Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism
Chapter 216 The Bracelet Showdown

Gillian and Candy, sitting beside Zelena, smugly chimed in, "Oh, Lena bought this emerald bracelet during her summer trip to Verdancia. You guys can forget about it. It's impossible to replace!"

"Yeah, bracelets are just starting to become popular now, but Lena already had hers."

They continued to flatter Zelena, "It seems Lena is always ahead of the fashion curve!"

Zelena basked in their compliments, modestly replying shyly, "Oh, it's not as impressive as you say. Bracelets have always been classic! But mine was indeed purchased in Verdancia, so you might not be able to replace it."

Several female classmates looked at each other and thought to themselves.

It's just a glass bracelet, even if it's from Verdancia, so what? Zelena's being way too snobbish.

One of the girls, whose family was also quite well-off, felt a prickle of annoyance at Zelena's words.

She said, "Zelena, you could just tell us where you bought it. We could easily get a purchasing agent to buy it for us. It's just a matter of spending a bit more money."

Zelena chuckled, deliberately being coy. "I said you can't buy it, and you really can't, even with a purchasing agent."

The girl was speechless at her words.

"Is it a limited edition?"

Zelena waved her hand adorned with the bracelet in front of them. "Not a limited edition. It's just that there's only one like this in the entire world."

"It's just glass. How can there be only one?"

Zelena laughed, a hint of disdain in her eyes as she looked at the girl who had asked. "This isn't glass! It's jadeite. Obviously, you've never seen jadeite before!"

"Hahaha!"

Gillian and Candy burst into harsh laughter.

From the back of the classroom, Violeta and Kaylee paused their packing, drawn by the raucous laughter erupting near the front.

Kaylee asked, "Vio, what's all that about? They're acting like lunatics."

Violeta glimpsed the bracelet on Zelena's wrist. "Just Zelena flaunting her new bracelet. It's got nothing to do with us. Let's head to training. Last game before the finals tomorrow." "Speaking of," Kaylee grinned, "Guess who snagged tickets to the finals? This girl right here! I'll be cheering you on from the stands!"

Violeta was genuinely surprised and touched by Kaylee's thoughtful gesture.

Tickets to the finals were notoriously hard to get, and Kaylee specifically went to get the tickets.

Violeta and Kaylee then left the classroom together.

As they left, Zelena and her entourage continued their ostentatious display.

"Wait, it's actually jadeite? Not glass?"

Zelena scoffed. "Of course it is. Why would I wear something as common as glass? This is genuine jadeite, with beautiful green flecks. You'll never see that kind of natural beauty in man-made glass, not even in crystals."

Having finished applying her makeup, Hattie couldn't bear Zelena's bragging any longer and made a hasty exit.

Zelena saw Hattie leave without much of a reaction.

"It was a gift from Lena's parents, you know," Gillian added.

"How much did it cost? It must have been a fortune!" Candy chimed in.

Zelena chuckled. "Oh, it wasn't that expensive. Just around a million dollars."

"What? Around a million dollars? That's amazing!"

Gillian and Candy gasped in unison, playing their roles as devoted admirers perfectly.

The other girls fell silent, the mood turning awkward.

Zelena continued to wave her wrist, showcasing the bracelet. "I'm not being secretive, but jadeite is a finite resource, unlike mass-produced glass. It's simply in a different league."

She then added, "Actually, my parents offered to buy me a violet bracelet, but I wasn't impressed, so I declined."

The girls exchanged glances.

Zelena's blatant arrogance was too much to bear.

Several girls turned and left, unable to listen to another word of her bragging.

Gillian said, "Lena, bracelets are so popular these days, but yours is the best-looking! It can beat all the bracelets in the whole school!"

Candy chimed in, "Indeed! Lena's is made of jadeite. It's incomparable to those made of mere glass!"

Their words were too much for the departing girls, who turned back to retort, "It's not as amazing as you're making it out to be!"

One of the girls spoke up, "Actually, the bracelet trend probably started with the tennis club. Violeta has a stunning bracelet, and it's the reason my boyfriend got me mine. Everyone who sees it is mesmerized. In my opinion, Violeta's is the most beautiful one."

Another girl agreed, "It's a shame Violeta always wears long sleeves in class, hiding it. But I saw it the other day at the tennis club, and it seems to have three different colours shimmering within it! The lustre is comparable to yours, if not even more translucent."

Zelena, Gillian, and Candy were stunned. Three floating colors? How could that be?

There hadn't been a single bracelet with three colours at the recent auction in Verdancia!