An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2472-1

Night had fallen. Austin sat in the meeting room, quietly reading a book while he waited for the results of the investigation.

He had successfully turned Percival against his allies, and now it was only a matter of time before they found strong evidence of Warrick and Huxley’s crimes. For years, the castle had ignored their shady dealings. Corruption among officials was nothing new.

But this time was different. Warrick and Huxley had secretly planned Jovian’s murder, which was a direct challenge to the royal family’s authority. This kind of defiance couldn’t be overlooked. If Austin didn’t take action, others would surely follow their example.

Suddenly, Axel burst into the room, breathing heavily. He had clearly rushed to get there.

“Your Highness!” he called out.

Austin set his book aside and asked calmly, “Well? How did it go?”

“Your Highness, we’ve completely shut down all of Warrick and Huxley’s illegal operations. Every hidden network they built over the years has been dismantled,” Axel reported.

He continued, “We’ve also gathered a lot of evidence of their crimes. Each offense is documented in detail. Please take a look, Your Highness.”

He handed Austin a thick stack of documents with both hands.

Austin took the documents and began flipping through the pages. After reading just two, his expression darkened.

He had suspected Warrick and Huxley were corrupt, but seeing the full extent of their wrongdoings made him angry. They had abused their power, committing murder, theft, and many other crimes.

Over the years, they were responsible for hundreds of deaths, and that was only what had been uncovered. There were likely even more cases that had gone unrecorded. Worse, their families had also been involved, using their influence to oppress and exploit innocent people.

Austin was shocked to see just how deep the corruption ran.

the floor in front of Huxley.

“Those two criminals… Their actions are unforgivable, and no punishment is enough for what they’ve done,” Austin said, his voice filled with anger.

He was halfway through the documents when he couldn’t take it anymore and tossed them aside. His face was dark with rage.

Alongside Jovian’s murder, the list of crimes was more than enough to justify Warrick and Huxley’s execution.

“Your Highness, just give the order, and I’ll lead the team to raid their estates right away,” Axel said, his voice full of indignation.

Anyone with a sense of decency would be outraged after reading that file.

“They will face justice, but first, I need answers from them,” Austin replied, trying to keep his anger in check. His expression grew even darker. “Bring Huxley to me.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Axel responded before leaving the room.

Soon after, Axel returned with Huxley.

After being stuck in the castle all day, Huxley looked restless and irritated. His attitude toward Austin was less respectful than before.

“Your Highness, I have important matters to attend to at home. When can I leave?” he asked, impatience clear in his voice.

“Leave?” Austin scoffed coldly. “You’re not going anywhere tonight.”

“What do you mean?” Huxley frowned. “I’ve always followed the law and never crossed you. Why are you coming after me?”

“The law? You have some nerve saying that,” Austin replied sarcastically.

“I know you don’t like me, Your Highness, but I won’t hold it against you. Accusations need proof. If you have evidence, show me. Otherwise, let me go and stop abusing your power,” Huxley said firmly.

“You want evidence? I’ve been waiting for you to say that!” Austin snapped.

He grabbed the stack of documents from the table and threw them at Huxley’s feet.

Huxley felt a sharp pain on his face as he was hit, causing him to stagger back. Blood dripped from his nose.

“You-” he started to say.

But as he looked down, he froze. It felt like he had been struck by lightning.

On the floor were documents that revealed crimes he had thought were buried forever. There were letters from victims’ families, records of illegal deals, and even photos showing assaults and looting.

The details of each crime were clear. And in those photos, the person committing them was unmistakably him.

“H-How is this possible?” Huxley gasped, his eyes wide with shock.

After each crime, he always made sure his team cleaned up to avoid any trouble. Most victims could be silenced with money. Those who resisted were either threatened or bribed.

If he ever came across someone who didn’t fear death, he would simply dump them into the sea, ensuring their bodies were never found.

For years, he had managed to operate without leaving any evidence. So, how had all of this come to light now?

What had gone wrong?