Saintess's Worthless Husband Turned Dragon Commander novel Chapter 237

CHAPTER 169 PART 2

“Changes what?” Richard snapped, his composure finally cracking. “Changes the fact that Marcus Steel is still a terrorist? That he’s destroyed families and reputations across this province? That he needs to be eliminated?”

“Maybe,” Cesar said carefully. “But it also changes who we trust. Who we align ourselves with. If the Lancaster Family has been manipulating all of us-”

“We haven’t manipulated anyone!” Richard’s voice rose to a shout. “This is exactly what Miguel Abbott wants! Division! Distrust! He walks in here with a fake video and suddenly you’re all questioning decades of family relationships?”

“The video isn’t fake,” Miguel said quietly, drawing all attention back to him. “I provided it to Stanislaus, yes. But I didn’t create it. I simply shared evidence of what the Lancaster Family has been doing behind everyone’s backs.”

“You’re protecting a criminal!” Richard accused. “You and Marcus Steel orchestrated this entire performance to save his skin!”

“Marcus Steel,” Miguel replied calmly, “doesn’t need saving. He can handle himself quite well.”

“Then where is he?” Thomas demanded. “Where’s this Dragon King you’re so confident in? Hiding behind the Abbott Family’s protection while you fight his battles?”

“I’m right here.”

The voice came from behind Miguel.

One of the bodyguards-the one who’d been standing slightly apart from the others, cap pulled low, face obscured -stepped forward and removed his hat.

Marcus Steel’s dragon eyes swept the conference room with absolute calm, his aura beginning to manifest as a palpable pressure that made breathing difficult.

Every magnate froze.

Bodyguards around the room immediately reached for weapons, tension spiking from political to potentially lethal in an instant. Guns appeared. Hands moved to concealed knives. The Lancaster family’s security detail formed a protective barrier around Richard and Thomas.

Marcus didn’t react to the weapons. Didn’t flinch or show concern. He simply stood there, radiating the kind of confidence that came from knowing violence posed no threat to him.

“Before anyone does something stupid,” Marcus said conversationally, pulling a manila envelope from his jacket, “you should look at these.”

He tossed the envelope onto the conference table. Photographs spilled out-dozens of them, glossy and clear, each one showing different scenes, different locations, different damning moments.

Stanislaus was closest. He grabbed one photograph, examined it, and his expression shifted from fury to shock.

He grabbed another. Then another.

“What…” he breathed. “What am I looking at?”

“Evidence,” Marcus replied simply. “Of exactly what the Lancaster Family has been doing for the past three years. The contracts they’ve violated. The laws they’ve broken. The people they’ve destroyed through methods that make what happened to Atlas look gentle.”

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Richard Lancaster’s face had gone from red to ashen gray. “Where did you get those?”

“Does it matter?” Marcus asked. “What matters is what they show. And what they prove.”

Maurice Yarrow reached for a photograph. His eyes widened. “This is… this is impossible. This contract was supposed to be confidential. How do you have documentation of—”

“I have documentation of everything,” Marcus interrupted. “Every illegal deal. Every bribed official. Every competitor eliminated through methods that would interest federal investigators. The Lancaster Family has been breaking laws for years, confident their power and connections would protect them.”

He let that sink in before continuing.

“But power and connections mean nothing when the evidence is this comprehensive. When senators, judges, business partners—all of them can be implicated. When one family’s fall can create a cascade that destroys dozens of others.”

Richard Lancaster’s hands trembled as he reached for one of the photographs. Whatever he saw made his face drain of remaining color.

“You’re bluffing,” he said, but his voice lacked conviction. “You wouldn’t dare release this information. The chaos it would cause-‘

“Would destroy the Lancaster Family completely,” Marcus agreed. “Along with everyone connected to your illegal operations. Which is why I’m offering you a choice.”

The room hung on his next words.

“Walk away,” Marcus said simply. “End this alliance. Stop targeting me, stop manipulating families like the Potters, stop your schemes. Retreat quietly, and these photographs stay private. Your secrets remain secret.”

“And if we refuse?” Thomas demanded, though his voice shook.

Marcus’s smile was cold and absolute. “Then I release everything. To the media. To federal investigators. To every rival family who’s ever wanted to see the Lancasters destroyed. And I watch your empire burn while I walk away untouched.”

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