Haven Online: Brewing Chaos

Chapter 3: Phone Call

Fenix snapped back to reality, a chill running down his spine. The memories of what had happened to him were still vivid, and it was enough to prevent him from attending today's shooting.

It had taken him a long time to overcome his trauma, and he wasn't about to relive it. Even though he might avoid being covered in oil this time, he couldn't be sure.

'And there's no way I'm taking any chances,' he thought, opening the contacts on his phone.

As he scrolled through his contacts to find the show's producer's number, he came across Camille's name. He clenched his phone tightly, feeling anger rise within him.

Without hesitation, he changed her name to "Demon Bitch" and blocked her from his contact list. He couldn't bring himself to delete her entirely, though, knowing that one day he would call her to gloat.

A smirk crept across his face as he pictured that day. He wondered how her face would look knowing that he was the one to crush her dreams.

Would it be the same as his? He hoped so.

In a somewhat better mood, he scrolled through his contacts, found the producer's name, and made the call.

"Hello, this is Fenix Brooks," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Fenix! Glad to hear from you. What's up?" the producer responded cheerfully.

"I have some bad news. There's an emergency, and I won't be able to participate in the show," Fenix explained, feeling a slight twinge of guilt for lying. "Please also let Mrs. Yu know that I won't be able to become a judge on her show. And thank her for the opportunity."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "That's truly unfortunate, Fenix. Are you absolutely certain? This could be your first step into the food industry."

"I'm sure. It's just not possible right now," Fenix replied firmly.

"Alright, I'll pass the message along. Take care, Fenix."

"Thank you," Fenix said before hanging up.

He stared at the phone for a moment, thinking back to his old dreams. At one point, he had planned to use the show as a stepping stone to buy his own restaurant, but now he didn't need it. Haven Online would be his path to making money, gaining popularity, and getting his revenge.

"Three birds, one stone," he muttered to himself with a determined smile.

Looking through his phone, he found his bank app and opened it. After signing in, he saw he had $55,469 saved.

Although the show had paid for his hospital bills, the medication was expensive. It only took six months before his money dwindled after his release from the hospital. It was a good thing he had always saved for a rainy day. However, it was not good enough.

He had tried to contact Camille numerous times for help, but his calls always went to voicemail. He should have known then that she was a good-for-nothing snake, but no, like the idiot he was, he thought she was just busy.

Shaking his head at his past naivety, he clenched his fist, vowing never to make the same mistake again.

Those days were the most difficult. It wasn't until a year later that his best friend Maya found him begging on the street. She didn't look down on him; instead, she ran to him and hugged him, not minding his grungy appearance.

"Why didn't you ask me for help?" she asked, her voice breaking as she cried.

He wanted to, but at the time, she was taking care of her sick mother, and the expenses for that made her take on two jobs. There was no way he could ask for her help.

"Don't be an idiot," she said, hitting him lightly on the shoulder after he explained. She then dragged him to her car. She fed him, let him stay with her for a while, bought him a VR headset, and taught him how to make money in the game. If it wasn't for her, he knew for sure that he would have been dead a lot sooner.

Sadly, Maya went into extreme debt after taking out a loan to help pay for her mother's surgery. Her mother died because she couldn't gather enough money in time. Maya fell into depression for a long time, withering away. He stayed by her side until she was better, but then she was forced to join a black company to pay off her debt.

Clenching his fists, Fenix promised himself that he wouldn't let that happen this time. Opening up his contacts, he dialed the number of the person he owed everything to. The phone rang twice before it was picked up.

"Hey Fenix, what's up?" Maya asked in a bell-like voice.

Fenix took a moment to gather his thoughts before replying, "A lot, actually."

They talked about everything, though not quite everything. Although she was his best friend, he doubted she would believe he had traveled back in time. That's the kind of talk that lands you in a mental hospital.

Instead, he carefully crafted a believable lie. He told her that he had overheard Camille on the phone, planning to get rid of him and causing his hand to be mangled.

"Are you serious?!" Maya exclaimed, her voice laced with shock and anger.

Fenix nodded, even though she couldn't see him. "Yeah, I heard her talking loud and clear."

"That snake! I always had a bad feeling about her. If only I had followed my gut," Maya fumed.

"Don't blame yourself. I didn't suspect anything either," Fenix reassured her.

"I'm going to her house right now and give her a piece of my mind. No one gets away with hurting my friend," Maya declared angrily.

A small smile tugged at Fenix's lips. Maya was a true friend, fiercely loyal and protective. "It's okay, I have a plan for revenge already."

"What is it? And do you need any help?" Maya asked eagerly, ready to help in any way she could.

"Maybe..." he said before telling her his plan.

"I think that's letting her off too easily," Maya said. "You should also marry into the Yu family. I bet that would kill her."

Fenix couldn't help but laugh at her words. "As if that could ever happen."

"Why not?" Maya pressed on. "I heard some juicy gossip that said one of the Yu sons flies the rainbow flag, so it might happen."

"Even if it could, I don't want to use someone for my revenge," Fenix replied, shaking his head.

"I guess you're right, that wouldn't be fair. But I wouldn't mind you using me. Seeing that bitch suffer for what she has done would give me joy," Maya said, her voice hardening.

Fenix giggled at her words, feeling happier than he had been in ages.

"By the way, where are you?" she asked.

"Still in Korea, but I'm catching the quickest flight back to California," he said.

"Okay, when you arrive I'll come pick you up. The ride back from the airport will give me some time to talk you into moving in with me."

"Moving in with you?" Fenix remembered that she lived in a single-room apartment so small that she could barely walk around.

"Yeah, my grandfather left me a spacious apartment, and thankfully it's already paid for. I know I'll be scared living there alone, so I wanted to see if you would consider being my roommate."

In his previous life, Fenix often recalled Maya mentioning an apartment she had to sell. Her expression would turn melancholy whenever the topic came up.

Occasionally, she would make a playful remark about how they could have been living in luxury if she kept it. He couldn't help but wonder if this was the same apartment she was referring to now.

Teasingly Felix said, "Well, I'll give you a shot at convincing me."

"Ha, you should know that I'm a pro at it," Maya laughed.

"Alright, let me book my flight. We can talk more later," Fenix said.

"Okay, goodbye."

As he ended the call, Fenix couldn't help but smile. This time things would be different.