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. "They're nothing but

Los Angeles will be clean,

"So killing the poor is your solution?" Her voice

useless, they contribute nothing. Just wasting the air the rest of

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

take lessons from your brother. He started with nothing, and now he's on his way to fortune-because he made friends with Gilbert. Soon he'll inherit everything Gilbert owns.

tainted. Don't you

stole from the poor, crushed them, ruined lives. Any person with a shred of morality would never touch that blood money. And now my

eyes blurred with

had turned into people who worshipped nothing but

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

steadying her voice, "as your daughter, I warn you don't touch Alex. If you do, you'll bring a disaster

hand down on the table. Plates rattled, glasses trembled, food

tolerated your defiance long enough. Every killer we've sent after Alex has been cut down by your

your brother

wasting nights in

parties? No-he'd be governo

by

future! What kind of family betrays

s

shook her head. "You really don't know anything, do you? Alex faced the

what did the King do? He declared the Guise family guilty, Alex innocent. But to

as she locked them on her father. "Do you really think only the Kingstons know about Gilbert Guise's death-about

fnet

is the

only one trying to kill Alex? And

s

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

why Alex seems untouchable? It's because every

already dead!"

behind him. The only reason the King hasn't already crushed you and Charles is because you were once part of Kingswell— and because you still hold

Father-the King doesn't like

feet, her face

You're just a child-you understand nothing

Alex is

enough," Jasmine

been stripped of Kingswell, stripped of her governorship-for standing

pushing against Alex, if you keep targeting him, you'll lose everything -including your seat

slapped her across the face. The crack echoed through the dining hall.

flinch. Her eyes burned, dangerous and unwavering.

stop this. Stop targeting Alex. The