Chapter 412
Alfred Kingston sat at the long dining table with his wife Jessica and their daughter Jasmine.
The weight in the air was heavier than the plates before them.
“Jasmine,” Alfred said, “I’m lifting your house arrest. You’ll return to Vancouver, and from now on, you’ll do exactly as I say p>
“Your brother is working with his friend from Los Angeles. You’ll open the mining agreement in Vancouver for them p>
Jasmine fork slipped from her hand and clattered against the plate.
“Father, this is wrong. If you hand the mine over to those people, Vancouver will lose everything. Our revenues will collapse p>
“That isn’t our concern,” Alfred snapped. “Just follow my orders. They’ve promised Charles thirty percent of the profits-without us lifting a finger p>
“Father,” Jasmine pleaded, “without them, Vancouver’s government still keeps fifty percent of the profit-money that belongs to the people p>
“If you give the mine away, Charles may take thirty, but his friends will steal another twenty. The people will lose everything p>
Alfred’s voice grew heavy, ruthless.
“We are the people, Jasmine. Your brother is the people. He deserves that thirty percent far more than strangers you’ve never met. You are the governor-so make it happen. Do it for our family p>
Jasmine eyes shimmered with tears. “Father, please. You weren’t always like this. You used to be a loving father, a governor who cared for his citizens. When did you change p>
Alfred leaned forward. “I haven’t changed. I am still a loving father and a good governor. It’s you who has changed, Jasmine. You’re blinded by your feelings for Alex. You’ve stepped onto the wrong path p>
Tears filled Jasmine’s eyes, her voice breaking with fury. “Father, how can you call yourself a good governor when all you do is strike deals with the elites and stuff your pockets with their money-stealing what rightfully belongs to the people p>
“You won’t even meet with the loyalists of the old government. Instead, you pressure them, crush them—and now you’re ordering their deaths p>
“If they don’t agree with me, then they can leave Los Angeles,” Alfred said coldly. “Why should they stay p>
“They are your citizens!” Jasmine shouted.
“You can’t slaughter everyone who disagrees with you. That makes you a tyrant. You once taught me that a good governor protects his people p>
“Jasmine,” Jessica cut in, “Vancouver is a small and poor state. Los Angeles is five times larger, five times richer. It takes a different hand to rule here. You cannot satisfy everyone. As long as the majority is content, that is enough p>
“What majority?!” Jasmine’s voice breaking. “All I see is you and Father hoarding wealth from a small circle of elites. You compromise with criminals and add to your fortune in the shadows. Everyone knows it p>
“Watch your mouth!” Jessica’s voice lashed like a whip. “The statistics show your father is an excellent governor. Everything has improved under his leadership p>
Jasmine pushed back her chair and stood.
“Do you think I don’t know you pay those so-called statisticians, that you buy the news to polish his image p>
“If people stepped into Los Angeles and saw past the polished lies, they’d find the truth-poverty hidden behind your glittering numbers, the poor sinking deeper into despair. Don’t you see how much they suffer p>
Alfred’s voice was sharp as a blade. “They’re nothing but garbage that needs to
be cleared out. Once they’re gone, Los Angeles will be clean, safe, and beautiful p>
Jasmine froze. “So killing the poor is your solution?” Her voice trembled in disbelief.
Jessica shrugged. “If that’s what it takes, why not? They’re poor, they’re useless, they contribute nothing. Just wasting the air the rest of us breathe. Better they hurry to heaven p>
Tears welled in Jasmine’s eyes. “Father, Mother… I don’t even recognize you anymore. People say money changes people. Now I see it’s true. Wealth has destroyed everything good in you p>
Jessica leaned forward. “You should take lessons from your brother. He started with nothing, and now he’s on his way to fortune-because he made friends with Gilbert. Soon he’ll inherit everything Gilbert owns. That’s success you’ll never achieve in your lifetime p>
“Mother,” Jasmine’s voice breaking with anger, “that money is tainted. Don’t you know how the Guise family made their fortune p>
“They stole from the poor, crushed them, ruined lives. Any person with a shred of morality would never touch that blood money. And now my brother is trying to seize it by killing Alex p>
Her eyes blurred with tears.
She couldn’t understand when her family had turned into people who worshipped nothing but money, abandoning all decency.
Alfred chuckled darkly. “Do you realize hundreds die in Los Angeles every single day? Car accidents, hospital beds, the streets. They’re just statistics. And Alex? He’s just another number. If his death brings us billions, why hesitate p>
“Father,” Jasmine’s steadying her voice, “as your daughter, I warn you don’t touch Alex. If you do, you’ll bring a disaster on this family that you can’t escape p>
Alfred slammed his hand down on the table. Plates rattled, glasses trembled, food shook across the cloth. His face twisted with fury.
