Chapter 16
As soon as the man finished speaking, the fans went wild, their cheers echoing around the room.
โOh my God, itโs Atlas Bennett! Heโs seriously such a fanboy! I might just start shipping them: Sophia is so luckyโsheโs got her big brother spoiling her, and then thereโs Finnlan looking out for her. Honestly, what more could a girl ask for?โ
โRight! Being a rich, pampered heiress is the dream. Iโm so jealous!โ another fan piped up, their face lighting up with excitement.
Hearing the adoration, Atlas cast a quick, scathing look toward Odalys. His earlier actions clearly aimed to get her attention. He expected anger, maybe even sadness, in her eyesโbut no. She was absorbed in her phone, not even sparing him a glance. His jaw clenched, his muscles tensing with frustration. If not for the crowd, he would have marched over and confronted her.
โSorry Iโm late!โ a bright, cheerful voice cut through the air. A woman wearing sunglasses, cargo pants, and a basic T-shirt walked over. With a flick of her wrist, she removed her shades, revealing a stunning face.
โLetโs give a huge welcome to Freya Winslow!โ The hostโs voice was practically shaking with excitement as he rushed to greet her. Freya gave the host a quick hug, and a man walked up behind her. Seeing the host hug Freya, the man simply shook his hand. โGuess the girls get all the love. No hugs for us guys,โ he joked with a playful smirk.
The host laughed, a little flustered. โYouโre Stellan Drake, the hottest actor in the game right now! I donโt deserve a hug from you!โ
The fans cracked up at the exchange.
Freya pushed her suitcase closer and paused to scan the crowd. Her eyes locked onto Odalys, and without hesitation, she walked over and plopped down beside her. Stellan followed and took the seat on her other side.
Odalys had hoped to sit quietly and blend in, but with two of the biggest stars in the room flanking her, she became the center of attention. The cameras immediately zoomed in on them.
โHey, Freya,โ Odalys said softly, leaning in closer. โLooks like weโre going to be tossed on an island to survive. Guess weโll have to stick together, huh?โ
โSame here,โ Stellan added in a low voice. โFirst time for me on an island, too.โ
Odalys chuckled and smiled, enjoying the easy conversation. โMe too. Iโm actually looking forward to it!โ
Meanwhile, Sophia, sitting off to the side, was seething. She had carefully chosen her outfitโa plunging V-neck dressโhoping to grab the spotlight, but Freya completely stole her thunder. They had always been rivals, but after Freyaโs massive success with a hit historical drama, the tension had reached a whole new level. Sophia had fought hard for the lead role in that drama, only for Freya to swoop in and take it. As soon as the show aired, Freyaโs career exploded, while Sophia found herself stuck.
โAtlas, how dare she team up with Freya Winslow to shut me out? Iโm her sister!โ Sophia hissed, her voice dripping with venom. Her eyes burned with rage. She never thought sheโd be ignored like this. She had carefully styled her lookโher custom-made dress, designed to show off her curvesโbut it hadnโt made any impact. It was like she wasnโt even there.
โChill, itโs not even the island yet,โ Atlas said, trying to calm her down. He gave her hand a light, reassuring pat. โOnce weโre on that island, anything can happen.โ
His words barely seemed to sink in. Finnian didnโt speak, his eyes locked onto Odalys with an intensity that could almost burn through steel. He hadnโt known Odalys was so close to Freya and Stellan. โWhy didnโt I pick up on that?โ he wondered. It left him with a knot of confusion and unease.
โIโm so sorry, the traffic was insane. Iโm really late, my bad.โ A girl rushed in, dragging her suitcase behind her, panting heavily. Sweat was dripping down her face; it was obvious sheโd been in a mad scramble to get there. Right behind her was a guyโSelah Rowe and Lucian Pierce, the hot new duo. Their songs had been hugely popular lately, and now they were diving into acting, hoping to boost their profile and snag some top-tier gigs.
โLooks like all our guests are here,โ the host said, holding a microphone and announcing it to the crowd.
Selah and Lucian scanned the area and spotted two empty seats in the centerโclearly the prime seats. After a brief hesitation, they made their way over and sat down. Lucian chose the seat next to Finnian, while Selah settled in next to Freya.
โAlright, let me quickly run through the rules for the show,โ the host said. โFor the island challenge, we wonโt be taking your phones, but the signal will be blocked. Youโll only be able to communicate with each other while youโre on the island. Weโll be live-streaming everything, and the crew, including Kenny, our director, will be shadowing you guys throughout. Now, check your bagsโno food allowed, but you can bring any essential medications. We have some self-defense gear for you to choose fromโropes, knives, machetes, axes, stun guns, water guns, pepper spray, and shovels.โ
โOh, and weโve got some self-defense gear. Pick one.โ
As soon as the host finished, staff pushed the equipment forward.
โIโll take the stun gun!โ Sophia shot up, grabbing the stun gun as if someone were going to steal it.
Atlas squinted, stood up, and said, โIโll go with the axe.โ
โGuess Iโm stuck with the machete then,โ Finnian muttered, picking up a large knife.
Lucian walked up and said, โIโll take the shovel.โ
The host chuckled. โYou guys are like mind readers. Since you all picked the same items, why donโt you team up? The rest of the tools will go to the other team.โ
The items were quickly sorted out. Odalys picked the knife; Freya grabbed the rope; Stellan chose the water gun; and Selah grabbed the pepper spray.
Once everything was sorted, the host added, โYouโll be on the island for two weeks. Your main task is to find food.โ
โIf your team can find enough food every day, the winning team will get S-level resources from Silverline Entertainment.โ
At the mention of Silverline Entertainment, the room went dead silent. Silverline Entertainment was one of the most elite companies in the industry. They had the best connections, the best resourcesโmost of the biggest stars came from there. Landing S-level resources from Silverline was like getting a golden ticket straight into the A-list.
Sophiaโs eyes lit up, and she gripped the stun gun like it was the key to her future.
โAlright, time to board the boat!โ the host announced, and the crowd went wild, cheering for their favorite stars. The noise was deafening.
The group boarded the boat while Kenny and the rest of the crew scrambled to finish getting everything ready. Odalys got up to use the bathroom, and when she came back out, she found herself cornered at the door. Atlas was standing there, his face tight with fury, his eyes cold as he glared at her.
โHenry says you need to make sure Sophia wins this show,โ he said, his voice ice-cold. โYouโre going to help her snag the top spot and secure those Silverline Entertainment resources. Got it?โ
โIf you play along and help her, we might let you go permanent. Otherwise, when your contractโs up, donโt expect us to renew it,โ Atlas warned, his tone sharp as a knife.