Chapter 41

Sophia noticed a cameraman following her and immediately adopted a serious expression. Bending down to gather some branches, she said, “Although the strong wind last night almost caused some trouble, it’s really nice to get up close and personal with nature.”

“I wasn’t being careful last night and almost got myself into trouble. Hey, guys, make sure to stay safe out there!” Sophia playfully winked at the camera.

Sophia wore a spaghetti-strap dress, and her arms, scratched by weeds, were covered in red marks. The itching made her want to scratch. She regretted not changing into a long-sleeved outfit.

But then again, long sleeves would have hidden her figure. She gritted her teeth and endured the discomfort, thinking, It’s fine. Hang in there. I’ll be back soon. Once I’m back, I’ll just put on some medicine, and it’ll be fine.

[Am I the only one wondering why she keeps wearing a spaghetti-strap dress on a deserted island? There are bugs everywhere!] [Her skin is full of bug bites. She’s so fake.] [Why are you being so mean to a woman? Sophia just wants to look her best, and she’s done nothing wrong. What’s the big deal about wearing a dress? Are you criticizing her on purpose?] [The public is so unfair to women nowadays.]

Sophia’s fans immediately defended her, but audience dissatisfaction remained strong.

Not far away, Finnian, Atlas, and Lucian had gathered plenty of dead fish, shrimp, and shellfish. Returning, they noticed Sophia carrying branches and quickly helped her.

The group worked together, processing the fish and shrimp. However, they lacked a proper cooking pot.

“How about this shovel?” Lucian pointed to a shovel from the production team’s tools.

“Let’s clean it first,” Finnian said.

Sophia hesitated, thinking, I remember that shovel is for manual labor. Can we really use it to cook? What if we get poisoned? Despite her reluctance, she forced a smile.

“That’s great. Now we have something to cook with,” she said enthusiastically.

Just then, a pair of underwear hanging to dry fell near Lucian. Sophia quickly grabbed it and put it in her suitcase. She’d washed it the night before and hung it to dry.

Lowering her voice, Sophia asked Finnian, “Finnian, Odalys used to like you, didn’t she? So why is she upset with you now?” She deliberately chose to ask this while the livestream cameras were rolling.

Even whispered, her words were picked up. Finnian remained silent, giving Sophia a thoughtful look. They’d previously planned for Finnian to charm Odalys into replacing Sophia as Percival’s bride, sharing in the benefits Odalys’s family would bring. Odalys had shown fondness for Finnian.

What Finnian didn’t know was that it had all been orchestrated by Sophia. She’d made him misunderstand Odalys’s pursuit, having Odalys deliver gifts and dropping hints. Sophia had misled them both, making Odalys think Finnian liked her and convincing Finnian that Odalys adored him.

“It’s not a big deal. Just say a few sweet words to her, and she’ll forgive you,” Sophia whispered with a sly smile.

Nearby, Lucian, noticing mosquito bites on Sophia’s neck, offered calamine lotion. Sophia declined, saying she was busy.

“Then let me help you,” Lucian offered. He gently dabbed lotion on her bites, his fingers tracing downward.

Sophia murmured, “Mmm.”

Lucian froze, meeting her gaze. Sophia’s cheeks flushed, and she quickly turned away. “That’s enough, thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Lucian replied, pocketing the lotion. His gaze kept returning to her.

Sophia understood his intentions. He was flirting, testing her. A sly smile touched her lips. If I can use Lucian to bring Selah into my circle, then… she murmured.

Sophia decided to keep Lucian interested. Their eyes met briefly before they looked away.

“I’m going for a walk,” Sophia said, heading toward the cave. Lucian followed.

Once inside, away from the cameraman, Lucian called softly, “Hey, Ms. Bennett.”

Sophia stopped him. “I need you to do something for me,” she whispered.

Lucian leaned closer. After hearing her instructions, he was taken aback. “Are you sure about this?”

“If you pull it off, I’ll get you an A-tier lead role,” Sophia promised.

Lucian was initially dissatisfied. An A-tier role was desirable, but…

“If you’re not interested, then forget it,” Sophia said icily. “Once your group disbands, you’ll be like scattered sand. No buzz, no future.”

Her words stung, but Lucian muttered, “Fine, I’ll do it.” Sophia brushed past him, feeling his hand graze hers. She pulled away.

By the fire, Finnian and Atlas grilled fish and shrimp. The meal lacked Odalys’s touch, but they were too hungry to complain.

“Sophia, come over here,” Atlas called.

Lucian followed Sophia back to the group. They avoided mentioning their encounter.

[Something feels off. Sophia and Lucian both look so unnatural after coming out and back alone…] [Poor Finnian. He barely has enough for himself, and yet he’s grilling fish for Sophia. This is so infuriating.]

The audience noticed Sophia’s actions—slipping away until the food was ready and getting Finnian to pick out fish bones. Criticism flooded her Twitter. After yesterday’s online defamation, her follower count dropped from seven million to five million. Her loyal fans defended her, but the backlash was relentless. Even Atlas’s fans went silent.

SEND GIFT