Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism

Chapter 697 Their First Meeting

When Zoren returned with his phone in hand, Jasper gave him a smirk.

"So, he turned you down, huh? Haha."

Zoren took a sip from the beer on the table. "Guess what? Hade agreed."

Liam raised an eyebrow. "What? He actually agreed? Not bad."

Of course, Zoren wasn't about to tell them what kind of deal they made. "Yep!"

Just then, Jasper's phone rang. He glanced at it but didn't answer right away. "Alright, that's it for today, I'm heading out." Liam nodded. "Got it."

When Jasper first laid eyes on Violeta, she wasn't at all what he had expected.

"Hade, are we just going to wait here? I feel like we're too early. Zoren's cousin probably isn't even downstairs yet."

Jasper's voice trailed off as he spoke.

His eyes locked onto a figure ahead, a girl in a simple dress.

Violeta was standing right in front of them. Jasper's gaze unintentionally met hers-her eyes were calm, emotionless, neither happy nor sad.

In that instant, the vague image he had of her suddenly became much clearer.

Hayden spoke calmly, "She's standing right there."

Jasper had a brief moment of regret.

If he had known, he wouldn't have been so quick to refuse Zoren's request.

about to make a witty

Just one look.

understood immediately-Hayden

all knew what that

rest of

them quietly retreated to the back, trailing behind the others as they headed toward the

the hem of Violeta's dress. He pulled out his phone and, without hesitation, canceled his lunch plans for the day. Normally, Jasper never ate at the cafeteria. But that afternoon, he

evening, someone teased him

You're acting differently. Cafeteria food? That's so

the guy a glance.

man, just

into laughter,

Jasper's expression darkened. He threw his drink at the

people joked about his girlfriends, he always shrugged

But this time...

now drenched in beer, quickly set his cup down and

of Jasper's close friends tried

things over. "Come on,

l.ne

No need to get worked

belongs to en.kikiston

too, shut up. You're ruining the vibe," Jasper said

after

that moment, it felt

like

was the only

his mother, Cynthia, consulted a psychic in

picture and said

road in