All Chapters of THE PHOENIX HEIR: RISE OF THE SCORNFUL TRILLIONAIRE : Chapter 31
- Chapter 40
49 chapters
031 TWO PEOPLE AGAINST THE WORLD
Alex caught sight of Jessica already seated. Her hair was messed up in a frenzy style. Her face glowed under the light as she spoke to the waiter about the menu.Alex took his time walking to her, obviously enjoying the sight in front of him.She was just... breathtaking. No two ways about that.He finally got to her."Oh, Alex, you're here." She beamed a smile at him, which he returned.He took her hand from the table and placed a soft kiss on it before he sat across from her.She was wearing blue, as if they'd agreed on colors. It complemented his outfit so well they could pass for the couple of the night at a prom."Have you ordered something?" He asked, sipping gently from the wine in front of him.Realization dawned on him as he took a gulp down. He'd never been on a date with a woman.Holy shit! What would he say now? How would he act to not make this awkward?His palms suddenly became sweaty, like the AC in the room had stopped working. The suit he was wearing added more to his
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CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO SAFE, BUT NOT HERE After a while, they decided to head home."I'll drop you off since I sent your car home," Alex said as they walked out of the Meadows."You don't have to bother this much. I might just call my driver. He'll come pick me up." She tried to decline."And what does that make me?" Alex asked as he gently pushed her toward the car."I—""Just get in, huh. It's fine." He said and got in with her.The car drove off in silence. Neither spoke. They were weighing the decision they'd just made.Alex glanced at her and took a deep breath. He wasn't sure whether bringing her in was right. But one thing was certain—if Jessica kept staying with him, she'd automatically be dragged into the mess.Maybe this was better after all. At least she knew what she was getting into.He broke his gaze away from her and looked outside the window. The tall trees made distant sounds as they drove past.Jessica wasn't looking at him. Her eyes were fixed on the trees too, definit
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CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE FREEDOM WITHOUT HOPE The next morning, Emma straightened her crumpled clothes as she headed out of the hospital. She was accompanied by two bodyguards with handcuffs on her wrists. She looked around as if watching for any reporters.Her eyes met a few hanging around the hospital. She gulped down emptiness as she was pushed toward a police van.Her eyes were puffy. Her mind still itching from the flowers she'd received.She couldn't rest. No, she'd forgotten how to do so.The flowers meant something she couldn't wrap her fingers around.But the heavier thought was who sent them? What message was the person trying to pass?"You're out. How are you feeling?" A reporter's question made her snap out of her thoughts."Get away from here, miss." The heavy voice of the policeman made the reporter back away a step.But she came back at them again. "Miss Emma, do you have anything to say to the press?"She wasn't listening. Of course she couldn't. She began to glance aroun
034 SHE'S UNTOUCHABLE
"Philip?"Alex swiped at his phone continuously, like the image might change if he touched it hard enough."Why do you have this? Where is this?" He said over the phone. Jessica, who was on the other end, paused a while before speaking."I know more than you think I do, Alex. I've been making my own research," she said."Look." Alex ruffled his hair and stood up from the bed. He walked to the door and locked it before going to the balcony."I'm not going to get hurt if that's what you're thinking. I've always protected myself. You shouldn't mind me doing this, okay?" She tried convincing him."It's not that I don't want you to. It's just dangerous." He looked at the video again.Philip was walking as fast as he could toward a car. Files were piled up in his hands. One slipped from the pile, and the Kane logo was embedded on it.He'd stolen something. Something Alex didn't know he had.Now he knew why the consortium understood how Kane Industries worked. They had files, and Alex bit hi
035 ROCK BOTTOM HAS A DOORBELL
"Protect my child. I bet you can at least do that," Ryan said to Emma as they came out of the police station.Diane was being dragged out, and she was closely behind them.Emma didn't have the strength to battle words with him, so she just let him be and walked away, far from him.Where was she going? Nowhere. Diane's cries kept hurting her ears, but she refused to let any tears drop.That car she saw—she still had a glimmer of hope.Even if it was just a little, she'd make sure she used it.First, she needed to find a place to stay."Grandma will definitely give us a place to stay. We've lost our house. Even if it's small," Emma said to Diane, who was wailing behind her.Diane didn't stop, and Emma's anger rose. "Will you fucking stop the stupid tears? What good is that now? Will it bring food to our mouths? Will it give us a place to live? It took you too long to realize how much we've lost. I'm not ready to put up with someone who won't use their brain now."Diane hiccuped back her
