Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 349

Pierce's lips curved into a smirk. He reached out, gently pinching her chin, his thumb brushing softly against her skin. "What? Does the great Phoenix Prescott still have secrets she's trying to keep from me?"

Phoenix shrugged. If she genuinely wanted to keep a secret, Pierce wouldn't be standing here right now. "So, what did you dig up?"

Pierce took a deep breath, his gaze drifting past her toward the imposing walls of Blackwood Penitentiary.

"You obviously didn't come here today to see Phoebe or Julian. For someone to drag you back to this living nightmare, they must mean the world to you."

"Years ago, Blackwood took in a highly classified prisoner. The outside world knows nothing about her true identity, only that she possesses terrifying reach and power."

Pierce pulled his gaze back, staring deeply into Phoenix's cold, calm eyes.

"The person you're visiting is that woman, isn't it?"

"Yes." Phoenix admitted it openly. "I was reborn from the ashes of this purgatory entirely because of her. In a way, she's not just my mentor; she's like a mother to me."

Pierce's eyes flashed with understanding, quickly softening into warmth. "Makes sense. Anyone who kept you alive in a place like this and helped you completely reinvent yourself deserves that kind of gratitude. Calling her a mother is entirely justified."

He paused, his voice dropping an octave. "So, have you two started mapping out your next move?"

Phoenix's expression shifted slightly, and she sighed internally.

This man was horrifyingly sharp. He had managed to piece together the truth from mere fragments of information. In fact... he had probably already guessed that the woman's true identity was 'Yara', the legendary figure who once shook Cloudhaven to its core.

"How I move forward from here is my own business, Pierce. So, let's call an end to our contract marriage right here."

The moment those words left Phoenix's mouth, Pierce felt as if an invisible hand had ruthlessly crushed his heart, making it violently clench.

He had imagined exactly how he would feel when she finally said those words a thousand times. But right now, the only thing flooding his chest was an unprecedented, tearing agony that felt like it was ripping his soul apart.

"You really don't hesitate, do you, Phoenix?" Pierce laughed out of sheer fury, his eyes devoid of any warmth. "You use me as your weapon, and the second you're done, you toss me aside? Did it never cross your mind that since I'm such an effective tool, you might as well keep using me?"

Phoenix frowned slightly, looking at the man whose composure was visibly fracturing. "Pierce, the contract made it perfectly clear in black and white. Once the objective is met, we terminate the marriage and give each other our freedom back."

She paused, her tone remaining completely logical. "If I remember correctly, you wanted absolutely nothing to do with me at first. If it wasn't for pacifying Arthur Sterling, you never would have agreed to this. Now, you've severed ties with the Sterling family and no longer need to worry about his feelings. And I've essentially completed my revenge. Walking away cleanly now makes perfect sense, doesn't it?"

Every word was perfectly reasoned, leaving absolutely no room for an argument.

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