An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori Chapter 81 - 90

   written by Marina Vittori

An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori Chapter 81

Meanwhile, in a nearby hospital room, Dahlia’s grandfather lay unconscious, h is face ashen. Florence and several members of the Nicholson family gathered together as they discussed countermeasures hushedly. “How peculiar. Old Mr. Nicholson has always been fine. Why did he suddenly f all ill?” “Exactly! He’s always looked so strong and healthy. Who would’ve guessed that this would happen if he fell ill.” Everyone sighed with pity for the old man. “How’s Granddad?” Dahlia bolted into the room in her heels. She had been in a meeting when she received the news of her grandfather falling ill and rushed over as fast as possible. “Dahlia, the doctors think that he might not make it,” Florence mumbled, shaking her head. “What?” Dahlia’s face paled. “How could that be? Wasn’t he fine yesterday?” “I think it’s weird too! But maybe this is his fate.” Florence sighed. “Where’s the doctor? Doctor!” Dahlia called, distraught. + “It’s futile. All sorts of doctors have checked him. They say his symptoms are t oo weird. There’s no way for them to find the root cause of his condition, and the only thing left to do is wait for his death.” “I– impossible!” shrieked Dahlia as she began to panic. She couldn’t imagine her grandfather, who loved her so dearly, passing away. “Dahlia, I know a fabulous doctor. He might be able to do something.” Matt, w ho had been standing nearby. finally spoke. “A fabulous doctor? Who? Can they really save my grandfather?” Dahlia perk ed up instantly. “His name is Dr. Ross Leister. He just arrived from Millsburg, and his medical skills are top–notch. He’s able to cure all sorts of illnesses! He also happens to be Dr. Rowan Cross‘ apprentice ,” Matt replied. “Dr. Cross‘ apprentice?” Everyone’s expressions began to brighten when they heard that. Dr. Cross was well–known. Even people in South City were familiar with his accomplishments. He was on par with Dr. Watkinds and Dr. Peay, who were both already at the top of the pyramid when it came to medicine! Hi s skills were so good they had already reached perfection. As his apprentice, Dr. Leister’s skills must be outstanding! “Can you really get him to examine Granddad?” Dahlia asked, her tone hopeful. This doctor was her grandfather’s only shot now. “He’s my friend. He’ll come if I ask him to” Matt nodded. “That’s wonderful news! If Old Mr. Nicholson gets well, the Nicholson family wi ll be in your debt!” Everyone agreed. 

 “This is nothing. Let me ask for him.” Matt smiled and left the room. As soon as Matt had left, Dustin entered the ward but was stopped in his tracks by Florence. “What are you doing here, Rhys?” she snapped. “I heard that Granddad’s sick. I’m here to visit him.” Dustin’s face was sombre. “Visit him? Who do you think you are? You’re no longer my son–in– law. We don’t welcome you here!” hissed Florence as she glared at him. “What’s wrong. Mom?” Dahlia rushed over when she heard the commotion. “This bastard is pretending to care and wants to visit your grandfather. I bet he knows your grandpa’s time is almost up, so h e’s here to try to get a piece of the family fortune!” Florence mocked. Everyone in the Nicholson family knew that Henry Nicholson had always treated Dustin like his own grandson. It would be no surprise if the old man left Dustin something to take over! “You’ve got it all wrong. I’m just worried about Granddad’s condition,” Dustin explained. Still suspicious, Florence scoffed at him, “Who knows what your true intentions are?” “Mom, just let him in. He’s just showing his love for Granddad.” Dahlia quipped. “Dahlia, this kid-” “I’ll take responsibility if something happens.” Florence was about to say something else but swallowed her words and stepped aside reluctantly. “Thank you.” Dustin gave a nod of thanks and walked straight into the ward. The sickly old man was ashen. He looked as though he had just experienced a stroke. Dustin reached out to touch Henry’s hand. He was shocked to discover that, although his limbs were cold, an extreme heat emanated from under the pale s kin. 1 “The Flaming Frost Poison?” Dustin pondered as he narrowed his eyes, silently coming up with treatment methods. The Flaming Frost Poison caused the strangest symptoms. On the outside, the patient would be freezing cold while their insides were actually burning hot. Treating either symptom would be ineffective and could even backfire if the medication used was too strong. This explained why the doctors could not do anything to treat Henry. “Dahlia, bring me some hot water,” Dustin ordered. “Whatever for?” Dahlia was puzzled. “Granddad’s weak, and he can’t hold on for much longer. I need to treat him now,” he explained grimly. “You?” Dahlia frowned. “What nonsense are you spouting now? Do you even know anything about medicine?” “A little.”  “And you dare to show off? What in the world are you thinking?” Dahlia asked, visibly annoyed. This was a person’s life they were talking about, not child’s play! “Do you even know what you’re saying. Rhys? What makes you think you can cure him? Will you take responsibility if something goes wrong?” Florence chastised. “Exactly! Old Mr. Nicholson’s already suffering enough, so why are you causing more trouble? Just stay out of the way!” Everyone was unhappy as Dustin was nothing more than a self– absorbed punk in their eyes. How could he, a mediocre white– collar worker who had been fired and had achieved nothing outstanding in the past three years, know anything about curing diseases and saving lives? “If I’m saying it aloud, it means I have faith in myself that I can cure him. Let m e try,” Dustin responded in a determined voice. “Dustin, will you stop messing around?” Dahlia snapped. “You’re neither a doc tor nor are you medically certified. How can you say that you can save him? I l et you in to visit grandpa, not to boast!” “Can you just trust me this once?” Dustin pleaded, upset. If he wasn’t sure he could do it, there was no way he would meddle with Henry’s life. “This has nothing to do with trust. The fact is, you cannot do it. I won’t let you play around with Granddad’s life!” Dahlia refused bluntly. After three years of marriage, they both knew each other like the backs of their hands. There was no way Dahlia could know whether Dustin could do it. 

