An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2488

“Langdon, I can’t tell if you’re pretending to be clueless or if you really are that foolish,” Austin said with a smile, but his eyes were cold.

“You asked for proof, and I gave it to you. You wanted witnesses, and I provided those too. Now, with clear evidence and a confession from the criminal, what more do you want?” he pressed.

Langdon stood firm, “Hmph! The government is full of corruption. I’m just trying to seek justice and prevent you from wrongly executing innocent people.”

Some royal advisors who had supported Langdon earlier now fell silent. They could feel Austin’s anger growing and didn’t want to provoke him further.

In that moment, their confidence faded. Austin was right—the evidence was undeniable.

Langdon belonged to the powerful Rhys family and was older than Austin, which gave him the freedom to speak his mind. But the other advisors knew better than to challenge Austin. They understood that if they angered him, the consequences could be dire: their properties could be taken away, or worse, their families could be destroyed. After all, Austin had already imprisoned Huxley and Percival. What chance did they have against him?

“Innocent? You? Or them?” Austin’s eyes scanned Langdon and the advisors, his desire for punishment barely hidden. “It seems to me that none of you are innocent.”

“What are you suggesting? First, you falsely accuse these officials, and now you want to target us too?” Langdon raised his chin, trying to show strength.

The other advisors, however, averted their eyes, too scared to speak.

“Langdon, out of respect for the Rhys family, I’ll give you one last chance,” Austin said, taking a deep breath to calm his anger.

“If you and your men leave now and stop—”

“Trouble is brewing,” Austin warned. “If you keep this up, I’ll make sure to forget today ever happened. But if you don’t stop, don’t say I didn’t warn you about what comes next.”

“Are you threatening me?” Langdon scoffed. “I’ve lived my life with honor, and I won’t bow to anyone’s threats—not even yours. Even if Prince Rufus himself walked in here, I’d still stand my ground.”

“Well, look at you, the epitome of integrity,” Austin said with a clap, his grin widening. “Since you’re so honorable, let’s see if there’s any dirt on you.”

His smile faded as he snapped, “Axel! Take the enforcement team and search Langdon’s manor right away. I suspect he’s involved in corruption and hiding criminals.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Axel replied sharply before heading out.

Axel had never liked Langdon. To him, Langdon was just a troublemaker who thrived on chaos. Austin had been patient with Langdon, but now Langdon was getting bolder. Axel was determined to turn Langdon’s home upside down during the search.

“Austin! You’re abusing your power!” Langdon shouted in panic as he saw the enforcement team leave. “I haven’t broken any laws. What right do you have to search my home?”

“Because I run this castle right now. Does that answer your question?” Austin replied coldly.

“Only Prince Rufus has authority over the castle, not you. If you go too far, I’ll report you to him,” Langdon threatened.

“Go ahead and report me,” Austin said, unfazed. “I’d love to hear what you have to say.”

“You…” Langdon stammered, at a loss for words.

Rufus was in seclusion, and even if Langdon wanted to complain, he wouldn’t be able to reach him anytime soon.

The enforcement team was already moving. If Langdon didn’t stop them soon, they might find something really damaging.

“Fine. You win this time. Let’s go,” Langdon said reluctantly.

He paused for a moment but then decided to leave with the other royal advisors. However, just as he reached the door, a group of guards blocked their way.

Langdon turned and shouted, “Austin, what is the meaning of this?”

“You think you can just come in here and leave whenever you want?” Austin replied coolly. “No one is leaving until the search is done.”

“You… You’re going too far!” Langdon’s face twisted with anger.

He had already agreed to walk away, but now Austin was pushing his luck and trying to overpower him.

“If you have nothing to hide, why worry about a search? Or are you scared we’ll find some dirty secrets?” Austin said, unfazed.

“That’s ridiculous! I’ve led an honest life and I’ve done nothing wrong. Don’t you dare accuse me,” Langdon shot back.

“Calm down. Let’s just sit and wait,” Austin replied casually. “We’ll see how honorable you really are by nightfall.”

With that, he ignored the group, sat down, and sipped his tea as if nothing was wrong.

The unexpected storm had revealed hidden troubles. At first, Austin had hesitated to take strong action because he was worried it might create unrest. But now, he had changed his mind.

If these people were not dealt with, who knew how much damage they could do? This time, he was determined to get rid of the problem, no matter how deep it ran.