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Chapter Twenty-Four
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-03-11 13:46:12
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Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Twenty-Five
đđđ«đđšđŹIt'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 existedâat 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 stillnessâme 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 hasnât 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-12Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Twenty-Six
đđđ«đđšđŹThere'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, sheâs 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 thatâd 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-14Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Twenty-Seven
đđđ„đđ§đI 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 confidenceâsomething I'm certainly not feeling much of right now. M
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-15Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Twenty-Eight
đđđ„đđ§đWhen 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 placeâa 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-16Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Twenty-Nine
đđđ„đđ§đThe 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 perfumeâa mixture of jasmine and something deeper and muskierâlingers 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 sheâd already been anticipating my nerves. âYouâre more quiet than usual today, sweetie. A penny for your thoughts?â She remarks, flic
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-17Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Thirty
đđđ„đđ§đOn 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 Iâve long outgrown. Today, Iâm cutting them loose.Althea is already at the breakfast table when I step into the sunlit kitchen. Sheâs sipping on what I'm sure is her routine morning pick-me-upâchai 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-18Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Thirty-One
đđđ„đđ§đI'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 himselfâa 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 deskâ acting as a silent testament to the vast reach o
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-19Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Thirty-Two
đđđ„đđ§đMy 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. âY-Youâre⊠serious, Dad? This isn't some kind of joke?â I ask, chuckling in disbelief as I glance from him to Mom and back again. Dad nods once more, giving me a small smile. âWe are, princess. Deathly serious, in fact.ââBut that would meanâŠâ I trail off, the realization crashing over me like a tidal wave. My birth family aren't just richâtheyâre 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. âIt feels so surreal t-that you
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-20
Bab terbaru
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Seventy-Two
đđđŠđđ«đšđ§Iâm in my office when the news arrives: the Barsamian matriarch has passed. Iâd met her only days agoâfrail but still razor-sharp, the first in her family to extend a genuine welcome to Aretha and me. Iâd admired her vitality, even in her advanced years: the way her mind raced ahead of every conversation about rare gems, her bright eyes challenging mine as she negotiated. To think she could be gone so suddenly twists my stomach into knots. A hollow ache settles behind my ribs.I stare at the email notification, disbelief flickering across my features. She had warned meâher life wasnât safeâthatâs why she transferred the family jewels without her usual demands or delays. Now, with her gone, I wonder if sheâd been right. Was her sudden demise simply the price of these stones?Before I can dwell on it, my phone buzzes. Unlocking it, I glance down at the screen to see a message from an unknown number. My breath catches in my throat when I read the contents of it.âSoon, she
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Seventy-One
đđ«đđđĄđMarcosâs house is exactly what I imagined it would beâelegant, structured, and yet effortlessly warm. The kind of place that feels like a home rather than a showcase. Books line the built-in shelves along the far wall, some stacked horizontally, some upright with worn spines and dog-eared corners. Thereâs a hint of cedar in the air, a scent Iâd somehow already come to associate with him.âWelcome to Casa Marcos,â he says with a mock bow, holding the door open as I step in. âShoes off or on?ââIâm not in Japan,â I deadpan, slipping them off anyway. âBut Iâll humor your inner neat freak.âHis grin is boyish, dangerous, and far too charming for a man who claims he doesnât brood.Lunch is already prepped by the time we move into the kitchen, and the aroma alone is enough to make me weak in the knees. Heâs made roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, buttery roasted potatoes, tender-stem broccoli, and gravy that smells like it was made by the angels themselves. For dessert: sticky
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Seventy
đđ«đđđĄđThe familiar buzz of activities at the GemsThorne company headquarters feels like a warm hug after days of unpredictable terrain, ancient jewels, and family feuds that felt like something out of a historical thriller. Londonâs cloudy sky greets me with its usual moody charm, and for once, I donât mind. Thereâs something grounding about being back. About knowing exactly where I stand.My heels click softly against the marble as I step out of the elevator and onto topmost floor where my office is located, a genuine smile lighting up my face.âMs. Hawthorne!â Winnie, my long-suffering and endlessly efficient personal assistant, pops out of her glass-walled office like a meerkat. She looks impeccably put-together as always, in a lilac blouse and black pencil skirt, with her work tablet in hand.âWinnie!â I greet her in a similar fashion, sweeping her into a brief, exaggerated hug that makes her squeak.âWelcome back, ma'am. I must say though, you seem to be in a good mood tod
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Sixty-Nine
đđđŠđđ«đšđ§Everything 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 isnât the Barsamian mansion where we had the last meetingâitâs 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, Iâm not that foolish.A second vehicle trails behind, discreet and distantâmy 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
đđđŠđđ«đšđ§The moment I shut the door to my suite, I loosen my collar and finally let the smile fall from my face.Iâve been wearing it like armor all dayâthrough 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 garbageâŠThat 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.âHey,â I say when my marketing manager answers. âI need you to pull up alternatives. If the Barsamians donât get back to us, we need other options for that stone.ââYouâre thinking theyâll back out?ââIâm thinking their prince of a son might poison the whole deal. I just want to be ready.âWe talk logistics, pro
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Sixty-Seven
đđ«đđđĄđThe 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 byâstone 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 Iâd 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. âYo
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Sixty-Six
đđ«đđđĄđBy the time we arrive, the estate looks like something out of an oil paintingâornate 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 havenât 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.Sheâs nothing like I expected.Older, yes, with the kind of face carved by time and quiet power, but thereâs 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 youâre the one being examined.âMr. Lancaster,â she says to Cameron, voice low and smooth like aged whiskey. âAnd MissâŠââHawthorne,â I offer with a polite smile, extending my hand. She doesnât take it. She j
Aretha Hawthorne: The Rise Of The Phoenix   Chapter Sixty-Five
đđ«đđđĄđThe door slams shut behind him.Cameron is gone.And Iâm 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 themâCameronâs 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 driverâs 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
đđđŠđđ«đšđ§The 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 Barsamiansâhow 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.âWhat?â I ask, smiling. âYouâre staring.ââIâm calculating.ââCalculating what?â I stretch my arm along the back of her seat, not touching her but close enough that her hair brushes my fingers.âWhether this trip is worth enduring your company for another forty-eight hours.ââOuch.â I clutch my chest with exaggerated pain. âYou wound me. And here I thought we were starting to bond.ââI donât bond with trouble.ââYou sat next to me. That makes you complicit.âShe snorts and turns back