An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori Chapter 82

 “Who said I can’t do it? Fine. Then, who else can save Granddad if not me?” Dustin growled. He realized that it was impossible trying to reason with women using logic! “The only one who can save Grandpa now is the incredible Dr. Ross Leister!” Dahlia answered with a grim expression. “That’s right! Matt’s already gone to call the doctor. If Dr. Leister agrees to help us, we can save Old Mr. Nicholson. There’ll be no need for a quack like you. ” “Dr. Ross Leister? Who’s that?” Dustin asked. “He’s Dr. Cross‘ apprentice who specializes in treating rare diseases. He’s way better than you are!” Florence stated proudly. As soon as the words left her mouth, two people entered the room. The first w as Matt. He was followed by a man in his 30s in a white coat and a pair of glasses, with a haughty and pretentious expression on his face. “Matt! Did you manage to get Dr. Leister?” Florence rushed over. “Of course!” With a gentle smile, Matt introduced the man, “This is Dr. Leister.” “So you’re Dr. Leister! What an honor!” “You’re a talented doctor indeed, Dr. Leister. You managed to become Dr. Cross‘ apprentice at such a young age. How amazing!” “That’s right! With Dr. Leister’s help, Old Mr. Nicholson will recover!” Everyone began singing praises at Ross, especially since he was Dr. Rowan Cross‘ apprentice. They had to make a good impression in case they needed his help in the future. “Honestly, I wouldn’t have bothered coming here if it weren’t for Mr. Laney. Aft er all, everyone who asks me to treat them is either a high– ranking official, an aristocrat, or a wealthy person,” said the man in glasses. H e raised his head, peering down at everyone else in the room. “Of course! It’s an honor to have you here!” Florence and the others agreed, t heir faces showing signs of flattery. The man in glasses soaked up the attention, pleased. “That’s enough. I’m a busy man, so let’s not dilly–dally and get this over with. Where’s the patient?” “Over here!” Florence led the way to Henry’s bed. “Hmm…” The doctor nodded and proceeded to take Henry’s pulse. “So it’s Havaska? Well, this might be slightly troublesome, but no big matter. A bowl of hot medicine will do the trick.” “Really? That’s great!” Everyone was overjoyed. As expected, they found the right man for the treatment. “Doctor, aren’t you mistaking something?” Dustin asked.  “What?” The man in glasses frowned and gave Dustin a look over. “And who a re you? How dare you question me!” “If it was Havaska, a bowl of hot medicine would take care of it. However, what Granddad has Isn’t Havaska but the Flaming Frost Poison!” Dustin asserted. “What do you mean Flaming Frost Poison? I’ve never even heard of it!” The m an glared at Dustin and asked, Who are you to criticize me?” “Dr. Leister, this is a misunderstanding. This piece of trash knows nothing. Ple ase pay him no mind.” Florence smiled at the man before turning to Dustin. “Y ou better stop running your mouth, Rhys! You’ll be done for if you offend Dr. Leister!” she snapped. “I’m just stating facts. If he hasn’t even heard of the poison, I have reason to q uestion his skills,” Dustin replied, shaking his head. “Boy, do you have any idea who I am? How dare you talk to me like that!” the man demanded furiously. “I heard that you’re Rowan Cross‘ apprentice. However, you’ve still got a long way to go. If anyone’s doing the treatment, it should be him,” Dustin said calml y. Henry’s condition would only worsen if the man in glasses provided treatment meant for Havaska. Naturally. Dustin doubted this man’s skills. “Hey! Are you done yet? Who do you think you are? What makes you think you’re worthy of asking for my mentor’s help, you f*cker?” the doctor roared. “Dustin, Dr. Cross is away on a retreat and isn’t so easily invited. Even Dr. Leister doesn’t dare disturb him,” Matt warned. “Mr. Laney! I came because you asked me personally. Yet instead of thanking me, someone decides to question me. If this is the thanks I get. I’m done treating this patient!” The man turned around to leave. causing an instant frenzy in the room. “No! Please, Dr. Leister! This idiot is speaking nonsense. Please don’t get ma d!” Florence pleaded, pulling him back while she turned to curse at Dustin, “Rhys, shut the f*ck up! How dare you criticize Dr. Leister’s way of treating patients. Get out!” “That’s right! Who the f*ck are you to point fingers at Dr. Leister?” “Dustin Rhys! How could you be so cruel? Are you going to drive Dr. Leister a way so that Old Mr. Nicholson dies?” Infuriated, everyone began swearing at Dustin. A man like Dustin, who only cared about showing off and had no regard for the lives of others, was disgusting! “Enough of this nonsense. This punk is pissing me off. Throw him out, or I’m not treating t he patient any longer!” threatened the man. “Yes, of course!” Florence apologized profusely. She turned to Dustin and spat, “Didn’t you hear what Dr. Leister said, Rhys? Get out of here!” “Yeah! Get out! Don’t worsen Old Mr. Nicholson’s condition any further!” chimed the others.  “I’m just acting in Grandpa’s best interest. This person isn’t trustworthy.” Dustin tried to defend himself. “Shut up!” Dahlia roared. “Dustin, it’s fine if you don’t have the skills, but pleas e don’t make things worse. Get out right now!” “You don’t believe me either?” Dustin frowned. “You’re a pathological liar, so why should I?” Pointing at the door, Dahlia commanded, “Get out this instant. Don’t bother Dr. Leister!” 

