Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 248

The atmosphere in the Prescott Estate was suffocatingly heavy.

Alistair sat with a dark expression, his eagle-like gaze locked fiercely onto Warren.

Warren, Vanessa, Julian, and Phoebe stood with their heads bowed, not even daring to breathe loudly, terrified the old man's wrath would spill over onto them.

"That idiot! Creating a disaster of this magnitude—does he want our entire family to become the laughingstock of the city?" Alistair struck his cane violently against the floor, producing dull, heavy thuds. "We must cut our losses immediately! Even if it means kicking Ian out of the family entirely!"

"Father, no!" Warren panicked. "Ian is your biological grandson, how could you..."

"I have no such useless grandson!" Alistair slammed his hand on the table, rattling the teacups. "I spent half my life meticulously dragging this family to the very top, and now... look at what it's become under your leadership!"

"Let me make this perfectly clear, Warren. If you can't contain this disaster, you can step down as the head of this family!"

Warren's heart hammered against his ribs as all the color drained from his face. Gritting his teeth, he quickly promised, "Rest assured, Father. I will protect the company and the family. I won't let Ian's mess shake our foundation."

Vanessa caught the fleeting look of ruthlessness in her husband's eyes, and her heart seized. "What are you planning to do?"

"Ian made a grave mistake that dragged the family down. He must be punished." Warren narrowed his eyes, his voice laced with a chilling detachment. "I will formally sever his ties with the family and send him abroad until things cool down."

The sheer cruelty of the decision sent a shiver down Julian and Phoebe's spines.

They both intimately understood the brutal reality of the Prescott family: anyone who couldn't generate value would be mercilessly discarded, exactly like Ian.

Phoebe lowered her eyes, cursing internally: *That useless idiot fell so fast.* She had hoped to use him to make Phoenix's life miserable, but now he was worthless to her.

Her only remaining pawns were Julian and Sebastian.

But Julian had grown increasingly distant lately, perhaps because of his strained engagement with Zoe Vaughan, or maybe he had noticed something. As for Sebastian, he had been hiding in his room like a corpse ever since his public humiliation.

However, Sebastian's hatred for Phoenix must be at its absolute peak right now. That kind of hatred made for a very sharp blade.

"You can't do this!" Vanessa screamed in protest. "I carried him for nine months! I won't just stand by and watch you throw him out! Sending him abroad to cool down? You're exiling him!"

"If you disagree, pack your bags and go with him!" Warren roared without an ounce of mercy.

Vanessa's face went paper-white. Her knees buckled, and she nearly collapsed to the floor. She had always believed she mattered to Warren, but in this moment, she realized their loving marriage was nothing but a facade.

The only thing Warren truly cared about was his position as the patriarch and the power in his hands.

"I'm tired. Get out, all of you," Alistair waved them off dismissively. Leaning heavily on his cane, he turned toward his inner chambers, his back radiating coldness. "By the way, tomorrow is the family dinner. Everyone except Ian must be here."

"Yes, Father."

Warren let out a long sigh of relief. It seemed the old man approved of his strategy to sacrifice a pawn to save the king. His position was secure.

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