Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism

Chapter 225 The Neon Bar Confrontation

Violeta was the only exception over the years, and she might be the only way in.

"If you want to convince Jasper to come, you might have to invite Violeta. If she goes, there's a good chance all four of them will come," Casey suggested. Lucy pressed her lips together.

She didn't like Violeta.

Maybe it was because Violeta's mentor, Grace, was a rival to her own teacher.

Or maybe it was because Violeta had managed to do what no other woman could: forcefully join the group of four guys and become the exception.

Ultimately, it might just be that Lucy was jealous of Violeta.

This jealousy prevented them from becoming friends, making them enemies instead.

But Lucy would never admit to being jealous of Violeta.

The idea of inviting Violeta to her birthday party was something Lucy just couldn't bring herself to do.

She thought about it some more...

"Is there no other way?" Lucy asked.

"If you want Jasper to come, besides asking Violeta, the only other option would be Hayden," Casey replied. Lucy fell silent.

That was out of the question.

Hayden was so aloof that she couldn't bring herself to approach him.

If she upset Hayden, it would be a big problem, and even her grandfather would have questions for her.

"Let me think about it some more," Lucy said.

"Alright," Casey agreed.

a whole afternoon of work,

to a bar called The

wasting any time, she decided

felt a sense of relief, as if she had just resolved a

the moment she closed her laptop, she nearly spit out her coffee when she

managed

you sit down

front of her, covered in several IP addresses Violeta had jotted down

quickly snatched the

to borrow a dictionary. I saw you here and

you were writing down an address. Are you planning to

Violeta stayed silent.

had seen it

strand of hair behind her ear, Violeta replied, "I was just jotting down random stuff. Don't

Hayden have such good eyesight that he could read what was on her

handle the black market issue on her own, without anyone else knowing. If Hayden discovered what she was up to, it would make things even more complicated. There was an anxious feeling about having her secret

many people knew a secret,

Kay's waiting for

"Alright," Hayden responded softly.

laptop into her tote

she went straight to

and then

...

White residence, Violeta told a lie, saying she was going out

didn't suspect anything and just reminded

took a cab to The Neon

she had the exact address, the bar

she had to get out and

decades old, had

alone, the only sound

of the alley, a sign

"The Neon