An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori Chapter 83 

 Dustin was speechless as he faced the cold loo on Dahlia’s face and a rightfully angry crowd. Eventually, after a few minutes of silence, he exited the ward. H e knew no one would believe him no matter what he said. “Humph! He should’ve left hours ago! What a nuisance!” “I know! He has no awareness at all!” The crowd insulted and criticized Dustin as he left the room. Florence smiled and said, “Dr. Leister, that ignorant bastard is gone. Please calm down.” “Ross, can you let it go this time, for my sake? Curing the patient is an urgent matter. I’ll repay you greatly for “this!” Matt chimed in. “How could I ignore your offer, Mr. Laney? But this will only happen once. I wo n’t let it go next time!” warned. the doctor with glasses. “Of course! Most definitely!” The crowd nodded and looked at Matt gratefully. “How maddening! That useless bastard Dustin only knows how to make things worse. Mr. Laney is the only person who could save the situation,” thought Florence. “Alright, go fetch me some medicine.” The glasses–clad man did not waste another second. He wrote down the prescription and tosse d it to Florence. Without a moment’s hesitation, she rushed to follow his instructions. Luckily, she was in a hospital, and the medicine was easy to find. In less than an hour, the medicine was ready. “Did someone doubt my abilities earlier? I’ll show them how it’s done!” The do ctor called for the crowd’s attention before he poured the medicine into Henry’s mo uth. As the treatment flowed to his stomach, his face quickly regained color. H e felt his frozen limbs warm up. Even his previously weak breathing had improved. Seeing this, the crowd praised the doctor. “It’s working! It’s working! His face is getting better!” “Dr. Leister, you’re incredible! You were able to cure him with just some medic ine. How miraculous!” “Now that’s Dr. Cross‘ best apprentice! Those medical skills of yours are superb! You’re probably better than your master at this point!” The crowd’s expressions brightened as they started cheering. “Although I’m not on the same level as my master, I’ve probably gained 70% t o 80% of his skills. No illness will be able to defeat me!” Ross boasted. “That’s right! Dr. Leister’s medical skills are beyond praise!” Florence complimented, smiling at him. “Too bad that guy isn’t here. Otherwise, I’d show him what a great doctor look s like!” The doctor smiled proudly.  However, as he finished his sentence, there was a sudden turn of events. Henry’s face flushed red. Beads of sweat started to form on his forehead. His skin started burning as if he had a high fever. “Ugh!” Henry sat up and coughed up blood. He fell backward as he fainted ag ain. The crowd was shocked at the scene. “What happened? Wasn’t he cured? W hy did he cough up blood suddenly?” thought the onlookers. “Doctor, what… what happened?” Dahlia asked as her face turned pale with s hock. “Oh heavens! He coughed up so much blood. Could he be dead?” The color d rained from Florence’s face. “That shouldn’t happen. I followed all the procedures. How could this be?” que stioned the doctor, also “puzzled. “There was no way the cure could be wrong. Why would the patient cough up blood?” he wondere d. “Please think of another way, doctor! My grandfather is dying!” Dahlia was in a panic. Henry had lost all signs of life. Blood continued to flow from his nose. It was cl ear that his situation was worse than before. “Don’t panic. Let me take a look.” Today’s Bonus Offer An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori Chapter 84 - Chapter 84 Dr. Ross Leister examined the patient again. However, Henry’s heart was bea ting rapidly as his body convulsed and trembled out of his control. At that moment, the doctor was at a loss for words. “This does not look good.” Ross was puzzled. He sighed and said, “The patie nt was previously diagnosed with other illnesses. Now that he’s got the Havas ka virus, it’s impossible to cure him. It looks like he won’t make it. You should start preparing for the end.” “What?!” Everyone froze at bie statement. “After treating him for so long, this is the outcome? Prepare for the aftermath?! ” “Dr. Leister! Please, you have to save my grandfather. I’m willing to spend eve ry penny I have!” Dahlia begged. “…” As the doctor opened his mouth to speak, the door was kicked open with a loud bang. Dustin entered the room with a gloomy look on his face. Without a word, he s wiftly pulled out a silver syringe and stabbed Henry’s chest. The fluids in the needle rushed into the man’s vei ns with a whoosh. “Hey! What are you doing?!” Ross exclaimed angrily. “Since you can’t cure him, let me do it!” Dustin replied coldly. “Who who says I can’t cure him?” With a bold look, Ross demanded, “I alread y thought of a way to cure him. I could save him immediately. But now that yo u’ve messed around with the patient, his condition has worsened!” “So you’re saying that this is my fault?” Dustin sneered. “Of course it’s your fault! If anything goes wrong, you should take all responsibility for it!” Ross barked. He had been worried earlier but never thought this man would a ppear and become his scapegoat. “Thank the heavens!” he thought. He might finally be able to save his reputation. “You’re not good at anything besides shifting blame. I don’t understand why C ross took you on as his apprentice!” Dustin mocked. “You bastard! What are you blabbering on about? I’ll kick your ass!” The docto r was losing his patience. “Go ahead and try it if you don’t mind dying.” Dustin glared at Ross. The stern look on his face managed to instill fear in the doctor’s heart. “Dustin! What on earth are you doing? You don’t have any medical skills, so why do you insist on messing around?!” Dahlia insisted, her blood starting to b oil. Everything had happened so quickly when Dustin entered the room that sh e had only just returned to her senses. “Are you guys blind? This person made Granddad cough up blood! You still belleve him?” Dustin demanded coldly.  “Dr. Leister said he knows how to treat him!” Dahlia replied. “So you just believe everything he says? Would you jump off a building if he told you to?!” Dustin insisted. “You…” Dahlia started, but she was at a loss for words. “Enough talking! Get out of my way!” Dustin said. His relentless manner made everyone freeze. Ignoring the crowd’s shocked expression, Dustin grabbed a glass of warm water and slowly mixed in some antidote powder. He fed it to Henry slowly. Although he could cure Henry with his equipment, it would take too much time and effort compared to giving him this antidote. After all, it had taken Dr. Cross three years of hard work. u sure this will work?” Dahlia questioned with a frown, clearly still filled with do ubt. “Are you “Effective or not, you will see in a minute,” Dustin replied hastily. “Humph! How ridiculous! You think you can cure Havaska poisoning with some random powder? Do you think you’re some wizard?!” the doctor chastised. How could some random guy cure an illness that he couldn’t? “Rhys! I’m warning you! If anything happens to grandpa, I won’t let you off easily!” Dahlia snapped. As she finished her sentence, Henry’s eyes shot open. 

