Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 183

"Mavis."

Marcus's face twisted as his free hand clamped down hard on Mavis's throat, wishing he could crush it.

The scene instantly spiraled out of control, guests screaming in horror.

"Marcus, stop it right now."

"Mavis."

The muffled sound of a blade slicing into flesh was particularly jarring amidst the chaos.

*Squelch.*

Marcus's pupils dilated drastically as he stumbled backward. In disbelief, he looked down at the dagger buried deep in his chest. Blood rapidly bloomed across his shirt.

Looking across from him, Mavis was pale, her body trembling violently from fear, looking like a startled deer.

"Heh... played the game my whole life, only to get played at the end." Marcus went limp, dropping to one knee. His vision blurred as he looked toward Meredith in the distance, his eyes rimmed with red.

On the verge of death, memories flashed before his eyes like a film reel.

Once upon a time, that little girl used to follow him around, sweetly calling him her brother. It was one of the few moments of warmth in his memory.

When did it all change?

It seemed there was always a voice whispering in his ear, telling him that Meredith would steal everything from him, stoking his jealousy, and coercing him into setting a trap to personally send his sister to prison.

That demonic whisperer...

Marcus trembled all over, glaring dead at Mavis. "It was you... it was you all along."

Only at this moment did he realize Mavis's brilliance; she never pointed fingers directly. She merely planted seeds of resentment with seemingly innocent provocations, letting them grow into a towering, toxic tree that pushed him into the abyss.

"Ah." Marcus used his last breath to lunge at the demon.

*Thump.*

Thaddeus rushed forward just in time, kicking the attacker away.

Marcus hit the ground hard, blood violently spilling from his mouth. He lay weakly on the floor, his gaze cutting through the crowd to land on Meredith. His lips parted slightly.

"I'm... sorry..."

His head tilted to the side as his final breath left him.

"Dad... I, I didn't mean to..." Mavis seemed to snap back to reality, staring in horror at her bloodstained hands, her words stumbling.

Thaddeus pulled his daughter into his arms, patting her back gently. "Don't be afraid. It's not your fault. If it weren't for you... that animal probably would have set off the explosives."

Sure enough, Thaddeus had walked over to Gideon, his expression heavy.

"Gideon, seeing blood today is a bad omen. Let's delay the announcement of the heir. Besides, Merry just returned and her foundation is unstable. Forcing this heavy burden on her now will make it hard to win the crowd's respect."

Mavis hid behind her father, looking traumatized, but a nearly imperceptible trace of mockery flashed through her eyes.

An ex-con, daring to touch the position of the family head?

"Gideon, Thaddeus is right. Merry lacks experience. It's truly hard for her to lead."

"Please reconsider. The Miller family's century-old legacy cannot be treated like a game."

Several elders from the branch families chimed in. Coupled with Marcus's dying accusation, the crowd's gaze toward Meredith was filled with scrutiny and rejection.

Facing the unified backlash, cold sweat gathered in Meredith's palms. She knew that if she took a single step back now, she would never get another shot at the heir's seat.

She didn't care for the power.

But in order to earn the right to stand behind Phoenix in the future and become her true ally, she had to secure this position.

"On what grounds do you all think I'm unqualified?"

Meredith stepped forward, her back ramrod straight, her gaze burning as it swept the hall. "Gideon chose me, and that is my greatest qualification. Are you saying his judgment is inferior to your prejudice?"