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.

burned hotter than she

own-because he'd promised to

her status, secured her family's power. But now, after that disgraceful scene, even Annabella looked like she'd been

cut off from all Eden

spread through Winchester like wildfire. Streets buzzed, boardrooms erupted, and noble

of Eden Group himself had been seen at the company's Winchester headquarters

Eden Group first emerged, no

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

had

set the city ablaze. Every wealthy and powerful

this mysterious founder. And for those

were searching for a new family to

was the opportunity of a lifetime. The Krügers had reached unprecedented wealth in just two years

it meant: whoever filled their shoes would rise fast,

before the

could practically hear the coins clinking already.

and power had always been her religion, and Eden Group was the heaven she

more she drink, the thirstier she

the bell, summoning her staff. "Call everyone," she ordered sharply. "Family only. Tonight. The Wolfsbanes will

through the halls, carrying the

alive with light and movement. Every member of the

night because Baroness Wolfsbane had ordered

Sofina's cousin, saw him and sneered. "Well, look

did you find the courage,

Grandma asked everyone to come. Alex is my husband. That makes

high sound. "A husband? Don't make me laugh. He's nothing but a leech. A half-slave who

Beatrix's husband, stepped closer and curled his lip. "You want me to toss him out, love?

"Do it. Grandma would thank

hand twitched as if ready

entered. She carried herself like a queen- stern, commanding, and clearly in no

standing around for?" she snapped. "Take your seats. We don't have time to

and took a step back. He turned to Alex. "You're lucky I'm civilized tonight. Otherwise I'd

corner seat, bodies pressed close, keeping to themselves while eyes tracked them like

the table. She rapped the wood with her knuckles until the

spoke, voice loud

"Eden Group has

influence. If we can secure a partnership with Ederfandimpress the fofinder than who

the

forward, eyes bright. "This is the moment we've been waiting for. A shot to push the Wolfsbanes up where we belong to the top of Winchester's social pyramid. We will find a way in-no matter what

looked unimpressed, their faces flat against the

dreamed of partnering with Eden

Group had

knew the truth: there were at least twenty baron