2025-02-28 18:40:12
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 99
99The tension between Dylan and Gregory was thick, like a storm that was about to break. Gregory, unwilling to back down, waved his lackeys over with a sharp gesture, barking, “Come on, get over here!”Reluctantly, the others hesitated for a brief moment. They had seen the situation spiral from a playful challenge to something more dangerous, and none of them wanted to be caught in the middle. But they had no choice; Gregory was their leader, and they had to follow his orders. One by one, they moved into position, forming a human barricade between Dylan and his car.Dylan watched them with a cold, unblinking stare, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. His knuckles were white, and the anger simmering beneath the surface was almost palpable. He exhaled sharply, debating whether to stay calm or just push them out of the way. He could easily force his way through. After all, this was his car, his time being wasted. But as his eyes flicked from one man to the next, his temper flared
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 100
100 Dylan’s expression remained unchanged. He didn’t say a word as he got back into his car. The engine roared to life with a powerful growl, and within moments, he was speeding off, leaving Gregory and his lackeys standing in the street. The sound of the Ferrari’s engine reverberated in the air as Dylan pushed the car to its limits, his frustration bubbling over. With his hands gripping the wheel tightly, Dylan’s mind raced. How would Molly react to all of this? Would she understand why he’d been late? Or would she be upset? He had no idea, but the thought of disappointing her made his stomach churn. The streets blurred past him, the world outside the Ferrari moving in a dizzying rush as Dylan pushed the car faster. He just needed to make it there, to her, and make everything right.The events of the day played out like a series of disjointed images in Dylan’s mind, each moment a flash of confusion, anger, and unsettling realizations. He tried to shake them off as he sped down th
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 101
101 Molly looked up as soon as she heard the door open, her eyes lighting up the moment they met his. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, but there was a weariness in her expression that tore at his heart. She had been waiting far too long.“Papa!” she cried, her voice sweet and high-pitched, the kind of sound that always made his heart swell. She jumped up from the bench and rushed toward him, her little feet pattering on the floor.Dylan’s breath caught in his throat as he knelt down to meet her. He scooped her up into his arms without hesitation, holding her close against him.“I’m so sorry, baby,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “I didn’t mean to be late. I promise, I won’t let it happen again.”Molly wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him as though she hadn’t seen him in years. “I knew you’d come, Papa,” she murmured sleepily, her voice muffled against his shoulder.Dylan’s heart broke at the words. He hadn’t realized how much she needed him. How m
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 102
Chapter 102: A Series of Unfortunate LossesA week had passed, and Jane’s life was unraveling faster than she could comprehend.She stood in her office, staring blankly at the email on her laptop screen. Another contract. Another deal slipping through her fingers.Subject: Contract Termination NoticeDear Ms. Cooper,We regret to inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances, we must withdraw from our partnership with Cooper Enterprises. While we appreciate your business, recent developments have led us to reconsider our position. We wish you the best in your future endeavors.—Wellsworth & Pierce InvestmentsJane’s fingers tightened into fists, her nails digging into her palms. She read the email again. And again. It didn’t change. It was real.“Those bastards,” she seethed, slamming the laptop shut with a sharp thud. “What the hell is going on?”Lydia, her lawyer and closest friend, leaned against the edge of Jane’s desk, arms crossed. “Jane, I know you’re upset—”“Upset?” Jane sh
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 103
103Jane’s phone buzzed on her desk, shattering the tense silence that had settled between her and Lydia. She let out an exasperated sigh, already dreading whoever was on the other end. Without even looking at the screen, she reached for the device and answered in a clipped tone.“What?”A dramatic gasp sounded from the other end. “Is that any way to greet your mother, Jane?”Jane clenched her jaw, pressing her fingers against her temple. “Mother.” Her voice was flat, void of any warmth. “What do you want?”Her mother, Linda Cooper, clicked her tongue in disapproval. “Oh, so now I have to want something just to call my own daughter? Maybe I just missed you, Jane. Maybe I was worried because I haven’t seen you since yesterday.”Jane rolled her eyes. Missed me? Worried? Please. The only time her mother reached out was when she needed something—money, favors, connections. There was no maternal affection behind these calls.“I’ve been busy,” Jane said curtly.“Yes, yes, always so busy wit
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 104
