Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 241

"Jocelyn, Sheila, what... what are you doing here?!"

Ian jolted like he'd been electrocuted, shoving the woman in his arms away. He frantically smoothed down his rumpled collar, forcing a fawning smile. "This is a misunderstanding. Please don't get the wrong idea, we were just... celebrating."

"Celebrating? In a place like this, behaving like that?" Jocelyn's expression darkened, her gaze slicing through the debauchery in the VIP room like a blade before locking onto his face. "Ian, you really played the part flawlessly. An untouchable, pure idol in public, but a wild degenerate behind closed doors. You've truly opened my eyes."

"Jocelyn, it seems we were all just fish swimming in his little pond," Sheila scoffed, turning to the group of equally furious, wealthy women behind her. "Did you get a good look, ladies? To him, every single one of us was just a fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered."

"Last time, he claimed the photos were AI-generated. But now... we're seeing it with our own eyes. He's nothing but a manipulative player."

"No! It's not like that!" Ian panicked, the veins bulging on his forehead. He took a step forward to defend himself, but Jocelyn closed the distance and raised her hand.

Smack!

The slap carried the full, blistering wrath of a woman who had been played for a fool. It echoed sharply through the room, the force of it making Ian stumble and spin half a circle.

Before he could even regain his footing, Sheila marched forward with a cold scowl, delivering a brutal backhand to his other cheek.

With those two leading the charge, the pent-up fury of the other benefactors erupted. They swarmed him, each landing a vicious slap. The relentless sound of skin hitting skin echoed through the suite, leaving Ian dizzy, disoriented, and his cheeks swollen and bruised.

"Ian, as of today, I'm pulling every single resource I've given you. Furthermore, I'll be directing my legal team to demand a full refund of all the money and gifts I've wasted on you." Tossing out the ultimatum, Jocelyn wiped her hands in disgust, turned on her heel, and marched away without looking back.

Sheila and the rest followed suit, sneering as they promised to revoke their support and reclaim their money before storming out, leaving him standing in the wreckage.

Ian collapsed to the floor, his ears ringing and his vision swimming. A suffocating wave of panic crashed over him. The glittering empire he had spent years meticulously building had shattered in seconds.

He knew better than anyone that his entire status was built on the millions these women had poured into his career. Strip away that gilded armor, and his mediocre talent wouldn't be enough to secure even a background role.

"Wait... there's still Penelope!" Ian's dim eyes suddenly flared with hope, like a drowning man spotting a lifeline. "She's a Sterling, my biggest backer! As long as I can keep her on my side, I can turn this around!"

With trembling hands, he pulled out his phone. But just as he dialed her number, an unexpected ringtone chimed from the doorway.

Ian's heart seized. He looked up, his body going rigid.

Penelope stood at the entrance in casual loungewear, having clearly rushed over without bothering to apply makeup. Her pale face was a canvas of pure devastation and disbelief.

"Penny... what are you doing here?"

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