Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 326

The Prescott Estate was blazing with light.

Pierce sat on the velvet sofa, his posture arrogant and relaxed, his cold eyes sweeping over the Prescott family members standing before him.

Facing the suffocating pressure of the man, Warren and Phoebe stood rigid, on high alert.

"Mr. Sterling, it's quite late. To what do we owe the honor of this visit?" Warren forced a polite, entirely fake smile.

Pierce checked his watch. "Warren, I'm here for Phoenix."

"Oh?" Warren arched a brow, testing the waters. "Are you here to throw your weight around on her behalf?"

"Yes." Pierce's tone allowed no room for debate. "Phoenix is my wife. Naturally, I will not stand by and watch her be attacked."

"Out of the question!" Warren snapped, dropping the facade entirely. "We are in this position because Phoenix forced our hand. You think you can just walk in here and call a truce? You think this is a game?"

Pierce's gaze iced over. His dominating aura flared, sending a spike of genuine terror through Warren and Phoebe.

"So, you intend to fight to the death?"

Warren took a slow breath, forcing down his rising panic. "Heh. At this point, it's her or me."

"Pierce!"

Just as Pierce was about to react, a booming, authoritative voice echoed through the hall.

Everyone turned to see Alistair Prescott and Arthur Sterling marching toward them.

Arthur glared furiously at his grandson, slamming his cane into the marble floor. "Is this how I raised you?! Throwing our family's weight around to bully others? Are you trying to drag the Sterling name through the mud?"

"What are you doing here?" Pierce frowned, his voice dropping into a dangerous register.

"If I didn't come, you would've severed the ties between our two families!" Arthur spat, his face flushed with disappointment. "Apologize to Warren. Now."

"Apologize?" Pierce let out a dark, mocking laugh, glancing at Warren. "To him?"

"What did you just say?! Are you defying me?" Arthur felt his absolute authority slipping. This grandson of his was operating completely outside his control.

"You demanded I get married. I humored you and married Phoenix. We have the certificate. She is legally my wife," Pierce said, his voice quiet but echoing like steel.

Phoenix clicked her tongue in disgust. "You love playing the 'elder' card, but listen to yourselves. Instead of standing up for us, you're commanding us to divorce the second it threatens your bottom line."

"Is that what passes for family in your eyes?"

Her blistering words left both Arthur and Alistair red-faced with indignation.

But Phoenix wasn't done. She turned her piercing gaze on Alistair, pointing straight at Warren. "Alistair, your son is currently trying to destroy me. Tomorrow, he's parading a victim from an accident four years ago on a livestream just to crucify me."

"They are trying to manipulate the public to send me back to that hellhole. They want to ruin my life permanently. Yet, instead of speaking up for me, you publicly disowned me. This is how you protect your own?"

Alistair took a deep breath, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his cane.

Internally, he was actually filled with regret. Nobody could have predicted Phoenix would possess the raw footage and successfully turn the tide of public opinion.

But the die was cast. There was no going back; they had to crush her completely to survive.

"Phoenix, if you hadn't been so aggressively vindictive, you and your father wouldn't be in this situation. You brought this entirely upon yourself."

"If you had just kept your head down and played the role of the dutiful daughter, none of this would be happening!" He shoved the entirety of the blame squarely onto her shoulders, completely aligning himself with Warren.