Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 455

His words were a naked threat.

He was reminding everyone in the room: The Quincy family was the ultimate authority in Highcrest. Anyone wanting to partner with Astraea Group had to get Quentin's permission first.

The temperature in the hall plummeted instantly, and cold sweat broke out on the guests' backs.

They only dared to risk offending the Quincy family tonight because of that inconspicuous line of text at the bottom of the invitation—the subtle mention of three mysterious factions.

Those three external forces had recently bulldozed their way through Highcrest's impenetrable defenses.

Latching onto them meant their own families could soar to unprecedented heights.

But now, Quentin had issued a direct ban.

If Phoenix couldn't produce an overwhelming trump card to crush the Quincy family's authority, no one would dare take her side, even if they had ten times the courage.

"Phoenix!"

A bright, ringing voice cut through the tension as a stunning woman in a vibrant red dress burst into the hall.

Practically jogging inside, she unceremoniously shoved Quentin's bodyguards out of her way and threw herself into Phoenix's arms.

"Macy, you made it." Phoenix's eyes softened, and she returned the warm embrace.

But as the crowd got a clear look at the woman in red, a collective gasp of utter disbelief echoed through the room.

"Isn't that Ms. Monroe? She controls half of the elite entertainment venues in Highcrest! How is she so close to Ms. Prescott?!"

"This just got interesting! Ms. Monroe's wealth is unfathomable. She ruthlessly took over the city's entertainment sector a year ago. Does this mean... Ms. Prescott started laying her groundwork in Highcrest a whole year ago?"

Quentin's brows knitted tightly together. The moment he recognized Macy, a flash of shock crossed his eyes.

When Macy first bulldozed her way into Highcrest, she acted like a foolish, rich upstart. She aggressively swallowed up several top-tier clubs and then completely dropped off the radar.

Showing up in such a high-profile manner right now made it glaringly obvious—she was here to back Phoenix!

Quentin whipped his head toward Emmett, his gaze sharp as a knife: *Why the hell was there no mention of this connection in the intelligence reports?!*

Emmett broke out in a cold sweat, unable to offer a single word of defense.

When they had investigated Yara St. Claire, they had run a background check on Phoenix in passing.

The file had explicitly stated: An ex-convict, weak, easily bullied, and no threat whatsoever.

They had completely written her off. How could they have known that this supposedly useless pushover was actually a venomous dragon lying in wait!

*It's Yara!*

A jolt of terror struck Quentin.

That woman's elite hackers must have pre-emptively wiped and fabricated Phoenix's entire background trace.

"Boss, Manager Fletcher and I have compiled the core patents for The Miller Group's electric vehicles. Please review them." Yolanda respectfully handed over a thick file with both hands.

Phoenix took it, casually flipping through the first few pages before nodding in satisfaction. "Well done. With these patents, Astraea Group has enough power to dictate the entire domestic EV market."

If Macy and Meredith's entrances were two massive bombs, Phoenix's casual statement was the spark that detonated the entire room!

Electric vehicles!

That was the most explosive, lucrative industry of the modern era! Securing an entry ticket meant guaranteed dominance!

The eyes that had previously been filled with hesitation were now bloodshot with greed, staring ravenously at the file in Phoenix's hands.

It was only in this breathless moment that everyone finally realized the terrifying truth—Lumina Jewelry, the elite entertainment clubs, and the core EV patents... these three world-shaking trump cards were all held by Phoenix alone!

Combined, they formed an unstoppable nuclear force, violently shattering the established hierarchy of Highcrest.

With absolute, crushing dominance, she had ripped Quentin's blockade to shreds!

Quentin's face went completely deathly pale.

Watching Phoenix surrounded by the fanatical gazes of the elite, a bone-deep chill shot from the soles of his feet straight to his brain.

In that fleeting second, he looked at Phoenix and saw the terrifying, nightmarish shadow of Yara St. Claire.