All Chapters of THE PHOENIX HEIR: RISE OF THE SCORNFUL TRILLIONAIRE : Chapter 21
- Chapter 30
49 chapters
021 THE TRAITOR ON STAGE
TWENTY-ONE Alex's car pulled up in front of the venue, and Xavier got out to open the door for him.He stepped out, and camera flashes made him squint.He ignored the paparazzi as they tried to push closer, questions hurled at him from every direction.*"What do you have to say about the rumors—not totally rumors—circulating?"**"Mr. Alexander, are you truly impotent?"*Thomas glared at the reporter who asked that and quickly ushered Alex into the venue.Inside, the space was packed with high-ranking elites from across the country.Alex breathed out in relief as they finally escaped the endless barrage of questions.He'd expected this. Actually, he'd expected worse."Mr. Alexander Kane, welcome." A robust-looking man approached. Alex recognized him from the last board meeting.Thomas gave Alex a look and moved a few meters away.Alex's eyes followed them. Xavier shook his head slightly.*Did they have to leave?*He pressed his lips together and extended a hand to the man, who took it
022 BARELY HOLDING ON
Thomas gripped his hand before he might fall, and it would cause a disaster."I'm fine," Alex breathed out, but sweat was already soaking through the expensive fabric of his suit, dampening the collar around his neck."Stay calm," Xavier whispered, his voice barely audible above the murmuring crowd. "They cannot...""Mr. Kane, can you give us a speech?" Philip interrupted, his tone deliberately taunting, each word designed to unsettle.Alex took deep, slow breath, forcing his lungs to cooperate, a reaction he refused to let the others see. His hands trembled slightly at his sides.Thomas held his hand too long, his grip firm and unwilling to release, as if letting go would mean watching Alex crumble entirely.He finally released him, and Alex started walking toward the stage. It felt as if every eye in the room were slicing bits of flesh from his legs with each step forward. The distance seemed impossible, stretching endlessly before him.His legs felt heavy, weighted down, as if he h
023 THE LIBRARY
The drive back home from the party was rough and full of silence.The moment they stepped out of the car, no one spoke to each other.Maybe it was better that way. How would the conversation even sound? It would be so awful and bitter on their lips.They gathered in the sitting room, everyone ready to disperse.Alex's phone began to ring. At first he ignored it completely, but when it persisted, he reached into his suit pocket and brought it out.He picked it up without looking at the caller ID."Alex! Are you listening to me?"That voice.Lauren's."Yeah, I'm listening." His voice was actually calm compared to the urgency in Lauren's voice.Xavier had stopped walking and was now facing him. Thomas didn't wait. He was closer to Philip, so he was definitely still trying to process the whole thing."Someone, please." Her voice was urgent, like she was struggling to speak.Alex switched the phone to his other ear. What was going on?Why was she calling this late with such panic? Why him?
024 THE SECRET HIS FATHER LEFT BEHIND
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOURAs Alex entered the library, the world around him faded. The echoes of his heels against the floor were the only sounds that could be heard, rhythmic and solitary.He moved ultimately toward the shelf he had touched that day. The pile of books was dusty and rusty. As he laid his hand on the shelf, his breath seized.Anxiety washed all over him. Before he knew it, his legs could not hold his weight any longer. He was shaking like someone who had been thrown into a room full of ice, trembling from the inside out.This door held answers he needed to know, but still he was weary about getting inside, about what he might discover.Now he understood Xavier's hesitation. He was not really ready, but this needed to be done. There was no more time to waste.His scandal was out. The Consortium was lurking. Everyone he once knew was now his sworn enemy. What more would he uncover behind this door?Yeah, that was the only driving force he needed to confront whatever was behin
025 EXPOSING THE LIES
TWO DAYS LATER Alex ruffled his hair with a towel, his body still dripping from the hot bath he had taken this morning, steam still clinging to his skin.Thomas was already waiting for him. He was still on the couch, his shoulders tensed with whatever news he carried.The past two days had been somewhat peaceful after Alex came out of his father's vault. He only woke up to eat, sleep, and think about how to solve this whole situation so that he could fully live his own life without constantly looking over his shoulder.Yeah, he wanted to start moving and living freely, without fear.That was a new goal he had set, and he told himself he was determined to achieve it."Just spill it. I know something is wrong." Alex said as he sat down at his desk and brought out his laptop from the drawer. The coldness of the metal made his palm damp."Have you checked your phone today?" Thomas began to speak, his voice careful.What else could it be? Everything kept going in circles. The media, the C
