Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism novel Chapter 661

In that instant, Zelena grasped the entire situation.

It was Violeta.

Violeta was the mastermind behind Zelena's blacklisting, having manipulated Hayden into doing her dirty work!

That despicable woman can't outshine me directly, so she resorted to underhanded tactics—how repulsive.

Dressed sharply in a sleek black suit, Hayden entered alongside a jovial, rotund man wearing a wide smile.

Initially, Anthony Parham had planned to leave the meeting early to join the dinner, but Hayden had unexpectedly intervened, questioning why he was in such a hurry and insisting on tagging along.

It was well-known that Hayden had never attended gatherings in the past.

Excited about the prospect of Hayden's company, Anthony had quickly agreed and brought him to the hotel.

Hayden hadn't come to see Zelena; running into her at the dinner was merely a fortunate coincidence.

He had intended to confront them directly, but when he spotted Zelena, he decided to assert his position immediately, shattering any lingering hopes she might have harbored.

Anthony personally instructed a waiter to fetch an extra chair.

Hayden took the seat of honor at the table, radiating an unmistakable air of authority.

As he walked past Zelena, her complexion drained of color. In that moment, Hayden appeared almost godlike—his attire was simple, yet his presence remained entirely unassailable.

Memories of her time at Toland University surged back, reminding her of the moments she'd glimpsed him on the tennis courts.

Zelena lowered her gaze, overwhelmed by a profound sense of regret.

Had she realized that Violeta's true target was not Nolan, she wouldn't have squandered so much time on him.

More than a decade of her life had just slipped through her fingers.

When a waiter brought over a chair, Zelena remained rooted in place.

"Don't just stand there like a statue. Come on!" Wayne urged quietly. "We can't afford to offend him—don't make us look bad."

With a quick nod, Zelena diverted her eyes and moved toward her seat.

Hayden claimed the head of the table, with Wayne sitting directly across from him, while Zelena positioned herself next to Wayne, slightly in front of Hayden.

Once seated, she kept her head bowed, her hair cascading over her face like a protective veil.

There was truly no need to probe any further. Zelena had already assembled the pieces of the puzzle in her mind; asking more questions would only lead to her embarrassment.