Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 10

"Name?"

His voice was low, every syllable laced with ice, shattering the quiet air of the garden.

Pierce's surface-level composure was razor-thin, barely concealing the raging magma threatening to consume him from within.

Phoenix acted as if she hadn't noticed. The faintest hint of a smile touched her lips as she elegantly raised a hand toward a figure in the distance.

"Lawrence, prepare some tea."

"Right away, Miss," the elderly butler bowed, holding his breath as he hurried off to fetch the tea set.

Pierce's gaze grew dangerously cold, his knuckles turning stark white.

A violent urge surged violently in his chest; he wanted to tear her apart right then and there.

"Ms. Prescott," he growled, every word dripping with absolute zero frost, "do you think this is the time for tea?"

Phoenix lifted her gaze, her eyes like a tranquil, freezing pool that reflected his volatile frame. There was not a single trace of the fear or subservience he expected—only the unshakable dominance of someone in total control.

"Sit down, Ninth."

It wasn't a request. It was a command.

"Have some tea. Calm your mind."

The profound stillness in her eyes miraculously quelled the raging inferno inside him.

Pierce abruptly sat down. He began tapping his knuckles against the cold stone table, every rapid thud betraying his desperate impatience.

Phoenix remained perfectly unbothered.

She knew exactly what she was doing. Dealing with a lethal weapon like Pierce Sterling required absolute mastery; if she didn't maintain an iron grip on the hilt, the blade would turn and cut her instead.

She didn't just want the weapon—she needed to wield it effortlessly.

Her slender hands moved gracefully over the tea set, her motions fluid and steady. She didn't look like she was brewing tea; she looked like a maestro plucking invisible strings, calculating every step.

Standing at a distance, Lawrence watched with a pounding heart. This flawless elegance, this commanding presence—was this really the pathetic country girl the master had spoken of? She carried herself with the poise of an aristocratic mastermind.

Could four years in a cell truly teach someone this?

"Phoenix."

The tapping abruptly ceased.

Pierce's voice was now as hoarse and abrasive as sandpaper, his dam of patience on the verge of total collapse.

The timing was perfect.

Phoenix silently slid a cup of amber black tea across the table. "Ninth, please."

Her tone was flat but carried an undeniable authority. "The Prescott family has lacked manners today. Consider this my apology."

Pierce let out a cold scoff, his eyes flicking to the cup.

"Don't worry," Phoenix's lips curved upward in a half-smile. "It's not green tea."

He spun around and strode out of the garden, his retreating figure cloaked in the wrath of a storm.

Phoenix watched him disappear into the depths of the estate, the curve of her lips deepening.

"He's vicious, alright," she murmured softly, savoring the thought. "But... he values loyalty and family. A magnificent blade indeed."

Inside the luxurious Maybach, the silence was deafening.

Pierce leaned heavily back against the leather seat and shut his eyes, but the stormy tempest roaring in his chest refused to settle.

After a long time, he spat out two cold words: "Investigate Zora Quinn."

"Yes, sir." Sitting in the driver's seat, Yancy's fingers flew across his tablet.

The passing seconds felt suffocating. Until—

"Mr. Sterling, I've sent the files to your phone." Yancy's voice was tight with gravity.

Pierce's eyes snapped open, laced with red veins. He grabbed his phone instantly. The harsh glow of the screen illuminated his rigid jawline as his thumb swiped rapidly through the document.

"Cause of death!" he demanded, his voice rumbling like distant thunder.

"Sir, Zora Quinn's death... it looks like someone deliberately erased all the traces. Digging up the truth will take time and absolute discretion," Yancy said quickly. "But during her time in Blackwood Penitentiary... she apparently had a massive, lethal grudge against Ms. Prescott."

Did Phoenix kill her? Pierce frowned, instantly dismissing the absurd thought.

The files clearly stated that Zora was a tyrannical prison boss who relentlessly tormented 'fresh meat' like Phoenix. How could Phoenix have possibly fought back and killed her? Unless...