An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori Chapter 85 

 “He… He’s awake?!” Everyone was stunned. No one would’ve thought that a glass of warm water w as all Henry Nicholson needed to wake up. How miraculous! “No way! Did Dustin really cure the old man’s illness?!” “That’s odd. Even Dr. Leister couldn’t cure him. How did he do it?” The crowd exchanged looks of surprise as they watched Henry’s breathing stabilize. For a moment, they looked at Dustin in a different light. They never imagined that Dustin, who had come from an unknown background, would have been the one to cure Henry. “Granddad, how do you feel?” Dahlia asked hurriedly. “That’s weird. One moment everything felt cold and then hot. It seems that I’m okay now.” Henry ran his hands over his body, looking surprised. Earlier, he thought that his life had come to an end. He never imagined that feeling would disappear s o quickly! “Dad, you… you’re really okay?” Florence could not believe it. “Of course. I feel refreshed and full of energy!” Henry smiled. Hearing this, everyone sighed in relief. Despite their surprise, they were still d oubtful. “Since when has Dustin known how to cure illnesses?” they wondered. “No! No way! The patient was clearly dying. How did you save him?!” Ross as ked in surprise as he returned to his senses. No one but him knew that Henry’ s heartbeat had been palpitating as he had never seen before. It was impossible to treat, even for him. How had this fellow cured the patient? How could this man be more capable t han he was? He was the great Dr. Rowan Cross‘ apprentice! “You couldn’t cure him, but that doesn’t mean I can’t. You should learn more fr om your mentor so that you don’t keep making a fool of yourself!” Dustin remarked coldly. “You bastard! What was that powder that you used? What did you do?!” the d octor roared. A glass of warm water couldn’t have cured him, so it must have been the pow der Dustin mixed in. “How can you call yourself Dr. Cross‘ apprentice if you don’t even recognise Hexanavir?” Dustin mocked. “What? That was Hexanavir?!” The doctor’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe it. “Dr. Ross, what’s Hexanavir? Is it rare?” Florence asked. “Rare? It was Dr. Cross‘ life’s work. He spent years producing such an antidote! With just a small sample, you can cure any rare disease. It is invaluable. You can’t get your hands on it no matter how rich you are!” the doctor replied.  “Huh? It’s that incredible?” Florence said, surprised. “No wonder… no wonder you could cure him instantly. You used Hexanavir!” As he spoke, Ross remembered something. He asked, “Wait a second. How d id you get your hands on Hexanavir? It was my mentor’s masterpiece! Tell me. Did you steal it?!” “Steal?” Dustin scoffed. “I’m not that despicable.” “You still dare to argue! Hexanavir is my mentor’s invaluable life’s work. He wouldn’t even give any to his apprentices. How would you have gotten your hands on it if you didn’t steal it? !” snapped the doctor. The entire room went into an uproar. Everyone’s gaze landed on Dustin. Som e were suspicious, while others. looked down on him with disdain. “Rhys! I never thought you could be so despicable. You’d steal someone’s pre cious medicine just to gain attention!” Florence yelled. “That’s right! For a second, I actually thought you were skilled. After all that, y ou were only trying to outperform Dr. Leister!” “You really are a piece of trash. With no skills, you have to resort to stealing!” Everyone shook their head in disdain and continued mocking him. “Dustin! Why? Why did you steal it?” asked Dahlia with a frown. She had thou ght that Dustin was capable, but now it appears he stole this Dr. Cross‘ antidote! 2 “I’ll say it again. I did not steal anything. It was given to me as a gift.” Dustin ex plained. “Gifted to you? Who are you? Why would my mentor give his Hexanavir to yo u? Why don’t you look in the mirror and reflect on your behavior!” Ross spat with disdain. “Believe me or don’t believe me. It’s your choice.” Dustin did not want to explai n any further. “What? Are you guilty? I’m warning you. Return the Hexanavir to me this instant. Otherwise, you’ll have t o deal with the consequences!” the doctor warned. “Dustin! Can you have some dignity? Even if you want to be in the spotlight, y ou can’t do such a despicable thing. Return it this instant!” Dahlia commanded. “I don’t want to argue with any of you. Get Dr. Cross to take it back from me!” Dustin’s face darkened. He felt anger rising through his body. “Hey! You still think you’re all that after stealing? Give it back to me now!” Ross yelled as he reached out to snatch the bottle from Dustin. With a resounding smack, Dustin stopped the doctor with a slap across his face. The doctor almost fell from the impact. The crowd was stunned at the scene. They never thought that Dustin was such a wild man. After stealing someone’s medicine, he slapped someone in the face. How arrogant! “You… you dare hit me?” the doctor sputtered in disbelief as he held his face.  “So what if I hit you? Do I need to make an appointment to do it?” Dustin smirk ed. “Bastard! You’ve got the balls doing something like that! It looks like you don’t know what the Crosses are capable of! If you don’t want to die, you’d better kneel and beg for my forgiveness!” the doctor s aid fiercely. “Apologize? Are you worthy of an apology?” Dustin sneered. “Alright! You asked for this!” The doctor glared at him as he pulled out his phone, dialling a number. “Dustin, if I were you, I would apologize to Dr. Leister immediately.” Matt sneered, “You should know that the Crosses helped cure many big shots . If you dare hit Dr. Leister, you’re making yourself the enemy of Dr. Cross and the entire Cross family!” “So what?” Dustin muttered unfazed. “So what?!” Matt looked as if he was talking to an idiot. “Stubborn till the end. When Dr. Cross gets here, you’re done for!” “Who’s done for?” a powerful voice bellowed through the door. An older man in a doctor’s outfit appeared. His presence filled the space as he strode into the room. It was Dr. Rowan Cross!

