An Understated Dominance Novel (Dahlia & Dustin) by Marina Vittori updated 2025-26 - An Understated Dominance Chapter 2538

Chapter 2538

“Hurry up! Move faster!”

Nathaniel was visibly anxious, repeatedly urging the guards forward.

At that moment, he couldn’t help but curse the size of his mansion—it was too large, and he couldn’t reach the scene quickly enough.

“Ding! What’s going on?!”

Just then, Mateo and Emmett arrived with their elite troops, responding swiftly to the alarm.

Most of them hadn’t even had time to put on their uniforms—they came shirtless and rushed, their urgency clear.

After all, this was the first time a palace-wide alarm had ever been triggered.

“A thief has broken into the estate!” Nathaniel barked. “Lock down all entrances and exits—don’t let them escape!”

“Seal off the entire city!” Mateo shouted as he led a large group into action.

It takes years to raise an army, but only moments to deploy one. And today was their moment to act.

“Follow me!” Nathaniel called, charging forward with a team of guards at his side.

But before they could get far, a sudden boom echoed from the direction of the secret chamber ahead.

The shockwave shook the entire mansion like an earthquake.

Moments later, a courtyard about a hundred meters ahead collapsed completely!

Dirt and stone caved in, burying the secret chamber beneath a pile of rubble and leaving only ruins in its place.

A thick cloud of dust billowed into the air, rising like a screen of smoke.

Seeing this, Nathaniel froze in place. His eyes widened in disbelief, and his face twisted in shock.

He never imagined things would turn out like this.

He had assumed it was just a theft—that someone had broken into the chamber to steal treasures. As serious as that might be, he thought the damage would be manageable.

But now, staring at the wreckage, his heart sank.

This wasn’t just a loss. This was the destruction of more than ten years of careful accumulation.

Now buried under rubble, most of the treasures were likely ruined. The loss was beyond calculation.

It felt like someone had slashed his heart—twice.

“Animal! You animal!!” Nathaniel roared, his entire body trembling with rage.

“My Lord, what do we do now?” the guards behind him asked, exchanging uneasy glances.

They had come to protect the treasures and catch a thief. Now the treasures were buried, the thief was gone, and all they could do was stand there in shock.

“Dig! Dig out the treasures now!” Nathaniel shouted.

It was one thing to lose ordinary valuables—but the Dracan essences could not be replaced. Losing those would be disastrous.

“Get more people! Dig them out!” he ordered.

The guards didn’t dare waste a second. They quickly rallied more men and started excavating the ruins.

Just then, Mateo and Emmett returned, drawn by the sound of the explosion.

When they saw the destruction ahead, they paused, stunned, then quickly grasped the seriousness of the situation.

This wasn’t just a theft—it was a major disaster.

The palace had been peaceful, with no signs of trouble. Then suddenly, chaos erupted without warning. The only explanation was that someone from the inside was involved.

Nathaniel was notoriously suspicious. A full investigation was sure to follow.

And if he had any doubts about them, he wouldn’t hesitate to toss them into a river to feed the fish.

At that moment, Nathaniel seemed to realize something. His face turned dark, and he shouted, “Mateo! Emmett! You two, follow me!”

Without waiting for a response, Nathaniel spun around and headed straight for Dustin’s quarters.

Mateo and Emmett exchanged a quick glance and followed without protest, bringing their guards with them.

They all knew what was happening—Nathaniel suspected Mr. Rhys.

After all, everything had been calm in the mansion before Dustin’s arrival. But now, after just one night, disaster had struck. It was only natural to suspect him.

“Dustin… this better not be your doing,” Nathaniel muttered through clenched teeth, his eyes sharp with fury as he stormed toward the villa.

Lights were still on in the villa when they arrived.

Without a word, Nathaniel kicked the gate open and burst in with his men.

Hearing the commotion, Dustin emerged from the house in casual clothes. He looked at Nathaniel, clearly puzzled.

“My Lord, what’s going on? Why are you so worked up?”

“Let me ask you—where were you just now?” Nathaniel demanded coldly.

“I’ve been in my room the whole time. I haven’t gone anywhere. What happened?” Dustin replied, feigning ignorance.

In truth, Dustin had recently been trapped and had no choice but to force his way out, causing the collapse of the courtyard and the secret chamber. The explosion was so loud it had alerted the entire mansion.

But at this point, there was nothing he could do to hide it.

“You’re sure you haven’t left this room?” Nathaniel stared at him suspiciously.

If Dustin really was involved in the destruction, there should’ve been some trace left behind. It would’ve been nearly impossible to clean up perfectly in such a short time.

“I’m sure,” Dustin said calmly, not flinching.

“Someone—search the room!” Nathaniel signaled his men.

Dustin’s clothes were spotless, offering no clues. But if he was the thief, he must’ve hidden the stolen goods somewhere. A thorough search would reveal the truth.

“Hold on!”

As Mateo and Emmett stepped forward, Dustin raised his hand to stop them.

With a cold expression, he said, “My Lord, what is the meaning of this? If I’m not welcome here, I can leave right now. But humiliating me like this? That’s going too far.”