"How dare you talk to me so carelessly?" Delilah, Phoenix's stepmother yelled, about to take. A step forward but she stepped to the side.
"What would you say to the press if the found out the acting charwoman of Osborne company is having an affair while her husband is on a sick bed." Phoenix tilted her head to the side with a smug grin. The brief shock on Delilah's face was something she didn't expect to know about.
"Stop trying to get out of trouble by making things up, Phoenix." Her stepsister, Eliana scoffed, glancing back at the man who had his back turned to them, leaning against the wall.
Before she could continue her words, an irritating shout came from the end of the hallway. "Phoenix!" Ryan barked, storming towards her, ignoring every single person around her. He grabbed her by the arm, pulling her closer to himself with a hard look on. "What was the meaning of that nonsense you told me over the phone? Where have you been? With some other man?"
"I am not here for this, Ryan. I came to see my father and I think you should be expecting divorce papers from my lawyer." Phoenix snapped, gritting her teeth hard to hold back tears.
"Do you know how much impact I have on your father's company? If you divorce now, I'll pull out my father's shares from the company and it'll go bankrupt." Ryan threatened. Phoenix could feel her hands trembling as she stood there. She was prepared for his threats but it seemed to affacet her more than she thought it would.
"Sorry to interfere in whatever your family matter is," a calm voice came from behind. She finally remembered Draven had been standing there the whole time unnoticed by Ryan who had walked in and unrecognized by the other two. "I have business with Phoenix and I'll appreciate it if you let her go."
Ryan was about to snap at him but paused as he took a good look at the individual. He didn't look like the Draven he had met at events. He was casually dressed which was a surprise to him and was the reason he hadn't recognized him. "M-master Anderson. I didn't know it was you."
Ryan laughed nervously as he stood in front of Phoenix. "Has my wife done anything wrong for you to come all the way here for her?" Ryan asked, glancing back at Phoenix.
"Who are you?" Draven raised a brow with a slight frown.
"Phoenix," Eliana squealed, almost in excitement, wrapping her arms around Phoenix's. "You didn't tell me he was the Draven Anderson. I didn't know you two knew each other, you should have introduced me."
"I don't think he's interested in sluts." Phoenix replied, her voice shaky but firm at the same time. Her words pissed Eliana off but she couldn't say a word due to her fake facade.
Draven didn't bother saying a word and just headed towards Phoenix, grabbing her hand but it was pulled back by Ryan. "Whatever it is you have with her, I'll deal with it. She's my wife and I have the right over whom she sees and who she doesn't."
A slight chuckle escaped Draven's lips. "Really? I am sure she already notified you about her desire to divorce you."
"That's none of your business. I'll talk to her about it and this is our marriage. It has nothing to do with you." Ryan warned, glaring at him but all he got was a soft chuckle from Draven who didn't let go of Phoenix's hand but leaned closer to Ryan.
"Let me break something to you, Ryan. I invested in all of Phoenix's movies for her to be diligently paid for her talent, not for someone like you to take all she earns all in the name of marriage and threaten her. She is basically my employee and in all her contracts, there's conditions you went against. Whatever you offer her, I can offer her ten times." He said with a small pat of Ryan's shoulder. "Let's go Phoenix."
Phoenix didn't protest, slipping out of Ryan's grip forcefully, following Draven towards the exit. Ryan stood there in anger, glaring as he watched them leave. He knew pretty well that the condition was there in her contracts and had bribed everyone possible to channel all Phoenix's payments to himself. He never for once believed she could get out of his grip or have a strong backing.
"What is she doing with someone like him?" Delilah hissed in anger.
"Mother, I want him. Why does she get to have him while I'm stuck with those businessnen sons who just want me for my beauty." Eliana rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest. She glanced at Ryan who was obviously livid about the fact that Phoenix who he had been manipulating all these years was slipping out of his grip.
"Ryan, why let her go that easily? Even if you did something wrong, you're still the man of the house and should be the one in control. Not some outside man." She said, wrapping her arms around his. "Let's make a deal, you get her back, and I get him. What do you say, brother in law?"
Draven shut the door, sitting next to Phoenix who was busy twisting her fingers nervously. He knew he didn't have any right to interfere but he just couldn't take it.
"I'm sorry for interfering. I just couldn't take them humiliating you." He apologized, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel as he glanced at her.
She didn't say a word and just nodded. Deep down, she didn't know what to do. She might have just put up a fake facade to stand up against her stepmother, but she couldn't do the same when it came to Ryan. He was definitely going to make he repay for trying to go against him.
She was about to speak up when suddenly, her phone started to buzz.