An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori Chapter 86

 “Sir! You’re here?!” Upon seeing Dr. Rowan Cross, Ross was stunned. He rushed to greet the old er man with respect. At that moment, he looked very humble. “Sir?” “Could it be… this person is the great Dr. Cross?!” After learning the identity of the older man, the Nicholson family members were excited. They surrounded him, trying to gain his favor. “Oh my! What an honour to meet the great Dr. Cross in person!” “I’ve heard a lot about you, Dr. Cross. I’m so lucky to meet you!” Everyone chimed in, praising the doctor. One should know that this doctor was well– known across the seven seas. Not only was he good at curing others, but he also had a vast network of connections and was incredibly influential. Just a w ord from him could change one’s life. “Dr. Cross, aren’t you resting? Why are you here?” the doctor asked curiously. “A friend called me saying you were messing around with a patient. Did such a thing happen?” replied Rowanross. He was not happy. Earlier that day, he had received a call from his biggest savior. He was so hap py that he rushed to the hospital as fast as possible. “A friend?” Everyone exchanged glances before looking at Matt. In their eyes, only some one noble could be considered a friend of Dr. Cross. In this room, Matt was th e only person noble enough. “Dr. Cross, I’ve heard a lot about you!” At that moment, Matt suddenly stepped forward and introduced himself. “I’m Matt Laney, from Millsburg. I believe you’ ve met my father.” “Oh…” Rowan replied softly. He scanned the room as if looking for something. He did not even spare Matt a glance. Shot down by the doctor’s cold response, Matt fell silent awkwardly. “Sir! Have you lost something recently?” Ross asked. “Lost something?” Rowan raised his eyebrow. “What do you mean?” “Earlier, someone here stole your antidote. Luckily I noticed in time and stopped him so that you won’t suffer any losses!” the doctor said excitedly. Hexanavir was his mentor’s most prized treasure. Now that he had helped return it, he would surely be rewarded. “Stole my antidote? Who?” Rowan was puzzled.  “It’s him!” exclaimed the doctor as he pointed to someone behind Rowan. “He’ s the one who stole your Hexanavir! He even babbled on about how you gave it to him as a gift. Thankfully I’m smart enough to see through his lies. Otherwise, he would’ve run off with the antidote!” “Dr. Cross, Dustin’s actions have nothing to do with us. If you want to get him, just get him! It is none of our business.” “That’s right! Hurry and get rid of him!” The Nicholson family was afraid to get in trouble, so they all started pointing fingers at the culprit. However, no one expected the dark cloud that fell across Rowan’s face. “Dustin, what are you still waiting for? Hurry and return the antidote and apolo gize! If you’re lucky, Dr. Cross might forgive you!” Dahlia started sending him signals. Although she hated his actions at times, s he still felt bad for him when he found himself in bad situations. “Bastard! You’re done for! You dare steal my mentor’s treasure. No one can s ave you today!” Ross sneered with a smug look as if he had won. One should know that although his mentor was kind and forgiving, he was seri ous when it came to medicine. There was no way he would let Dustin off easil y for stealing his antidote! “Dr. Cross, you’ve done a great job teaching your apprentice. Since this antido te is so precious, I’ll return it to you.“Dustin pulled out the bottle of Hexanavir a nd threw it over to Rowan. Rowan almost collapsed in shock. However, Ross still had not grasped the situation and continued mocking Dust in. “Bastard! Now you’re scared? Why didn’t you do this earlier? Even if you return it now, it’s too late! I want you to kneel a nd apologize. Maybe then I’ll let you go!” the doctor with glasses exploded, his head held high. “Shut up!” At that moment, Rowan’s patience had run out, and he slapped Ro ss across the face with all his might. Ross fell to the ground with a loud smack. He felt like he had dislocated his he ad. Blood started to flow from his nose. “S– sir. Why did you hit me? He’s the one you should hit!” Ross asked, stunned as he held his face, not understanding what he did wrong. His master had slapped the wrong person. “You dare disrespect Mr. Rhys? You’re the one who should be slapped!” Row an bellowed in a fit of rage. He lifted Ross to his feet and slapped him several more times. Ross‘ face turned a darker purple with every slap. Even his teeth started fallin g out. Everyone was confused at this scene. “What is going on? Shouldn’t Dr. Cross be lashing out at Dustin? Why is he hit ting his apprentice?” everyone wondered. “You imbecile! Brainless scum! Who gave you the guts to disrespect Mr. Rhy s? I’ll beat you till you come to  your senses!” Rowan roared as he kept hitting with no mercy. If Dustin hadn’t stepped up to stop Rowan, Ross wouldn’t have survived. After all these years, Rowan had been searching for Dustin so that he could re pay him for his kindness. And now that they had finally met in person, it should have been a momentous occasion. However, his failure of an apprentice dis respected and openly mocked his greatest savior. He was clearly looking for a beating! After letting out his anger, Rowan presented the bottle of Hexanavir to Dustin and said, “Mr. Rhys, I’m terribly sorry. It’s my fault for not training him well eno ugh that you had to go through all that. Please forgive me!” He fell to his knees in front of Dustin. Seeing Rowan kneeling before the man, everyone was stunned into silence. T heir eyes widened with shock as if they had seen a ghost. “The great Dr. Cross is kneeling and apologizing to a nobody? What in the wo rld is happening?!” everyone wondered. 

