We'll stick to the original route. That shortcut's ten kilometers longer," Finnian said, watching the road ahead.

Chapter 218

Atlas had originally intended to follow them, but upon hearing their conversation, he immediately turned and drove back the way they had come to reach the airport before Group B. He was anxious, his instincts kicking in, and he pressed the accelerator, hoping to arrive before them.

"Did the Bennett family really abandon her!" Finnian muttered, staring at the news on his phone. The officers had confirmed it. This was no rumor; it was the harsh truth. His heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Atlas and then at Sophia, but neither seemed willing to discuss it. They were avoiding the topic altogether.

Atlas drove faster, and by the time they reached the airport, the place was practically deserted. "Where is everyone? Where are the reporters?" Atlas asked, bewildered, pulling into the parking lot. The airport, smaller than those in major cities, was unusually quiet. There were hardly any people around, and no sign of the media crowding the terminals.

"Did Group B get here before us?" Sophia suggested, her voice barely above a whisper.

Finnian and Atlas nodded, taking her words at face value. They stepped out of the car and headed toward the security checkpoint. After passing through, they still found no media outlets, no reporters chasing after them. Sophia felt a pang of disappointment. She bit her lip, frustration building.

"How could there be no one? Didn't Twitter just say there would be interviews?" Sophia grumbled. She was sure Odalys and the others had arrived. After the interview, they probably ensured everyone else left, deliberately avoiding being on camera themselves.

"You're talking about the interview for the variety show? All the reporters left already," someone passing by chimed in, eager to gossip.

The three froze, standing in stunned silence as they stared at the person. It was clear the person had watched the livestream, but they hadn't recognized them.

A passerby overheard and said, "I heard Odalys and her group didn't even fly from this airport. They went to another one instead. All the people who were supposed to be here went to that one; not sure if they'll make it in time."

Sophia's head exploded with disbelief. She quickly checked her messages, only to realize that Odalys had blocked her long ago. Frantically, she dialed Kenny's number.

After a brief moment, Kenny confirmed it: Odalys had chartered a private jet to a different international airport, flying back without them.

"A private jet?" Sophia almost screamed. "Who booked it? Why didn't they call us? Why didn't we get a seat?" Her emotions spiraled out of control. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. No fans, no interviews, nothing. The airport was dead silent, and no one even recognized her. Now she was hearing that Group B had flown out in style. It felt like a slap in the face.

"So, you guys are going too? Are you all flying back on the private jet too?" Sophia turned to look behind her, only to realize the program's staff were nowhere in sight. It hit her—the production team had abandoned them too.

"Kenny, what's going on? You said the seats were limited and we didn't respond to your messages. But we weren't the ones making the decisions about the jet!" Kenny tried to explain.

Sophia's grip tightened around her phone. The thought of flying privately, especially on a last-minute chartered jet, was an impossible feat for anyone except someone with immense wealth. She had no idea how Odalys could afford such a luxury.

Chapter 218

She needed answers. "Who arranged this! Was it Stellan or Freya!" she demanded.

Kenny fell silent for a few moments before finally speaking. "I heard it was Odalys' family who arranged it."

Sophia was incensed. "Her family? You're lying. They didn't arrange a jet for her. If they did, they'd have arranged one for us too! This is all a lie!" She was screaming now, her throat raw. Kenny hung up on her.

Shaking with rage, she opened WhatsApp and found a message from Kenny, sent an hour ago. She hadn't noticed it before, but now it was too late to respond.

Finnian looked over at her, noticing her growing distress. "What happened?" he asked. Sophia's gaze was locked on the camera placed in the car by the program's team. They hadn't followed them here, but the live broadcast was still running.

She turned to them with a frown. "I just got confirmation—Odalys' family arranged the private jet. They're going back to Crownridge without us."

Finnian couldn't hide his disbelief. "A private jet! For her? Who would do that? She's broke! The Bennett Group never paid her, the family never sent her money. How could she afford a private jet?" Sophia's thoughts spiraled out of control, her heart filled with a deep, bitter resentment. She wanted to see Odalys fail, to watch her come crashing down.

Finnian's lips parted as if he wanted to say something, but he quickly silenced himself. The words "the Stewart family" hovered on his tongue, but he was too afraid to speak them aloud. Could it be true? Had the Stewart family really taken such an interest in Odalys that they would arrange for her to fly in style? he thought.

"Look," Atlas interrupted, holding up his phone. "Group B has already arrived at the international airport." The viewership was skyrocketing—over a hundred million people were watching the livestream of Group B, while their own stream barely had two thousand.

"I don't get it," Sophia murmured, her mind a whirlwind. "Why does she have to put on a show like this?" She couldn't shake the thought that maybe Odalys did manage to book a private flight, with a dedicated route, no waiting in line, and VIP treatment. No security checks, no baggage claim—just straight through to the exit, where she'd be whisked away by a black car. Sophia clenched her fists.

"Hold on," Atlas said, glancing back at the screen. "There's still a crowd of reporters." After the interview, the reporters made way, and the group walked straight ahead. Even Sophia was stunned by the treatment. It seemed like someone at the airport was specifically there to greet them. Sophia stared at the screen, her gaze caught by a tall figure standing beside a black Porsche Cayenne. The man was towering, holding a large black umbrella, seemingly waiting for someone. The umbrella tilted to one side, obscuring his face, but the watch on his wrist—visible just enough—was priceless. She had seen that watch before; it was said to be one-of-a-kind, the only one in the world.

"Who is this?" Sophia's heart tightened. She watched as the man suddenly stepped forward and walked towards Group B. They were talking, even taking photos, but once the shots were taken, everyone's attention shifted to this figure. Finnian and Atlas seemed to be watching Group B's livestream, their eyes glued to the figure on the screen.

"Who is he? The Cayenne he's driving—there are only three in the world," Finnian muttered instinctively, recognizing it from when Orson had driven one. But the one Orson had driven was borrowed from the Stewart family.