The Almighty Dominance

Alfred Kingston sat at the long dining table with his wife Jessica and their daughter Jasmine.

The weight in the air was heavier than the plates before them.

"Jasmine," Alfred said, "I'm lifting your house arrest. You'll return to Vancouver, and from now on, you'll do exactly as I say."

"Your brother is working with his friend from Los Angeles. You'll open the mining agreement in Vancouver for them."

Jasmine fork slipped from her hand and clattered against the plate.

"Father, this is wrong. If you hand the mine over to those people, Vancouver will lose everything. Our revenues will collapse."

"That isn't our concern," Alfred snapped. "Just follow my orders. They've promised Charles thirty percent of the profits-without us lifting a finger."

"Father," Jasmine pleaded, "without them, Vancouver's government still keeps fifty percent of the profit-money that belongs to the people."

"If you give the mine away, Charles may take thirty, but his friends will steal another twenty. The people will lose everything."

Alfred's voice grew heavy, ruthless.

"We are the people, Jasmine. Your brother is the people. He deserves that thirty percent far more than strangers you've never met. You are the governor-so make it happen. Do it for our family."

Jasmine eyes shimmered with tears. "Father, please. You weren't always like this. You used to be a loving father, a governor who cared for his citizens. When did you change?"

Alfred leaned forward. "I haven't changed. I am still a loving father and a good governor. It's you who has changed, Jasmine. You're blinded by your feelings for Alex. You've stepped onto the wrong path."

Tears filled Jasmine's eyes, her voice breaking with fury. "Father, how can you call yourself a good governor when all you do is strike deals with the elites and stuff your pockets with their money-stealing what rightfully belongs to the people?"

"You won't even meet with the loyalists of the old government. Instead, you pressure them, crush them—and now you're ordering their deaths!"

"If they don't agree with me, then they can leave Los Angeles," Alfred said coldly. "Why should they stay?"

"They are your citizens!" Jasmine shouted.

"You can't slaughter everyone who disagrees with you. That makes you a tyrant. You once taught me that a good governor protects his people."

"Jasmine," Jessica cut in, "Vancouver is a small and poor state. Los Angeles is five times larger, five times richer. It takes a different hand to rule here. You cannot satisfy everyone. As long as the majority is content, that is enough."

"What majority?!" Jasmine's voice breaking. "All I see is you and Father hoarding wealth from a small circle of elites. You compromise with criminals and add to your fortune in the shadows. Everyone knows it!"

"Watch your mouth!" Jessica's voice lashed like a whip. "The statistics show your father is an excellent governor. Everything has improved under his leadership."

Jasmine pushed back her chair and stood.

"Do you think I don't know you pay those so-called statisticians, that you buy the news to polish his image?"

"If people stepped into Los Angeles and saw past the polished lies, they'd find the truth-poverty hidden behind your glittering numbers, the poor sinking deeper into despair. Don't you see how much they suffer?"

sharp as a blade.

out. Once they're gone, Los Angeles

froze. "So killing the poor is your

contribute nothing. Just wasting the air the rest of us breathe. Better they hurry to

don't even recognize you anymore. People say money changes people. Now I see it's true. Wealth has destroyed everything good in

on his way to fortune-because he made friends with Gilbert.

Jasmine's voice breaking with anger, "that money is tainted.

shred of morality would never touch that blood money. And now my brother is trying to

blurred with

had turned into people who worshipped nothing but money, abandoning

Los Angeles every single day? Car accidents, hospital beds, the streets. They're just

warn you don't touch Alex. If you

glasses trembled, food shook

cut down by your soldiers. If you weren't protecting him,

your brother would

nights in

parties? No-he'd be governo

by

What kind of family betrays

s

her head. "You really don't know anything, do you? Alex faced the Guise family head-on-he didn't stand

Alex innocent. But to keep peace with

"Do you really think only the Kingstons know about Gilbert Guise's

fnet

is the

think Charle only one trying to kill Alex? And

s

are hundreds-thousands-who've tried to kill him. Have you

It's because every single one

already dead!"

reason the King hasn't already crushed you and Charles is because you were once part

Father-the King doesn't like you targeting

shot to her feet, her face hard with

do you know, Jasmine? You're just

world works. Alex is nothing. He's

enough,"

stripped of Kingswell, stripped of her governorship-for standing

you keep targeting him,

face. The crack echoed through the dining hall. "How

burned, dangerous

Stop