An Understated Dominance - Chapter 11

“Hey, did you not hear me? That guy is a liar! Staying with him won’t do you any good!” Chris said, worry written all over his face as Natasha ignored his warning. He hated to see such a beautiful woman like her getting hurt by Dustin.

“Ugh, you’re so annoying. It’s none of your business who I hang out with!” Natasha shot back, her patience running thin.

“Y-you…”

Chris felt like he was about to lose it. He never expected Natasha to be so stubborn. How could she still choose Dustin after everything he had done? Was the guy really that charming?

“Mr. Nolan, this girl deserves to be deceived. Not only does she ignore your good advice, but she also talks back to you. How ungrateful!” Lyra chimed in with a mean tone from the side.

“Wow! So being kind is a crime now?” Chris felt frustrated, but deep down, jealousy was eating away at him.

“You two must know each other well, right?” Dahlia asked suddenly. She guessed from Natasha’s attitude that there might be something more between them, which made Chris’s determination seem suspicious.

“That’s not important. What matters is that Dustin and I have feelings for each other,” Natasha said with a smile, leaning closer to Dustin as if claiming him.

Seeing this, Dahlia’s eyes narrowed. Even though she knew Natasha was trying to provoke her, she couldn’t help but feel angry. It was as if someone had taken something precious from her.

“Dustin, I really misjudged you. We aren’t officially divorced yet, and you’ve already moved on to another woman,” Dahlia said, trying to stay calm. She had been thinking a lot about their divorce, feeling guilty for what had happened, but now she learned that Dustin was dating while she was still trying to figure things out.

his name. How can you compare him to Dustin?” Lyra added, clearly annoyed.

Dahlia took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “I think it’s a fair bet. Let’s see who achieves more in a month.”

Natasha’s smile widened. “Great! I like your spirit. Let’s shake on it.” She extended her hand towards Dahlia.

Dahlia hesitated for a moment but then reached out and shook Natasha’s hand. “You’re on.”

Dustin, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. “You’re both wasting your time. Achievements can’t be measured like this.”

Natasha laughed. “Oh, but this will be fun! I can’t wait to see how this plays out.”

Chris rolled his eyes. “This is ridiculous.”

Lyra chimed in, “Yeah, this is just a way for Natasha to show off. Don’t let her get to you, Dahlia.”

Dahlia nodded, feeling a mix of determination and unease. She knew the next month would be a test, not just for Dustin but for herself as well.

“Let the best person win,” she said, trying to sound confident.

“What does Dustin have?” Lyra asked, clearly unimpressed.

“Are you sure you want to bet on this?” Dahlia felt confused. To her, Dustin had nothing besides his looks. In contrast, Chris was great at everything—his family background and personal skills were impressive.

Dustin and Chris were not in the same league. Even with five years, Dustin wouldn’t be able to catch up to Chris, let alone in just a month.

“Of course! It’s all about whether you’re brave enough to take the bet,” Natasha said, raising her chin in a challenging way.

“What’s the bet?” Dahlia inquired.

“Whoever loses has to apologize and admit they have no standards,” Natasha replied.

“Sure. I accept the bet.” Dahlia nodded firmly.

“Great! I hope you don’t regret it!” Natasha chuckled, pleased with the challenge.

Both girls were equally beautiful, but their personalities clashed. A silent rivalry began to form between them.

“We’ll see what happens,” Dahlia said, giving Natasha one last look before turning and walking into Mirage without saying another word.

“Pfft, you’re digging your own grave,” Chris and Lyra laughed as they followed Dahlia inside, not taking Dustin seriously at all.

“Mr. Rhys, what did you think? Did I do well?” Natasha asked playfully, tucking her hair behind her ear. This simple gesture held a lot of meaning.

“You might have gone a bit too far,” Dustin replied, feeling helpless. “If we lose, your reputation will take a hit.”

“Lose? Are you joking? Don’t tell me you can’t even beat that loser!” Natasha said, trying to provoke Dustin.

“I’m just an ordinary guy. How can I compete with someone from a wealthy family?” Dustin shrugged, feeling the weight of the challenge ahead.

“Ordinary? You’re being too modest, Mr. Rhys. You look amazing!” Natasha said with a playful blink, giving off a vibe like a street tough bothering a lady.

Dustin felt at a loss for words and tried to ignore her. Still, he couldn’t deny that she was putting on a great show. It helped him save face. After all, not many women could outshine Dahlia, and Natasha clearly had that ability.