Chapter 38

Lily Green's hand trembled slightly as she gripped the kitchen knife, its blade scraping harshly against the cutting board.

She never expected Lucy White to publicly cut ties with Michael Johnson during the livestream. It completely ruined her carefully laid plans.

"Lily, should I slice or dice these potatoes?" a fellow contestant asked cautiously.

Lily snapped out of her thoughts and forced a smile. "Just slice them."

She willed herself to stay calm. Richard Brown had assured her that all nearby surveillance footage had been erased. As long as she denied everything, no one could prove she was the woman in those photos.

Laughter drifted in from outside the kitchen. Through the window, Lily saw Lucy chatting and laughing with Ethan Smith.

Thud. The knife slammed down onto the board.

"Lily?" The contestant beside her flinched.

"Sorry, my hand slipped." Lily managed another weak smile, though her mind was in turmoil.

That bitch Lucy had publicly severed ties with Michael in front of millions. Now, Lily's meticulously crafted plan was falling apart.

The livestream chat exploded:

[Holy crap! Lucy and Michael were childhood friends?!]

[Michael’s such a jerk for making his best friend take the blame!]

[My heart breaks for Lucy—she’s been getting hate for so long.]

[So who is the woman in those photos?]

Lily bit her lower lip hard. She couldn’t panic. She just had to endure these next few days...

"Lily, come help with the barbecue!" Daniel Miller called from the yard.

Taking a deep breath, Lily plastered on her sweetest smile and stepped outside.

In the courtyard, Lucy was teaching Ethan how to marinate skewers. They stood close, and when Ethan leaned in to listen, his gaze was so tender it could melt ice.

The sight stung Lily’s eyes.

"Oh, Lily, you're here." Lucy glanced up, a knowing smirk playing on her lips. "Perfect. Want to take over grilling these vegetables?"

Lily accepted the tongs with a strained smile, though she secretly wished she could shove Lucy into the fire.

Meanwhile, social media had erupted.

#LucyAndMichaelChildhoodFriends

#MichaelMadeHisBestFriendTakeTheBlame

#LilyGreenSignedWithRichardBrown

All three hashtags trended at the top.

[Lily signed with Richard Brown already?]

[That’s way too convenient.]

[Is she the woman in those photos?]

Richard scowled at his phone and dialed a number. "Initiate Plan B."

Back at the farmhouse, the aroma of barbecue filled the air.

"Lucy, how did you make this marinade? It’s amazing!" Daniel sidled up to her.

Before Lucy could answer, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the notification, her lips curling slightly.

"What is it?" Ethan murmured.

Lucy showed him her screen. "The show’s about to start."

A breaking news alert flashed: [EXCLUSIVE: Intimate Photos of Lily Green and Michael Johnson on Set Leaked!]

Ethan raised a brow. "Need help?"

"No." Lucy chuckled. "I’ve got this."

She turned toward the grill and called out, "Lily, your phone’s been buzzing nonstop."

Lily’s heart lurched. She fumbled for her phone—and went pale.

The livestream chat went wild:

[Check Twitter! Proof just dropped!]

[It is Lily in those photos!]

[Damn, she’s such a good actress!]

Lily’s hands shook, and a skewer tumbled into the coals, sending up a shower of sparks.

"What’s wrong?" Daniel asked.

"N-Nothing..." Lily stammered.

Then her phone rang—Richard glaring on the screen.

Everyone turned to look.

Lucy tilted her head. "Aren’t you going to answer? Might be important."

Lily clenched her phone so hard her nails dug into her palms. She finally realized: she’d walked right into Lucy’s trap.

And this was only the beginning.