2025-03-23 23:58:33
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 129
129Olivia walked beside Dylan in silence, her mind still replaying the scene outside the restaurant. She had known Dylan for a while, but tonight had peeled back a layer she hadn’t expected. He wasn’t just some rich guy with charm and a sharp tongue—he was something else entirely.She stole a glance at him. He looked… relaxed. As if what had just happened was nothing more than an amusing inconvenience.“You’re enjoying this,” she muttered, half in disbelief.Dylan smirked. “Of course I am.” He slipped his hands into his pockets, looking utterly at ease. “Nothing’s more entertaining than watching someone like Bobby realize he’s not as important as he thinks.”Olivia shook her head, still processing. “Langford,” she murmured. “As in that Langford?”Dylan didn’t confirm nor deny it, but the way his lips twitched in amusement was answer enough.“Dylan.” Olivia stopped walking, turning fully to face him. “Who are you?”For a moment, he didn’t answer. Just studied her, as if debating how m
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 130
130Dylan watched Olivia as she hesitated at her mansion’s entrance. The dim glow of the streetlights softened her features, but he could still see the concern lingering in her eyes.“Thanks again,” she said quietly. “For everything. For the dinner… and for saving my sister’s life.”Dylan waved a dismissive hand, his usual smirk in place. “Don’t mention it.”She studied him for a second, as if trying to figure him out, but eventually just nodded. “Good night, Dylan.”“Night, Olivia,” he replied before stepping back into his car.As soon as he drove off, his easygoing expression vanished. His mind was already shifting to something else, something darker. There was something about the way Bobby had reacted tonight that didn’t sit right with him. That level of anger didn’t just disappear—it festered. And festering anger usually led to stupid decisions.Dylan reached his villa in less than twenty minutes, but the moment he turned into his driveway, a deep sense of unease settled in his gu
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 131
130 Dylan watched Olivia as she hesitated at her mansion’s entrance. The dim glow of the streetlights softened her features, but he could still see the concern lingering in her eyes. “Thanks again,” she said quietly. “For everything. For the dinner… and for saving my sister’s life.” Dylan waved a dismissive hand, his usual smirk in place. “Don’t mention it.” She studied him for a second, as if trying to figure him out, but eventually just nodded. “Good night, Dylan.” “Night, Olivia,” he replied before stepping back into his car. As soon as he drove off, his easygoing expression vanished. His mind was already shifting to something else, something darker. There was something about the way Bobby had reacted tonight that didn’t sit right with him. That level of anger didn’t just disappear—it festered. And festering anger usually led to stupid decisions. Dylan reached his villa in less than twenty minutes, but the moment he turned into his driveway, a deep sense of unease settled in
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 132
128 The air outside the restaurant was thick with tension, but Dylan barely seemed to notice. He and Olivia strolled down the pavement, the streetlights casting a warm glow on the sidewalk. Olivia glanced over her shoulder, her brows slightly furrowed as she took in Bobby and Jane’s expressions—shock, confusion, maybe even fear. “You really have a way of making enemies,” she murmured, though this time, her tone held something new. Uncertainty. Because she had thought she knew Dylan—rich, sure, but not this. Not the kind of power that left people like Bobby and Jane speechless. Dylan smirked. “It’s a gift.” Behind them, Bobby finally seemed to snap out of his stunned silence. His face was still burning with humiliation, but now, beneath the rage, there was something else—doubt. “You think this is over?” he hissed, but his voice wasn’t as strong as before. Dylan didn’t even bother turning around. “You keep saying that, Bobby, but the funny thing is… it kinda feels over.” Olivia
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 133
128 The air outside the restaurant was thick with tension, but Dylan barely seemed to notice. He and Olivia strolled down the pavement, the streetlights casting a warm glow on the sidewalk. Olivia glanced over her shoulder, her brows slightly furrowed as she took in Bobby and Jane’s expressions—shock, confusion, maybe even fear. “You really have a way of making enemies,” she murmured, though this time, her tone held something new. Uncertainty. Because she had thought she knew Dylan—rich, sure, but not this. Not the kind of power that left people like Bobby and Jane speechless. Dylan smirked. “It’s a gift.” Behind them, Bobby finally seemed to snap out of his stunned silence. His face was still burning with humiliation, but now, beneath the rage, there was something else—doubt. “You think this is over?” he hissed, but his voice wasn’t as strong as before. Dylan didn’t even bother turning around. “You keep saying that, Bobby, but the funny thing is… it kinda feels over.” Olivia
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 134
134Dylan stepped over the shattered remnants of his front door, his boots crunching against the broken glass scattered across the floor. The place was a wreck—furniture overturned, papers strewn everywhere, as if someone had deliberately torn through his home in search of something. His jaw clenched, muscles taut with fury as his eyes swept the room. There had to be a clue. Something. Anything.His feet carried him down the hall, straight to her room. The air was thick with dust and lingering perfume, a cruel reminder that she had once been here. His gaze locked onto the desk, where a single red envelope sat neatly, untouched amid the chaos.Dylan’s breath hitched. That emblem. The wax seal bore the unmistakable mark of Victor Castellano.With steady hands, he broke the seal and unfolded the message inside. His eyes skimmed over the words, each letter twisting the knife deeper into his gut.“You shouldn’t have come back. She is safe… for now.”His fingers tightened around the note, c
