Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 311

"Everyone, I'm also here to beg someone for mercy," Lydia Langston sobbed. Tears welled in her eyes but never fell, showcasing acting skills that easily rivaled Cassandra Lucas's.

"It happened at that same banquet. I made a harmless joke with her, but she couldn't take it and unleashed her fury on me. My dad had to offer up our company's shares just to plead for my safety."

"But it didn't end there. I was dating Ian, yet she couldn't stand seeing me happy and ruthlessly tore us apart. Now, I have to endure her wrath every single day. The bruises on my body haven't had a chance to heal."

At that moment, the tears Lydia had been holding back finally slipped down her cheeks.

"I'm begging you, please let me go. I was wrong, I was so wrong. If this continues, I'm going to be tortured to death!"

Lydia collapsed to the floor, her shoulders trembling as she bowed her head submissively. "I'm begging you. I'm begging you. Please just let me go. Don't let them hurt me anymore."

The netizens watching were utterly stunned.

A girl as beautiful as Lydia was being brutally beaten every day, all because of a simple joke.

[This is insane! Completely unhinged! We live in a civilized society—how can someone be this tyrannical?!]

[Investigate this! The authorities must step in!]

[I know who it is. This is Phoenix Prescott's doing again. Both Cassandra and Lydia made a joke with Phoenix at the banquet, but they never expected the consequences to be this severe.]

[Scoff. What kind of good person goes to prison? Plus, she's tied up with that 'Reaper' of Cloudhaven. They're practically the mafia.]

[Wait, Phoenix might actually have underworld ties. I remember at the banquet, Leo Vance, the boss of The Obsidian Syndicate, was treating her with absolute respect. Could the people beating Lydia every day belong to the Syndicate?]

Driven by the combined efforts of Cassandra and Lydia, the public outcry on the internet exploded into sheer chaos.

The vast majority of uninformed netizens rallied behind the two women, flooding the comments with support.

Bang!

Warren Prescott slammed his hand on the table, glaring furiously at Phoenix. "Did everyone see that? Phoenix is now public enemy number one. Setting aside her appalling character, the sheer force of this public backlash means we cannot keep her in the Prescott Group."

"Every day she stays is another day she brings disaster to our doors."

"Fellow shareholders, I am confident none of you want to see the company's profits dragged through the mud because of her."

The word 'profits' acted like a sharpened blade, piercing right through the shareholders' thin veneer of decency.

No matter how vicious the internal family feuds got, as long as their wallets remained untouched, the board didn't care. But now, this online firestorm was actively threatening the group's bottom line. It could not be ignored.

"Phoenix?"

"The group's interests come first. Handle it however you see fit, Warren. I'm tired. I don't want to be involved in this mess."

With one dismissive sentence, Phoenix's fate in the company was sealed.

Phoenix closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, there was no trace of panic. She slowly stood up, resting both hands flat on the polished conference table as she addressed the old man through the phone.

"Grandfather, you know better than anyone what truly happened at the recognition banquet. And now... you're absolutely sure you want to fire me over two live streams?"

"Phoenix, I know you feel wronged. However, the current public sentiment is highly unfavorable toward you. For the sake of the company, step down for now. Once this storm passes, I will naturally make things right for you."

It was a beautifully packaged excuse.

Phoenix scoffed, a cold, breathless sound. She straightened her posture, radiating an aura that didn't belong to a defeated outcast, but rather to a queen who had just made a ruthless decision.

"Fine. Since this is your wish, Grandfather, I have nothing more to say."

"But..." Her tone shifted, dropping into a chilling register. "Let me remind you of something, Grandfather. Once certain decisions are made, there is no turning back."

"I'm sure you understand exactly what I mean."