026 NO FAMILY LEFT
Diane sat in front of her laptop, trying to set up a video.The room they were in had already been transformed into a hospital setting.Emma was sleeping peacefully on a hospital bed, her body covered with a blanket. IV lines were attached to her arms. Her mother's chair was positioned beside her."The video is about to start, Emma." Diane said and tucked the blanket around her more securely."Do you think people believed us?" Emma asked, adjusting the IV lines."Last I checked, everyone pitied us. Isn't that what we wanted?" Diane stopped, adjusting the cameras. "Alex must pay, and he's already starting to. He can't just discard you after he's rich now. We made him, housed him, fed him." She paused. "He has a debt to pay. Especially to you."Emma didn't respond to her mother. She turned away, gathering tears in her eyes—probably an act they'd agreed on.Diane was about to click start when her phone buzzed loudly with messages.*"You fools. How dare you deceive us."**"Diane Williams
027 WHEN KARMA BITES BACK
Soon after, they arrived at the police station.They were led out of the car.Reporters swarmed the compound, everyone throwing questions at them.Emma could only hear the muffled sound of a policeman shouting. "You all know the law! You shouldn't be here. This is a police station, for Christ's sake."The reporters didn't budge. All they wanted was to make Emma and Diane speak.The policemen kept them at bay. The struggle continued until they were finally almost inside.That's when Emma's eyes caught someone moving through the crowd at a speed that made her heart jerk upright.Ryan?Diane also saw him and tried to pull Emma to her side, but before they could fully process it, he launched at Emma, targeting her left ear, and sank his teeth right into it."This is for betraying me, bitch."Emma let out a shrill scream. Cameras flashed. The reporters broke through. The policemen tried getting Ryan off Emma, but he wasn't moving.One drop. Then two.And blood trickled down her ear.After
028 NO ONE IS COMING
"You don't have to become a nuisance in here, Mr. Ryan. Kindly respect yourself." The prosecutor who'd been assigned to interrogate Diane and Ryan said this while rubbing his temples.His face was scrunched up. He was probably thinking it was a bad idea pairing these two up for interrogation.Diane tapped her fingers noisily on the table, her eyes fixed on the way the prosecutor's hands danced across his laptop."You can't tell me what to do, Mr... whatever your name is," Ryan yelled. "This woman here deserves to be jailed immediately. You're not doing your job well. And I won't stop until you understand how mischievous she is.""We understand what you're—""Can I request another room?" Diane asked, her voice quiet like she'd just woken up."You don't have the right to a personal room, Mrs. Diane, since this all concerns both of you." The prosecutor turned to Ryan, who was sitting beside her making infuriating sounds."I hope Mr. Ryan will comply with the investigation. Lest I forget,
029 SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG
Emma stared blankly at nothing, her nostrils filled with the smell of medications and chemicals.She held her nose with her hand as she lay without moving one bit. It was as if she was afraid to breathe."Miss Emma," a nurse called. She couldn't move, so she tracked the nurse down with her eyes.The nurse's smile angered her more, and she hissed. What was funny?"You should rest well. The doctor said you can be discharged tomorrow," the nurse said."I'd like to be discharged now," she said, and the nurse shook her head."It's for the better. You've undergone a lot of stress a pregnant woman shouldn't have gone through. The hospital specifically asked you to rest today. Then you can go to the station." The nurse explained, but Emma wasn't having it."I can't sit here all day! You all ruined my life already. What else do you want? Let me go!" She yelled.The nurse gave her a pitiful look and dashed out of the room."Let me go!" She yelled. She stared down at the handcuff on her wrist. I
030 A CALM BEFORE THE STORM
The sound of a call jolted them out of their thoughts.Xavier was pacing around the room while Thomas still sat, his thoughts exploding.Alex looked around, checking for the ringing phone, and he realized it was his phone.He picked it up and checked the caller.Jessica?He dropped the phone back on the nearest stool, and Thomas reached for it."You want to ignore that?" He picked the phone up, shaking it in his hand and holding it up for Alex to see the caller clearly.Alex looked away from the phone. "I know who's calling. I'm not in my right mind right now. If I picked it up, I might say something stupid."Xavier stopped walking around and moved closer to them. "But I don't think it's nice not picking up. You stood her up at the Met Gala, remember?" He said, reaching for Thomas's hand and collecting the phone from him.Alex thought about Xavier's words. It was true he'd been so busy he didn't bother calling her back. That was a jerk move, truly. Explaining things wouldn't kill him.