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Chapter Twenty-Four
Last Updated:
2025-03-11 13:46:12
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Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Twenty-Five
𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐬It's been two weeks since Elena disappeared.Two weeks filled with unanswered questions and dead ends. Two weeks of concern and frustration. Two whole weeks of trying to find a woman who, it turns out, never even existed—at least, not as we knew her. Cameron's office is as silent as a graveyard, save for the steady humming of the air conditioning. The tension in the room is palpable as we sit in uneasy stillness—me with my elbows braced on my knees and fingers steepled, while my mind painstakingly runs through every possible scenario for why she'd fled from us.Nathaniel stands by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his jaw tight, arms crossed, and eyes locked on the nighttime city skyline outside. As usual, he hasn’t said much, but the rigidity in his stance speaks louder than words. Cameron, on the other hand, leans back in his chair, attempting a casual pose which fails in belying the more honest and telltale signs of his agitation such as his fingers tapping an erratic rhy
Last Updated : 2025-03-12Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Twenty-Six
𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐬There's a woman standing in the center of the ballroom, surrounded by almost all the guests. She looks like a lost prey being circled by vultures and I begin to wonder why we were sent this video when the lass suddenly turns, bringing her face into view. My breath catches when I recognize her.It's Elena.However, she’s not sitting behind a piano like we would expect, considering her previous job at the restaurant. Neither is she wearing her typical look of cold indifference nor is she veiled in the mystery that’d first drawn us to her. No. Elena is standing in the middle of the ballroom, her expression one of shock and devastation, with her dark eyes wide as she pleads with someone just out of frame.I blink, my mind scrambling to connect the dots, to process the image of Elena in this new light.She's dressed in a colorful, revealing gown that's a far cry from the usually modest and monotonous outfits we've seen her wear ever since meeting her. I'd even noticed how she
Last Updated : 2025-03-14Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Twenty-Seven
𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚I take a slow yet deep breath, smoothing my hands over the silky fabric of my dress for the night. The gold satin gown clings to my figure, accentuating my curves in a way that is both elegant and daring, the one-shoulder design leaving my left shoulder bare while the fabric gathers at my waist in a ruche style before cascading down to the ground in soft folds. A thigh-high slit runs up one side of my leg, revealing just enough skin to be striking, but not inappropriate. Althea had picked out the dress for me earlier and seeing as I'd immediately fallen in love with it just like the one she'd given me at Marcos' event, I can certainly say that my biological mother has a keen eye for fashion, and although I'd have preferred to wear something more simple and casual since we wouldn't even be leaving the mansion, I can't help but love the gown regardless. It's bold with a luxurious sheen to it that projects confidence—something I'm certainly not feeling much of right now. M
Last Updated : 2025-03-15Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Twenty-Eight
𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚When Althea had said that she knew exactly what I needed to get started on my revenge plan against those backstabbers, the last place I'd expected her to bring me to is this place—a large shopping mall right in the heart of Knightsbridge. My gaze flits from side to side, taking in the shops as we pass them until we finally stop before one of them. The boutique before me is the embodiment of extravagance and practically dripping in wealth as we walk inside through the automatic doors. Its marble-tiled floors gleam underneath the glow of massive orb-like crystal chandeliers, their intricate gold-inlaid designs paving a path toward a space so opulent, it feels more like a room in a palace than a mere boutique. Ornate columns stretch towards the visible ceiling, their gilded carvings whispering of aristocracy, while a golden carousel right in the center of the room, adorned with accessories and delicate perfume bottles, flaunts its luxury.I exhale, turning to Althea with wha
Last Updated : 2025-03-16Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Twenty-Nine
𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚The late afternoon sun spills through the tinted car windows, casting muted golden rays across the dashboard while my gaze drifts over the countless shops and buildings we pass by, distractedly taking in the sights. A muffled tapping sound fills the silence in the car and I turn my head to face the only other person here with me. Althea is the one seated behind the wheel this time, after having decided to chauffeur us to our one and only destination for today. Her flawlessly manicured fingers drum idly against the leather as we cruise through the city. The scent of her signature perfume—a mixture of jasmine and something deeper and muskier—lingers in the air, blending with the faint smell of the leftover coffee in the cup holder between us.I look at her, noticing the slight curve of her lips, a tender, meaningful smile playing there as if she’d already been anticipating my nerves. “You’re more quiet than usual today, sweetie. A penny for your thoughts?” She remarks, flic
Last Updated : 2025-03-17Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Thirty
𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚On the third day of our transformatory spree, I wake up with a singular goal in mind and that's to erase every trace of my past still left. The weight of old names and old identities presses down on me like chains I’ve long outgrown. Today, I’m cutting them loose.Althea is already at the breakfast table when I step into the sunlit kitchen. She’s sipping on what I'm sure is her routine morning pick-me-up—chai tea, not coffee as the faint aromas of cinnamon, ginger and other spice blends curl into the air. Seated completely untouched on the dining table before her is a large platter that holds a classic, full English breakfast, consisting of some crispy bacon strips, blood sausages, baked beans, hash browns, a couple of fresh cherry tomatoes gotten from the greenhouse at the backyard of the mansion, black pudding, fried eggs with runny yolks, and sauteed mushrooms. A separate set of plates surround the platter, containing few slices of toasted sourdough bread, some porrid
Last Updated : 2025-03-18Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Thirty-One
𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚I've never been in Clive's home office since I began staying here but I should've expected that, just like the rest of the mansion, it'd be bathed in luxury as well.Dad's office space is as refined and commanding as the man himself—a room that demands attention without needing to ask for it. Different shades of the color brown dominate the large space, starting from the dark mahogany furniture, to the elevated floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that line the opposite wall and are brimming with leather-bound tomes, gleaming awards and neatly arranged artifacts, and finally, to the opened curtains flanking the massive windows overlooking the surrounding grasslands of the Hampstead Heath nearby.The warm glow of chandeliers catches on the gold accents which frame the room, making everything glimmer with subtle opulence. An expansive map, framed with gold, dominates the wall between the shelves that's behind his imposing wooden desk— acting as a silent testament to the vast reach o
Last Updated : 2025-03-19Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Thirty-Two
𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚My mouth is still agape as Dad nods in response, his countenance completely serious. I vaguely hear Mom laugh softly from beside me before she cups my jaw and pushes it back up to close my mouth. I swallow hard, blinking repeatedly. “Y-You’re… serious, Dad? This isn't some kind of joke?” I ask, chuckling in disbelief as I glance from him to Mom and back again. Dad nods once more, giving me a small smile. “We are, princess. Deathly serious, in fact.”“But that would mean…” I trail off, the realization crashing over me like a tidal wave. My birth family aren't just rich—they’re the elite of the elite. They don't just exist within high society, they define it. Their reach extends across various industries from the finance industry to the mining one, which our jewels and jewelry division, GemsThorne, is largely a part of. And so, for me to be the head of that… it sounds very, very unbelievable. I swallow hard, my heart hammering in my chest. “It feels so surreal t-that you
Last Updated : 2025-03-20
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Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Sixty-Nine
𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧Everything about this meeting screams a trap.I sit in the backseat of a nondescript black SUV, eyes trained on the quiet stretch of road as we drive out of the city. The address I was given isn’t the Barsamian mansion where we had the last meeting—it’s a guesthouse tucked into the outskirts of a neighboring city. That alone is a red flag. But what makes it worse is that I was explicitly asked to come alone.Of course, I’m not that foolish.A second vehicle trails behind, discreet and distant—my hired security detail, professionals I trust with my life. I keep my phone in my hand the entire ride, fingers tapping idly against the screen, sending occasional location updates to my manager just in case.Because this? This feels like the kind of story that ends in a disappearance headline.The guesthouse is impressive in a quiet, understated way. Rustic wood beams, a sweeping stone terrace, and tall windows that reflect the gray morning sky. Inside, it smells like lavender a
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Sixty-Eight
𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧The moment I shut the door to my suite, I loosen my collar and finally let the smile fall from my face.I’ve been wearing it like armor all day—through the suffocating politeness, the backhanded compliments, the curt dismissal of logic from a spoilt heir with too much money and too little sense. The matriarch was composed, yes. Graceful even. But her silence when her son spat that sexist garbage…That silence said more than I liked.I sink into the armchair by the window, the city of Yerevan sprawled beneath me like a glittering mosaic. I should let it go. But the tension stays, coiled tight between my shoulder blades.With a sigh, I reach for my phone and dial.“Hey,” I say when my marketing manager answers. “I need you to pull up alternatives. If the Barsamians don’t get back to us, we need other options for that stone.”“You’re thinking they’ll back out?”“I’m thinking their prince of a son might poison the whole deal. I just want to be ready.”We talk logistics, pro
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Sixty-Seven
𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚The car ride back to the hotel is quiet.Not awkward. Not tense.Just… still.Cameron alternates between texting on his phone and staring out the window, one of his arms draped over the backseat with his fingers tapping out a silent rhythm against the leather. I watch the landscape blur by—stone buildings and narrow alleyways, ancient churches perched atop hills. The sky is beginning to burn orange at the edges, and for the first time all day, I feel the adrenaline ebb from my body like a tide retreating after a storm.I messed things up. I know I did.But I’d do it again in a heartbeat.We enter the hotel lobby without a word, both of us nodding politely to the concierge who greets us. The golden glow of the chandeliers bathes the space in warmth, but I feel anything but. My shoulders are still tight, my hands still restless.We step into the elevator together, side by side. The polished gold doors slide shut, enclosing us in a gentle hum of silence.I glance at him. “Yo
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Sixty-Six
𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚By the time we arrive, the estate looks like something out of an oil painting—ornate gates, lush grounds, cobblestone paths winding toward a home that could easily double as a museum. The sky has softened into a lazy afternoon haze, and I still haven’t fully shaken the image of that gun pointed at our driver. But Cameron and I are both dressed in our game faces now, and like good little liars, we smile.A housekeeper ushers us into a sitting room where the matriarch waits.She’s nothing like I expected.Older, yes, with the kind of face carved by time and quiet power, but there’s nothing soft about her. Her posture is steel, her eyes sharp behind thin, gold-rimmed glasses. She wears a high-necked black dress and sits with the kind of stillness that makes you feel like you’re the one being examined.“Mr. Lancaster,” she says to Cameron, voice low and smooth like aged whiskey. “And Miss…”“Hawthorne,” I offer with a polite smile, extending my hand. She doesn’t take it. She j
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Sixty-Five
𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚The door slams shut behind him.Cameron is gone.And I’m frozen.My pulse hammers so loud I can barely hear the silence that follows. That kind of silence that only exists when something horrible is about to happen. The kind that makes your stomach twist and your lungs forget how to breathe.I press a hand to my chest, trying to ground myself, but the cold leather of the seat beneath me feels more surreal than comforting.Outside, I can see them—Cameron’s tall frame moving like a slow fuse toward a man with a gun. A gun. Pointed directly at our driver, who still stands with his hands raised, eyes wide and pleading. The wind catches the hem of the driver’s jacket, and for a second, he just looks so human. So fragile.I curse under my breath and lean forward to get a better view. My fingers grip the edge of the headrest so tight they ache.What the hell is going on?This was supposed to be a business trip. Silk deals, rare jewels, Cameron flirting too much and me pretending
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Sixty-Four
𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧The next morning, we hit the road.Our driver, an older man with warm eyes and an encyclopedic knowledge of Armenian history, doubles as a tour guide. As the SUV glides through the countryside, he tells us about the Barsamians—how their lineage traces back centuries, how they built an empire from silk and spice and sheer force of will.Aretha listens, chin resting in her palm, her gaze drifting between the window and me. I catch her watching me from the corner of her eye for the fifth time.“What?” I ask, smiling. “You’re staring.”“I’m calculating.”“Calculating what?” I stretch my arm along the back of her seat, not touching her but close enough that her hair brushes my fingers.“Whether this trip is worth enduring your company for another forty-eight hours.”“Ouch.” I clutch my chest with exaggerated pain. “You wound me. And here I thought we were starting to bond.”“I don’t bond with trouble.”“You sat next to me. That makes you complicit.”She snorts and turns back
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Sixty-Three
𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚Yerevan greets us with a soft haze over the mountains and the thick warmth of afternoon sun pressing against the tarmac. The capital feels like a secret whispered between the ancient and the modern—a city made of stone, sky, and silent stories.Several hours after we land, I expect we’d be whisked straight to our client. That’s what I signed up for. Business. Strictly business.Instead, we end up checking into a hotel nestled in the city center—a luxury boutique place that smells faintly of rosewater and cedar. I wheel my suitcase into a suite that could easily host a cocktail party, then march back out toward Cameron’s room, irritation simmering just under my skin.He opens the door already dressed in a crisp linen shirt and slacks, smelling like something expensive and maddening.“Why are we here?” I demand, arms crossed. “I mean—here, at a hotel? Shouldn’t we be heading to the client’s estate or... at least contacting them?”Cameron’s smile is entirely too relaxed for
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Sixty-Two
𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚The airport is already buzzing when I arrive—suitcase in hand, coat slung over my arm, and a knot of mild anxiety sitting in my chest. I barely slept last night. My thoughts kept circling back to Cameron’s smug face, the glint in his eyes when he said “I’ll take that as a yes.” It irritated me more than I care to admit.Still, I’m here. Against my better judgment, I’m here.I pull out my phone to check my itinerary again when a sharp ding draws my attention. A new notification.My brows knit together as I stare at the screen.A credit alert?The amount is exact—down to the cent—of my flight ticket.What the…?I spin around and march to the nearest cashier window. “Hi, sorry—can I ask about a refund I just received? I don’t remember requesting one.”The woman behind the glass taps a few keys on her terminal, blinking at her monitor. “Yes, ma’am. It says here the refund was requested and approved on your behalf.”“By who?”I hear it before I see it.“Well, well,” comes a dr
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix Chapter Sixty-One
𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚I’m still in Marcus’s arms, chest to chest, as the crowd roars around us in a frenzy of triumph. My pulse hammers in time with the chant echoing through the stadium. His hands are firm against my waist, anchoring me, while mine are curled around his shoulders, refusing to let go. It should be awkward—hell, it is—but in this bubble of noise and adrenaline, nothing else exists. Just us. Just this moment.Then I feel it.A shift.My eyes flicker down to his lips. They’re parted, breathless from cheering. There’s a softness there. A dangerous invitation. And I—I’m not thinking pure thoughts. At all. I want to kiss him. God, I want to kiss him.But his voice breaks through the haze, low and amused, “We’re just friends, remember?”It’s like cold water on heated skin. My smile is tight, reluctant as I pull away. “Right. Just friends.”We fall back into our seats, cheering as the team does their victory lap, but the electric charge between us doesn’t fade. Not entirely. Every bru
