Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism



After a short wait, the waiter arrived, bringing the food.

While the others hesitated with their utensils, unsure of where to begin, Hayden swiftly seized the best piece of sea bass garnished with lemon and herbs a dish originally intended for Victor.

With the fish in Hayden's grasp, who would dare to object?

As Hayden enjoyed his meal, the rest gradually joined in, starting to eat from their plates.

Unbeknownst to them, Zelena had no utensils; only an untouched glass of wine sat in front of her, a bitter reminder of the toast she had failed to make.

Suddenly, Hayden shattered the silence. "What's going on? Is anyone here willing to lend a hand? Be a gallant knight?"

Everyone froze mid-bite, their gazes snapping to Wayne.

Wayne struggled to keep his smile intact. "How could anyone think that? Haha! I didn't mean it like that, Mr. Frost. You've misunderstood!"

Hayden replied coolly, "Good, because if you're willing to help, you can always give it a try."

There were many leading figures in the entertainment industry.

Whether Wayne was there or not would hardly make a difference; his absence would go unnoticed.

Wayne sensed the subtle threat in Hayden's tone and realized he had inadvertently stepped into a trap. He quickly chuckled nervously. "Haha, you're just teasing! I truly didn't mean anything by it. If I've upset anyone, I'll drink three shots as a penalty!"

With that, Wayne rose, pouring himself three shots of liquor as a self-imposed punishment.

Zelena felt as if she were sitting on a bed of nails, utterly mortified.

She had hoped Wayne would act as a mediator, but now it seemed he might land himself in trouble. If Hayden was displeased, the consequences for Wayne could be severe.

Zelena's heart sank into an endless void, the hope she had clung to extinguished at last.

Yet, she was still not willing to accept this outcome.

No way!

Violeta has severely underestimated me. If she aims to ruin my career, then I will ensure that I take her down with me!

If it comes to that, none of us will be keeping our jobs.

As dinner neared its end, a heavy tension lingered in the air.

Once everyone had departed, Zelena found herself alone in the private room, feeling like a discarded doll left behind.

She lay sprawled across the table, silent tears cascading down her cheeks.

It was only when Clifford called to check on her status that she stirred from her despair.

Zelena didn't even consider

responding; instead, she snatched up her phone and slammed it down onto the table with all her strength, shattering the rotating glass surface.

The loud crash reverberated through the room, startling a waiter outside.

He rushed in, his eyes widening in shock at the sight before him.

"What are you doing? You'll have to pay for that!" he exclaimed. "Get lost!"

Zelena shouted back, her voice seething with anger.

The waiter regarded her as though she had lost her senses and quickly radioed for the manager.

Inside the room, Zelena laughed maniacally, her image warped in the glass decor that surrounded her, making her appear utterly unhinged.

The manager soon entered to assess the situation. Thankfully, Zelena's phone was durable; although the screen was cracked and the device had frozen, it still powered on.

She instructed Clifford to come handle the aftermath.

When Clifford arrived, he was ready to pay for the broken glass, his forehead creased with worry. "What happened? What's going on with you, Zelena?"

Zelena stared vacantly ahead, her thoughts racing, until she suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter. "I want to take her down with me!"

Clifford looked bewildered. "Who are you talking about? What's going on? Lena, please make sense of this!"

Zelena's emotions remained raw from the earlier chaos, and her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

Through clenched teeth, she spat out the name that tormented her.

"Violeta!"

Meanwhile, Hayden had left the dinner and returned to Liberty Grove.

Violeta was also home early, and as soon as she spotted Hayden, she rushed over, her face glowing with curiosity. "Hayden, did you really issue the ban?"

"Yeah," he replied, giving her a brief embrace before changing his shoes.

Violeta leaned against the doorframe, momentarily furrowing her brows before relaxing. "Then, it won't be long now."

"What do you mean by that?"

Violeta explained, "I've been waiting

for this moment. I initially planned tonovelbin

corner Zelena step by step through Ophelia, but Ophelia's skills just weren't sufficient. She couldn't

uncover anything on Zelena.

"Instead, you made your move and issued the soft ban. Now, Zelena is like a lone wolf pushed to the edge Even as she is facing her downfall she will likely attempt to take someone down with her, revealing the truth about 18 years of her life. That will become her final act of defiance."