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 135
135: The Hunter’s ReturnDylan didn’t make his move right away. He was patient. Watching. Waiting.Victor Castellano sat in the center of his entourage, laughing as if he owned the world. He swirled whiskey in his glass, his rings glinting under the dim casino lights. Every so often, he shot a smug glance across the room, completely unaware that someone was hunting him.Dylan knew better.For nearly an hour, he tracked Victor’s movements. Every sip of whiskey. Every nod to his men. Every flicker of arrogance in his expression.A waiter approached Victor’s table with a fresh bottle, and Victor clinked his glass against the rim before pouring himself another drink. His right-hand man, a burly guy with a scar across his cheek, leaned in to whisper something in his ear. Victor listened, then chuckled, knocking back his drink in one smooth motion.Dylan’s fingers curled into fists. It was time.Victor stretched, cracked his neck, and murmured something to his men before sauntering toward t
Rise Of The Phoenix: Dylan’s Rebirth 136
136: Seraphina’s BetrayalThe door behind them splintered as bullets tore through the wood. The deafening blasts sent panicked screams rippling through the casino.Dylan reacted instantly, shoving Victor down and flipping the table for cover just as another hail of bullets shredded the air above them.Shouts and terrified cries filled the air.“Oh my God! They’re shooting!”“Get down! Somebody help!”“What the hell is happening? This is a casino, not a war zone!”Guests ducked beneath tables, some sobbing, others frozen in shock. The roulette wheel spun idly, chips scattered across the floor, forgotten in the chaos. Dealers had long abandoned their stations, diving for cover alongside their customers.A man in a suit clutched his bleeding arm, wailing, “I’ve been shot! Someone call an ambulance!”“They’ve got guns! Who are they after?”Then, cutting through the hysteria, came something that made Dylan’s blood run cold.“Dylan Grenville!”The voice rang out over the chaos, clear and de
Latest Chapter
167
167Dylan stood there in the empty room, his breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps. His hands still gripped the armrests as if he could hold onto something—anything—to keep himself grounded. But nothing made sense anymore. He had seen the truth in Seraphina’s eyes, even though she denied it. The girl was his. He could feel it deep in his gut.But Seraphina, with all her bitterness and anger, had left him in that cage of his own making. She walked out with the child, leaving him here, imprisoned not just physically but mentally, too.He wanted to follow her. He wanted to run after her, grab her by the arm, and demand she tell him the truth. But deep down, he knew she wouldn’t. Not like this. She had already said too much—he had hurt her too deeply, and nothing he said would ever be enough to fix that.The walls felt closer now. It wasn’t the literal ones of the room, but the ones he had built around himself, the walls he had put up all those years ago. He had walked away from Seraphin
166
166Dylan’s mind raced as he stood there, his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn’t shake the thought—that girl, the one Seraphina kept talking about, had to be his daughter. There was no other explanation. He had to know for sure.“Seraphina…” His voice came out hoarse, uncertain. He took a cautious step forward. “How old is she?”Seraphina’s gaze hardened, her jaw tightening at the question. “Five,” she snapped, her eyes flashing with an anger that almost made Dylan step back. “Why does it matter?”Five. Five years old. Dylan’s breath hitched, his heart doing an unsettling flip in his chest. Five years…He swallowed hard, trying to steady his thoughts. It couldn’t be a coincidence. He hadn’t seen Seraphina in five years. That was right around the time he had walked away from her—left them both. Molly was four, and this girl—this child—was five.His legs shook, but he forced himself to keep his composure. “Five… so that means…” He trailed off, eyes wide, trying to piece everything
165
165Seraphina’s gaze softened just for a second before she turned away, her face hardening once more. “I don’t know,” she muttered, almost to herself. “But it doesn’t matter, does it? You had a chance to be part of her life, and you threw it all away. Just like you threw me away.”Dylan’s heart twisted in his chest, guilt flooding his veins. His legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the floor, his hands gripping the armrests as though he might fall apart if he didn’t hold on. “I never meant to hurt you,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “I never meant to leave you. I thought I was doing the right thing… but I was wrong. I was wrong about everything.”Seraphina didn’t respond right away. She stood there, her arms crossed, her eyes staring out the window as though she were seeing something far away. Her silence stretched on, thick and uncomfortable, until finally, she spoke, her voice quiet but cutting.“Don’t you dare try to make this about you,” she said, her tone icy. “You don’
164
