Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism

Chapter 147 The Storm Is Coming

The crew member cautioned, "Miss, we really can't go any further. We're already in the middle of the sea ...

Hattie dismissed him with a wave of her hand, "What are you scared of? The sea is calm. It doesn't look like a storm is coming. Just go over there, quickly!"

With no room for debate, the crew member reluctantly steered the speedboat closer as Hattie demanded.

Once close enough to capture the figures on the yacht with her phone, Hattie hurriedly took a picture and sent it to Zelena.

The image was slow to load on the plane, and Zelena grew increasingly impatient.

How could Violeta possibly be vacationing on an island?

That's absurd...

Hattie must have made a mistake.

When the photo finally loaded, Zelena quickly examined it.

Though Hattie did her best, the faces were still blurry, yet with her intense dislike for Violeta, Zelena immediately recognised that the woman in the photo was indeed Violeta!

'See, I wasn't wrong! That's Violeta! I can't capture it well with my phone, but with my binoculars, it's clear! That's Violeta with Jasper, Hayden, Zoren, and Liam! And yes, that yacht is Niall's! How could Violeta be hanging out with them?'

While Hattie was stunned, Zelena was even more dumbfounded!

Impossible, Zelena thought. It couldn't be.

Even if Violeta owned a cafe, it's newly opened and would not have generated much revenue. Where would she get the money for such an extravagant trip?

Was it because of Jasper again?

A frown formed on Zelena's face.

She tapped out a message quickly.

'It's probably just another trip with Jasper!'

Yet, Hattie felt there was more to it.

Niall and Zoren both bore the last name White, as did Violeta.

Could it be that Violeta was also part of the White family?

The thought struck Hattie as increasingly plausible.

'Have you ever considered that Violeta might be a White?' she typed.

Zelena felt a jolt at the suggestion but quickly dismissed it. 'Hattie, isn't that a bit far-fetched? Gillian and I thought the same before, but all the info on the Whites is available online. Where would they suddenly produce an heiress from? The family only acknowledges Niall!'

That seemed logical.

Niall was known as the sole heir to the White Group, and Hattie's checks on him revealed no mention of a sister.

Zelena continued: 'Also, before I reconnected with the Blakes, I looked into her real parents. They're just from some nondescript village. They're not wealthy at all!'

'Hattie, you might be overthinking this. Violeta probably met Niall through Jasper and the others. Since Niall is Zoren's cousin, it wouldn't be strange for them to introduce her.'

Hattie pondered Zelena's response.

Meanwhile, the crew steering the speedboat noticed the wind picking up oddly-it seemed a storm was indeed brewing.

Hattie grew up in Harbor City, not Quinston.Text © owned by NôvelDrama.Org.

Despite Hattie's return to the Ridges in Quinston, her and Benson's status as illegitimate children made it hard for her to be accepted by the elite circles of the city, which was why she ended up associating with Zelena.

Hattie had hoped that Zelena, who claimed to be Violeta's sister, could provide some clarity. Yet, Zelena's firm statement that Violeta's biological parents were villagers only added to her confusion.

Could Zelena's account really be accurate?

Yet, Hattie felt that something was off-it all seemed too simple.

"Miss, the weather's turning. We should get going!"

Hattie was still pondering when the urgent call from the crew member snapped her back to reality.

"Stop yelling... "

Looking up, Hattie's face shifted in alarm.

The sea that had been bathed in moonlight was now cloaked in darkness, covered by thick clouds. The speedboat, stuck in the middle of the sea, felt eerily isolated.

Moments before calm, the sea now hinted at an impending storm, with winds whipping her hair and waves beginning to churn.

Terrified, Hattie slumped back into her seat.

"Quick, let's head back! Hurry up!"

The crew member quickly turned the speedboat and accelerated back towards the island.

Soon, a loud clap of thunder resounded above them.

Boom!

Hattie felt a chill run down her spine.

Meanwhile, on the yacht's deck, amidst music and barbecue, the group heard the ominous thunder.

Violeta glanced at the sky, "Niall, it looks like a storm is coming. We should head inside."

Niall observed the increasing

turbulence in the surrounding sea, "Indeed, the weather is turning. The sea is getting choppy, and the wind is picking up. Let's go inside to avoid the rain. If it worsens, it might be safer to head to the island.