed his fist against

about Paris. Let her focus only on Vancouver. She's your daughter, Alfred-damn it, control her! And

face flushed

fucking mouth,

you think my daughter is like your useless brat-only good for begging money and burning down every business handed to her? She can't do anything right!

his hand down so hard the table

the room.

of slamming the table just to

became governor in the first place! We gave you our money, every

have comes from us. Don't you dare forget it. And your daughter —she was chosen by

bared her teeth, slamming the table with her jeweled hand. "If we tell her to move right, she moves right! If we say left, she

erupted like a wildfire. Voices overlapped, anger

corner.

nephews jumped into

put Jasmine in that

weak woman the governorship? I'd do a thousand times

the words grew harsher, sharper, like knives

began as argument turned into chaos, the Kingston family

cut through the chaos like a

of you enjoy stabbing each other in the back. Do you want

one of your

fell

Sarah tried to

snapped, his glare pinning her

with rage. "How dare you

you don't need

trouble, suddenly you demand

around-we're adults, not your servants.