Chapter 212
Cynthia sat in a daze, her mind racing with questions. She began to piece together why Jonathan had ended up on this island
Jonathan was flying a helicopter when the storm overtook him, yet she hadn’t found him until her third day on the island. He could not have drifted in the ocean for three days under such harsh conditions.
Moreover, Jonathan mentioned seeing lights after he fell into the sea. It had to have been Shiloh. He must have saved Jonathan and deposited him on the island–classic behavior for that mischievous old fox
She thought back on Shiloh’s odd life. He’d once been an assassin in a mysterious organization, forced to live on the edge. every step cautious. His rigid, almost humorless personality reflected those years.
But he’d changed after a brutal betrayal and barely escaping with his life. Now, he lived with a carefree, prank–loving attitude and an obsession with money.
Since Cynthia was in middle school, he’d conned her out of most of her pocket money.
There was even a time he secretly stayed in the Jones residence fora month, yanking her out of bed at two in the morning- sometimes to spar, sometimes to play video games, or even to watch horror movies because he was too scared to watch them alone.
During that time, her grades had plummeted, her jewelry mysteriously disappeared, and her mother, Selena, thought the villa was haunted. She frequently visited churches to pray for peace.
Shiloh had always thrived on causing chaos.
Suddenly, Jonathan’s voice broke through her thoughts, he’d already sat beside her without noticing. “What’s got you so deep in thought?”
She snapped out of it and looked over. He was pale, still visibly weak from his illness. “Why aren’t you resting?” she asked, concerned.
Leaning his head against her shoulder, Jonathan replied with a lazy grin, “Can’t sleep without you next to me.”
Cynthia snorted, “With me next to you, you sleep even less.”
Jonathan straightened up, his eyes glinting with a mischievous smile. “True, but it gives us more time to explore the
meaning of life together.”
Cynthia shot him a warning glare. Jonathan looked anything but frail, with his open collar exposing his throat and a hint of stubble on his chin, giving him the air of a scholarly rogue. His shirt, unbuttoned just enough, swayed in the sea breeze, adding to his disheveled charm.
Seeing Jonathan dressed so lightly in the chilly air, she instinctively reached over to button his shirt.
But as her fingers moved closer, Jonathan caught her hand and brushed it against his stubbly chin, his expression like that of a playful puppy seeking affection–endearing and innocent.
Cynthia felt a tug at her heart, a mix of exasperation and warmth. He was shamelessly flirting, even fresh out of a fever.
Cynthia pulled her hand back. “Starting tonight, you’ll sleep on the lower level. I’ll take the upper”
Jonathan’s face fell. “Why?”
“No reason,” she replied curtly.
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Chapter 212
The thought that they might be watched with every move gnawed at her, making her clench her jaw in frustration.
Over the next few days. Cynthia poured all her energy into searching for whoever was behind this setup. She practically turned the island inside out, and finally, her efforts paid off with a few clues.
Cynthia found a bird’s nest high in a palm tree with six eggs inside–one fake
In the bamboo grove, she discovered a hollow bamboo stalk housing a bamboo grub–also fake.
With a casual toss of a stone, she brought down a seagull that had been circling overhead, fake again.
Every one of these decoys had miniature cameras hidden inside
Cynthia was furious. The entire island was filled with hidden cameras.
Furious. Cynthia clenched the tiny devices in her hand and yelled toward the sky, “You old geezer! Stop hiding in the shadows! I know you’re out there! You’ve got the guts to spy on me but not enough to show your face?
Jonathan watched her fuming, utterly perplexed by her outburst.
The live room also ca
caught this scene.
[Wait, does Cynthia not know she’s still being livestreamed?]
Is the show seriously that shady? They stranded them on an island and didn’t tell them it’s all live? That’s just messed up
[Why do I feel like she’s yelling at us? Feeling a bit guilty here.]
[Uh–oh, why’d the live cut off again?]
Cynthia had crushed each of the tiny cameras in her hands until they were nothing but pieces.
Jonathan stepped closer, asking. “So someone’s actually watching us?”
Cynthia nodded. “Most likely Shiloh.”
“Shiloh? Who is it?”
Cynthia sighed, beginning her story. “You probably won’t believe it. Back in seventh grade, I once saw a homeless man by the road, barely alive. I gave him a hundred bucks, and he latched onto me.”
“Honestly, I still don’t fully know where he came from. He was already pretty old when I met him, but he knew almost everything. After that day, he’d wait for me on my way home, insisting on taking me as his apprentice.”
“At first, I was so annoyed I had the family driver take me everywhere, but he snuck into my house and started causing trouble. Eventually, I caved and agreed”
Jonathan’s face looked like he was hearing a wild fairy tale.
Cynthia laughed, shaking her head. “Sounds ridiculous, right? But it’s true.”
“So all your skills, all the random things you know… he taught you?”
Cynthia nodded. “Yeah, he taught me so much. But he’s got no patience–halfway through one lesson, he’d jump to the next. so I barely learned anything to completion. And he’d always call me dumb, not even a tenth as talented as Simon.”
“Simon, who’s Simon?” Jonathan’s brows furrowed,
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Chapter 212
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Cynthia explained, “Simon–iş my senior. He was a true talent–top–notch in everything from martial arts to music, archery. and chess. And he was handsome, too. Most women fell for him first sight.”
Jonathan couldn’t help but notice the admiration in Cynthia’s eyes when she mentioned Simon.
“So… you’re a woman. Why didn’t you fall for him?” he asked, a lant of jealousy slipping through.
Cynthia replied earnestly, “Probably because he doesn’t like women.
Simon was five years older than Cynthia. He had always treated her like a younger sibling. But ever since she turned eighteen, he’d kept a polite distance, recoiling if they accidentally brushed fingers.
They’d once been close, but then Simon began to withdraw, growing colder. Cynthia had asked him why, and he simply said she wasn’t a child anymore, which made things uncomfortable.
When she’d pushed further, Simon replied, “I don’t like being around women.
From that moment, Cynthia knew Simon preferred men.
Shortly after Cynthia graduated from high school, Simon left Roncrity and went to Betrico, where the jewelry brand QUEEN suddenly emerged.
Though they rarely stayed in touch, Simon still held a place in Cynthia’s heart, like a brother.
Jonathan’s expression softened instantly. “Where does he live? We should go see him together someday.”
Cynthia said, “He’s spending most of his time abroad now.”
She sighed deeply. “But for now, let’s focus on finding a way off this island.”
That very night, Cynthia was surprised as dozens of planes flew over their island.
Cynthia looked up and finally saw familiar faces–Preston, Jessie Ethan, Jason, and production crew members.
They had finally been found.
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