Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 365

"I have my dear cousin to thank for that," Caleb said, a mocking smirk playing on his lips. "Warren, you truly are a fool. You threw away a brilliant, legitimate daughter to support a complete failure like Phoebe. If the story of your 'great achievements' ever gets out, it'll go down in history as the ultimate joke."

Phoenix again?!

Warren was suddenly jolted awake. That's right—Phoenix was acquainted with the legendary Azure Healer. With a miracle doctor stepping in, Caleb's recovery was entirely possible.

At that moment, Warren slumped back against the floor, feeling as if an invisible hand were crushing his heart, flooding it with overwhelming bitterness and regret.

Maybe he really had been wrong.

Although Phoebe's biological mother held an untouchable status, Phoebe herself was an absolute dimwit.

Years of meticulous grooming had yielded nothing but failure. She was mercilessly crushed by Phoenix in every single aspect, having only mastered the petty arts of gossip and manipulation.

"Let's go, Dad." Caleb turned around, his back straight as he walked out of the ward. "The air in here is too toxic. If we stay any longer, their stupidity might be contagious."

Ethan nodded, casting one final, icy glance at Alistair.

The old man, who had spent his entire life calculating his every move, now looked as if his soul had been sucked dry, aging ten years in an instant.

He had outsmarted his enemies and manipulated his family, but his fatal flaw was underestimating Phoenix. That one miscalculation cost him the entire board, flushing half a lifetime of effort down the drain.

The moment the father and son stepped out of the ward, Warren's phone suddenly rang.

When he answered, Vanessa's cold, resolute voice came through the speaker:

"Warren, I want a divorce."

Those words were the final straw that broke the camel's back, dealing Warren a fatal blow. The woman who had once relied on him had now straightened her spine and decided to cut ties with him completely.

"Hahaha... It's gone. Everything is gone!" Warren clutched his phone, breaking down into agonizing sobs. This was undoubtedly the most devastating day of his life.

...

Outside the hospital corridor, the sun shone brightly.

Ethan and Caleb walked side by side. Though their pace was slow, they felt a sense of freedom they hadn't experienced in years.

"Caleb, even though we got thirty-five percent of the shares, the company is still a massive mess. Can we really pull this off?" Ethan asked, still harboring a bit of worry.

"Dad, I used to think I'd rot in that wheelchair for the rest of my life, but now... I'm standing." Caleb paused, looking at his father with eyes burning with hope for the future. "As long as we're still breathing, there's a chance to turn this around."

Seeing his son's fighting spirit, the lingering shadows in Ethan's heart completely dissipated. He clapped a heavy hand on his son's shoulder. No words were needed; the absolute trust between them said it all.

A notification sound broke the silence in the car.

Phoenix checked her phone. Pierce Sterling's name flashed on the screen with a simple one-word message:

[Home?]

A subtle smile touched Phoenix's lips as she typed a reply:

[Yes.]

A quiet, undeniable warmth flowed through those brief characters.

Putting her phone away, Phoenix's thoughts drifted. "Speaking of which, Meredith has been totally off the grid lately. Do you think she's just locked away studying?"

Now that the dust had settled, she realized she hadn't heard from Meredith in a while.

Even if she was training under Master Padraig, she shouldn't have completely vanished.

Not wanting to interrupt her studies, Phoenix held off on calling and decided she would visit Lumina Jewelry in person the next day. As long as the company was running smoothly, she would know her friend was doing fine.