164 But his cries fell on deaf ears. The guards, clearly intimidated by Seraphina’s wrath, ignored him as they forcibly pulled the little girl away. Her protests grew louder, her tiny body wriggling in their grip.“Mommy, please! Don’t let them take me!” she cried, her voice breaking with fear.Seraphina stood there, her gaze unwavering as the child was dragged from the room. She didn’t flinch, didn’t move a muscle. Her expression was cold, emotionless, as if the scene unfolding before her didn’t affect her at all.Dylan’s heart twisted in his chest as he watched the child disappear down the hallway, her cries echoing in the silence. The sound of her desperation was like a dagger, cutting through his soul, leaving him with a hollow ache that he couldn’t shake.The guards left the room, their footsteps fading as they carried the girl away. Seraphina didn’t follow, didn’t make a move to stop them. She stood there, her back straight and her gaze fixed on the floor.Dylan, however, could
163
163 Dylan was still reeling from Seraphina’s words when the unexpected sound of small footsteps echoed in the hallway. His thoughts were a whirlwind, tangled in the confusion and betrayal that Seraphina had hurled at him. He had thought he understood her—once. But now, all he was left with was the sharp sting of her accusations, and the painful realization that everything he had believed in was a lie.He stared at Seraphina, his chest tight with frustration. She stood there, her gaze cold and unwavering, as if she were the one who had been wronged. His heart ached, but there was no time to dwell on the past. The footsteps grew louder, drawing his attention away from her and toward the hallway.And then, in the doorway, a small figure appeared.“Mommy! Mommy!” The voice was high-pitched and innocent, filled with desperation. Dylan froze, his heart skipping a beat as the little girl ran into the room. Her face was familiar—strikingly so. She had the same dark hair, the same wide eyes,
162
162 Dylan stood in the dimly lit cage, still reeling from the weight of Seraphina’s words. His mind raced as he tried to piece together the truth from the lies, the half-truths, and the manipulations. The anger, the betrayal—it all swirled in his chest like a storm that threatened to tear him apart. But despite the chaos, he knew he had to keep pressing, had to make her reveal everything.“You turned rogue, Sera,” Dylan said, his voice hoarse but determined. He lifted his chin, trying to hold her gaze, but her eyes were like steel, impenetrable. “I heard you wanted to take the lead of Dragonia. That’s what Victor told me.” He paused, a heavy silence falling between them. “He said you were making moves behind the scenes. That you wanted to reshape everything.”Seraphina’s eyes flickered with something—amusement? Frustration? It was hard to tell, but whatever it was, it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. She chuckled, a low, bitter laugh that sent a chill down his spine. H
161
161Dylan’s pulse quickened, his head spinning with a cocktail of rage and confusion. “What the hell are you talking about?” His voice cracked, the rawness of his throat echoing his desperation. “I didn’t do anything to you. I was just trying to protect my daughter! I never wanted to hurt you, Sera. You don’t get to make me the villain here.”Seraphina’s gaze softened for a brief moment, and for the first time, Dylan saw the flicker of the woman he once knew, the woman who had once been kind, gentle. But just as quickly as it came, that softness disappeared, replaced by cold fury. She stepped toward the cage, her movements deliberate and slow, the sound of her boots echoing in the silence.“You never wanted to hurt me?” she repeated, her voice tinged with disbelief. “Is that what you tell yourself? You left me, Dylan. You walked away from me. Without a word. You didn’t care about what I was going through. And then, when you did show up again, you were with her. You were with her. And
160
160“No…” Dylan’s voice cracked, his body trembling with a mix of horror and sorrow. “You’ve lost yourself, Sera. You’ve let all this hate consume you.” He staggered toward her, but his movements were slow, weak. “This… this isn’t you. You’ve changed. You’ve become… a person I don’t even recognize anymore.”Seraphina’s expression hardened, her face transforming into an unreadable mask of indifference. “I don’t care what you think,” she spat, her tone dripping with contempt. “I don’t give a damn about your opinions anymore. You made your choice, Dylan. Now live with it.”The words hit him like a slap to the face. Live with it. What choice had he made? He had never wanted any of this. He had never asked for any of it. And yet here they were—he, broken and defeated, and she, consumed by a twisted version of vengeance. There was no room for understanding, no space for forgiveness. Just anger, regret, and a shattered future.Dylan swallowed hard, his eyes never leaving hers. “I never wante
159
159 “I didn’t want to leave you, Sera,” he said, his voice barely audible now, strained with the weight of his own pain. “I didn’t know how to stay. I was scared. I thought I had to fix things on my own, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. I didn’t know how to come back to you.”The silence between them stretched on for what felt like an eternity. Seraphina didn’t turn around, didn’t acknowledge him. He could feel her standing there, her back to him, but the distance between them had never felt greater.“I thought you were dead, Dylan,” she whispered again, this time more to herself than to him. “And then you come back with her, and everything is… it’s just a lie. You lied to me. You lied about everything.”Dylan’s chest tightened, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe. He had lied. He had hidden the truth from her, kept secrets that had cost them everything. And now, even if he apologized a thousand times, it wouldn’t be enough to undo the damage.He tried to speak again, but the words stuck
