Billionaire's Pregnant Ex-wife novel Chapter 54

hapter 54

134 Bonus

“Phoenix.” I repeated under my breath, and my heart jolted once more. The surname sounded familiar as though I had heard it before, but I wasn’t sure where I had heard it from. Could it be in a magazine? A newspaper? PR materials?

“They are the wealthiest and most influential family here in the country,” Cassandra explained, jolting me out of my deep thoughts. “They used to live here, but after their mansion burned to the ground, they left the country to forget the tragedy and lived abroad.”

“The surname rings a bell to me,” I told her. “I’m sure I’ve heard of the name before, but

I’m not sure where.”

“It will certainly sound familiar because Philip Phoenix owned the most valuable car company in the world, while his wife, Sophia Phoenix, was the highest–paid model in the modeling industry before she retired. The couple graced the cover of every prestigious magazine, and their success has been the headline of newspapers for years. Everyone in this country has heard of them. Those who haven’t must be living under a rock.”

Perhaps I had read about them in a magazine or newspaper before, and that explains why I felt as though I knew them. I thought to myself as I discarded the weird feeling in my chest.

“You mentioned the fire. What exactly happened, and why did they have to leave the country?” I asked her. This time, I couldn’t hide the curiosity in my tone.

Cassandra’s expression changed from glee to sadness. “I was still a baby when the incident happened, but my mother told me the story about the family. Sophia and Philip had a Romeo and Juliet love story. Their parents opposed their love, but the two eloped and had a daughter, Lilibeth. During one of their biggest family arguments, the mansion caught fire, and the baby was trapped inside a room.”

A lump formed in my throat. Without realizing it, a tear fell from my eye. The poor baby! I thought to myself, unable to discard the heavy feeling in my chest after hearing what happened to her. “D–did the baby survive?” I breathlessly asked. Deep within me, I was

1/4

Beter 14

+23 Bonus

actually hoping she had. However, my hopes collapsed when Cassandra shook her head.

“They said she died in the fire,” she replied. She took a deep, calming breath before continuing. “Sophia and Philip mourned the loss of their daughter and soon left the country after her burial. Since then, they seldom returned, but their power and influence remained the same.”

I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes. “It must have been so painful for them,” I whispered while staring blindly at the elegant exterior of Fleur De Lis Hotel. “No parents deserve to lose their child.”

“At least they’re doing better now. I know they haven’t entirely moved on from Lilibeth’s death, but at least they learned to accept that she’s gone,” Cassandra said beside me. “The spot where Fleur De Lis Hotel was built is the exact spot where the grandiose Phoenix Mansion once stood. They built the hotel in memory of their daughter. In fact, people say that the first thing you will see when entering the hotel is a painting of what Lilibeth would look like now if she were still alive.” She explained, and when the view of the hotel faded into the distance, Cassandra contentedly leaned back in her seat.

After the conversation about the owners of Fleur De Lis Hotel, Cassandra didn’t speak again. I, too, wasn’t in the mood to talk, so I kept my mouth closed. It seemed I wasn’t the only one affected by the tragic story of the Phoenix family.

After a peaceful and quiet journey, we finally reached our destination. The cab skidded to a stop in front of a white bungalow house.

Cassandra paid for the cab, and we got out. From where I stood, the sweet scent of the ocean invaded my nostrils, and the distant sound of waves reached my ears.

“Let’s go inside the house. We can stroll on the shore and watch the sunset later.”

My eyes lit up at the thought of an afternoon stroll on the shore. I could barely contain my excitement as I followed Cassandra to the house.

There were two rooms inside the bungalow. Cassandra had given me the room next to hers. It used to be her cousin’s room, but since the cousin ran off with her fiancé, it was mine

Chapter 54

now.

+25 Bonus

As Cassandra explained while opening the windows inside the room, she became an orphan

when she was just a child, and her cousin’s mother–a single mother–raised her.

Though the aunt had never been motherly and treated her more like a slave than a niece,

Cassandra never held any grudge against her. In fact, she told me that she was glad her aunt raised her instead of growing up on the street begging for food.

But now her aunt was dead, and her cousin was gone; she now lived on her own.

“We will have to say goodbye to this house soon, though,” she sighed and sat down on the

settee.

“Is it because of the debt?” I asked her, resting my aching legs as I sat down on the edge of

the bed.

“Yes,” Cassandra replied. Forcing herself to cheer up, she looked at me and smiled. “Don’t

worry about it. We will find a place to stay soon.”

She rose from the settee and grabbed me by the arm. “Do you like chocolate cookies? I’ll make some now! I’m craving something sweet.”

“I wouldn’t say no,” I grinned and followed her to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Cassandra pulled a chair for me. I offered to help her, but she insisted I stay put and watch her until it was done. No choice, I sat on the chair and watched her open a cabinet to take out the ingredients she needed.

“In case you get bored watching me, I present to you the hottest bachelors in town,” she playfully grinned, grabbed a magazine from the counter, and handed it to me.

The mirth in her eyes made a smile appear on my lips.