104 Lydia leaned forward, her expression serious. “Jane, you have to stop letting them walk all over you. I get that you don’t want to show weakness, but at some point, enough is enough.” Jane let out a dry chuckle. “Tell that to my mother. She could squeeze money out of a rock.” Lydia smirked. “Sounds like you learned from the best.” Jane rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. A tense silence settled between them again. Then Lydia spoke, her voice gentler this time. “Look, I know you don’t want to hear this, but you need to start thinking long-term. If things keep going the way they are… you won’t be able to keep up this façade forever.” Jane’s stomach twisted at the thought. She had spent years building her empire, clawing her way to the top. The idea of losing it all—of failing—was unbearable. “I won’t let it come to that,” she said firmly. Lydia studied her for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. Then we fight back.” Jane met her gaze, a fire rekindling in her eyes. “Damn right
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 105
105 Lydia immediately noticed. “Oh my God, speak of the devil.” She practically bounced in her seat. “Answer it! Answer it right now!”Jane shot her a look but picked up the phone anyway. “Bobby?”“Jane.” His deep voice sent a shiver down her spine.Lydia silently squealed, shaking Jane’s arm excitedly. Jane swatted her away, trying to focus.Bobby chuckled. “Hope I’m not catching you at a bad time.”“No, not at all,” Jane said smoothly.“Good.” His voice was warm, confident. “I was wondering if you’d join me for dinner tonight.”Jane’s lips curled into a smile. “Dinner?”“Yes.” A pause. Then, with amusement, he added, “Unless you have better plans?”Lydia practically jumped in her seat, mouthing Say yes! Say yes!Jane smirked. “I think I can fit you into my schedule.”Bobby chuckled. “Glad to hear it. I’ll send my driver to pick you up at seven.”“Sounds perfect.”“I’ll see you tonight, then.”“You will,” Jane said, and with that, the call ended.Lydia erupted.“OH MY GOD!” She grab
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 106
106A Tense Dinner InvitationDylan adjusted his cufflinks, glancing at his reflection in the mirror. His navy-blue dress shirt fit snugly against his lean frame, and the polished watch on his wrist gleamed under the warm bedroom light. He ran a hand through his neatly styled dark hair, making sure everything was in place.His phone buzzed on the dresser. He reached for it, recognizing Olivia’s name on the screen.“Hey,” he answered.“You better not be backing out,” Olivia teased, her voice carrying a playful edge. “I even got a nice dress for tonight.”Dylan chuckled, buttoning the last cuff. “Relax, I’m on schedule.”“Good.” She sounded satisfied. “I’ll see you at the restaurant at eight. Don’t be late, Dylan.”Before he could respond, the call ended. He let out a short sigh, shaking his head. Tonight was going to be… interesting.A soft knock at his bedroom door broke his thoughts.“Daddy?”Dylan turned to see his six-year-old daughter, Molly, peeking in with wide, curious eyes. Th
Latest Chapter
221
221: The Future in Flame “I wouldn’t have told you if I wasn’t.” Dylan nodded. “Then let’s burn the world down.” He typed the command. A loading bar began to climb. Lilith stepped up beside him and pulled a drive from her coat—sleek, unlabeled, humming softly. “My code’s on here,” she said. “It’ll mimic the framework of Ignis Core perfectly. I’ve even embedded some of your old code from before you joined Ash. They’ll think it’s legit. Familiar. But once it activates… recursive detonation.” She handed it to him. He plugged it in. The system blinked. Code spilled across the screen—lines upon lines of luminous, perfect deception. Lilith crossed her arms as she watched. “We’ve got one shot at this.” Dylan didn’t look away from the screen. “Then we make it count.” The lights dimmed for a moment as the system initiated a shadow crawl—spreading the false Ignis Core like a virus in slow motion. Unseen. Waiting. When it was done, Dylan stood back, eyes cold. “Now we wait for them
220
220 Another pause. Then the faint sound of typing. “You want a paper trail?” “I want everything. Timeline?” “Standard turnaround is three days—” “Yesterday,” she cut in coldly. “I want to know everything.” The line stayed quiet for another beat, then the voice softened just a little. “Got it. I’ll be in touch.” Jane hung up before he could say anything else. She stood still for a moment, the city buzzing around her, oblivious. The ache in her cheek was fading now. But something else was forming beneath it. A plan. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. She might not have been the mother Molly needed—but she was still the sharpest weapon in the room. And it was time to cut through the lies. **** “God, that hurt,” Jane muttered under her breath, wincing as she touched her cheek again. Jane exhaled slowly, tucking the phone into her coat. Her fingers were trembling slightly, but not from fear. Anticipation. She turned to herself, muttering quietly, “Let them play the her
219
219 Jane was a good actress.Always had been.The tears never came when they were supposed to, and yet she could conjure them on command. A trembling voice, a haunted look, a furious, grieving mother storming into the middle of someone else’s crisis like she owned it—she wore the mask well. She always had.She could remember the first time she learned how useful a lie could be. She was ten, maybe eleven. Her father had forgotten to pick her up from piano class. Again. When she walked home alone, cold and soaked from the rain, her mother demanded to know why she hadn’t called.“I dropped the phone,” Jane had said. “It broke.”Not true. Not even close.But her mother had sighed, pulled her into a towel, and mumbled something about how her father never remembered the important things. That day, Jane realized that people didn’t want the truth. They wanted a version of it they could live with.Molly’s disappearance? Tragic, yes. Maddening, of course. But gut-wrenching?Not exactly.She fe
218
