Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism

Chapter 194 Trucks of Roses

The waiters were gossiping, spreading the news that there were trucks full of roses outside.

Word travelled fast, and soon enough, folks from Vivian's crew were also running out to take a look. They had thought it might be some kind of marriage proposal.

But to their surprise, they saw signs on the trucks saying, "Happy Birthday Grace" and stuff like that.

"Oh man... How much do you think all these roses cost?"

"Do you think it's from Grace's secret admirer?"

"Such extravagance, using the most expensive rose perfume. It must have cost quite a bit."

"These roses are just for show. They can't be used for anything else. They might wither overnight. What a waste. But when you have money, you can be whimsical. Just enjoy the momentary pleasure, and the money spent is worth it."

"Could it be the rumoured relationship between Grace and that wealthy businessman from Heokrish? The one in real estate?"

"It could be...

Whispers and gossip from nearby totally stole the spotlight from Vivian, the birthday star.

She felt a bit annoyed and glanced at Declan beside her.

Declan's gaze was also fixed on the roses inside the truck, his expression seeming a bit lost.

He hadn't expected there would eventually be another guy beside Grace ...

Vivian nudged Declan with her elbow, a frown on her face. Only then did Declan react, "What's wrong?"

Vivian asked, "Seriously? You're asking me what's wrong? It's my birthday, and you didn't even get me anything?"

Declan responded, "Isn't this birthday party enough?"

She asked, "Enough? Enough for what?"

He responded, "Vivian, we've been married for so long. What's the point of all this? Life's about living it for ourselves, not for anyone else. And look around. Who here's living better than you?"

This statement might have been comforting to Vivian before.

But clearly, it wasn't enough now.

Among these dancers, the ones making a name for themselves were already top-notch. And for someone like Vivian, who could marry into wealth, they were even rarer.

So yeah, Vivian has been shining brightly in the circle these years.

But now that she's getting older, her relationship with Declan isn't like it used to be. After the passion faded and she saw her arch-rival Grace being pursued by wealthy men again and being showered with rose perfume, she couldn't help but feel envious. It was only natural for a woman, right?

Vivian was dissatisfied with Declan, but she also knew when to hold back. She lowered her voice and said, "Looks like you're not that into me anymore! Hmph!"

With that, Vivian turned and walked into the hotel, leaving Declan alone outside.

Before long, everyone else followed suit and made their way into the hotel.

Grace finished her meal, but the truck with the roses outside was still parked there. The hotel manager approached her, asking when she would have the truck moved. However, to move the truck, she needed to contact the wealthy businessman first because she had no clue where to send it.

So, she headed out to the terrace and gave the rich guy a call.

The call connected quickly, and Grace's voice was cold as she said, "Hello? Tell your driver to move the truck immediately. It's disrupting the hotel's parking. Don't cause trouble for me."

At the same time, Violeta was outside the hotel, taking photos with Nydia and Hazel.

The sisters struck their poses, while Violeta stood in the middle, holding up her phone for a selfie.

Click.

After taking the photo, Violeta

glanced at it and zoomed in on one

corner, only to discover a man

standing in the background on the lawn, photobombing their shot. It seemed like this photo was a bust.

"There's a guy over there."

Hazel asked, "Where?"

The three turned their heads and saw a luxury car parked not far from the lawn.

A man was standing on the lawn, making a phone call.NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

Violeta's gaze shifted slightly, and she spotted Grace on the hotel terrace and also on the phone. Violeta's face lit up with excitement. "Hey, what if that guy is the rich dude chasing after Ms. Parker?" Nydia chimed in, "I know, I know! He's the big shot in real estate from Heokrish. His name's Oliver Knight!"

Hazel exclaimed, "Damn, he's bold enough to show up in person. Let's watch the show!"

The three of them hid nearby, silently observing as the two made their phone calls.

Though they couldn't hear the conversation, they could imagine it vividly, and it seemed pretty thrilling!

Grace said, "Get the car out of here right now."

Oliver responded, "It's yours. Drive it wherever you want. Deal with it however you see fit."

She remarked, "I've already said it—I don't want to get married. Stop bothering me!"

With that, Grace hung up the phone.

Just as she was about to turn away, she suddenly spotted a guy standing behind her.

Taking a closer look, she realised it was Declan.

As Declan got older, he lost the cool and charm of his youth, now carrying a strong scent of grease and the stench of a businessman filled with fat that Grace loathed the most.

Seeing Declan in front of her, Grace couldn't believe she'd ever been attracted to such a sleazy guy.

The more she looked, the more disgusted she became, not wanting to spare him another glance.