Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 151

Lines of code raced across the monitor.

After tracing the digital footprint, Phoenix locked onto the ID handled by 'Penny'.

She let out a soft scoff, hit the enter key, and effortlessly bypassed the encryption wall to pull up the user's real identity—

Three words flashed onto the screen: Penelope Sterling.

"This woman again," Phoenix murmured, leaning back in her chair as her gaze turned somber. "It seems she held a grudge after I humiliated her last time. But paying for a hit on me? That's a death wish."

Ding. The microwave signaled.

Phoenix retrieved her steaming dinner, eating methodically while mapping out her counterattack.

Since Penelope was so obsessed with Ian, the most brutal revenge would be tearing her idol down from his pedestal.

Meanwhile, at Riverside One.

Pierce had already stepped through the front doors.

Yancy followed closely behind, dragging the burly hitman, Hannibal Slade.

A quick background check revealed Hannibal was a ruthless fugitive with three bodies to his name—someone whose death would be no loss to the world.

Upstairs, Penelope's mind was a chaotic mess.

Her stomach had been tied in knots ever since the abrupt dial tone on her last call.

"Hannibal is a seasoned professional. There's no way he botched this, right?" she muttered, pacing the floor. "I paid him double. It was supposed to be foolproof..."

"Penny."

Her father, Silas, called out from the hallway.

Penelope jumped, hurriedly steadying her voice. "Dad? What's wrong?"

"Pierce is here. Come down and say hello."

Pierce?

Penelope's pupils contracted. In this family, a sudden visit from The Reaper of Cloudhaven meant nothing good.

Her heart leaped into her throat. Swallowing her panic, she opened the door and feigned casual curiosity. "Why is Pierce visiting? He barely speaks to us."

Silas looked equally baffled. "I have no idea. The kid has been too busy revolving around some woman lately to care about us. This visit is definitely out of character."

"You have to be there to show sincerity." Silas sighed, softening his tone. "Don't worry, Penny. I'm here. I won't let Pierce do anything to you."

Penelope bit her lip and nodded, reluctantly following her father down the stairs.

The atmosphere in the living room was suffocating.

Pierce leaned casually against the sofa, his long legs crossed as his fingers absentmindedly rolled a string of dark prayer beads.

The faint, sharp clicks of the beads echoed in the dead silence, making the space feel terrifyingly ominous.

Yancy stood nearby with an impassive expression, and at his feet slumped Hannibal, who looked like he had already been dragged through hell.

Penelope lost the last trace of color in her face. If she hadn't been gripping Silas's arm in a death hold, she would have collapsed to the floor right then and there.

"Pierce, what brings you to my home today?" Silas asked, pasting on a flawless, welcoming smile as he strode forward.

His eyes swept over Hannibal's battered form on the floor, a fleeting glint of malice flashing in his gaze before he smoothed his expression, pretending the bleeding man didn't exist.

Pierce slowly lifted his eyes, his indifferent gaze drifting past Silas to lock onto Penelope.

His predatory stare was as cold and sharp as a blade. Penelope shuddered violently, entirely unable to meet his eyes.