Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 457

Barrett's swollen lips parted weakly, a raspy, broken sound escaping his throat like a damaged bellows.

He wanted to defend himself, but his battered body lacked even the strength to lift his head.

He never imagined Phoenix's schemes ran this deep.

While stirring up chaos in Cloudhaven, she had secretly extended her reach right into the heart of Highcrest.

The spies he had sent to watch her were completely played—she not only perfectly masked her movements up north but intentionally fed them fake intel, treating them all like absolute fools!

"Drag him out."

Quentin waved his hand impatiently, his eyes dark and brooding. "Phoenix is no longer some naive girl we can just push around. She's a tiger that has bared her fangs. One wrong move, and she'll rip our throats out."

"Mr. Quincy, don't tell me you're actually scared?" Emmett frowned, his tone laced with dissatisfaction. "You are the authority of Highcrest. If even you flinch, what will the families relying on us think?"

"Emmett, watch your mouth." Quentin's venomous glare swept over him. "I don't need you to teach me how to handle my business."

Emmett's heart skipped a beat, and his arrogance instantly deflated. He let out a dry laugh. "My apologies. I'm just worried this situation is spiraling out of control. With Phoenix's ruthless tactics and the massive foundation Yara left her, if she goes on a rampage, Highcrest will be turned upside down."

"Just like Cloudhaven... it practically belongs to Phoenix now."

"She won't make it that far," Quentin narrowed his eyes, a malicious gleam flashing in his cloudy pupils. "So what if she's a powerful force? The waters of Highcrest aren't that easy to navigate."

He absentmindedly twisted the emerald ring on his thumb, a cruel sneer curling his lips. "As long as I still have that old man in my hands, both Phoenix and Yara will have to stay exactly where I want them!"

Emmett's eyes lit up, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "Mr. Quincy, you mean... Yara's father?"

"Exactly." Quentin slowly curled his fingers into a fist, as if clutching the lifeline of his greatest enemy. "After all these years, that old man's body is completely withered. If I hadn't burned a fortune keeping him alive on machines, he'd be nothing but ash by now."

"As long as he still has a single breath left, Yara will rot in that prison for the rest of her life! And Phoenix? Without Yara as her backbone, she's just putting on a show."

Emmett gave him a genuine thumbs-up, his face full of awe. "Mr. Quincy, truly a masterstroke. With a trump card like that, you really are untouchable."

His eyes darted around, and he leaned in cautiously. "So... where exactly is the old man being kept?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Quentin slowly raised his eyes.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify