Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 325

Phoebe pulled out her phone, suddenly feeling as if the device were burning her hands. "No... that's impossible! How could Phoenix recruit someone that skilled? She's just a convict! She was locked up in Blackwood Penitentiary, that hellhole! How could she possibly have that kind of leverage?"

"Exactly!" Warren agreed, nodding firmly. "Phoenix is a failure. She used to beg for our approval like a beaten dog. Even if she suddenly grew a spine, there's no way she had the time to build a network like that."

Barrett slowly shook his head, sighing in disappointment. "You are both blinded by your own arrogance."

*Click—*

He sparked the Zippo. The flickering flame cast harsh shadows over his sharp features, highlighting the predatory, cold gleam in his eyes.

"You've never once treated Phoenix as an equal adversary. You still foolishly believe she's the same pathetic girl from four years ago."

Warren and Phoebe felt their stomachs drop. Barrett's words brutally ripped apart their false sense of superiority.

"Perhaps Phoenix couldn't build her own empire while sitting in Blackwood. But you're forgetting something crucial: Macy Monroe, the head of Ignis Global, is her best friend," Barrett said somberly. "If Macy is loyal enough, she could have spent the last four years quietly building that power base for her."

"The moment Phoenix walked out of those gates, Ignis Global became the sword in her hand."

Barrett's deduction hit Warren and Phoebe like a physical blow.

They suddenly realized how grotesquely overconfident they had been. Ever since Phoenix left prison, she had moved like a hurricane, effortlessly destroying everything they prided themselves on.

Barrett snapped the Zippo shut with a sharp *clack*. "What truly fascinates me is that Macy Monroe isn't exactly a mastermind. So how did she manage to build Ignis Global into a multi-billion dollar titan in just four years?"

"I get it now!" Phoebe gasped in horror. "All those times Phoenix publicly humiliated me... she always knew exactly what I was hiding! If she has a hacker stealing my data, breaching my phone and my laptop... that's how she knew everything!"

"That's it. That has to be it." Phoebe's voice bordered on hysterical. "Phoenix is still a nobody! If she didn't have some hacker god holding her hand, there's no way she could beat me!"

Barrett shot Phoebe a sideways glance, noting her frantic denial. She still couldn't comprehend the gap between herself and Phoenix.

If Phoenix possessed the charisma and leadership to command someone that dangerous, her own capabilities were undeniably lethal.

"Mr. Prescott, my advice to you is to double the guard on Quinn. She is the key to breaking this deadlock, and not just for you."

Warren frowned. Despite his bruised ego, he knew Barrett was right. Quinn was the linchpin to tomorrow's victory—for both sides.

Night fell.

A private villa in the East District.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify