Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 129

Phoenix stared at the screen, the smile in her eyes deepening.

[Honestly, Pierce, I'm starting to seriously doubt all those vicious rumors about you.]

Pierce: [??]

Phoenix: [With how incredibly generous and kindhearted you are, you're not the 'Reaper of Cloudhaven.' You're practically a living Buddha.]

This time, Pierce didn't reply.

Meanwhile, inside the Sterling family's private gym.

Pierce had just finished his morning workout, sweat tracing the sharp, defined lines of his muscles. He stared blankly at Phoenix's final message, frozen in place for a long time.

*A living Buddha?*

*Hah. Is this woman politely telling me to mind my own business?*

Pierce let out a cold laugh and tossed the phone to his assistant. "Yancy, go buy a Buddha statue. Send it to Phoenix's place."

"Huh?" Yancy froze, asking instinctively, "Boss, what's that about?"

"She likes them."

"???"

Yancy was completely dumbfounded.

When did the future Mrs. Sterling ever say she liked Buddha statues?

Other billionaires wooed their women with diamonds and haute couture. His boss was sending a Buddha? That was... uniquely bizarre.

...

At 9:00 AM, Meredith finished getting ready and happily linked arms with Phoenix as they headed downstairs for breakfast.

Perhaps terrified by the events of the previous night, Warren and the rest of the family were completely absent. Enjoying the peace and quiet, Phoenix finished breakfast, grabbed her keys, and drove Meredith out of the estate.

In the car, Meredith suddenly asked, "Phoenix, that 'Azure Healer'... is that the person who saved you back then?"

Phoenix's grip on the steering wheel tightened briefly before she nodded. "Yes."

Meredith's eyes widened with pure excitement. "I knew it! The way Cyrus pulled you back from the absolute brink of death... calling him a 'divine healer' is an understatement."

"So he really is the legendary doctor."

Phoenix smiled faintly, her mind drifting back to a year ago.

It was during her early days in Blackwood Penitentiary. It was absolute, suffocating hell, facing constant abuse until the moment she finally snapped.

She accepted Coach Yara's brutal trial by fire and challenged the prison shot-caller, Zora Quinn.

She won that fight, but the cost was catastrophic.

She was practically shredded to pieces, covered in her own blood, barely clinging to her last breath. Even the prison doctor declared her a lost cause.

Then, Yara brought someone in. Relying on medical skills that bordered on sheer sorcery, that person literally dragged her out of the Reaper's grip.

"So, are we going to pick Cyrus up now?" Meredith's voice broke her out of the memory.

Gideon Miller could absolutely not wake up.

If he did, all of Marcus's plotting would instantly turn to dust.

"Mavis, do you actually believe in this so-called 'Azure Healer'?" Marcus demanded, his voice thick with anxiety. "Miracles? Bringing people back from the brink? It's all just exaggerated garbage from a street-corner con artist."

"We've already brought in the absolute best medical teams in the world. Their conclusion was definitive—without a kidney transplant, there is no hope."

"Mavis—" Marcus grabbed her shoulders violently, his expression twisting into dark malice. "Milo bringing this quack here is just an excuse! He wants to use some shady stimulant to force Grandpa awake just long enough to change the will and give Milo the entire company!"

"Once he gets what he wants, Grandpa will... he'll never recover."

"No!" Mavis covered her mouth, her eyes wide with total disbelief. "He wouldn't do something like that... would he?"

"For that kind of power? He'd do anything." Marcus narrowed his eyes, grinding his teeth. "Mavis, to protect Grandpa... you'll help me, won't you?"

Mavis seemed to hesitate, looking torn. "What do you want me to do?"

"I need you to take the guards and stop Milo from getting anywhere near Grandpa's room. No matter what it takes."

Mavis's heart skipped a beat as she instantly understood.

He was using her as a human shield. If anything went wrong, he could just blame his "overly protective, grief-stricken" sister.

But so what?

Marcus thought he was using her as a weapon, but wasn't she doing the exact same thing to him?

"Okay, Marcus." Mavis looked up, her eyes shining with pure, innocent determination. "I'll stop him."