Chapter 73
The crowd erupted in applause. Speculation swirled about team pairings. Before Jayden and Isabella could make their move, Alex swaggered to Stella, took her hand, raised it high, and announced with a grin, “I choose my sunshine.” Their on-screen pairing as a couple thrilled their fans.
With Alex and Stella paired, Jayden and Isabella naturally became the second team. Jayden calmly stepped forward to take Isabella's hand, but she subtly twisted her wrist, allowing him to grasp only her sleeve. A flicker of dark frustration crossed his eyes. "Does she really detest being near me that much?" he wondered, forcing a smile.
George, watching from the sidelines, barely suppressed his laughter. Jayden had been snubbed! He wished he could announce it to the world.
Meanwhile, Jayden's fans, oblivious to the awkward exchange, buzzed with excitement. "Our guy is such a gentleman!" one gushed. Another agreed, "He’s so polite, only tugging at her sleeve!" Their admiration for his "best manners in the industry" prompted George to twitch his lips in disdain. He considered their praise utterly pointless. Jayden, a gentleman? He felt nauseous.
In the Howerton Group CEO's office, the atmosphere was starkly different. Samuel sat at his large desk, surrounded by documents, the only sound the rustling of papers. A knock broke the silence. "Come in," he said curtly.
Perry entered, holding more documents. He placed them on the desk. "Mr. Howerton, these are the papers you need to sign."
"Okay," Samuel replied, his eyes fixed on the documents. Perry hesitated, clearly wanting to speak. Samuel finally looked up. "Well?" he prompted impatiently. Perry took a deep breath. "Mr. Howerton, your wife is filming a reality show."
Samuel's eyes narrowed. "A reality show?" He thought, She didn't mention this.
Perry cleared his throat. "Her partner is… Jayden."
The temperature in the room plummeted. Samuel crumpled a document in his hand. Perry swallowed hard. Samuel stood abruptly, his voice icy. "Move the meeting scheduled for three hours from now to fifteen minutes from now."
Perry nodded frantically. "Yes, sir!" Mr. Howerton is furious, he thought, rushing from the office. He barely had fifteen minutes to prepare.
Back at the reality show, John enthusiastically explained the next challenge. "Our two teams have been decided! The rules are simple: whichever team lifts the most weight wins!" he announced. The audience recognized this less as a team competition and more a test of strength between the two men.
Stella, eyes filled with concern, whispered to Alex, "Think you can win this?" Jayden's fitness was well-known, unlike Alex, who appeared rather slight. Alex patted his arm confidently. "Just wait and see." Stella rolled her eyes. With that cocky attitude, you're bound to lose, she thought.
The weightlifting contest began. Jayden, with steady steps, approached the weights, the crowd holding its breath. After warming up, he lifted eighty pounds, erupting in cheers. Of course, it was Jayden—one of the biggest movie stars in the country, they thought.
Jayden set down the weights, his gaze finding Isabella's. He smiled warmly, but she merely glanced at the weights, her expression cold and indifferent.
John, the lively host, announced, "Eighty pounds from our superstar Jayden! Now, let's see how Alex does!"
Alex rolled up his sleeves, revealing surprisingly muscular biceps. Stella gasped. Who knew he was hiding all this muscle? she wondered. Alex confidently lifted ninety pounds, eliciting gasps of disbelief. This guy... he didn't look like much, but damn, he had some serious strength, the audience thought.
Jayden's irritation flickered briefly before disappearing. He walked to Alex, smiled, and patted his shoulder. "Impressive," he praised.
Alex, humble, chuckled awkwardly. "You were just going easy on me. That's the only reason I won." Jayden could only smile. What else could I do? Arguing with a junior wouldn't exactly enhance my image, he thought.
Stella clapped excitedly. She hadn't expected Alex to surpass Jayden.
John, aware of the tension, announced, "Alright, Alex's ninety pounds is the highest so far. Anyone else want to give it a shot?" The remaining contestants, two women, showed no intention of trying. John prepared to move on.
Unexpectedly, Isabella stepped forward. Her voice calm, she said, "I'll give it a try."
The announcement stunned everyone. John quickly recovered, his charm kicking in. "Queenie wants to give it a go! How much are you thinking?"
The audience buzzed, most assuming Isabella was joking. Isabella held up five fingers. "One hundred pounds," she stated calmly.
Shockwaves rippled through the crowd. One hundred? She has to be joking, right? they thought.
Jayden's brow furrowed with concern. "Bella, don't be reckless. You could hurt yourself," he warned, thinking, There has to be a limit to this joke. She's being too arrogant.
George, however, smiled confidently. Down in the audience, someone whispered, "Bella? What does that mean? Does Queenie have another name?"
Stella, still shocked, blurted out, "Are you sure you said one hundred pounds? Not forty?" Even a man would struggle with one hundred pounds. And she's a girl, she thought.
Isabella merely gave Stella a reassuring look before approaching the weightlifting machine. John, sweating, approached her, his voice shaky. "Dr. Lovett, please, don't be reckless." If anything happens to her, we'll be ruined, he thought.
Isabella smiled serenely. "Relax. It's just one hundred pounds." John was speechless. Just one hundred pounds! he thought.
Jayden, completely ignored, fumed. He stared at Isabella, his expression darkening. What the hell is this woman doing? Is she really this desperate to outdo me? he wondered. Isabella moved, making everyone's hearts race.