An Understated Dominance - Chapter 73

The next morning, they met at Java Joys. When Dustin walked into the cafe, he spotted a big man standing next to Natasha. His large muscles were visible under his shirt, and his hands were rough and callused. It was clear this man was a seasoned fighter.

“Mr. Rhys, sorry to bother you. I owe you one,” Natasha said as she approached Dustin.

“It’s fine. I don’t mind helping a friend,” Dustin replied with a slight smile. “Besides, they even mentioned my name in the note. I had no choice.”

He was referring to the ransom note left by Edwin’s men, which specifically called for him to team up with Natasha to rescue Ruth.

“Mr. Rhys, let me introduce you to Stephan Chapman, one of the best fighters from the Harmon family,” Natasha said, pointing to the quiet man next to her.

“Mr. Chapman, nice to meet you,” Dustin nodded in greeting.

“You’re Dustin?” Stephan asked as he looked Dustin over. “Were you the one who took down Liam and Noah Asher?”

“Sort of,” Dustin replied, nodding again.

“Sort of? What does that mean? Did you use some sneaky tricks to beat them?” Stephan questioned, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“Well, as long as it gets the job done,” Dustin said casually.

“As martial artists, we should win fairly. What’s the point of winning if you have to use dirty tricks?” Stephan scoffed, looking down on Dustin since he didn’t belong to any martial arts group.

“That makes sense,” Dustin said, uninterested in arguing further.

“Honestly, I’ve beaten Liam and Noah in a match before!” Stephan bragged. “Don’t get too proud of yourself just because you won against them. They’re nothing compared to me. Once we fight, you’ll see that many martial artists are stronger than you!”

Dustin didn’t know how to respond to Stephan’s boastful words. They were practically…

Strangers. Why was he talking to him like a child? Who was really looking down on whom?

“Alright, now that you’ve met each other, we will be working together soon,” Natasha interrupted. “Once we get to Hummer Villa, we might need each other’s help.”

“I doubt that. With me here, taking down Edwin will be easy,” Stephan replied confidently.

“Mr. Chapman, it’s great to be optimistic, but don’t underestimate the enemy,” Natasha warned. “When will Tilda arrive?”

Tilda Snider was one of Natasha’s aunts and known for her powerful strikes. She was the head of security for the Harmon family. Compared to Stephan, she was on a whole different level. In their fight against Edwin, she was crucial for success.

“Tilda is on her way. She’ll be here soon,” Stephan answered.

“Good. Since she’s coming, let’s get moving,” Natasha said.

Following her lead, Natasha’s car took the front as they drove towards Hummer Villa.

Hummer Villa sat atop a hill on the Hummer family’s private land. As they ascended the hill, Edwin’s men watched from the shadows of the trees.

When they reached the villa, everyone stepped out and made their way to the back garden.

Edwin was in the gazebo, arranging a vase of flowers with a pair of scissors. Behind him, Fletcher Lawson and a group of strong men stood guard, glaring at them.

“Ms. Harmon, you’ve finally arrived. Please, have a seat,” Edwin said with a smile, gesturing to a chair, as if they were just having a friendly chat.

“Sir Hummer, I’ve heard that you are—”

“Are you really holding my sister hostage?” Natasha asked as she sat down, keeping a straight face.

“To be honest, I only found out about your sister this morning. My men acted on their own, and I have already punished them,” Edwin replied with a charming smile.

“Then why won’t you let my sister go?” Natasha pressed.

“Let her go? That’s not possible,” Edwin shook his head. “Ms. Harmon, your sister caused chaos at my party, broke my antiques, and hurt some of my men. If I let her go without consequences, my reputation in Swinton would be ruined!”

“What do you want from me then?” Natasha narrowed her eyes.

“It’s simple. You need to pay me double for what I lost,” Edwin said, still smiling. “I’ve calculated the damage, and it’s ten billion dollars. I want you to give me half of your business in Swinton as compensation.”

“Half of my business? Are you serious?” Natasha raised her voice in disbelief.

“Ms. Harmon, you would only be giving up a small part of your assets. Most of your business is in Milling, so it won’t affect you much,” Edwin explained.

“What if I say no?” Natasha shot back.

“It’s only fair to pay for what you owe. If you refuse, I can’t promise that your sister will be safe,” Edwin said with a cold smile.

“Are you threatening me?” Natasha replied, staring him down.

“I’m just warning you. We could also settle this with a death match. But in that case, all our assets would be at stake,” Edwin suggested with a smirk.

“A death match?” Natasha thought about his proposal. It was a known practice in the business world, used to resolve serious conflicts between rival families to avoid unnecessary violence. The match would consist of three rounds.

In a battle royale, two families would send champions to fight for them. There were no rules, and anything was allowed.

“Challenge accepted!” Before Natasha could say anything, Stephan jumped in. “Isn’t it just a fight? We’ll take you on! Give me some real competition!”

Edwin let out a cruel laugh at Stephan’s words.

This was exactly what he had been hoping for!