Chapter 157

Jonathan approached Nina, who opened her palm to reveal a small starfish. Nina smiled. "Mr. Bennett, isn't it cute!"

Jonathan's voice was gentle. "Very cute."

"Here, it's for you." Nina placed the tiny starfish in his hand.

Jessie, standing nearby, grinned and teased Jonathan. "Nina's giving you her heart! You'd better take good care of it."

Nina looked up at Jonathan, blushed, and quickly lowered her head. "I'm going to find Cynthia. She's amazing! She just caught an octopus with her bare hands!" With that, Nina ran off.

Soon, they gathered an assortment of fresh ingredients. Lisa looked at them and said regretfully, "All this would be perfect for grilling, but it's too bad we don't have any seasonings." Jessie echoed her disappointment. The boiled shrimp they'd had for lunch had been fresh but lacked flavor.

Jonathan spoke up. "I can cook these."

Preston looked at Jonathan, stunned. "You? Can you even cook?" As far as Preston could remember, Jonathan had never set foot in a kitchen. With several chefs on staff, Jonathan had never needed to lift a finger. Even during his time abroad, his family had sent their seasoned head chef to care for him, so cooking was something Jonathan never learned.

Jonathan gave Preston a sharp look. "You better not eat later if you doubt me."

Preston quickly backed down, surrendering with a laugh.

Ethan added, "But without any seasoning—not even salt—how will it be any different from boiling?"

Jonathan's gaze shifted to Cynthia. "If I remember correctly, Cynthia has some knowledge of herbs, and many herbs have various flavors—sweet, salty, even sour. On our way to find fresh water earlier, we noticed a few edible herbs that could work for seasoning. Cynthia explained some of them to us. I'd like her to join me in gathering some now!"

Ethan was confused. He didn't recall Cynthia explaining herbs to them—perhaps he'd missed it. Cynthia realized Jonathan was looking for an excuse to be alone with her; he likely had something he wanted to say. Honestly, she was weary of their constant back-and-forth, and some things needed to be settled. Besides, Jonathan wasn't entirely wrong; she did know a bit about herbs. She often used them to make fragrances, and Jonathan had once promised her a plot of land at Paradise Resort where she could grow herbs once it was completed.

"Alright, I'll go gather some herbs for seasoning," Cynthia agreed.

Nina quickly chimed in. "Mr. Bennett, I'll come with you."

Jonathan said, "There are a lot of mosquitoes in the woods. You should wait here; we'll be back soon."

Preston also tried to tag along, but Jonathan firmly refused, practically pulling rank. "You stay here as well."

Preston hesitated, worried that Cynthia might suffer from Jonathan's sharp tongue.

Sensing Preston's concern, Cynthia's voice softened. "Preston, we'll be quick. Why don't you help gather some firewood for the fire? Be good, alright?"

Friday, November 8

Chapter 157

That "be good" made Preston's heart skip a beat, and he nodded, ready to do exactly as she asked.

Cynthia and Jonathan stepped into the forest, with the drone trailing behind them. As they reached the entrance, Jonathan turned to the drone, his voice icy and firm. "You stay here, too."

The drone twirled, looking confused. It watched Jonathan and Cynthia disappear into the forest, clearly wanting to follow, but Jonathan shot it a sharp look over his shoulder.

In the control room, Jason suddenly shivered, a sense of dread creeping over him. He had a feeling that if the drone insisted on following them, he might be in for some serious trouble. After a moment of hesitation, the drone scurried back to the beach.

In the live room chat, viewers were complaining:

[What's going on? Why did Jonathan and Cynthia vanish?] [Is the production budget that low? Other shows have a cameraman for each guest, and here we get one drone!] [Poor Cynthia's working way too hard. She's doing all the tough tasks, while Jonathan plays favorites—not letting Nina go because of bugs, but it's fine for Cynthia?] [All I want is more of Cynthia and Preston together. That 'be good' from earlier was so sweet!]

Jonathan led Cynthia deep into the forest, expertly avoiding the cameras. He remembered their placements from the last time he'd scouted the area, mapping out the blind spots as he went.

After about ten minutes of walking, they came upon a clearing filled with various herbs—wild onions, garlic, and even rosemary. Cynthia picked a few, preparing to head back.

"Cynthia, there's something I need to tell you," Jonathan said, his voice steady.

Cynthia knew Jonathan had gone to great lengths to avoid the cameras, so he must have something important to say. She turned, her expression detached. "Go ahead."

Jonathan looked her in the eye, his tone serious. "My sister has had her sights on you for a while now. Whitney isn't just possessive; she's unhinged. If she knew you meant something to me, she wouldn't hesitate to have you hurt, or worse—hire someone to stage an accident, or even kill you."

Jonathan couldn't bear Cynthia's indifference any longer. Even after just a day on the island, he had already understood the situation. Since they were all on this island, Whitney was definitely pulling strings behind the scenes. It meant Cynthia was already part of the twisted game. As for what might happen next, he couldn't predict. Distance hadn't kept her safe—she was in it now. And if that was unavoidable, he was determined to protect her. But their relationship was in a bad state. He needed to explain everything clearly and be on the same side as her. But there was more to it than that. Life without her had felt like an endless agony. He missed her so much.

Cynthia frowned. "So what?"

Jonathan reached out, taking her hand cautiously. Cynthia didn't pull away, so Jonathan continued, "Breaking up with you was all a performance for my sister, to make sure she wouldn't see you as my weakness. I thought it would keep you safe, but now that you're involved, I want us to face it together."

10:30 Friday, November 8

Chapter 157

Cynthia gave an exaggerated, sarcastic laugh. "Oh, wow, I'm so moved. You're really a saint, sacrificing your feelings, so noble and restrained. It was all for my good? You're practically the romantic hero of the century!"

SEND GIFT