An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

Chatper 1772

At the crack of dawn, within the grandeur of West Lucozia Castle’s central hall, Rufus draped himself in a robe

adorned with the sinuous coils of a serpent.

The stoic captain of the royal guard was seated at the epicenter with his left guarded by Jaxon. And on his right

stood Albert, a figure more known as the Executioner than by his given name.

The harsh brilliance of overhead lights illuminated Rufus as he meticulously sifted through the abundance of letters

strewn across the table.

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Each missive held revelations from the covert efforts of the castle’s undercover agents. These written accounts

unfolded tales of bloodshed, and the table groaned under the weight of hundreds of letters.

The damning dossier was evidence exposing both the Vern and Linden families, even their shared history of

criminal exploits.

As Rufus delved deeper into these missives, concern etched lines on his forehead. The unveiled misdeeds within his

jurisdiction pointed to corrupt officials who had ruthlessly sacrificed lives, and the mountain of evidence painted an

incriminating tableau.

“Perhaps, Your Highness, a moment’s respite would be wise. Your well-being is paramount,” Albert suggested. His

usual reserve gave way to an unusual note of compassion.

“Rest? How can I, when faced with such matters?” Rufus slammed his hand on the table, his countenance

darkening.

“Reuben and Ambrose have been bold, exploiting their influence and deceiving even me! They’ve truly

underestimated my resolve!”

“Your Highness, what has stirred such anger?” Eloise, the demure princess consort of West Lucozia, entered the

room.

“See for yourself!” Rufus tossed the letters toward her. Eloise picked them up and couldn’t help but react with

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surprise.

“These detail Mr. Vern’s misdeeds?” Eloise cautiously inquired.

“Not only Reuben’s but Ambrose’s as well!” Rufus pushed the towering pile of letters toward Eloise.

He went on, “These two have embezzled, violated the law, and committed heinous acts, including atrocities against

innocent lives!

“What you see here is just a fraction of the evidence I’ve gathered. Their actual transgressions go far beyond this!”

“How could this happen?” Eloise furrowed her brow. “Your Highness, Reuben and Ambrose have served you for

many years, and there’s never been a hint of betrayal. Could there be a misunderstanding?”

“Misunderstanding?” Rufus snorted.” These findings are the result of my own undercover agents’ investigations.

There’s no room for misunderstanding.