Chapter 156

The live room chat buzzed with romantic speculation:

"Oh my gosh, Preston is so innocent! Just one touch and he's blushing!"

"[Cynthia, give him your Heart Vote! Look how much he wants it!]"

"The gorgeous queen and her shy guy. Who else is grinning right now?"

After lunch, everyone retired to their tents. The guys were fast asleep, but the little drone—dare I say it?—zoomed into the girls' tent. Cynthia was already napping, while the others chatted.

Abby, lingering near Nina's bed, leaned in conspiratorially. "Nina, Jonathan is so good to you. What's the story between you two?"

Nina blushed. "He's Uncle Jonathan."

"Related by blood?" Abby asked, feigning innocent curiosity.

Nina's cheeks reddened. "No, we're not related. He's fourth in the family, so I've called him Uncle since I was young."

Disappointment flickered across Abby's face. She'd assumed the "Uncle" designation implied family. "How did you two meet? Did you know him as a kid?"

Nina nodded, her tone softening. "I was kidnapped at twelve, and it was Jonathan who saved me. He told me not to be afraid, and that he'd always look out for me. Since then, I've lived under his protection. No one has dared to mess with me since. I owe him everything; if it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't be here today."

Nina's twelfth birthday had become a nightmare she could never forget. She'd been kidnapped and thrown into a dark, windowless basement—no sunlight, no water, no food. She had no sense of time, no idea how long she'd been there. She cried until her voice gave out.

At her most desperate, Jonathan opened the basement door. He seemed like a godsend. Cowering in fear, she watched him approach, gently patting her head. "Don't be scared. I'm here to get you out. From now on, I'll look out for you and won't let her hurt you again."

The "her" Jonathan referred to was Whitney Bennett, the eldest daughter of the Bennett Group—a woman with a refined exterior, but ruthless and unhinged beneath the surface. Whitney was Nina's father's ex-wife, and because Nina was the product of an affair, Whitney despised her deeply.

Nina never imagined Whitney would go so far as to kidnap her and leave her to starve in a basement. She later learned she'd been locked up for four days while her parents were driven to desperation. Her father suspected Whitney and confronted her, but Whitney feigned ignorance. Nina's mother even begged, bruising her forehead in her pleas. Yet Whitney refused to release Nina. Everyone knew Whitney was responsible, but no one could prove it.

When Jonathan finally rescued Nina, she was nearly unconscious. Her mother, Yuliana, wept at the sight of her frail form. Aaron raged, "Whitney Bennett, you're a monster! How dare you deny kidnapping my daughter?"

Faced with undeniable evidence, Whitney shrugged and smiled. "The little bastard you two created! She's nothing more than my plaything. Blame it on her for being born on the wrong side."

Chapter 150 (Note: This chapter seems out of place. It should be placed before Chapter 156 or in a more logical location).

As she mentioned that date, Whitney's face contorted with malice. "Don't you have any idea what her despair—"

(The following text is largely unintelligible and needs significant revision.)

Whitney spat, "Do you know what hell looks like? Have you ever met a demon?"

Whitney broke into hysterical laughter, then suddenly froze, a manic glint in her eyes. Pointing at Jonathan, she shrieked, "Demon! You're the demon! I'll kill you!"

Whitney lunged at Jonathan. Chaos erupted that day; the events became a blur for Nina. When she awoke, she was in the hospital, with Jonathan lying in the bed beside her, injured—stabbed by Whitney in her frenzy.

The stab wound was on Jonathan's back, but fortunately, it wasn't too serious. Later, Nina's mother told Nina that when Whitney lunged, Jonathan could have dodged, but because he was holding Nina, he chose to turn around and take the hit to protect her.

When Nina woke up, Jonathan was sitting by her bedside, watching her.

"Thank you for saving me," Nina whispered.

"Why don't you call me Mr. Bennett?" he replied gently.

From that day on, Nina had her guardian angel. She never asked why, out of all the Bennett family's exhaustive searches, Jonathan alone had found her. Nor did she ask why he protected her without asking for anything in return.

But in her heart, Nina understood. They shared a bond forged in mutual suffering. Whitney's deepest hatred wasn't for Nina; it was for Jonathan. To Whitney, Nina was a distraction, but Jonathan was a tumor in her life.

To Nina, Whitney was terrifying. Yet, if not for her, Nina and Jonathan wouldn't have forged their unbreakable bond. Deep down, Nina felt no hatred toward Whitney.

"Hey, Nina, what are you thinking about?" Abby's voice interrupted Nina's thoughts.

"Oh, nothing," Nina replied with a sweet smile. "Just thinking how lucky I am."

"Of course you're lucky! Jonathan cares so much for you. I bet Jonathan will give you his Heart Vote tonight."

Abby continued her probing questions about Jonathan's interests and personal details. It was obvious to everyone listening, but Nina answered patiently.

Cynthia, still awake, lay with her eyes closed, finding it hard to listen.

Cynthia sat up. "Nina, want to come with me to the beach?"

Nina blinked, surprised by Cynthia's initiative. Cynthia had always been distant. "Sure, Cynthia."

Jessie, removing her face mask, chimed in, "I'm coming too! I've watched a bunch of beachcombing videos—you can find so many good things out there!"

The three left the tent, leaving Abby inside, biting her lip in frustration.

Outside, the sun was setting, painting the sky with vibrant colors. The sea breeze carried a cool, salty tang, and the receding tide left a treasure trove along the shore. They found green crabs, conch shells, clams, and even an octopus.

When the guys joined them, Cynthia and the others had already amassed a considerable collection.

Nina spotted Jonathan and excitedly waved him over. "Mr. Bennett, come here! Look at what I found!"

Jonathan approached, and Cynthia quietly moved away to give them space. Jonathan's gaze followed her, a faint frown forming.

The live room chat continued:

"[Nina and Abby, one is genuinely innocent, and the other is just playing innocent.]"

"[Thank goodness Cynthia stepped in to cut off Abby's interrogation, otherwise, Nina would've given up her bank PIN too!]"

"[Cynthia has her hands full—looking out for this crew.]"

"[Jessie is so adorable, all she ever thinks about is food.]"