Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism
Chapter 501 Warmth

Violeta stood still and dialed Hayden's number.

As soon as the call connected, Hayden's voice came through. He said, "I see you. Don't move."

Violeta was holding her phone, and she turned slightly to the side.

There he was, strolling toward her from the path beside the main gate. He wore a light gray jacket and appeared casual yet stylish. Even from a distance, his posture was straight, exuding an air of elegance. He carried something with him. Violeta hung up the phone.

As he approached, she fixed her gaze on the item in his hand and asked, "What's that?"

"Fruit tea. It's passionfruit flavor. I got it just for you."

Hayden handed her the thermos bag. Violeta's eyes lit up at that. Just as she was about to say something, he cut her off.

"I know, a superstar has to watch her sugar intake. It's sugar-free, so it might taste a bit tart."

"Amazing, you know that? Impressive, really."

Unfortunately, Violeta was wearing a face mask, which made it inconvenient to drink.

There might be paparazzi lurking around. Therefore, she slouched a bit, took Hayden's hand, and together they slipped away.

Hayden had made a reservation at a nearby rotisserie restaurant.

There were no private rooms, but the ambiance was relatively quiet. Screens separated the tables, providing a decent level of privacy.

They chose a discreet corner, surrounded on all sides by partitions.

The table was small and square, with seating on all four sides, but Hayden opted to sit to Violeta's left.

As she reached for the bagel dinner rolls, Violeta felt a bit cramped.

"Why are you sitting next to me? You could sit across."

"I wanted to be closer to you."

Violeta smiled. She picked up some butter to add to her roll. As she wrapped it up, she said, "I've been so busy lately dubbing over eighty episodes of drama that it has left my head spinning. I checked the calendar and realized it's only June. Why are you here already?" Hayden replied, "Am I not allowed to return early?"

Violeta quipped, "And why did you come looking for me first? Weren't you supposed to report in?"

Hayden shrugged and said, "No rush. I have time to have a meal with you."

Violeta glanced at him, guessing that the first thing Hayden did upon returning to Quinston was to replace her. He hadn't even gone home first, and the thought filled her with joy.

It meant that she was his top priority.

After a peaceful and cozy meal of smoked duck, they still had some time, so their driver took them to a nearby lake where there were fewer people to take a walk.

As they strolled by the lake, time seemed to slow down.

She asked, "Hayden, it seems like you don't smoke."

"I do, occasionally."

Violeta lowered her head in silence, saying nothing..

"Do you not like that I smoke?"

"Not really. If smoking is a way to relieve stress, there's no harm in doing it occasionally."

"Then why aren't you saying anything?"

Violeta smiled and said, "I was just recalling. I don't think I've ever seen you smoke before."

"Hmm, you won't in the future either. I don't want you to breathe in secondhand smoke."

As they were about to return, Hayden took Violeta's hand and suddenly pulled her into an embrace.

Violeta placed her hand on his back, then felt a warm kiss land on her cheek.

Her eyelashes fluttered slightly. She cupped his ear and leaned in closer.

Thump, thump, thump.

It was the sound of a quickening heartbeat.

After returning from the lake, Violeta was in high spirits as she continued her voiceover work.

Hayden went to report at his office.

For the next few days, Violeta was busy finishing up her voiceover work, while Hayden started his new job at the branch.

Apex Entertainment had organized a

fan

Creet-and-greet for Evelina,

g quite a buzz that even

landed them on the trending search lists.

The comments were filled with well wishes from netizens, hoping that after all she had been through, her career would now sail smoothly.

Evelina was relishing the benefits of having the support of a large corporation.

In the past, she would've had to rely on luck to make it onto the trending searches. There was no way she could afford to buy a spot. After all, a single trending story was quite expensive.

Apex supported their new talent. The company secured Evelina with a decent endorsement deal and a photoshoot for magazine. Perhaps because of this, Evelina's confidence had grown.

Her cousins, who also worked as her assistants, embodied the phrase bullying with power to the fullest extent.

One day, Aster went to the lounge to

get

ranie water and unexpectedly

two staff members who

were moving the water dispenser from the room.