An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori Chapter 87

 Rowan’s actions had left everyone in the room stunned. “N–no way! Dustin knows Dr. Cross? How is that possible?!” “Oh my goodness, Dustin is incredible! He can even make Dr. Cross apologize?” Everyone in the room exchanged glances of shock as they watched Dustin’s calm, unfazed expression and the respectful look on Dr. Cross‘ face. They had difficulty picturing someone mediocre knowing someone like Dr. Cross. “Are–are my eyes playing tricks on me?” Florence was in disbelief. *The great Dr. Rowan Cross, the best doctor in the world, was apologizing to Dustin? How unbelievable! “Could it be that Dustin’s Hexanavir really was a gift from Dr. Cross?” Dahlia w as also shocked to her core. To be honest, ever since the divorce, she noticed that Dustin had become more discreet. “What a nuisance!” Matt muttered to himself, looking gloomy. Dr Cross” appea rance had disrupted his plan. “S–sir… You really know this guy?” Ross asked in disbelief, cradling his face. “Know him? Mr. Rhys is my savior. You’ve got some nerve. How dare you disrespect Mr. Rhys? Hurry up and kneel! Apologi ze to him!” Rowan roared, slapping Ross twice more. “I– I’m sorry. I was the one who didn’t recognise master’s savior. Please forgive me!” Ross gave in and hurriedly kneeled before Dustin. He was no longer as a rrogant as he was before. “Mr. Rhys, this failure of an apprentice made a grave mistake not recognizing someone incredible like you. Please don’t pay any mind to what he says. Of c ourse, if you need to vent your dissatisfaction, you may punish him as you se e fit. I’ll take responsibility even if you hit him to death!” Rowan’s words shocked the injured doctor as he trembled in fear. From the lo ok on his master’s face, he realised he had messed with the wrong person. If Rowan did not go easy on him, he’s dead! “I don’t need to punish him. I just hope you will be stricter with apprentices so they don’t ruin your reputation, Dr. Cross,” Dustin said in a gentle voice. “Of course, of course,” Rowan agreed, nodding. “I will make this one reflect on his behavior. If he doesn’t change his ways, I’ll kick him out!” “That’s your decision to make,” Dustin added. “Failure! Hurry up and thank Mr. Rhys for being so forgiving!” Rowan roared. “Thank you, Mr. Rhys, for your kindness!” the doctor kneeled before him. “That’s enough. Get up.” Dustin waved him away. “Mr. Rhys, it’s been so long since we last saw each other after we parted way s. Do you have some time to have a meal with me?” Rowan asked. CS CamScanner Upon hearing the invitation, everyone in the room was fired up. What an honor it was to share a meal with Dr. Cross. Even the great elites from Millsburg ha d to make reservations to meet him. “Dammit! This Dustin guy really hit the jackpot!” “I know, right? To get on Dr. Cross‘ good side, he must have a great life ahea d of him.” They were jealous and filled with envy. The words that left of Dustin’s lips in re ply to the esteemed doctor shocked everyone even further. “I don’t have the time right now. I’ll let you know when I’m free,” Dustin replied. “H– he rejected Dr. Cross? The guy who got kicked out of the Nicholson family rej ected an invitation from the great Dr. Cross? Did I hear that correctly?” everyo ne questioned. “Oh, okay. I can always make time for Mr. Rhys.” No one expected Rowan’s response. Not only was he not angry, but he was e ven happier than before. Dustin had not explicitly rejected him. That meant Ro wan still stood a chance. “Mr. Rhys, you’re busy. I won’t waste more of your time. Goodbye,” Rowan sai d tactfully, shaking Dustin’s, hand. He dragged his apprentice by his ear and l eft the room. After they had left, the ward was in an uproar again. They looked at Dustin in surprise. “Dustin, how do you know Dr. Cross?” It was Dahlia who spoke up first. “I helped him once, so he owes me a favor.” Dustin said bluntly. “Just like that?” Dahlia was shocked. “What else is there?” Dustin replied. “So that’s how it is. I thought.” Dahlia trailed off. Everyone else let out a sigh of relief at his reply. They thought that Dustin had curried Rowan’s favo r using other mysterious means. It turned out that he was just lucky. “Humph! So what if you helped him once? You just got lucky! What’s so speci al about that!” “He only owes you a favor. He already gifted you a bottle of Hexanavir. And n ow he’s saved your reputation. The next time you ask him for help, he won’t comply!” “We should stand on our own two feet. You shouldn’t keep seeking out others for help. After all, it won’t last forever.” Now that they knew the truth, the crowd started making sarcastic comments. After all, they still couldn’t accept that a nobody like Dustin could be better than them. “Dustin, thank you for what you did earlier,” Dahlia mumbled awkwardly. She never thought that Dustin would know Dr. Cross. He even cured her grandfather’s illness. Reflect ing on her actions, she couldn’t help but feel guilty. “You don’t have to say anything. Saving Granddad was my decision. It had nothing to do with you,” Dustin Dahlia’s gratitude vanished with Dustin’s cold words. She frowned and though t to herself, “I already expressed my gratitude. What else does he want? Shou ld I apologize to him in front of everyone? Does he need to be so particular?” An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori Chapter 88 - Chapter 88 “Rhys! What is your problem? So you got lucky and saved the old man! You d on’t have to be so rude about it!” Florence cried, clearly upset. How dare he tr eat her daughter that way? Did he think he was all that? “At least I saved him. What about all of you? He almost lost his life because of you!” Dustin retorted coldly. “You… What is this attitude?!” Florence sputtered. She had almost reached h er limit. “Enough! Stop yelling at each other! What a disgrace!” Henry then demanded, “Florence, all of you, go outside. I need to speak to Dustin for a while.” “Humph!” Although Florence was not happy about it, there was no other option but to leave. “As soon as they left the room, the group started muttering. “Say, do you think Old Mr. Nicholson wanted to talk to Dustin about his will or something?” “I’m not sure. That guy is great at getting on Old Mr. Nicholson’s good side. N o matter what, we need to be careful!” “Ha! I don’t understand. James is his biological grandson, and yet Old Mr. Nic holson favors that guy more. I really don’t know what’s wrong with him!” They murmured to each other, expressing their dissatisfaction. “Oh, that’s right. Where’s James? Why isn’t he here while Old Mr. Nicholson is sick?” Dahlia scanned the room and realised her brother was not present. “He went drinking with his friends. We couldn’t get through to his phone. He pr obably left it on silent mode,” Florence said, shaking her head. “Humph! He only knows how to go to bars and drink. No sense of responsibilit y at all!” Dahlia’s expression darkened. With behavior like that, it was no surprise that her grandfather favo red this other guy more than his biological grandson. “Ms. Nicholson! Something’s wrong!” Lyra cried as she arrived in her work atti re. She looked like she was in a rush. “What happened?” Dahlia asked, confused. “I was notified that your brother started a commotion and got into a conflict wit h some people. They started a fight.” Everyone was shocked to hear Lyra’s words. “What? Who’s got the guts to bully my son?!” Florence demanded as her bloo d started to boil upon hearing the news. She had evidently missed the fact tha t her son was the one who had started the fight. 1 “I don’t know the details, but I heard that the other party had many more peopl e. If we don’t get there in time to stop it, James might be in trouble,” Lyra added. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go help him!” Florence rolled up her sleeves, looking like she was ready to fight.  “He only knows how to get into trouble. How annoying! Lyra, hurry and get more people to the bar!” Dahlia instructed. She led the group to the pub. After all, James was her brother. If he got into trouble, she had to clean up his mess. Meanwhile, in the other hospital ward, Dustin received a phone call from Duane. “Hey, Dustin. I found the incredibly rare Panax root that you asked for. Are you free now? We should meet up and have a chat.” 1 “Oh? Where are you?” “I’m at Enchanted Tavern. I’ll wait for you to get here!” “Alright. I’ll be there.” Dustin hung up the call, said his goodbyes to Henry, and headed to his destination. 500- year– old Panax root was invaluable. Now that Duane had gotten his hands on it, Du stin could not miss the opportunity. Half an hour later, as Dustin arrived at Enchanted Tavern, he noticed Dahlia waiting next to her car. “Why are they here?” Dustin wondered. He was confused, but he did not reach out to them. He followed a group of people inside. 

