Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 158

Phoenix let out a cold scoff in her mind.

The shrewd operator at the head of the table had deliberately stayed quiet, waiting until she was backed into a corner before stepping in. He had been testing her ability to control the room. Beneath his so-called favoritism, he was still just a businessman weighing her value. He had never fully trusted her.

"Now that we've cleared that up, I have a second announcement." Alistair dropped his intimidating aura, replacing it with a warm, grandfatherly smile. "Aside from Phoenix's massive victory for the company, my other granddaughter, Phoebe, has successfully initiated a partnership with MK Global."

The room erupted.

"MK? The international luxury jewelry empire?"

"We barely have a presence in the jewelry sector. This is a monumental breakthrough!"

"I never would have guessed Phoebe had the connections to pull off something like this. Incredible!"

The praise rolled in like a tidal wave. Basking in the spotlight, a flash of smugness crossed Phoebe's eyes, though she perfectly maintained her delicate, innocent victim persona.

Alistair looked at Phoebe and smiled. "My granddaughter has always been modest. I had no idea she was hiding such incredible talent."

"Mr. Prescott, Phoebe should have been brought into the corporate fold years ago! If she had, we'd already be dominating the jewelry market."

"Haha, two massive victories in one day! The other families in Cloudhaven are going to lose sleep over this."

Flushed with the compliments, Phoebe smiled shyly, her voice soft and demure. "You're all too kind. I only did what I could. I am a Prescott, after all, and contributing to the family's legacy is my greatest pride."

Her words were flawlessly calculated, earning appreciative nods all around.

Phoenix shook her head slightly, a spark of mockery in her eyes. Previously, Alistair wouldn't even look at Phoebe. Now that she was bringing in money, he was openly claiming her as 'a Prescott' and happily calling her his granddaughter.

But a meeting with MK Global wasn't enough to warrant this level of validation from Alistair.

There had to be something else.

Alistair's next words confirmed her suspicion.

"Furthermore, the Miller family has reached out. They intend to establish a deep, long-term partnership with us."

The announcement hit the room like a bomb.

"The Millers?! The notoriously private Miller family? We've never done business with them. Why the sudden interest?"

It would be mutual destruction, and Phoenix wasn't stupid enough to burn the house down.

Clinging to that logic, Phoebe forced herself to stay calm and looked up. "Phoenix, you were there, weren't you? After the doctor woke Gideon up, I immediately rushed back to tell Grandpa the amazing news."

She was gambling. Gambling that Phoenix cared enough about the bigger picture, and gambling that Phoenix would understand the unspoken threat: *expose me, and Grandpa loses face.*

Phoenix narrowed her eyes, studying Phoebe's desperate facade. Then, she raised her eyebrows, a deeply loaded smile creeping onto her lips.

That smile sent a jolt of panic through Phoebe. A sudden, irrational fear began to take root in her chest.

*What is she planning? What does that smile mean?*

Warren and Julian tensed up as well, glaring at Phoenix to silently warn her to keep her mouth shut.

"Phoenix, you were there?" Alistair frowned, looking at her in confusion.

"I was." Phoenix let the suffocating silence stretch for a moment before nodding casually, her tone as breezy as if they were discussing the weather. "Gideon Miller is Meredith Miller's grandfather. Meredith is the CEO of Lumina Jewelry, and she happens to be a very close friend of mine. I was at the hospital visiting Gideon with her, so naturally... I saw exactly what happened."