The Phantom Heiress Rising From The Shadows novel Chapter 221

Chapter 221 I’ll’Drag You

To Court If I Must

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The Barretts had left their home empty–handed–no jewelry, no wallets, and not a phone among them. All their valuables remained locked up within the high walls of their house.

Stranded without money for transportation, they could only walk to Lila’s place from Brenna’s.

The destination was quite far from Brenna’s house, about thirty kilometers away.

Even if they took the subway, it could take them more than an hour to get there.

As evening set in, they finally reached Lila’s apartment complex. Their shoes were worn thin, blisters throbbing with each step, while hunger clawed at their insides mercilessly. When Ruby saw someone about to throw away a half–eaten hot dog. She rushed forward, asking for the discarded food, and then devoured it in a frantic hurry.

Upon reaching their destination, the Barrett family members collapsed from exhaustion at the entrance, drained and waiting for Lila’s arrival.

Lila, accompanied by her son, Hugh Barrett, came home around six–thirty in the evening.

When Lila and Hugh saw Alec, disarrayed and bruised, they stopped, taking a moment to recognize the battered figure before them as Alec.

Hugh stepped forward to help Alec up, his voice filled with concern. “Dad… What happened to you? Did someone beat you?”

Alec winced under his son’s straightforward question. “No, it’s nothing,” he said. “I just had a nasty fall.” Ruby’s temper flared at the sight of Hugh. Overcoming her fatigue, she exploded in anger at Alec.

“How dare you!” Her voice shattered the air. “You and this woman already had a child? How long have you been cheating on me?”

Seeing Lila in her designer clothes and Hugh in expensive sneakers only deepened Ruby’s resentment. To her, they were living a life that should have been hers.

Fueled by her outrage, Ruby charged at them, driven by sheer spite. Lila, however, reacted with swift precision.

With a quick motion, she pulled Hugh out of the way, and with a strong shove, she sent Ruby tumb ground.

the

Ruby’s exhaustion from the long walk showed as her legs buckled because of Lila’s strong shove.

“How dare you shove me!” Ruby’s outcry echoed in the air. “You home–wrecker-”

Before Ruby could continue, Alec’s hand struck her cheek, knocking her to the ground just as she had managed to stand up.

18:14

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Chapter 221 I’ll Drag You To Court If 1 Must

“Think about what you’re doing! Do you want to stay here or not? Is this how you ask for help?” he exclaimed.

Though Ruby didn’t recognize Lila, Lila knew Ruby.

Confronted with the younger, elegantly dressed Lila, Ruby felt humiliated.

The difference was clear, Lila looked beautiful and young, looking refined, while she, her clothes drenched in sweat and her hair greasy, appeared a sad contrast.

Still, Ruby clung to one advantage with fierce pride–she was Alec’s lawful wife.

She could accuse Lila of being a mistress.

“Alec bought the house you’re in, didn’t he?” Ruby’s sneer dripped with a sense of superiority.

The idea of finding refuge briefly pushed aside her exhaustion, filling her with new energy.

She gripped Mack’s hand, her posture bold with defiance.

Lila replied in a calm voice, “I bought the house.” She then walked to stand beside Alec.

Lila was holding a bag of takeout food. The scent of the food drifted in the air, causing Alec’s stomach to growl. “Enough, let’s discuss this inside,” Alec snapped at Ruby, already heading towards the door. “Stop making a scene here. We will become a laughingstock.”

Mack and Isabella urged Ruby to calm down as well.

Alec turned to Lila and explained the situation to her, saying, “The Barrett Group is bankrupt, and our home has been confiscated. We have nowhere to go now. Lila, could we stay here for a while until we figure something out?”