An Understated Dominance Novel (Dahlia & Dustin) by Marina Vittori updated 2025-26 - An Understated Dominance Chapter 2719

Chapter 2719

Even though the surrounding whispers were kept deliberately low, Dustin still picked up a few with his sharp hearing. He remained calm, unfazed, and didn’t bother responding.

Natasha, on the other hand, seemed to bask in the attention—especially the envious stares from the female customers. It made her even more pleased with herself. Every so often, she would lean in to serve Dustin food or pour him water with obvious affection.

Dahlia kept her usual cool, distant demeanor, seemingly unaffected by the chatter around them. Only once in a while did she lift her eyes to glance at the two people sitting across from her, their effortless chemistry dimming her gaze just a little.

Just then, a young waiter approached carefully with a pot of boiling hot pot broth.

Maybe he was distracted by the sight of Natasha’s and Dahlia’s beauty, but he suddenly lost focus—and his footing.

“Ah—!”

The waiter let out a startled gasp as he stumbled, the steaming pot in his hands tilting dangerously. In the next second, the scalding broth was about to spill directly onto Natasha and Dahlia, who were seated on the outer side.

Both women’s faces drained of color!

At the crucial moment, Dustin—who had been sitting quietly until then—moved.

He reacted with lightning speed. His right hand shot out to steady the waiter, while his left caught the edge of the pot, stopping the violently shaking broth in mid-tilt.

A burst of precise strength stabilized everything. Only a few drops of red oil splashed onto the tablecloth—no one was harmed.

It all happened in an instant.

By the time the people around them processed what occurred, the danger had already passed.

The waiter, pale and trembling, apologized again and again.

Natasha exhaled in relief, patting her chest before glaring sharply at the waiter.

Dahlia’s eyes lingered on Dustin’s quick, steady movements. Her heart skipped a beat. A thought she had been trying so hard to suppress quietly surfaced—then spread uncontrollably.

He… leaned toward me just now.

He was so fast. Does he still care about me?

Her lashes trembled faintly as she lowered her gaze. The calm she had been forcing on herself shattered under Dustin’s sudden, instinctive act of protection.

She began to spin her own explanations, trying to pull something meaningful out of his otherwise neutral expression.

Maybe… I still matter to him? Even if just a little?

The manager replaced the frightened waiter, and after a brief interruption, the hot pot finally started to boil. Red oil bubbled as the spicy aroma filled the air.

But the tension at the table was hotter—and far more complicated—than anything simmering in the pot.

Natasha picked up her chopsticks first. With practiced ease, she dipped a slice of marbled beef in the bubbling broth. Instead of placing it in her own bowl, she dipped it into the sauce and lifted it to Dustin’s lips.

“Here, darling, try this. Their signature fatty beef—super tender.” Natasha beamed, her eyes soft and full of affection. Her voice was sweet enough to turn heads—and the way she emphasized the word husband was unmistakable. She wanted Dahlia to hear every syllable.

Dustin gave her an exasperated but helpless look. In front of outsiders—especially in front of Dahlia—he obviously wasn’t going to push Natasha away.

He opened his mouth, took the beef, chewed, and nodded. “Mm. It’s really good.”

“Right?” Natasha’s smile grew even brighter, practically glowing. She added cilantro and garlic to his dipping sauce with a natural familiarity. “I know you like it this way. Eat more.”

She barely touched her own food. She was constantly cooking tripe for him, scooping shrimp balls, or wiping imaginary grease from the corner of his mouth.

Every gesture was intimate—fully claiming him.

Dustin simply let her fuss over him, occasionally placing a piece of her favorite greens into her bowl. Each small gesture earned him an even sweeter smile and a loving look from Natasha.

Their easy warmth felt almost tangible.

Across from them, Dahlia watched everything quietly, not missing a single detail. Her fingers clenched her chopsticks a little too tightly, knuckles turning faintly white.

The premium beef in front of her was simmering in chili oil, but it tasted like wax in her mouth.

Once upon a time, she had been the one sitting beside Dustin—the one he treated gently. Their marriage ended, and she knew she bore some responsibility. But watching another woman so naturally enjoy everything that used to belong to her…

That faint bitterness, disappointment, and quiet jealousy pricked at her heart like tiny needles.

She forced her eyes down, staring at her dipping sauce, trying to steady herself—but her emotions refused to settle.

Dustin’s soft patience with Natasha contrasted sharply with the distant silence that had taken over their relationship toward the end of their marriage.

Had he truly found someone better for him after the divorce?

The thought twisted in her chest, making her feel even worse.