Chapter 154

Cynthia's jeans were soaked halfway up, probably from traversing the wet paths. She appeared to be heading to change clothes. Passing the flag, she glanced at it but didn't register its position as Abby emerged from the other side. Without hesitation, Cynthia walked directly toward the men's tent.

Abby seized the opportunity to call out loudly, "Cynthia, are you here to change, too?" Her voice carried clearly to Jonathan inside the tent. Still smarting from Jonathan's scolding, she relished the prospect of Cynthia facing his wrath. She even hoped he'd kick Cynthia off the show.

Meanwhile, the live chat exploded with comments:

[Why didn't Abby warn Cynthia she was going into the wrong tent?!] [It's obvious Abby was upset; Mr. Bennett must have given her a hard time.] [I thought Abby was innocent, but now it's clearly intentional.] [Even if unintentional, Abby not warning Cynthia reveals her true colors.] [Abby knows Cynthia will probably get kicked out too. She got rained on, so now she wants others to suffer.] [Is Abby obligated to help? There's no rule saying you have to share an umbrella. Stop the moral policing! Cynthia's poor navigation isn't Abby's fault.] [Abby's fans are out of control! Who are these people supporting her? Are they idiots?] [You're an idiot! Bet your whole family is too!]

The live chat devolved into a heated argument.

Cynthia entered the tent and realized Jonathan was changing. He wore an unbuttoned black short-sleeved shirt, revealing his well-defined chest muscles. His strikingly handsome face and damp hair contrasted sharply with his usual composed demeanor on the live stream. To viewers, he possessed an untouchable, almost godlike aura—so refined that even seeing him partially undressed seemed sacrilegious.

But now, he was anything but restrained. He had a relaxed, almost roguish air reminiscent of their first encounter at the Dark Horse Club. This side of Jonathan was familiar to her. For the past three years, she'd often seen this captivating, unpredictable, and alluring side.

Cynthia frowned and said, "Did you get the wrong place, or?"

Jonathan raised an eyebrow, his voice playful and teasing, a stark contrast to his usual on-camera tone. "Come closer, and I'll let you know."

Cynthia hesitated, considering leaving. But curiosity held her back. Knowing Jonathan, he was up to something.

Cynthia swept her hair back and approached him. "Alright, now that I'm here, care to explain why you're in this tent?"

Both tents were identical, with one side facing the ocean and the other three surrounded by jungle, making them difficult to distinguish. Cynthia had marked her tent with a small flag, so she assumed Jonathan had wandered into the wrong one—intentionally or not, she wasn't sure.

Chapter 151 (Note: This chapter was included in the original prompt and is included here for completeness. It seems out of sequence.)

As Cynthia approached, Jonathan suddenly extended his hand. "Give me your hand."

Hesitant, but curious, Cynthia placed her hand in his. He gripped it firmly, pulling her closer and pressing her palm against his abdomen.

Cynthia was shocked. Jonathan had pressed her hand onto his abs. A mischievous smile played on his lips. "Eight-pack abs, feel nice?"

The solid warmth sent a jolt through her. She instinctively pulled back, but he held her hand firmly, his smile widening.

"Are you crazy, Jonathan?" Cynthia hissed, finally yanking her hand free. Her palm felt hot, and the heat spread to her face. She insisted it was anger. "You're absolutely nuts."

Cynthia regretted letting her curiosity get the better of her. She should have known better—nothing good ever came from playing along with Jonathan. Even when she thought she was prepared, he still managed to surprise her.

Jonathan noticed her blush, the flicker of panic, and her embarrassed irritation. His mood brightened. He slowly began buttoning his shirt. "You got a free feel—no charge—and you're still complaining?"

"Who'd want to touch you? I feel like I need to wash my hands," Cynthia retorted.

Jonathan's playful smile vanished. "But you didn't seem to mind touching Preston."

Cynthia realized the reason for his behavior. Her hand on Preston's head earlier had offended him. She smirked. "What's wrong with patting Preston? He didn't mind. But you? What are we to each other anyway? You're acting like some guy off the street trying to sell himself."

Jonathan's expression darkened. "Is that really what you think of me, Cynthia? That I'm cheap!"

Cynthia shrugged coldly. "Whether you're cheap or not is none of my concern. We're strangers now. So stop acting out of line unless you want me to expose your little act in front of Nina." Her tone was icy. "Mr. Bennett, kindly keep your distance from now on." She turned away.

She'd barely taken a few steps when Jonathan called after her. "Stay away from Preston. Neither I nor my sister would ever accept you as his girlfriend."

Without looking back, Cynthia replied, "Who I choose to be with is none of your business." She exited the tent.

Fuming, Jonathan grabbed a shirt and threw it onto the air mattress.

Exiting the tent, Cynthia saw Abby standing nearby, watching with a smug grin. She went to the flag and saw it had been moved. Abby's cheap trick was obvious.

Seeing Cynthia's frustration, Abby taunted, "Cynthia, why the sour face? Let me guess, you confessed to Jonathan and got turned down?"