“Jasmine, I’ve tolerated your defiance long enough. Every killer we’ve sent after Alex has been cut down by your soldiers. If you weren’t protecting him, do you think he’d still be alive p>
“Do you think your brother would still
be wasting nights in endless
parties? No-he’d be governo
by
now you’ve ruined your own brother’s future! What kind of family betrays their blood like this p>
s
Jasmine shook her head. “You really don’t know anything, do you? Alex faced the Guise family head-on-he didn’t stand alone, he stood with Kingswell p>
“And what did the King do? He declared the Guise family guilty, Alex innocent. But to keep peace with the governors, Alex was forced to step away from Kingswell p>
Her eyes blazed as she locked them on her father. “Do you really think only the Kingstons know about Gilbert Guise’s death-about the billion in blood money waiting for
fnet
is the
revenge? Do you think Charle only one trying to kill Alex? And yet, Alex still lives p>
s
“There are hundreds-thousands-who’ve tried to kill him. Have you ever stopped
to wonder why Alex seems untouchable? It’s because every single one of them is
already dead p>
“The King and Kingswell stand behind him. The only reason the King hasn’t already crushed you and Charles is because you were once part of Kingswell— and because you still hold the title of governor p>
“But hear me now, Father-the King doesn’t like you targeting Alex p>
Jessica shot to her feet, her face hard with contempt.
“What do you know, Jasmine? You’re just a child-you understand nothing about
how this world works. Alex is nothing. He’s worthless p>
“Mother, I know enough,” Jasmine fired back.
“Kelly has already been stripped of Kingswell, stripped of her governorship-for standing with Charles. Father, you’ve been cut loose too p>
“If you keep pushing against Alex, if you keep targeting him, you’ll lose everything -including your seat as governor p>
Jessica stepped forward and slapped her across the face. The crack echoed through the dining hall. “How dare you speak to your father like that p>
But Jasmine didn’t flinch. Her eyes burned, dangerous and unwavering. She turned to Alfred.
“Father, before it’s too late, stop this. Stop targeting Alex. The King will not forgive
it p>
“Shut your mouth!” Alfred roared, rage boiling in his voice. His eyes locked on hers, wild with fury.
“I do not fear the King! I am the governor of Los Angeles! And if the King dares to move against me, I’ll rally every governor in this country to rise against him p>
“Father Jasmine’s breath caught.
She had never heard her father scream at her like this, never imagined he would even dream of rebellion. Now, he was ready to throw the whole world into war.
“You’ll say nothing more,” Alfred barked. “You’ll marry Logan. With him by your side, our position will be unshakable. The King will never dare to touch us again p>
He pressed on, his voice trembling with ambition.
“When Bella
dies and follows her father into the grave, Kelly will reclaim Vermont. Charles will seize Paris With Los Angeles Paris, Vancoont and Logan’s state along with his allies, we’ll command more than half the country p>
s
His eyes burned with pride. “When I rally them, we’ll be stronger than the King himself. Tell me what is there to fear p>
Jasmine shook her head. “Rally them? Father, half of them would rather shoot you just to save the King the trouble p>
“Father, please look at reality. Right now, you only hold Los Angeles. Vancouver will never stand with you p>
“Bella is already preparing for war against you. Paris and Chicago will never bend. And Alex—Alex is untouchable. Your arrogance blinds you. You’re dragging us all into ruin. Please… wake up p>
“Jasmine,” Alfred growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Remember this-I gave you Vancouver. I can take it back in a heartbeat p>
“Then take it!” Jasmine shot back, her voice sharp with defiance.
“I don’t want to govern Vancouver under you. And you should remember this too—
the King gave you Los Angeles. But you’ve forgotten that p>
“You bite the very hand that feeds you. Even a dog has more loyalty than that p>
‘And though she be but little, she is fierce p>
“You!” Alfred’s fury exploded. He raised his hand and struck her across the face.
The blow was brutal.
Jasmine’s head crashed against the heavy table, the wood shuddering under the impact, then she toppled to the floor with a sickening thud.
An old servant who had known Jasmine since she was a child rushed to her side. Panic twisted her face as she cradled the young woman’s limp body.
She shook Jasmine desperately, her sobs breaking the silence. After a trembling moment, she pressed her ear to Jasmine’s lips, searching for breath.
Her voice cracked as tears streamed down her cheeks. “Sir… Miss Jasmine is
dead p>