An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori Chapter 89 -

 There were a lot of people gathered in the bar. Some of them were spectators. Others were involved in the fight. The group that the onlookers were most interested in was a small group led by James. A few of them had bruises covering their faces and blood rushing from their faces. They were forced to kneel on the ground, looking hopeless. “James, how did you end up like this?” Dahlia could not help but frown when she noticed James‘ injuries. “Sis! You’re finally here!” James staggered as he stood up. It was almost as if he had met an angel. “Oh! My poor son! Who did this to you? Tell me. I’ll give them what they deser ve!” Florence shrieked at James, heartbroken. Even when her son made a mistake, she could not bring herself to life a finger against him. There was no way she would allow others beat him up like this. “Mom! That’s the bastard who hit me!” James pointed behind him, looking vicious. Florence followed his gesture, and her eyes fell on a beautiful woman in a revealing dress sitting calmly at a table. Behind her stood a few burly, strong– looking men. “Bitch! You are all dead meat! My sister is the president of the Quine Group! Y ou will pay for hitting me!” James roared. They would pay twice the price of wh at he had gone through! “The Quine Group? Is it powerful?” The woman in the red dress swirled her gl ass of wine, unfazed by his words. “Humph! You don’t even know the Quine Group! I knew you guys looked uncu ltured! Let me warn you. Hurry up and apologize to my son and settle for his medical fees. Otherwise, you’ll all pay the price!” Florence warned. “Old b*tch! You dare disrespect our boss? I’ll rip your tongue apart!” shouted o ne of the men standing behind the woman in red. He pulled out a switchblade. “What? Are you threatening me? You think you scare me?” Florence scoffed a s she stumbled two steps backward with fear. She was stubborn. “What happened?” Dahlia had always been the rational one. She started asking about the situation. “What happened? You should ask your brother about that.” The woman in the red dress stood up slowly and pointed at James. “He started making a commotion at my place. He even start ed hitting my men. I was just teaching him a lesson. I’m not crossing the line, right?” “I’ll pay for the damage done. But why did you have to be so cruel to him?” Dahlia asked, frowning. “Cruel? Haha! I already went easy on him. Otherwise, he would’ve lost more limbs!” The woman sneered. Enough! I won’t waste another second with you. If you want to settle this peacefully, hand over 700 thousand dollars! If you don’t, no ne of you will leave this room!” “700 thousand dollars? Why not go rob someone?!” James roared. “That’s right! I haven’t dealt with you for hurting my son! How dare you ask us for money? Where did you get your guts?!” Florence glared at her.  “You guys better come to your senses while I’m still being nice. After my man gets here, it won’t be as simple as handing over money,” the woman replied calmly. “So what if you have a man? Tell him to come here this instant if you dare! I w ant to see how capable he really is!” Florence pushed, unafraid. “You’re messing with the wrong guy! Do you know who our lady’s man is? He’ s Sir Draco! Our leader of South City, the Cobra!” boasted one of the men. “The Cobra?!” The Nicholson family immediately turned pale. Swinton had four main territories: the North, South, East, and West Cities. Eas t City was ruled by the King of the Underworld, Trevor Spanner. Meanwhile, South City was ruled by the in famous Cobra! Compared to the King of the Underworld, the Cobra was said to be even more relentless and vile. According to legend, the Cobra loved raising alligators. An yone who dared cross him was fed to his gators. People from West City could not afford to offend the Cobra. They really were in trouble this time! 

