The Almighty Dominance (by Sunshine) novel Chapter 391

Morning light bled through the cracked shutters of the slum clinic.

Alex bent over a frail, middle-aged man whose chest rose and fell shallowly, ribs jutting like bars of a cage beneath paper-thin skin.

Malnutrition—that was what Alex fought against every day.

Hunger had carved itself into the bones of this place, a wound that refused to close—no matter how tirelessly Josephine worked, no matter how many mouths she tried to feed.

A knock came at the door.

Alex straightened, wiping his hands on a rag. Kelly stood there, framed in the doorway, her eyes locked on his.

“Alfred Kingston wants to see you. In Los Angeles,” she said flatly.

A storm churned inside Alex.

His bond with Kelly had grown too tangled—love knotted with hate, affection soured into jealousy.

He forced a breath, shook his head, and said flatly, “I’m sorry. I’m busy.”

“It’s about Jasmine,” Kelly said. “We found her.”

The name froze him in place.

Up until now, his only hope of finding Jasmine was to wait for Charles to reach Mike—only then could he trace her.

And yet here was Kelly, of all people, dropping a thread of hope into his hands.

“Fine,” he said at last. “I’ll go.”

On the plane, Kelly finally broke the silence, her words landing like a bomb. “What’s your connection with Sophia Lancaster?”

Jealousy laced her tone.

Alex heard it clearly. He knew better than to step into that minefield.

Instead, he leaned back, closed his eyes, and slipped into the safest strategy he knew—pretending to sleep.

Any answer he gave would just breed more questions, more accusations, until it all exploded.

Silence was survival.

The flight dragged in awkward quiet. Neither spoke. Only when the plane touched down did Alex stir, stretching as if waking.

Kelly sneered. “You won’t get anywhere pretending. Always running away—typical man.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Alex muttered. “I was asleep. That’s all.”

At the entrance, a staff member greeted him stiffly. “Welcome, Mister Alex. Sir Alfred has been expecting you.”

Alex read the gesture instantly.

Once, Alfred Kingston would have come himself to welcome him.

But since Alex’s fall from Kingswell—since he had killed the Guise family—there was no need for such courtesies.

Respect had an expiration date. Titles vanished. Men changed.

Inside, Alfred greeted him with practiced politeness. “Alex. It saddens me that you had to leave the Kingswell organization.”

Alex’s eyes slid toward Kelly. “Thanks to a friend who reported me to the higher-ups.”

Kelly’s face hardened. “Alex, a friend is still a friend. But when you misuse Kingswell’s power for personal reasons—to save Sophia—you crossed a line. Someone had to correct you.”

He almost said it—We were more than friends, Kelly. How could you betray me?

But what was the point? That bridge was ash, long burned behind them.

Alfred cleared his throat.

Before Alex could respond, Jessica cut in, her voice sharp with scorn.

“Alex, enough! Stop clinging to Jasmine’s kindness. You’re not worthy of her. Do you even know who her fiancé is?”

“Still, that should be her choice,” Alex shot back.

“If she doesn’t want to marry him, no one—neither of you—has the right to force her. Parents guide, but they don’t own their children’s lives.”

Alfred’s expression turned grim, his voice edged with threat.

“Listen, Alex. I’ve tolerated you out of respect for what you once were. But patience has limits.”

“Continue with this stubbornness, and you’ll be challenging the authority of the Kingston family. Are you certain you want to make us your enemy?”

Alfred’s eyes went cold, the room dropping into silence around his voice.

“You’ve lost your rank, Alex. Why cling to arrogance?”

“A wise man knows when to advance, and when to bow his head. I spoke kindly for old times’ sake, but if you refuse to yield, don’t blame me when I turn against you.”

Alex searched her face for the warmth she once showed him, but all he saw was cruelty, jealousy, and cold contempt.

A friend had become an enemy. He turned his gaze back to Alfred, meeting the same merciless eyes.

“So be it,” Alex said quietly, almost to himself. His voice carried the weight of finality.

“It seems we have no choice but to become enemies.”