Saintess's Worthless Husband Turned Dragon Commander novel Chapter 239

CHAPTER 170 PART 2

The bodyguards reluctantly stepped back, allowing Potter’s men to approach. They didn’t restrain Richard – that would have been unnecessary humiliation-but their presence made clear he was now under Potter’s control.

As Richard was escorted toward the conference room exit, Stanislaus turned his attention to the remaining magnates. “The Lancaster matter is temporarily resolved. But we still have unfinished business.”

His gaze locked onto Marcus Steel.

“You,” Stanislaus said, his voice regaining some of its earlier fury. “You may not have orchestrated my son’s humiliation, but you certainly participated in it. You made him kneel. Made him bark like a dog. Destroyed his reputation and dignity.”

Marcus met his stare without flinching. “Your son attacked first. I simply responded in kind.”

“Responded?” Stanislaus laughed bitterly. “You humiliated a member of the Potter Family in front of hundreds of witnesses! You think there’s no price for that?”

“There’s always a price,” Marcus agreed. “The question is who pays it.”

The implied threat was unmistakable. Stanislaus’s face flushed red, and he took a step toward Marcus, his hand balling into a fist.

“You arrogant-”

Marcus moved with dragon-enhanced speed. His elbow came up and around, catching Stanislaus squarely in the jaw with enough force to snap his head sideways and send him stumbling backward. Blood sprayed from Potter’s split lip, spattering across the expensive conference table.

The room exploded into chaos.

Potter’s bodyguards drew weapons immediately, guns appearing from concealed holsters, barrels trained on Marcus. Other security personnel around the room tensed, uncertain whether to intervene or maintain their positions.

But Marcus stood perfectly calm, his dragon aura flaring enough to make the air feel heavy and oppressive. He looked at the armed men surrounding him without fear or concern.

“I really hate being threatened,” Marcus said conversationally, wiping Potter’s blood from his elbow. “It’s disrespectful.”

“You just assaulted” one of Potter’s guards started.

“He stepped toward me aggressively,” Marcus interrupted. “I defended myself. That’s how self defense works. If you don’t like it -” his dragon eyes swept the armed men, “you’re welcome to try doing something about it.”

The challenge hung in the air. Every bodyguard in the room understood what they were facing the man who’d killed the Dalton Brothers, who’d crippled Atlas Lancaster, who’d destroyed everyone who’d opposed him. Their training screamed warnings their pride struggled to accept.

“Stand down,” Miguel Abbott said suddenly, his voice cutting through the tension.

Everyone turned to look at him. The Abbott Family patriarch had risen from his seat and was calmly unbuttoning his suit jacket.

“What are you doing?” Cesar Pendleton asked nervously.

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Miguel shrugged off his jacket, revealing what looked like a vest underneath. But it wasn’t a bulletproof vest was something far more dangerous.

Small packets, clearly labeled, were strapped across his chest and abdomen. Wires connected them to a dead man’s switch clutched in Miguel’s right hand.

“Poison gas,” Miguel explained calmly, as if discussing the weather. “Military grade. Released into this room’s ventilation system, it would kill everyone present within ninety seconds. Probably painfully.”

The room froze. Absolute silence followed his words as every magnate processed what they were seeing.

“You’re insane,” Douglas Reed whispered.

“Maybe,” Miguel agreed. “But I’m also committed. Unlike most of you, I don’t send my bodyguards to take risks I’m unwilling to take myself. I strap the explosives to my own body. I hold the trigger. Because that’s what real commitment looks like.”

As if choreographed, Miguel’s six bodyguards—including the five actual security personnel-opened their own jackets. Each revealed similar vest configurations. Some held dead man’s switches. Others had timer mechanisms visible on their chests.

“This is madness!” Stanislaus clutched his bleeding jaw. “You’d kill yourself? Kill everyone in this room? Over Marcus Steel?”

“Over principle,” Miguel corrected. “I chose my side. I committed to it completely. And I’m willing to die defending that choice. The question is-” he looked around at the assembled magnates, “-how many of you are willing to die for your positions?”

Silence. Terrified, absolute silence.

“Nobody?” Miguel smiled without humor. “Then I guess that makes me the host of this meeting now. Since I’m the only one willing to bet my life on the outcome.”

He gestured to Marcus with his free hand. “The floor is yours, Mr. Steel. These gentlemen are finally ready to listen.”

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