Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 179

"Mr. Miller, since the star of the hour is right here, why not ask the Prescott heiress to come up and say a few words?" someone in the crowd suddenly shouted.

Hearing the suggestion, Phoebe shot a murderous glare at the speaker, wishing she could tear him limb from limb.

Of all the things to suggest, why demand she show her face? Wasn't this forcing her to self-destruct and wait to be reduced to ashes by her grandfather's wrath?

"That's an excellent suggestion." Gideon smiled warmly, agreeing without a second thought.

"So, without further ado, I invite the Prescott heiress to the stage to say a few words."

Alistair completely ignored the specific title of 'heiress' and subconsciously assumed Gideon meant Phoebe. His fond gaze naturally landed on her.

"Phoebe, go on up. Let the prominent families see your grace."

"..."

Phoebe flushed red, her heart burning with panic, cold sweat practically soaking through her back. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Phoenix looking at her with a half-smile, staring at her like a struggling ant on its deathbed.

Was this woman... waiting to watch her completely ruin herself?

"Phoebe?!"

Alistair frowned, his cloudy eyes suddenly turning cold, radiating an undeniable pressure.

"Grandfather, I..." Phoebe bit her lower lip hard, braced herself, and forced her legs to move.

As long as she got up there first and stood firm, Phoenix—bound by the patriarch's authority and the family's dignity—wouldn't dare expose her in front of everyone.

Clinging to that desperate sliver of hope, she threw caution to the wind and decisively stood beside Meredith, forcing a poised smile onto her face.

However, the moment she stepped onto the stage, the air seemed to freeze.

Meredith and Gideon's expressions drastically changed. Their polite demeanors instantly vanished, replaced by freezing disgust as their gazes sliced into Phoebe like blades.

"What are you doing up here?!" Meredith's eyebrows shot up, making no effort to hide the absolute repulsion in her voice.

Phoebe's heart clenched violently. In a panic, she hurriedly put on an apologetic smile, her voice trembling. "Ms. Miller, my sister was feeling a bit inconvenienced, so..."

"Get lost!!"

It was over. It was completely over!!

Her meticulous scheme to steal Phoenix's credit had been ripped away, leaving her exposed and humiliated for everyone to see.

"Grandfather, I... I don't know..." Phoebe's eyes instantly welled up with tears, looking utterly pitiful. "I just thought that since Phoenix helped the Millers, the credit ultimately belongs to our family, so..."

"So you thought you could replace my best friend and steal her credit?!" Meredith's words were sharp as daggers, tearing Phoebe's facade to shreds. "You two-faced snake, you're not even fit to be mentioned in the same breath as Phoenix!"

"I want to make a formal declaration right now. The one who brought in the Azure Healer and saved the Miller family is the rightful heiress of the Prescott family—Phoenix Prescott." Gideon's gaze swept over the crowd as he spoke loudly. "Please keep your eyes open, everyone, and don't let yourselves be deceived by those with ulterior motives."

His words, both direct and implied, openly mocked Alistair for being blind.

Alistair felt a surge of blood rush to his head, nearly causing him to pass out on the spot.

But he was the patriarch, after all. He gritted his teeth, forcibly steadying his swaying body, and squeezed out a smile that looked worse than crying. "Everyone, it's a misunderstanding. Just a misunderstanding."

"Phoenix, what do you think?" Alistair turned to Phoenix, a hint of pleading and pressure in his eyes, silently ordering her to step up and put out the fire.