Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 493

Her expression remained impassive, her tone entirely devoid of emotion. "The fact that he managed to hold out until today is a miracle in itself. After all, before I walked away, I stripped the Prescott Group of all its core projects and top talent."

To patch up a completely hollowed-out shell and keep it running until now, Caleb truly was a rare genius.

"So, are you going to come with me to meet him later?" Macy asked.

Phoenix paused, folding the knife away, and shot her a meaningful smile. "Of course. I'd love to see my 'dear cousin.'"

With that, she picked up her phone and casually replied to a message.

She had come back to Cloudhaven this time specifically to clear her mind. As for the absolute mess waiting in Highcrest, she had comfortably dumped it all onto Pierce Sterling's lap.

At first, the man had tried to protest, but he ultimately couldn't withstand Phoenix's sweet-talking.

As long as she softened her tone just a bit, that cold, hard man would instantly lose all his edges, left with no choice but to stay behind and tirelessly clean up her aftermath.

"Come on, let's go shopping first!" Macy pulled Phoenix up from the sofa, enthusiastically dragging her toward the door.

Phoenix didn't care much for shopping itself, but she didn't mind killing time with her best friend.

So, she casually called Meredith to join them.

The moment Meredith heard the two were going shopping, she bailed on a meeting halfway through and rushed over frantically to meet them.

Now that Quinn Yardley was overseeing the big picture at Lumina Jewelry, Meredith was more than happy to play the hands-off boss. In fact, when it came to certain macro-decisions, Quinn was far better at looking at the bigger picture than Meredith was.

Meredith was now fully experiencing the carefree, idyllic life Phoenix used to enjoy.

The three friends soon met up at Pegasus Plaza.

Meredith expertly bought three milk teas, eagerly handing them over to Phoenix and Macy.

The three female CEOs, who normally sat high and mighty, were now each holding a milk tea as they navigated the bustling mall. They instantly shed their ruthless corporate personas, reverting to the most down-to-earth group of best friends.

"Phoenix, let me try your flavor!" Meredith leaned in, biting down on Phoenix's straw for a huge gulp before happily squinting her eyes in pure bliss. "Wow, so good! Yours is definitely the sweetest!"

"Meredith, what is up with this weird habit of yours?" Macy rolled her eyes in exasperation. "I'm warning you, now that you've had Phoenix's, don't even think about touching my cup."

"Macy, why are you being so stingy?" Meredith pouted, grumbling in frustration. "We're ride-or-die besties! What's wrong with sharing a milk tea? Back in that 'hellhole,' Phoenix and I used to split moldy scraps just to survive."

It was still safest to stick right by Phoenix's side. She was soft, smelled amazing, and being near her was pure happiness.

"Huh? That sales associate over there... why does she look so familiar?" Macy's gaze paused, landing on the entrance of a luxury boutique nearby with a flicker of surprise. "Isn't that Lydia Langston?"

Phoenix followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow.

It really was Lydia Langston.

Now that both the Langston and Lu families had declared bankruptcy and fallen from grace, things had changed.

The once haughty, untouchable heiress who never had to lift a finger was now wearing a rigid, standard uniform, bowing and scraping to customers as a salesgirl. The dramatic fall from grace was truly a sight to behold.

"Let's go say hi." Macy's inherent mischievous streak flared up, and she dragged the other two toward the store.

"Welcome to..." Lydia wore a fake, professional smile, just about to bow out of habit. But the moment her eyes landed on the newcomers, she froze as if struck by lightning, her voice pitching up in panic. "Phoenix... Phoenix?!"

"Well, if it isn't Ms. Langston. What a coincidence," Macy smirked, a teasing glint in her eyes. "I didn't expect to run into you here. What, did you... open this store?"

Lydia's face flushed crimson, her eyes darting away as she avoided their gaze. Yet, her intense pride got the better of her, and she stubbornly forced a reply. "Yeah, so what?"