All Chapters of Once Downtrodden; Now Divine: Chapter 251
- Chapter 260
357 chapters
Chapter 252
The arrival of the man who had orchestrated the attempt on Ivy Harrington’s life had shifted the room’s focus entirely. His presence was impossible to ignore, a force of authority that seemed to command respect and attention. The hall, which had been a sea of murmurs and suspicion, now felt the weight of his gaze, his posture erect, movements measured, every step deliberate and self-assured. Some guests nodded subtly in agreement with his claim that Donald Smith was unwell, that he was experiencing some kind of mental breakdown. Others, still uncertain, hesitated only for a moment before slowly returning to their seats, their expressions a mix of relief, doubt, and a desire to defer to the authority standing at the front.Donald’s eyes swept across the shifting expressions of the crowd. He noticed the slight furrow of brows, the subtle narrowing of eyes, the whispered exchanges between clusters of attendees. Confusion, skepticism, and unease radiated outward like invisible currents. T
Chapter 253
Whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire as the first man clutched his throat, blood staining his hands and the polished surface of the table before him. The once orderly hum of conversation had transformed into a tense, murmuring storm, every eye in the hall now fixed on the horrifying scene. The chandeliers overhead glinted sharply off the marble floors, casting fragmented reflections on the panicked faces of attendees. Shadows stretched and shifted across the room as the crowd shuffled uneasily, a collective energy of fear building like a living thing.“What’s happening?” someone shouted, their voice trembling, breaking through the murmurs. “Is he sick? Did he eat something wrong?”Guests glanced nervously at each other, their expressions oscillating between disbelief and mounting fear. Many attempted to calm themselves, taking deep breaths or placing hands on one another’s shoulders, but the unease was spreading faster than any reassurance could contain. The man’s labored c
Chapter 254
The hall had fallen into an almost eerie silence. The initial chaos—the shrill screams, the panicked shouts, the frantic movements of guests and attendants—had subsided, leaving behind a tense, expectant stillness. The air was thick with apprehension, the kind that makes even the smallest sound echo unnaturally across a room. The chandeliers hung overhead, their crystal prisms refracting the light in fragmented patterns across the marble floors, giving the entire hall a disorienting, fractured glow. Even in its silence, the hall seemed alive with the residual energy of fear, a charged atmosphere vibrating with uncertainty.Security personnel moved with meticulous precision, their earlier urgency tempered by the gravity of the situation. They had managed to retrieve all surveillance footage: every angle from the main entrances, the side corridors, the catering stations, and even the kitchen where the drinks had been prepared. The screens flickered in unison, displaying crisp, real-time
Chapter 255
“It was my boss who sent me to do it…” the server replied, his voice barely above a whisper, quivering as though every word might shatter him. The confession hung in the room, dense and suffocating, heavy with an almost tangible weight. The silence that followed was punctuated only by the shallow, nervous breaths of those gathered. Ivy Harrington’s grip on Donald Smith’s sleeve tightened imperceptibly; her heart pounded in her chest like a drum, each beat echoing the dread and tension that had gripped the hall since the first poisoning attempt.Donald, standing with unshakable composure, leaned slightly toward the trembling server. His presence radiated authority, and even in the tense, chaotic atmosphere, it demanded attention. Every movement, every detail of his posture, broadcast a calm yet commanding energy that drew the eyes of the crowd inexorably toward him. “Enough with half-truths,” he said, each word deliberate and measured, resonating with the weight of someone accustomed
Chapter 256
“I didn’t want to escalate this,” the server said finally, his voice controlled but strained. “But I am being instructed to present what I have.” A murmur moved through the hall, low at first, like a ripple testing the surface before breaking. Someone in the back muttered, “Finally.” Another voice answered just as quickly, sharper, edged with suspicion, “Or finally a setup.” The server inhaled slowly, steadying himself, then tapped the screen in front of him. The room dimmed slightly as the projection system activated. Light shifted across faces, shadows stretching along the walls. Conversations died down, replaced by a tense, expectant quiet. At first, there was only static. A low hiss filled the air, uneven and uncertain. Then a voice emerged. Clear. Calm. Familiar. A man speaking in a controlled tone, each word measured. “—make sure it is contained. No leaks. No tracing back.” A second voice responded immediately, deferential, efficient. “Yes, sir. Everything is align