036 A LOVE EMOJI
"What are we going to do? Are you really going to accept this?" Diane was moving closer to her now, her hand still wrapped tightly around the letter.Emma blinked back her tears. "What option do I have? We're literally good as dead." Her voice cracked, rising with each word. "Should I tell her no, that I can't work at a coffee shop? Now tell me—will you care for me? Will you give me food?"Her throat burned. A door slammed somewhere in the compound. Footsteps shuffled on the other side of the wall. She didn't care. Let them all hear. Her pain was real, and that was a fact."Let's work there together if there's a vacancy for two."Emma whipped around. Her mouth opened but no words came out. She wasn't hearing things now, right?Diane. Her mother. In a coffee shop?They stood there for minutes, looking at the door leading to the house.Once they opened that door, that would be the beginning of the new life they both dreaded. No more pretending. No more hoping this was all a nightmare t
037 ERASE HER
"That's... wait, that's not the person we think it is, right?" Alex's voice came out tight, like someone was pulling a rope around his neck.Jessica sat frozen, her eyes locked on the phone. The color drained from her face. Her hands started shaking so bad the phone nearly slipped from her grip."It's... I..." She looked up at them. They were all staring at her, waiting for whatever she had to say."Pick the call!" Thomas hadn't meant for his voice to come out that cold, but he couldn't help it. His whole mind was stuck on one thought—Jessica was a traitor, and they'd just caught her red-handed.He pinched himself on the thigh, not wanting to believe it."It's not what you think. I... I can't pick the call." Her voice came out small and quiet.Xavier scoffed, his eyes blazing with anger. "Why? So we won't see through you? What's the deal with Logan? Why do you even have his number in the first place?"Alex couldn't speak. His throat had closed up completely. His mind was blank except
038 COME ALONE
The bodyguard followed her as she walked into the hotel.Her purse fell as she bumped into someone near the elevator."Watch where you're going, miss." The person snapped at her.Jessica frowned. That was harsh.She picked up her purse anyway. "I'm sorry."Her driver gave the woman a stern look, and she backed off. Everyone got into the elevator and squeezed together.Jessica noticed the woman's short dress and bright red lipstick. Too much for a hotel lobby."I've called someone to book your room," the driver said and pressed floor eighteen."Wait, are you Jessica..." The woman's eyebrows shot up, too dramatic to be real. "Oh my god, I'm going to the same floor. I'm a fan."Jessica gave her a fake smile. Their eyes met, and the elevator suddenly felt too small."Yes, I'm Jessica. How do you know me?""Call me Kate."Kate's smile stayed on her face, but her eyes went cold."You know," Kate said, her voice dropping. "I've heard a lot about you, Jessica Torres."Jessica's stomach tighte
039 MISSING
The next morning, Ryan stood in front of the driver's company he'd left days ago, clutching his CV against his chest. His hands trembled.He straightened his only blue suit and entered the building, legs dragging against the floor."Welcome back." The same woman from before grinned. "Oh, you're back. Thought you weren't interested.""Yes." His voice came out quiet as he walked closer.She wasn't alone this time. A man sat beside her. Ryan remembered her claim: *I'm the boss here.* That statement made him doubt her. What kind of boss sat idle at the receptionist desk all day?The man gave him an awkward smirk. "Why are you clutching that CV? You're not applying for the manager position, are you?" His voice dripped with sarcasm.Shame washed over Ryan. If only they would just look at his credentials. If only he could be the manager, then he wouldn't have to compare himself to what Alex once was.He hadn't shed a tear since leaving the police station, but now they came flooding. He wante
040 You've always been mine
"I did everything you said." Kate collapsed onto the sofa while Logan stood rooted at his usual spot by the window."Good job."Her face lit up, as if she'd misheard. He wasn't condemning her, wasn't yelling. He'd actually praised her.Bile rose in Kate's throat. She didn't need this kind of approval. Not when it was about Jessica, the woman he loved.What had two nights ago meant to him? The way he'd held her, cuddled her. They'd had the best night together.She pressed her lips together. Not everything required an outburst, but her mouth wouldn't stay shut. "I don't need that, Logan."Logan turned to her, oblivious."That compliment. It's not for me." She grew bolder.As if he knew where she was heading with this, he rolled his eyes and looked away. But Kate wasn't finished."You used me.""And you got what you wanted, bitch."Her hand flew toward his face. He caught it mid-air, holding it suspended."Leave me alone! Get the fuck away from me!" she screamed."Get your ass together.