An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori Chapter 90 - 

 “No wonder nobody dares to cause trouble here. Who knew Rosaline was Lor d Draco’s woman?” “It’s not that nobody dares to cause trouble; it’s just that anybody who caused trouble is dead! A tycoon with a net worth of billions flirted with Rosaline, and Lord Draco ordered that his limbs be chopped off. After the incident, the tycoon didn’t dare lift a finger and even apologized personally .” “Fuck! That’s brutal!” “No shit. Lord Draco is South City’s biggest bully. No one dares disrespect hi m!” After finding out who the woman, Rosaline, was, the bar erupted in a furor. So me were shocked, some were in awe, and some sat back to watch the show. “We’re in trouble this time!” James gulped as cold sweat dripped down his fore head. If he had known that Sir Draco ruled this place, he would not have dare d to cause trouble, even if someone had put a gun to his head. “How did I end up offending the devil himself?” Florence shrugged, her face filled with fear. She wasn’t as fiery as before. She could bully some small fry, but when it came to a brutal thug like the Cobra, s he knew her place. “Why so quiet? Weren’t you great at speaking your mind earlier? Why don’t you show us again what you’ve got? *smirked th e muscular man. Was there anyone in South City who didn’t know of Sir Draco’s reputation? Al most nobody dared to offend Sir Draco! “Don’t panic. I’m here. They wouldn’t dare touch you,” Matt spoke up next to t hem. Florence and James were surprised at his words. They had nearly forgotten th ey had someone backing them up! Matt was from the Laney family in Millsburg. What did he have to fear in this te rritory? No matter how mighty the Cobra was, he wouldn’t dare go against the Laney family, would he?! With that realization, Florence and James straightened. “Matt, the Cobra rules over this place. Is this really okay?” James asked tentat ively. “Don’t worry. He’s just some snake in the grass. He’s nothing to me.” Matt gav e a small smile. He finally had a chance to flaunt his influence, so he had to sh ow them all he had. “I’m glad then.” James grinned. He thought he was done for, but now he had a nother shot. “Hey! What are you mumbling about? Are you going to pay up or not?!” Rosali ne barked, getting impatient. “What are you going to do if we don’t pay up? You think we’re scared of you?” Florence mocked, placing her hands on her hips. With Matt backing her up, s he feared nothing. “You won’t pay?” Rosaline laughed coldly. “If you don’t pay up, we’ll do it Sir Draco’s way. Anyone who causes trouble here will have their limbs chopped o ff!” 10 CS CamScanner Chapter 98 She raised her hands and made a sign. The muscular men behind her unshea thed their machetes and strode forward. “Wait!” Matt hissed and stepped up from behind. His good looks and classy aura alw ays made women swoon. “And who are you? How dare you meddle in my business?” Rosaline looked him up and down. “I’m Matt Laney from the Laney family in Millsburg.” “The Laneys from Millsburg?” The room was in an uproar. “Even an elite from Millsburg is here. We’re in for a good show!” “No wonder those two are so bold. They have Mr. Laney backing them up!” “Mr. Laney is so handsome. I wonder if he has a girlfriend.” The crowd pointed fingers and gossiped. Their awe made Florence and James feel proud. The Laney family’ s reputation was valuable indeed. With the Laney family backing them up, wh o would dare go against them? “So you’re Mr. Laney. Nice to meet you,” Rosaline rasped, forcing a smile. Of course, she had heard of the Laneys. There was a time when they were th e aristocrats who led everything in Millsburg. Although they weren’t as gloriou s anymore, she did not dare provoke them. “Since you know who I am, that makes settling things easier. Tell me, how do you intend to deal with this?” Matt asked as he clasped his hands behind his back arrogantly. “Since you’ve spoken up, Mr. Laney, I naturally have to show you some respe ct. I’ll treat what happened here today as a misunderstanding. It’s over.” Rosal ine conceded. They had a business to run, and she did not want to cause pro blems for Sir Draco. “It’s over?” Matt snorted, “You hit a friend of mine, and you think two words ca n smooth things over? There are no free lunches here.” “What else do you want?” Rosaline asked, frowning. “Pay up and apologize, of course!” “Apologize?” A dark shadow fell across Rosaline’s face. If she was dealing wit h this herself, she was okay apologizing. However, she was representing Sir Draco. If she apologized to them, wasn’t that an insult to Sir Draco? “Are you deaf? Hurry up and apologize, or I’ll trash this place!” With her hands on her hips, Florence’s arrogant air returned. “You don’t only have to apologize. You have to pay up. Damn it, you’ll have to pay me five million for beating me up like this! James shouted. With Matt backing him up, he had all the confidence in the world. He was milking Matt’s i nfluence as much as he could. “Mr. Laney, this is Sir Draco’s territory. Save me some face. Let’s not make enemies.” Rosaline pleaded, feeling awkward. “You want me to save you some face? Who do you think you are?” Matt smirk ed. “Even if the Cobra were here, I’d demand an apology. Much less one from you!” “Who thinks he has what it takes to make me apologize?” A thundering voice rang out across the bar. A bald man wearing sunglasses, with a cigar between his lips, walked in men acingly. His fierce demeanor and intimidating aura frightened the crowd as they stepped aside. A path opened for him. “Sir Draco, what brings you here?” Rosaline’s eyes lit up as she rushed to gre et him. “Just showing one of the gentlemen around.” The Cobra put an arm around her waist and asked, “What’s going on? I thoug ht I heard someone demanding an apology from me.” “It’s like this…” Rosaline began, recounting everything that had happened wit h no details spared. “Mr. Laney from Millsburg, is it? So you’re the one who wants me to apologize ?” The Cobra stepped forward and looked Matt up and down. His expression wasn’t friendly at all. “That’s right. Your people beat my friend up. Apologizing is the natural thing to do,” Matt quipped. With his hands behind his back, he was as arrogant as ever. “Apologize? Fuck you!” The Cobra was furious. He slapped Matt across the fa ce. Matt stumbled and nearly fell over. “Fuck!” he yelled. The onlookers in the bar were stunned.