The Almighty Dominance

"Jerk!" Nikolaus shouted, his voice echoing across the parking lot. "Don't mess with me, return my car!"

Alex didn't even flinch. He turned his back and started walking away, calm as a man who'd already won.

"I'm not playing with you," he said. "The system recorded our bet. It's automatic- government protocol. You lost, Nikolaus. That means your car transfers to me. I didn't have to lift a finger."

"You're half a slave," Annabella snapped, stepping forward. "You're not even allowed to own any property!"

Alex smiled. "You're right. That's why the car's under my wife's name now. Sofina."

He glanced at the luxury flying car behind him, then back at them. "You two should probably call a taxi. Or walk. And hey-thanks for the car."

Nikolaus's face flushed crimson. His day had already been hell his family collaboration got canceled, his father tore into him, and now this. Losing his car to Alex was the final nail. Fury took over reason.

"You bastard!" he roared, charging at Alex.

But Alex had already stepped back toward the glass entrance of the Eden Group tower.

Before Nikolaus could swing, the android security units moved in-fast, mechanical precision.

A sharp crack split the air.

Nikolaus jerked violently as the taser hit him. His body stiffened, then collapsed onto the marble floor. The shock made him lose control-his pants darkened wet as the crowd gasped.

Annabella screamed and rushed to him. But the androids misread her movement. Their scanners flagged her as an aggressor trying to breach restricted access.

Another jolt flashed.

She hit the floor beside him, her hair standing on end, her breath shallow.

Both of them lay there, twitching under the bright corporate lights while onlookers pulled out their phones.

They watched because they needed someone else's ruin to feel alive.

Within minutes, photos and clips flooded the city's feed-Baron Krüger's son and his fiancée, electrocuted and humiliated in front of Eden Group headquarters.

By afternoon, everyone in Winchester had seen it. Rumors spread like wildfire. No one knew the full story, but everyone agreed on one thing: the Krüger family had crossed Eden Group.

By evening, their reputation was in ashes.

Workers from the Krüger estate-men and women who'd built their lives on Eden Group contracts-were dismissed overnight. Without those connections, the family's empire collapsed like a house of cards. Within days, their wealth evaporated.

Once a proud name among Winchester's elite, the Krügers were now clinging to survival—a fallen barony buried under debt, scandal, and the ashes of its former glory.

To survive, they had no choice but to sell off their land piece by piece, just to cover what they owed the banks.

The Krügers had been kings of the city once. Now, they were ghosts walking through the ruins of their own pride.

Baroness Wolfsbane's hands trembled as she stared at the photo of Nikolaus and Annabella splashed all over the news feed.

hotter than she

kindly-almost like her own-because he'd promised to become the bridge between the Wolfsbane family and the Eden

after that disgraceful scene, even Annabella

cut off

wildfire. Streets buzzed, boardrooms erupted,

shock-rumors spread that the mysterious founder of Eden Group himself had been seen at the company's Winchester headquarters earlier

Group first emerged, no one truly knew who

a legend a man powerful enough to build thirty branches across Prussia, to dominate the markets and bend nobles to

seemed he had finally

the city ablaze. Every wealthy and powerful household

to get close to this mysterious founder. And for those with

came from Eden's official announcement-they were searching for a new family

a lifetime. The Krügers had reached unprecedented wealth in just two years

filled their shoes would

before the

hear the coins clinking already. "Finally," she

religion, and Eden Group was the heaven she

seawater; the more she drink, the thirstier she

sharply. "Family only. Tonight. The Wolfsbanes will secure this partnership—no excuses,

servants rushed through the halls,

grand villa was alive with light and movement. Every member of the Wolfsbane family

mansion that night because Baroness Wolfsbane had

and sneered.

find the

"Enough, Beatrix. Grandma asked everyone to come. Alex is my

laugh. He's nothing but a leech. A half-slave who lives off

his lip. "You want me to toss

a look. "Do it. Grandma would

as if ready to

Baroness Wolfsbane entered. She carried herself like a queen- stern, commanding, and clearly

she snapped. "Take

turned to Alex. "You're lucky I'm civilized tonight. Otherwise I'd break your nose and be done

Sofina slid into a corner seat, bodies pressed close,

chair at the head of the

spoke, voice

Group has

gain enormous wealth and influence. If we can secure a partnership with Ederfandimpress the fofinder than who controls fortunes

the

shot to push the Wolfsbanes up where we belong to the top of Winchester's social pyramid. We will

looked unimpressed, their faces flat against

time the Wolfsbane family had dreamed of partnering with Eden Group — and every time, that dream

Eden Group had ignored their

truth: there were at least