Chapter 41 The Secret Plan
Finished
She noticed the photographer trailing behind and quickly bent down to pick something up, casually saying. “It got windy last night, but experiencing a life that’s so different from the city still feels refreshing.”
“I let my guard down last night and almost got into trouble. So to everyone watching the livestream, don’t be as careless as I was.” She gave the camera a playful wink as she spoke.
She was wearing a strappy sundress, her arms brushed raw by the wild grass. Red welts appeared on her pale skin, itching so badly she had to resist the urge to scratch.
At that moment, she felt a wave of regret as it hit her that she should have worn something with long sleeves.
But that would have meant hiding her alluring figure, and she wasn’t quite ready to make that trade. Gritting her teeth, she decided to bear with it. She could always apply ointment later.
A viewer commented: Am I the only one wondering how she’s been walking around a remote island in a tank top with all those bugs?
Didn’t you see the bites all over her skin? Seriously, she’s trying way too hard.
Why do people direct so much hate at a woman just for wearing a dress? Chloe’s done nothing wrong.
Society really is too harsh on women these days.
The fans immediately fired back, but the controversy around Chloe continued to stir.
Not far off, Caleb, Benjamin, and Ryan had gathered a decent haul of dead fish, shrimp, and some shellfish. As they made their way back, they noticed Chloe collecting a large pile of branches. Without hesitation, they stepped in to help.
The group walked back together, chatting as they worked on preparing the seafood. However, they soon faced a problem when they realized they didn’t have a proper pot or pan for cooking.
“Think this iron shovel will do the trick?” Ryan asked, pointing at the nearby tool.
It was one of the props from the production team that he had picked up earlier without thinking,
“Once it’s cleaned, it should be usable,” said Caleb.
Chloe hesitated. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but then stopped. Cooking with tools meant for labor? What if they got sick! Despite the thought, she offered a gracious smile.
“That’s great. That solves our cooking problem,” she said.
Just then, a pair of underwear that had been hung up to dry slipped from the line and landed near Ryan,
He glanced over, noticing Chloe swiftly moving forward to pick up the item that had found its way into the luggage. She had taken it off and cleaned it the previous night, casually leaving it out to dry. Little did she know, it would cause such a mix–up.
Chloe lowered her voice, speaking quietly but purposefully within range of the live–stream mic. “Caleb, didn’t Gabrielle used to like you? Why is she acting distant now?”
Despite speaking in hushed tones, their exchange was still picked up by the live stream.
Caleb paused, caught off guard by the question.
He gave Chloe a thoughtful look, trying to figure out where she was going with this.
The two of them had made a deal. He would coax Gabrielle into marrying in Chloe’s place, and in return, Chloe would share the benefits she gained from the Zechman family. Furthermore, Gabrielle had shown him so much kindness that it seemed only natural for him to assume she had feelings for him and to see her as his possession.
What he didn’t know was that Chloe had orchestrated everything.
She had been the one sending gifts through Gabrielle, then pretending that Gabrielle was the one admiring him. That was
11:30 PM
Chapter 41 The Secret Plan
“Don’t worry too much, Chloe said with a small laugh. “Women just need a little sweet talk sometimes.”
Finished
Ryan quietly crouched off to the side, deep in thought as his gaze drifted toward Chloe. He noticed a few mosquito bites on her smooth neck.
“Ms. Seavers, it looks like you’ve been bitten. Would you like some ointment?” Ryan asked, pulling out a bottle of mosquito repellent and offering it to her.
Chloe glanced at the bottle before politely refusing. “My hands are a bit tied up,” she said.
“I can help.” Ryan offered.
His fingers dampened with the repellent. He moved toward her, his fingertips gently brushing her neck, slowly massaging downwards.
“Hmm. Chloe let out a soft sound.
Her delicate response made Ryan freeze for a moment, instinctively meeting her gaze.
Blushing, Chloe quickly turned away. “Alright, thank you,” she said, her voice tinged with embarrassment
“No need to thank me,” Ryan replied casually, slipping the repellent back into his pocket. He resumed his work, trying to act as though nothing had happened, but his eyes kept drifting back to Chloe.
Chloe, feeling uneasy under his gaze, knew exactly what he was trying to do. His act of applying the ointment was no accident; it was a deliberate attempt to provoke her and see how she would react.
With that thought, a smile tugged at the corners of Chloe’s mouth.
“Ryan and Jennifer are a team. If I use Ryan to bring Jennifer over, wouldn’t that be… she mused in a soft voice.
With that in mind, she decided not to refuse Ryan. She lifted her gaze to meet his, and their eyes briefly met before both of them lowered their heads, missing each other’s glance.
“I’m going for a walk,” Chloe said, standing up and rubbing her arm.
She walked toward the cave, and noticing this, Ryan took the chance to follow. The two walked in tandem, but soon realized the photographer hadn’t caught up.
“Ms. Seavers,” Ryan said, hurrying over to her.
Chloe raised her hand in front of him, gently blocking his approach. “Do me a favor,” she said in a hushed tone.
Ryan leaned in closer, eager to hear her whispered words. Surprised, he asked softly, “Are you sure?”
visor
“If you manage to pull this off, Chloe murmured, “once the show is over and you’re back, I’ll help you land a lead role in an A–list movie!
When Ryan heard A–list, it was clear he wasn’t entirely satisfied.
After all, only 5–list hits could make it big. Everyone in the entertainment industry had their ambitions, they all wanted the top–tier resources that would bring them instant fame.
“If you think it won’t work, then forget it. But once a group like yours disbands, it’ll be like scattered sand. Nothing major will come of it,” Chloe said with a cold laughi
Ryan felt uncomfortable, but he swallowed his dissatisfaction. “Alright, I agree, he responded quietly.
Chloe gave no further reply and walked away. As she passed him, she felt his hand brush against hers, sending a tingling sensation through her.
She quickly pulled her hand back, a faint look of distaste on her face, and continued walking.
Meanwhile, Caleb and Benjamin had finished grilling the fish and shrimp. The flavor wasn’t as mouthwatering as the meal Gabrielle and the others had enjoyed the night before, but after a whole night of hunger, they were too famished to be nicky.
Chapter 41 The Secret Plan
Ryan followed behind her, the two of them quietly returning to their seats without saying another word.
Finished
Online comment section: Something feels off. Chloe and Ryan went in alone, and both of them looked off when they came
back out.
My poor Brendan! Still grilling fish for that pretentious woman. I’m fuming.
Viewers noticed Chloe quietly slipping away and only coming back once the food was ready. To top it off, she even had Caleb debone her fish, which immediately triggered a wave of backlash on her Twitter.
After being dragged online all day yesterday, Chloe’s Twitter followers plummeted from seven million to five million.
Her biggest fans were still trying to clear her name, but the tide of scandalous gossip was impossible to contain. Even Benjamin’s fans, who used to defend her, had gone completely silent.
