Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 385

"All contact with the Osborne family ends right now!" Gideon slammed his cane against the marble floor with a heavy thud. "I will never allow any outside forces to extend their reach into Cloudhaven. Furthermore, it's highly likely they are the masterminds behind Merry's kidnapping!"

"Grandpa, please reconsider!"

"You can't do this!"

The living room instantly erupted as the Miller relatives lost their composure, shouting in protest.

That was the Osborne family! If they could just cling to this connection, the Millers could shatter Cloudhaven's social ceiling and become true sovereign elites. Who would willingly walk away from that kind of astronomical wealth?

"What? I'm not dead yet, and you're already trying to stage a coup?!" Gideon's eyes widened in fury as he roared. "Don't forget, I still run this family!"

"Mr. Miller, please calm down." Amidst the chaos, Phoenix's cool voice cut through the noise, instantly silencing the uproar. "I believe you shouldn't just negotiate the deal; you should do it publicly and aggressively. Since we suspect the Osbornes are hiding Merry, how can we uncover their cards without walking into the tiger's den?"

"This..." Gideon frowned, visibly hesitant. Having navigated the business world for decades, he knew exactly how these elite syndicates operated. Making a deal with the devil was dangerous—one wrong move, and the entire Miller family would be swallowed whole.

Sensing the old man's concerns, Phoenix leaned forward slightly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "If you don't trust anyone else, I will step in as the representative for the Miller family during these negotiations."

"Preposterous!"

One of the younger Miller men couldn't hold back, jumping out and pointing a finger right at Phoenix's face. "You're just a cast-off kicked out of the Prescott family! What right do you have to represent us?! I bet looking for Meredith is just an excuse. You just want to use us as a stepping stone to suck up to the Osbornes yourself!"

Phoenix slowly raised her eyes, her icy stare locking onto the man as if looking at a corpse.

Everyone in this living room was supposed to be part of the Miller family's core leadership, but this collateral relative had clearly let greed rot his brain.

"Yolanda," Phoenix said simply, not even shifting her posture.

Before the echo faded, Yolanda Young stepped out from the shadows in the corner.

Smack!

A sharp, ringing slap cracked across the man's face, hitting him so hard he stumbled backward, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

Dead silence.

His chest heaved violently. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Phoenix, his aged face full of embarrassment and apology. "Phoenix, I'm so sorry you had to see this. It's my fault for failing to discipline these ignorant fools. Please be the bigger person and don't hold it against them."

"You flatter them, Mr. Miller. I wouldn't waste my breath arguing with a pack of dogs." Phoenix smirked, her tone as unapologetic as ever. "The only reason the Miller family hasn't completely collapsed is because you're holding it together. Otherwise, it would have fallen apart a long time ago."

Her words were unbelievably arrogant, trampling over the entire family's pride.

Yet, terrified by the patriarch's rage and Phoenix's terrifying presence, the room full of Millers could only stand there with pale faces. Furious but completely silenced, they were forced to swallow their anger.

Watching from the sidelines, Milo suddenly felt a wave of profound sorrow. He finally understood why his grandfather fought off everyone to name Meredith the heir.

Looking at these people, their heads were filled with nothing but greedy calculations. They were cowards to outsiders but venomous to their own blood. If this internal bleeding continued, the Miller family's days were truly numbered.

"Pierce, stay here and cross-reference the Osborne intelligence with Gideon," Phoenix said, standing up and smoothing out her clothes. "I have a few private things I'd like to discuss with Cora."

"Got it," Pierce nodded slightly, falling into their seamless dynamic.

"Cora," Phoenix turned to the grieving woman, softening her tone. "Could you show me Merry's room?"