Chapter 187
Ethan, closest to the video, gasped. His eyes widened, his mouth fell open. Preston, behind him, was curious, but Ethan, remembering something, quickly covered Preston's eyes. "Not suitable for kids," he said. Before Preston could react, Ethan had already shielded his eyes and pulled him away. The drone, ever nosy, peeked around Jonathan's back, but its low flight got it caught as Ethan swiftly grabbed it.
The live chat exploded:
[What’s going on? How does Nina have a phone?] [Is there anything we VIPs can’t see?] [Dying of curiosity! R-rated content, please!] [Mr. Bennett, why did you take away the camera?] [I won’t sleep tonight! My curiosity is killing me!]
At the changing room doorway, only Nina and Jonathan remained. Tears filled Nina's eyes; her chest heaved with emotion. "Mr. Bennett…" she began, unable to articulate her questions. She wanted to ask why he'd passionately kissed Cynthia minutes after her confession failed, and if he and Cynthia were mocking her. She thought, Since you two reconciled, why did you sleep with me last night when you were drunk? But the words caught in her throat; only a pitiful "Mr. Bennett" escaped.
Jonathan, surprised by the phone's contents, took it and casually asked, "Where did you get this phone?"
"Abby gave it to me," Nina replied honestly.
Jonathan frowned. He hadn't expected yesterday's brief balcony moment with Cynthia to be recorded. Could it have been the show's crew? he wondered. He considered it unlikely Jason would dare; with Whitney having placed Emily on the show's team, it was more probable the island had Whitney's undercover agent.
Jonathan's brow furrowed, but his gaze remained fixed on the phone's video. Seeing Cynthia playfully returning the kiss, his expression softened; a slight smile touched his lips. Captivated by Cynthia's expression, and noticing the rosy tint to her ears, his mood brightened.
He slipped the phone into his pocket. "I'll keep this as a souvenir," he said.
Nina was taken aback. He offered no explanation; he seemed secretly delighted. A wave of coldness washed over her. He no longer cared about her feelings; she felt like a pet he'd nurtured for years. She turned and ran, colliding with Jessie and Cynthia arriving at the stables. Jessie grabbed Nina's arm. "Nina, what's wrong? Why are your eyes red?"
Nina glared at Cynthia, resentment flashing in her eyes for the first time. She shook off Jessie's hand and ran.
Jessie looked puzzled. "What's wrong with her?" Cynthia watched Nina's retreating figure, thoughtful.
Soon, everyone was at the stables, choosing horses. Nina chose a black thoroughbred; Preston, a gray Akhal-Teke. Jonathan selected a French Selle horse—less valuable, but its pure white coat was beautiful. Cynthia chose a pure black Arabian. Everyone chose their mounts.
The club had a riding coach; everyone present knew how to ride. Soon, they were galloping freely.
Despite her delicate appearance, Nina, with her elite upbringing, was an excellent rider. She rode fiercely, seemingly venting her frustrations.
Cynthia could ride but wasn't skilled; she'd never had formal training. Selena had focused on cultivating her as a refined young lady, with lessons in ballet, painting, design, and tea ceremonies. However, in middle school, she'd secretly learned various things from Simon and Shiloh. Simon owned a horse ranch, but Cynthia had visited only once, learning to ride there. Years later, she still remembered the basics, and after a brief adjustment, she rode well.
Jonathan circled the track and stopped beside Cynthia, walking alongside her.
Cynthia rode slowly; Jonathan matched her pace. Annoyed, she said, "Can you stop following me? Go do your own thing."
Jonathan shrugged. "I tried to make my horse move away, but it won't."
Cynthia noticed then that the two horses had slowed, seeming to whisper to each other.
The coach approached, smiling. "These two are our horse couple, Romeo and Juliet. They're always like this." Cynthia was speechless. The live chat erupted:
[Shipping them harder! A horse couple? Fate!] [Every frame is wallpaper-worthy!] [Mr. Bennett's making Nina jealous! Look at her horse!] [It's not just acting wild; it's out of control!]
Others noticed Nina's horse was racing uncontrollably; she struggled to stay on. "Mr. Bennett, help!"
Jonathan turned his horse, heading towards Nina, but a loud neigh erupted behind him.
Cynthia's horse neighed, nostrils flaring, and galloped, jumping the paddock fence and dashing east towards the woods. Nina's horse also leaped the fence. The riding center staff rushed to help.
"Go after them, quickly!" Jonathan ordered.
"Who should we chase?"
Jonathan looked towards Cynthia. The coach received the order and quickly pursued Nina. Preston went after Nina while Jonathan rescued Cynthia. His riding skills far surpassed everyone else's. He rode off the track toward Nina.