Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 453

"Why wouldn't we attend?" Quentin laughed, though his eyes were ablaze with fury. He slammed the invitation onto the table. "I want to see exactly how she plans to resurrect a dead game!"

...

When Astraea Group was first established, it sat like a desolate island, completely isolated by the unspoken boycott of the entire Highcrest circle.

But no one anticipated that a single invitation would hit like a massive bomb, triggering tidal waves beneath the seemingly calm surface.

The same factions that had sneered at Astraea Group only days ago were now restless. Upon seeing the co-sponsors on the invitation, they all suddenly changed their tune, swearing they would arrive on time.

Despite Quentin's explicit order forbidding anyone from associating with Phoenix.

In the cutthroat vanity fair that was Highcrest, a competent businessman knew that 'face' meant absolutely nothing in the presence of overwhelming profit.

After all, the sheer amount of wealth backing Lumina Jewelry, Oceanic Logistics, and The Miller Group was astronomical enough to make anyone risk their life.

And yet, these untouchable corporate titans were all suddenly tied to Phoenix Prescott's ship.

To get a piece of the pie, the various factions had to bite the bullet and attend. Everyone knew the harsh reality: if you hesitated even a second, someone else would swallow the meat whole.

It was this exact fear of missing out that transformed a supposedly doomed summit into the hottest ticket in town.

The summit was held at the headquarters of Astraea Group.

The entire top floor had been cleared out and transformed into an incredibly lavish banquet hall.

Today, Lowell Lancaster attended on behalf of the Lancaster family, dressed impeccably.

Unlike the young master of a struggling fringe family who used to desperately scrape for survival, he now wore the halo of being "Astraea Group's First Strategic Partner." The moment he stepped into the venue, he immediately drew countless stares of envy and intense curiosity.

Lowell maintained a perfectly composed smile, but inside, his heart was racing.

Once upon a time, at these high-society gatherings, he was a nobody whom everyone ignored. He was always the one desperately pouring drinks and kissing up to people, yet no one ever spared him a second glance.

But now, he just had to stand there, and several haughty executives were already walking toward him with drinks in hand and ingratiating smiles on their faces.

"Lowell, it's been far too long!" The first to speak was a portly middle-aged man who flashed an eager but hollow smile. "I don't know if you remember me? We met briefly at the Osborne family's gala."

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