Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism

Hattie hurriedly hid the bottle back in her sleeve.

"I found it in the bathroom on the island."

"What?" he asked.

Back in the day, Hannah used to throw wild parties on the island, where there were no rules.

They partied hard, and it seemed a servant missed this bottle during the cleanup, which Hattie had found.

Benson immediately got Hattie's plan and objected. "Hattie, don't do this."

"Why not?"

"You want Niall to fall for you, but this isn't the way. Using your body like this won't earn his respect. No man will respect a woman who does this. As your brother, I can't allow it." Hattie laughed, almost mocking Benson's innocence.

"Benson, do you think I want some romantic relationship with him? This is just business. This opportunity is rare. I might never get this close to Niall again, so I can't miss it." The entertainment industry was tough, and Hattie had accepted that.

To gain status and fame, some sacrifices were necessary.

Being timid wouldn't get her anywhere.

Seeing Hattie's determination, Benson felt conflicted. "Hattie, do you really have to do this? There are other options besides Niall."

"But Niall is the best option right now. You know how unappealing most of the men on those rich lists are. Niall is the best choice," she argued.

It's better to go for Niall than those other men!

Benson didn't know what else to say.

"Hattie, I just hope you won't regret this."

"I won't."

"Okay," he replied, hesitant.

Benson then sighed and left the kitchen.

Hattie knew she couldn't put the drug into the cake. She would find another chance to get Niall to take it.

The weather outside was worsening.

In the esports room, Violeta stood by the window, watching the storm rage outside.

She had a guess about the reason behind Hattie's odd behaviour.

Has Hattie set her sights on Niall?

Violeta frowned. She had always known that the island's collapse wouldn't harm Hattie and Benson.

In her previous life, Hattie had successfully debuted and become a famous actress, which meant she and her brother must have been rescued before the island disaster. However, Violeta hadn't expected Niall to be their saviour.

Hattie's eagerness to please seemed to have another motive, likely centered on Niall.

The idea of Hattie using sneaky methods to get close to Niall made Violeta feel sick.

She couldn't let Hattie succeed!

Just then, Hayden strolled over to Violeta. "You've been staring outside since you got here. What's so interesting out there?"

Violeta turned and leaned against the wall. "I wasn't looking outside. I was thinking."

"About what Benson and Hattie are up to?"

Violeta glanced at him. "How did you know?"

Hayden smirked. "Did I guess right?"

"Kind of."

Hayden leaned against the window frame, copying her. "If I were them, I'd try to get as close to Niall as possible. He could be a powerful ally someday.

"Of course, if possible, making him fall for me would be ideal. If not, I'd at least try to get into bed with him. It's too good an opportunity to miss."

Violeta's thoughts were based on her past life experiences, but Hayden had accurately guessed Hattie's plan.

Niall was indeed their target!

Violeta was surprised but kept her face neutral as she looked at Hayden.

After a moment, Violeta teased, "You've got quite the calculating mind."

In theory, Violeta had an advantage because of her past memories.

But Hayden didn't have those memories. Besides, he had no prior conflicts with Hattie and didn't know her that well.

At least Hayden and Hattie had never gotten into a fight, and on the surface, Hattie and Benson hadn't revealed their true intentions yet.

The fact that Hayden had drawn such a conclusion showed his impressive insight and ability to read people.

He had both good and bad sides.

"If you're right, would you stop them?"

"Why should I?" Hayden said calmly.

"Everyone has their own goals. Even in the closest relationships, people have their own agendas. As long as it doesn't affect me, there's no reason to interfere."

"That's true."

Violeta nodded, fully agreeing.

But since their target was Niall, it was already affecting her.