Chapter 257
The moment the boss was found, everything accelerated in a way that left no space for hesitation or second-guessing. There was no longer room for speculation, no allowance for delay. Every second now carried weight. He had been located in a secured facility on the outskirts of the city—somewhere intentionally quiet, deliberately controlled, and inaccessible to anyone outside the investigation team. The location itself spoke of caution, of containment, of a situation that had already gone far beyond ordinary internal review. By the time he was escorted into the interrogation room, the implications of everything that had already surfaced had begun to settle on him, even if he did not yet show it openly. The room was cold and stripped of comfort. A single metal table stood at the center. Two chairs faced each other across it. Above, a dim overhead light cast sharp shadows, exaggerating every movement, every expression, every shift in posture. It was a room designed not for conversati
Chapter 258
By exactly 5 p.m., Ivy stood at the entrance of Aurora Crest, her eyes briefly scanning the polished glass doors before her as she took in the atmosphere surrounding the building. Even from the outside, the place radiated a level of elegance that was impossible to ignore. The structure itself seemed designed to impress without effort, its clean architectural lines paired with subtle lighting that gave it a quiet, almost understated grandeur. It was clear immediately that this was not just another high-end restaurant. It was something more curated and more deliberate. Every visible detail—from the symmetry of the entrance to the uniformed staff positioned discreetly nearby—suggested that the experience inside had been carefully planned long before any guest arrived. Still, Ivy hadn’t expected anything unusual. Donald had simply asked her to meet him. Nothing more. No explanation. No hint. As she stepped forward and passed through the doors, the atmosphere shifted almost instantly
Chapter 259
A faint smile slowly formed on Ivy’s lips, subtle at first, almost uncertain, as though the weight of the moment was still settling into her. Her heart was still racing, her thoughts still catching up to everything that had just unfolded, but somewhere within all that motion, clarity found its place. “Yes,” she said. It was soft. Barely above a whisper. But it was enough. The effect was immediate. The room erupted. Applause broke out like thunder, loud and unrestrained, echoing against the walls as though the space itself had been waiting for that single word. Cheers followed, rising in layers, filling the air with energy that felt both overwhelming and joyful. Laughter spilled through the room, warm and genuine, carried by people who were no longer just observers but participants in something unforgettable. Some people stood to their feet. Others clapped harder, more enthusiastically. A few even whistled, unable to contain their excitement. The moment had transformed comple
Chapter 260
The room remained dim long after the call ended, the faint glow of the screen casting long, unmoving shadows against the walls. The air felt heavier now, as if the silence itself carried weight. Adrian didn’t move immediately. He sat there, fingers resting lightly against the edge of the table, his posture relaxed but his presence anything but. His eyes stayed fixed on the paused image before him—on Ivy and Donald locked in their embrace, frozen in a moment that the rest of the world had celebrated. Something about that image gnawed at him. It wasn’t just the closeness between them. It wasn’t even the celebration surrounding it, the applause, the admiration, the sense of victory that seemed to radiate from the screen. It was something deeper, something far more personal. Ownership. That was what unsettled him. His name was Adrian Vauxhall. And Adrian was not a man used to being replaced. The silence stretched for several more seconds, thick and unbroken. His gaze didn’t waver. H
Chapter 261
The warehouse stood like a forgotten relic on the edge of the docks—cold, silent, and far removed from the bright, living pulse of the city. Its rusted exterior blended into the darkness, its towering steel frame looming like something abandoned by time itself. No lights marked its presence. No sound betrayed what lay within. By the time the sun had fully set, the place had already swallowed its secret. Adrian Vauxhall arrived without hurry. His car rolled to a smooth stop just outside the massive steel doors, the low hum of the engine fading into the stillness. For a brief moment, the headlights illuminated the corroded metal and peeling paint, casting jagged shadows across the ground before they shut off, leaving everything in darkness again. He stepped out. The night air was cool, carrying the faint scent of salt and machinery from the nearby docks. Adrian adjusted his coat slightly, his movements unhurried, composed. His expression was calm—too calm for the kind of thing that