Reborn Young Miss: Phoenix Burning Red-Chapter 357: The Fate of the Wicked (1)

Lewis Jiang never thought he would experience such humiliation from his daughter. Things had never been the same for him after the authorities detained his second wife and Cayden for the attempted murder of his first wife, Rosemary. The major investors in Jiang Corporation had pulled out one after another, causing their market shares to plummet further.

Kristoff, the CEO they outsourced to manage the company, could do nothing to save Jiang Corporation from its inevitable end. Despite Kristoff’s best efforts, the company’s reputation had been irreparably damaged due to the scandal involving Jiang’s family.

The media scrutiny and public backlash made it impossible for Jiang Corporation to regain its former glory. As a result, Lewis was left personally and professionally devastated as he watched his life’s work crumble before his eyes.

Lewis was helpless as he watched the legacy of their family come to an end. He didn’t believe that his estranged daughter had anything to do with this, as Adrienne seemed to hate their entire family with passion.

Just as he thought he’d seen enough, his father’s passing added another layer of grief and burden to Lewis’s already heavy shoulders. His younger brothers couldn’t even help him lessen the burden, as they were still mourning the loss of their father.

Weeks later, the news of his youngest brother, Waylen, leaving the country reached him. Lewis had no idea what his brother was up to, but it didn’t take long before the scandal that ended Ayla’s career spread around.

It was the day when the judge would make the final ruling for the case against Camilla. It’s been a hard and expensive case for Lewis, who had to hire the best lawyers for her. The trial had taken a toll on him emotionally and financially, leaving him drained and uncertain of what the future held for his family.

On every trial, Adrienne and Hunter accompanied their mother, who was bound in a wheelchair. Lewis hadn’t seen his first wife for a long time. He could tell that Rosemary had lost much weight since the last time he’d seen her. She looked frail yet happy as she held on to their children with a smile on her face.

Throughout the previous sessions, the brother and sister pair had chosen to ignore him as evidence of Camilla and Cayden’s involvement in Rosemary’s car accident was presented to the jury. Lewis was filled with rage as he looked at Adrienne. She might be acting aloof and unconcerned, but Lewis knew deep down that she was involved in the sudden decline of the family.

It was the same that day. Rosemary arrived with Adrienne and Hunter, smiling as if they already knew the verdict of the case. Rosemary was standing and walking now with a cane in one hand. Their son’s imposing and tall figure was also supporting her. Beside them was Reese Zhao, whom Lewis hadn’t seen for a long time.

Lewis excused himself from his wife’s lawyers and walked towards his first family.

"I would have never thought things would turn out like this when I kicked you out of the Jiang family." He said it through gritted teeth, his voice dripping with bitterness.

Adrienne’s expression remained unchanged, but Lewis could see a flicker of satisfaction in her eyes. It was clear to him that she had orchestrated this downfall as revenge for his past actions, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret for underestimating her.

"Of course, I wouldn’t miss this opportunity to see you suffer," Adrienne replied, her voice laced with a mix of triumph and vindication. "You always underestimated me, Father, but now you’ll finally understand the consequences of your actions."

Rosemary and Hunter frowned upon hearing the conversation between the two. Hunter was enraged to see that their father held no remorse for what he did to them.

"I could possibly miss hearing the verdict and seeing the fate of the wicked," Adrienne added, her tone full of ridicule.

She seemed to have enraged Lewis, who scowled. From the moment Adrienne was born, Lewis had been wary of her. It only worsened when a wandering monk deemed her the star of calamity’. She was destined to cause the death of one of her parents and cause them bad luck. From the look of it, Adrienne had truly caused the downfall of the Jiang family, but Rosemary woke up from her long coma, which only meant that Lewis’s life was potentially in danger.

The monk’s prophecy had always fueled Lewis’s fear and suspicion of Adrienne, and it appeared that his worst fears were now coming true. As Rosemary regained consciousness, Lewis couldn’t help but wonder if Adrienne’s presence was a harbinger of tragedy and if he was in imminent peril.

He couldn’t believe his ears. His own daughter had orchestrated the downfall of his family, and he had no clue about it until it was too late. He felt like a fool for underestimating her. He had always been wary of Adrienne due to the prophecy, but he never thought she would go this far.

As Lewis walked away, Adrienne’s smug expression turned into a scowl. She had waited a long time for this moment, and she wasn’t going to let her father get the last word.

"Father, why are you walking away from me?" Adrienne spat, her eyes blazing with mockery. "You had it coming. You treated my mother and me like dirt, and you never thought about the consequences of your actions. Now, you’re paying the price."

Lewis stopped in his tracks and turned around, his eyes blazing with fury.

"You think you’re so smart, don’t you?" he snarled. "But you’re just a little girl who doesn’t know anything about the real world. You have no idea what you’ve done, and you’ll regret it."

Adrienne laughed with a cold, cruel sound. "Regret it? I don’t think so, Father. I’ve waited a long time for this. And now, I have ruined you. Your company, your reputation, and your legacy It’s all gone, thanks to me."

Lewis took a step toward her, his fists clenched. "You are truly the cursed star of this family! You’ve always been a thorn in my side, Adrienne. I should have gotten rid of you a long time ago."

Adrienne stiffened, her eyes narrowing. "Is that what you really think, Father? That I’m a burden to you." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Lewis didn’t reply, but the look in his eyes was enough to answer.