Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism
Chapter 257 Absence

Gillian and Candy chimed in agreement, "Yeah, everyone stop complaining. Crab feasts aren't all that great; eat too much and you'll end up with gout!"

On the third day in town, Violeta visited the riddle guessing stall and noticed a change in the rankings.

Her previous score had been surpassed, pushing her to second place.

Since she was already there, she decided to try her hand at the riddles again.

After an hour of effort, Violeta boosted her score to over eighty points, overtaking the second place with just over thirty points, thus reclaiming her spot at the top. She even won a small rabbit-shaped lantern.

In the afternoon, she tried her hand at shadow puppetry, which was a novel experience.

Hattie's plans to earn extra credits were thwarted by Violeta.

Consequently, on the third day, Hattie stayed put at the inn, spending the day watching variety shows.

The next day, they returned to Quinston.

A week later, the list of credits earned in the town came out. After verification, Violeta had earned a total of six credits.

Hattie, on the other hand, didn't earn a single credit and even faced a complaint from the riddle guessing stall owner.

However, such complaints didn't bother Hattie much; she was more concerned about the possibility of failing her finals, spending the next week in the library. Through Zelena's connections, she privately arranged dinners with a few teachers, gave some gifts, and managed to secure her grades for the finals.

Zelena sold this favour to Hattie, who promised to take Zelena to Harbor City to meet Hannah during the winter break.

Zelena knew this was a turning point and wouldn't miss this opportunity.

Half a month later, the finals arrived.

Once again, Violeta secured the top spot in her field with the best grades.

After exams, classmates went their separate ways, and Toland University officially began its winter break.

...

Quinston started cooling down and snowing. Today's first snowfall was unusually slow in coming.

The fire crackled in the hearth, casting a warm amber glow across the room where Violeta reclined on the sofa, engrossed in her phone. Outside, as the weather chilled, Tuna's fur thickened noticeably. Yet, indoors, where the fire blazed, he lay by the window, fixated on the world beyond.

As the year's end approached, Irene's schedule grew frantic, keeping her away from home for days on end.

At the theatre, preparations for the Spring Gala were in full swing, meticulously planned by Irene, the chief director, months in advance.

Meanwhile, Niall and Anton toiled long hours, commuting early and returning late daily.

Amidst the busy White household, Violeta found herself with the luxury of spare time.

Each morning, she rose when she wanted to, taking Tuna to the park, while Hera, off getting a custom headgear abroad, might not return until after the New Year.

Across the entertainment landscape,

Nolan's latest creation, 'Night On the

River,' which he both filmed and

directed, debuted on Blue Channel during primetime. The series showcased Nolan's talent and was backed by significant investment.

Violeta tuned in as well, impressed by its quality production and with Wade's writing prowess ensuring high viewer ratings.

Industry insiders had anticipated its success, and indeed, within just two hours of airing, the first episode surpassed ten million viewers.

Nolan had become an overnight sensation, his Facebook following exploding by the millions and still growing.

Violeta recognised this as the beginning of Nolan's rise to stardom.

Even she, his junior, faced inquiries

about him while working on the promotional MV for 'MLSS' and shooting posters. Staff, upon learning of their connection, Subtly probed her for insights.

Regrettably, Violeta's response remained consistent: "Sorry, I don't know him well."

Staff members, though disappointed, offered reassurance, "No worries, Violeta. You're in performing arts as well, and I have a good eye for talent. You're destined for stardom too!" Violeta smiled graciously, "Thank you for your kind words."

With her sophomore year looming, Violeta knew bigger challenges awaited her, building upon the successes and lessons of her freshman year.

If all unfolded as Violeta anticipated, sophomore year would witness Hattie and Zelena springing into action.

Already, many luminaries in their circles had left their mark in the realms of film and television by this stage.

Drawing from Violeta's recollections

of a previous life, both Zelena and Hattie had begun testing the waters of the entertainment industry during their second year. Hattie surged ahead with ample resources, while Zetena, though initially trailing, swiftly caught up.

From that point, the gap between them only widened.

Naturally, Violeta couldn't afford to lag behind.

Come evening, Zoren arranged a gaming session via their group chat.

Upon logging on, Violeta noticed Hayden's absence, replaced by a male student from the tennis club who blended well with Zoren and the others. She queried, "Where's Hayden?"

"He's off to Newham with his uncle. He can't make it," Zoren responded.

"What's he doing there?" Violeta pressed.

Zoren shrugged nonchalantly. "Who knows? Seems Mr. Frost whisked him away. Missing him?"

... Not really."

"Don't fret. He'll be back for New Year's Day. Goes to the Frosts every year for card games. This year's no different."

"Let's get started, let's get started!"

The game commenced swiftly.

Violeta immersed herself, contributing to several victories. However, upon Niall's return, she swiftly logged off.

Zoren, still eager for more, queried, "Vio, logging off so soon? Are you heading out?"

"Yeah, I need to go!"