218Her cheek was on fire.The skin throbbed beneath her fingertips, every heartbeat pumping more heat into the wound Lilith had left. Jane could feel the swelling already—tight and raw, as if a thousand needles were pricking her at once. Her ears rang from the sound of the slap, but louder still was the pounding of her own pride, screaming at her that she couldn’t—wouldn’t—let this end with her standing there, humiliated.No.Not like this.Not with Dylan between them, not with Lilith standing there looking like some righteous, self-important goddess. Not when her cheek was burning like it was trying to peel off her damn face.Jane’s eyes locked on Lilith—and without a second thought, without hesitation or grace, she struck.Her hand shot out fast and furious, an explosion of motion that cracked across Lilith’s face with a sickening sound. Her palm connected hard, and the impact shuddered down her arm like a jolt.Lilith’s head snapped to the side. Her hair, half-loose from the earli
217
217Jane’s chest heaved, her breath coming fast and shallow. Her eyes burned—wild, furious, and unrelenting. She pointed a shaking finger at Dylan, voice trembling but loud enough to draw the attention of a passing couple across the street.“I left you, Dylan. You. Not Molly.”Her voice dropped, turning venomous and precise, like she was lashing each syllable across his face. “Both of you were the chains wrapped around my neck. You—some pathetic, broke, useless excuse of a man. A man with no future, no plan, no spine. Every day I spent in that house was like dying slowly. I did the right thing leaving. And guess what? I’m better for it. Stronger. Smarter. And soon, I’ll be a very rich woman. Not just locally. Not just nationally. Internationally. Bobby’s making it happen.”Dylan blinked, once, then twice. For a second he said nothing, just looked at her—really looked at her. At the expensive earrings, the glossy lipstick, the clothes tailored to perfection. All the glitter piled on to
216
216 “I left Molly,” she whispered. “I left her behind. I thought she’d be better off without the mess I was making. I thought Dylan—God—he was supposed to protect her.” “I think he’s been trying,” Lisa said softly. “But he’s hiding something. Maybe a lot of things.” “And he brought Lilith into this,” Jane muttered. “Of course he did. Of course.” There was venom in her voice when she said Lilith’s name. Jane had met the woman twice—both times by accident, and both times left her with the distinct impression that Lilith was a wolf smiling in a fur coat. Jane’s breathing became shallow. She looked around her kitchen like she was searching for something to punch. The cabinets were too sturdy. The walls were too silent. “She’s just a little girl,” Jane said, her voice cracking. “She still calls bees ‘buzzies’ and thinks thunder means God’s bowling. How the hell could he keep this from me?” Lisa didn’t speak. “I’m going to find him,” Jane said suddenly, moving. Her voice was low and
215
215Her hand slowly dropped from her cheek. “You’re talking about her like she’s a monster.”“She’s not,” Dylan said. “She’s human. But that doesn’t make her a mother.”A long silence stretched between them.Lilith said nothing, letting the space breathe, letting the weight of truth settle.Lisa looked at her, and for once, there was no bite in her voice. Just a raw kind of confusion. “Why didn’t you tell me?”Lilith looked back evenly. “Because you were too busy setting the stage.”Lisa’s lip trembled. “I didn’t know…”“No,” Dylan said, softer now. “You didn’t want to know.”He stepped past her then, toward the street, toward whatever came next. He was done with the confrontation. Done with the theater. There were more important things to do.Molly needed him.Lilith followed without a word, falling into step beside him.Lisa stood in the middle of the sidewalk, surrounded by the remnants of her own performance—watchers gone, the spotlight faded.She was alone now.And the weight of
214
214 Infact it was her shady car buyers and Dylan mistook them as people there to try to kill him. “Who are they?” Lilith asked. Lisa didn’t answer. She turned back to Dylan instead. “Don’t play dumb. Don’t pretend you’re in danger. You’re not the victim here. You never have been.” “Then what’s the show for?” Lilith asked. “I told you,” Lisa snapped. “People deserve to know what kind of man he is.” “People already think they know,” Lilith said. “You’re just hammering it in. Why now? Why here? What’s happening that you don’t want anyone to see?” Lisa’s jaw clenched. She took another step back. But Dylan had already started mentally mapping the exit points. The alley to their right. The cafe entrance. The fire escape four buildings down. He wasn’t just seeing Lisa anymore—he was reading the whole board. This wasn’t random. And the moment he’d seen her, standing there with her coat too perfect, voice too loud, eyes too bright, he’d known. It was all wrong. It wasn’t grief or
213
213“She finally divorced you,” Lisa said, the words slicing the air like glass. Her voice was calmer now, but only because she knew she’d drawn blood. “Finally. And thank God she did. Jane is building a life now—a future. Something you would have ruined if she’d stayed. You dragged her down long enough.”The words settled over the sidewalk like ash. A few onlookers had stopped, heads turning, phones subtly raised. The city had its own rhythm—cars hissing by on wet asphalt, neon lights flickering in windows—but all of it dimmed under Lisa’s voice.Dylan stood frozen for a beat too long. His hands curled into fists, not out of anger, but restraint. His heart pounded like a war drum behind his ribs. He wanted to yell, to peel back her lies in front of everyone, to lay out the complexities of what had really happened—what Jane had chosen to ignore, what she had run from long before any betrayal.But he knew how this would look.Lisa always knew how to hold a stage. How to paint herself i
