Chapter 66

"Wow!" Daniel Miller dramatically covered his mouth. "Ethan Smith just called someone out—so cool!"

The atmosphere instantly turned awkward. Lily Green's face flushed with embarrassment, but she forced a composed smile. The other guests tactfully averted their eyes, pretending not to notice her discomfort.

Robert Lee cleared his throat, changing the subject. "Director, why did you bring us to the airport? Planning something big?"

The director winked mysteriously. "You guessed it! This time, we're going for something thrilling—"

"Abroad?" Olivia Davis's eyes lit up.

"Exactly!" The director clapped. "A newly discovered uninhabited island in Southeast Asia—one week of survival challenge!"

"What?!" William Jones nearly jumped from his seat. "Are you serious? None of us even know how to start a fire!"

The director was prepared. "Don't worry, we've hired a professional mercenary team for full security."

The camera panned over the guests' reactions: Daniel slumped in his chair, looking defeated; Robert stroked his chin thoughtfully; Olivia nervously twisted her fingers; William stared in disbelief.

"Ethan, what do you think?" the director asked cautiously.

Ethan Smith leaned back lazily in his seat. "Sounds fun."

The director exhaled in relief, then turned to Michael Johnson. The top-tier celebrity was staring intently at—

"Lucy?" The director followed his gaze to Lucy White.

Lucy toyed with the bracelet on her wrist, a faint smile on her lips. "Island survival? Perfect."

Michael immediately chimed in, "I'm in too."

Lily, left out, dug her nails into her palm. She forced a smile. "Sounds exciting."

[Live comments exploded]

[Whoa! A livestream survival show? The director's going all out!]

[Ethan actually agreed? He usually hates these grueling shows!]

[Lucy seems so calm—does she actually know survival skills?]

[Pfft, talk is cheap. Let’s see if she cries later.]

On the plane, Lucy found herself seated next to Ethan.

"Thanks for earlier," she murmured.

Ethan turned slightly, catching the faint scent of gardenias in her hair. "I just told the truth." He paused. "Ever considered acting?"

Lucy raised a brow. "Of course."

"There's a lead role in a period drama that suits you." Ethan pulled out an embossed business card. "The director's a friend."

Lucy took it, her fingers brushing his palm. Both froze for a second.

"I'll think about it seriously," she said, tucking the card away—unaware of Michael’s dark glare from behind.

The plane cut through the clouds, heading toward an unknown adventure. Little did they know, this seemingly ordinary survival challenge was about to uncover a shocking secret...