Chapter 147

Cynthia frowned, her eyes icy as she looked up at Jonathan. She tried to pull away discreetly, but he held firm.

“Let me go,” Cynthia mouthed silently, her expression warning. Jonathan hesitated. Cynthia pinched the back of his hand hard.

He winced, furrowing his brow before releasing her. Cynthia quickly grabbed a tent peg and resumed working. A red mark blossomed on Jonathan’s wrist where she’d pinched him. He discreetly pulled down his sleeve to cover it before reaching back into the tool bag.

The scene played out before the broadcast room's viewers.

[What was going on between them just now? It looked like a fight was about to break out.] [Probably a case of both reaching for the same peg, neither wanting to yield.] [Why does Mr. Bennett always have problems with Cynthia? I'm really curious about their past.] [Mr. Bennett is being incredibly ungentlemanly. Cynthia was clearly trying to help, and he wouldn't budge.] [It's so obvious whether it's love or not. Just look at Mr. Bennett's attitude toward Nina and the other girls. I'm officially team Nina-Bennett.]

The tent was quickly erected. Cynthia went inside to check the details, followed by Jonathan. Once inside, he casually dropped the tent flaps.

The show didn't have a cameraman following them; the live broadcast relied on pre-placed island cameras and a mobile drone. They had just finished setting up the tent. The drone was following Ethan and the others into the forest, leaving the tent interior a surveillance blind spot.

Jonathan walked straight to Cynthia and switched off her chest mic. “I need to talk to you,” he said.

Cynthia offered a sarcastic smile. “Sorry, I have nothing to say to you.” She had no interest in his explanations or excuses.

“Cynthia, you’ve been set up,” Jonathan said abruptly. Cynthia looked indifferent, shrugging casually.

“I know. Whitney went to great lengths to trick me into coming here, probably to mess with your relationship with Nina,” Cynthia said calmly. “But don’t worry. I won’t get jealous, go crazy, or cause trouble for you two. In fact, I could even be your love security guard… for a fee.”

Jonathan carefully observed her expression. Despite her indifference, a hint of sincerity shone through. She genuinely didn't care about him anymore.

“Actually, Nina and I aren’t in the kind of relationship you think,” Jonathan said.

“Don’t bother explaining. Whatever your relationship is, I don’t care.” Cynthia met his gaze, her eyes sparkling. “Jonathan, we’ve already broken up.”

Chapter 147 (Continued)

Jonathan grabbed Cynthia's wrist. His voice was low, controlled, full of suppressed emotion. His eyes were as deep and unfathomable as a dark pool. He spoke each word slowly, almost through gritted teeth. “Did I regret what I said?”

Cynthia smiled, gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked up and gave him a radiant smile. “But I have no regrets.” With that, she turned and walked out of the tent.

Jonathan was alone. His head bowed, his gaze dimming. He realized he'd made a mistake. He’d tried to distance himself to protect her, but she'd still ended up in danger. Now, he couldn't even stand by her side. What was the point of his efforts, his restraint?

He regretted his actions, but knew Cynthia wouldn't revisit past choices. Besides, Preston was now with her.

After Cynthia left, Preston arrived with an inflatable mattress.

“Cynthia, what were you talking about in there?” He’d seen Jonathan follow her inside. They'd been in there for about three minutes. He worried that Jonathan, like others, would object to him pursuing Cynthia because of her background. “Jonathan… he didn’t give you a hard time, did he?”

Cynthia fumed. He still didn't know about her past with Jonathan. She couldn’t understand why Jonathan wouldn't tell him directly—or perhaps he didn't want anyone to know about their three-year-old “blemish.” Since he kept quiet, she certainly wasn't going to spread the word about their brief affair.

Cynthia rolled her eyes. “Neither of you are any good!” She walked past him.

Preston watched her go, looking aggrieved. Jonathan emerged from the tent. Preston glared at him fiercely before going inside with the mattress. Jonathan didn't know what to say.

Nina approached. “Mr. Bennett, what’s wrong with you and Cynthia?” She’d been worried about their relationship. Cynthia had been at her birthday party. Celine had mentioned she was Jonathan's girlfriend in Ronerity. That comment had bothered her. She later learned from her best friend Cherry, who’d given a gift on behalf of the White family at Susanna's 70th birthday party (and knew Cynthia), that Cynthia was already married and had attended Susanna's party with her husband. A lot had happened that day; Cynthia had offended Jonathan three years earlier, so he’d been unpleasant to her.

Chapter 147 (Continued)

Nina didn't dislike Cynthia. She found her unique and powerful, beautiful, and stylish. She wasn't jealous; she was pretty too, and wanted to be friends. But Jonathan might not like it.

Jonathan said casually, “Nothing.”

Nina watched Cynthia. “Jonathan, I think Cynthia is nice. She's beautiful, stylish, and even knows how to set up a tent.” Hesitantly, she asked, “Jonathan, can I be friends with her?”

Jonathan glanced at Cynthia, seeming distracted. “Who you choose to be friends with is your choice, as long as it makes you happy.”

Excited, Nina ran toward Cynthia.