In the Hands of Dominic

Above Auckland, the stars shimmered like scattered diamonds, mirroring the golden city lights below. The night pulsed with energy—alive, unapologetic, and restless. In one of the city's affluent neighborhoods, a young woman danced alone in her bedroom, music loud, spirit louder. Andra Anderson. Tomboy. Rule-breaker. Wild-hearted and free. But freedom, as she knew it, was on borrowed time. Romance was the last thing on her mind—but it was already coming. Uninvited. Uncompromising. In the form of a man she didn’t know yet. A man sent not to woo her, but to rein her in. High-end boyish sneakers hugged her feet. She wore loose blue jeans slung low on her hips and an oversized t-shirt that barely hinted at her slim frame. A white face cap, worn backward, crowned her long, center-parted hair. Her attractive oval face carried just a touch of makeup—dark eyeshadow that deepened her gaze into a sultry, smokey look. As Andra danced, her movements pulsing with anticipation for the night ah

Molly was on the bed sleeping when her phone started to ring. Upon checking, she saw a call from her uncle. Her heart skipped a beat because it was the wake of dawn and she could sense that something could be wrong.Her haunch told her it would have to do with Andra but she would not know until she received the call, hence, she picked the call.“Good morning uncle.” She greeted him upon taking the call.“There is nothing good about this morning.” He snapped. “Where is your sister? Where the hell is Andra?”“She…” Molly hesitated. She was going to speak the truth but could not bring herself to do so.“She’s fine.”“Fine, how?” Duke demanded. “So, this is how you’ve been supporting her errant ways, right?”“No, I’m not. That’s not true.” Molly sat up sharply on the bed, his anger driving home the seriousness of the situation.“Then, why are you lying to me?” he asked furiously. “Do you know what she has just done? Am I to believe that you’ve been in support of her stupid actions?”“No, u

The day outside was crisp and clear. Sunlight struggled to pour through Andra’s bedroom window but the light curtains obscured its efforts, giving the room a rather cozy glow even though it was daytime.Andra lay in her bed, covered in a duvet. She lay curled up on her side as she rested.Molly walked inside the room and saw Andra relaxed as she rested on the bed. She marveled at Andra’s current disposition.Molly was in casual house wear while Andra was in a night dress, her hair covered with a sleeping bonnet.“To be honest, Andra, I am surprised at your calmness after your father’s threat. You seem to have gotten over it.” Molly sat on the bed, ready to talk to her cousin even though the girl’s body language was impervious.“Well, I finally got to realize that it is not important.” She replied drowsily without looking at Molly. She had slept for a while and was just having a rest. She didn’t feel like starting her day yet. All she wanted was more rest, hence her impermeable body lan

Duke and Carla were riding in the back seat of their SUV. The driver drove smoothly along the streets around their residential area as he navigated the vehicle toward one of the main city roads. They passed by a billboard that featured Duke’s campaign poster. Across the road was his opponent’s campaign poster. Duke eyed both posters and sighed. “She is going to ruin my career.” He bitterly lamented.“I am beginning to see things the way you do,” Carla confessed as their vehicle progressed further.“I’m glad to hear that, Sweetheart,” Duke replied. “Anyway, I have been wondering where I can quickly find a young man who can be able to handle Andra. I mean, from what profession? Perhaps a uniformed person? Because he needs to be strong.”“Certainly, he needs to be.” Carla agreed.“Exactly. Perhaps a military man, air force, navy, or a cop.”“I agree that’s where you can find tough and disciplined guys, because of their training but you will agree with me that toughness can also do with

Duke continued presenting his desire to Dominic. To him, it was now or never.“I need you to fake an open proposal to her. This has to be done publicly.”“But what is your reason for this uh…unusual request?” Dominic was still shocked.“Because my daughter is out of control.” Duke didn’t see any point in mincing words. The guy had to know what was needed to know. “She is wild and badly behaved. And trust me, it is not because I have been a bad parent. It is just how she has turned out. And the sort of wayward behavior she constantly exhibits is a threat to my political goals. People no longer judge me by my personality. They are starting to judge me for her disgraceful behavior. If I don’t do something about it, I will lose my chances at becoming the mayor of Auckland just because I have an unruly daughter despite my good intentions and plans for this city.”Dominic folded his arms and continued listening to Duke. He was still shocked but gradually he was starting to understand the pol