An Understated Dominance Novel (Dahlia & Dustin) by Marina Vittori updated 2025-26 - An Understated Dominance Chapter 2729

Chapter 2729

The call had come from Natasha’s personal secretary.

The moment she spoke, her voice was shaking, thick with panic and tears.

“President Harmon—something terrible has happened!”

“About half an hour ago, we received multiple calls in succession—from Yunhan International, Xinma Capital, and Hontu Real Estate. They’ve all unilaterally notified us that they’re terminating every existing partnership. All previously agreed projects have been suspended!”

“What?”

Natasha’s expression changed instantly.

“Terminating cooperation? The contracts are already signed. Are they planning to breach them outright?”

“They said it’s due to ‘strategic adjustments’ and refused to elaborate,” the secretary replied urgently. “They’re willing to pay the breach-of-contract penalties in full.”

She paused, then continued in a strained voice.

“But that’s not the worst part. Several of our long-term raw material suppliers and distributors just sent official notices as well. They’re citing force majeure and saying they can no longer supply goods or provide channel support.”

“…That many?” Natasha’s heart sank.

“Yes.”

A chill spread through her chest.

These clients and suppliers were the backbone—the lifeline—of Dash Corporation. For all of them to move at the same time was no coincidence.

“How did this happen so suddenly?” Natasha asked, forcing herself to stay calm. “Did you find out anything?”

The secretary hesitated before lowering her voice.

“I used some private connections. Someone at Yunhan hinted that Dash Corporation may have unintentionally offended a very powerful figure. He didn’t know who it was—but he made it clear this wasn’t an ordinary business dispute.”

Offended… a powerful figure?

Countless possibilities flashed through Natasha’s mind.

The Spanner family?

No—impossible.

Mateo and Hayes were still being held by the authorities. They were in no position to retaliate, let alone mobilize something like this.

As for her other competitors—none of them had the reach to pressure so many industry giants simultaneously.

“I understand,” Natasha said at last, her voice steady again. “Stabilize the internal situation first. Calm the employees and prevent panic. I’ll handle everything when I return to the company tomorrow.”

“Also, continue gathering information discreetly. Don’t alert anyone.”

“Yes, President!”

The call ended.

Natasha stood still for several seconds, the night breeze brushing against her skin, leaving a cold sensation behind.

She rubbed her temples, suppressing the storm brewing in her eyes, then adjusted her expression before returning to the table.

“What’s wrong?” Dustin noticed immediately. “You don’t look well.”

Natasha sat down, picked up her chilled mung bean soup, took a sip, and smiled casually.

“It’s nothing serious,” she said lightly. “Just a small issue at the company. A few clients changed their minds at the last minute. It happens in business—I can handle it.”

She didn’t want Dustin to worry.

Especially not now, when he had lost all his cultivation and was in a critical phase.

The visible and invisible wars of commerce were her battlefield—not his.

Dustin glanced at her for a moment, then nodded without pressing further.

“If you need help, tell me.”

“Okay.”

Warmth filled her chest. Natasha leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek, leaving behind a faint trace of fragrance.

“You should head back and rest,” she said softly. “I might need to go back to the company to deal with some things. We’ll talk later.”

After finishing their late-night meal, Natasha drove Dustin back to his villa, reminded him to lock the doors and windows, and then sped off toward Dash Corporation’s headquarters.

The city lights glittered brightly, reflecting coldly in her eyes.

Whoever was behind this—

Anyone who dared to target Dash Corporation would pay the price.

The Next Morning

In the president’s office at Dash Corporation.

Natasha hadn’t slept all night.

Dark circles shadowed her eyes, but her gaze was sharp and focused, like a blade.

Her massive desk was covered with documents—contracts, financial reports, and an overnight summary of affected clients and suppliers compiled by her secretary.

She reviewed them one by one, her brows knitting tighter with each page.

The losses were worse—and faster—than she had anticipated.

It wasn’t just major clients and suppliers. Several small and mid-sized partners had already caught wind of the situation and begun to waver. Some were even quietly reaching out to her competitors.

With both cash flow and the supply chain under pressure, a single misstep could cause Dash Corporation’s entire business structure to collapse in a very short time.

“Knock, knock.”

The secretary entered, her face even paler than the night before.

“President Harmon… we just received confirmation that Hucai Technology and Sheshi Media have also formally terminated their advertising contracts and project cooperation for the next quarter.”

Two more heavyweight partners.

Natasha slammed her pen onto the desk with a dull thud.

Leaning back in her chair, she closed her eyes and rubbed her throbbing temples.

After an entire night of investigation—and after exhausting several hidden channels—she still couldn’t identify the mastermind.

The Spanner family, once her prime suspect, had been ruled out.

Adam was already buried in his own crisis, and the other factions within the family were furious over Mateo and Hayes’s reckless stupidity. They were in no position to stir further trouble.

As for her usual business rivals—

They would absolutely kick her while she was down, but none of them had the power to force so many influential figures—across different industries and backgrounds—to act in perfect unison.

This wasn’t just a matter of exchange.

This was pressure—authority exerted from above.

The kind of power that could make industry titans willingly pay breach fees just to cut ties immediately.

In Oakvale, only a handful of people possessed that level of influence.

Royal families.

Imperial relatives.

Those standing closest to the throne.

Imperial relatives…

Suddenly—

Like a bolt of lightning cutting through the darkness, a single name flashed through Natasha’s mind.

Dahlia.