Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism novel Chapter 299

...

At the front, Violeta finally took the stage.

Irene happily started recording and watched her daughter perform with joy.

Initially, she was delighted, but as she watched, her eyes filled with tears, and she covered her mouth, overwhelmed with emotion.

No one understood better than Irene what it meant for each minute on stage to represent ten years of hard work offstage.

Her daughter danced so beautifully; how much hardship had she endured in private?

Irene was past the prime childbearing age when she was pregnant with Violeta.

To protect the pregnancy, she endured numerous injections, eagerly awaiting her daughter's arrival.

After the birth, the baby was taken away for cleaning.

When she was returned, Irene's first instinct was that the child was not hers, but her efforts to investigate led nowhere.

Misunderstandings had kept her and her daughter apart for many years.

Irene often felt a deep sense of guilt towards her.

The one solace was that Violeta's adoptive parents were not struggling financially.

Yet, after Violeta returned home, Irene often sensed that she was different from other girls from wealthy families.

Irene did not need a daughter who was already so mature, but she could not change the past.

As Violeta danced gracefully on stage to the sound of applause, Irene alone cried beneath the stage.

...

Violeta was the only solo dancer.

After her performance, several judges nodded and exchanged looks, all agreeing she had danced beautifully.

Her routine was flawless, showcasing her solid foundational skills. Despite being challenged from any angle, she maintained her composure, playing it safe.

However, since each judge had different preferences, her final score was not the highest, but it was still commendable.

Violeta did not know her score yet, but she felt content and without regrets.

As she stepped off the stage, Grace was there, waiting with enthusiastic applause, visibly pleased.

"Vio, you danced wonderfully. I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you, Ms. Parker." Violeta hugged Grace and said, "I just don't know how many points I get."

Grace patted her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Go and rest."

Lucy also watched Violeta's entire performance.

Honestly, she could not find any fault in it either.

For someone relatively new to the industry, Violeta's courage to take the stage without any stage fright and deliver a perfect performance was remarkable.

Lucy remembered her own first major performance, where she was nervous and stumbled in her steps.