Chapter 314

Evelyn Sinclair had planned a ski getaway with Isabella Montgomery and Natalie Beaumont, but Adrian Blackwood wouldn't stop pestering her.

He kept insisting she join some extreme adventure reality show he was producing and starring in.

The idea held zero appeal for Evelyn. She was perfectly content with her luxurious lifestyle - why subject herself to unnecessary hardship? Voluntary suffering had never been her style. Yet Adrian showed up at Sterling Manor so frequently he might as well have moved in. William and Lucas Sterling grew increasingly irritated by his persistence until they finally convinced Evelyn to participate. Lucas even lent her his personal team - assistant, makeup artist, driver - so she wouldn't have to lift a finger.

Currently, Evelyn lounged in a plush rocking chair beneath a striped umbrella, shielding herself from the midday sun. She closed her eyes, savoring the gentle breeze and perfect weather.

Gabrielle, her makeup artist-slash-assistant, brought out the delicate pastries Archibald had specially prepared for Evelyn.

Taking small, deliberate bites to fully appreciate the flavors, Evelyn radiated pure contentment. When Adrian came rushing over and saw this scene, he nearly collapsed from frustration.

"Natalie! We're here for an adventure, not a spa retreat!" he panted, out of breath from running.

Evelyn opened one eye lazily. "I'm aware. Filming hasn't even started yet."

Adrian flopped down beside her, looking utterly defeated. "The other contestants will arrive soon. If this first episode flops, I'll have to crawl back to some soul-crushing corporate job."

Seeing his genuine distress, Evelyn finally took pity on him. "Fine. Stop being so dramatic." She watched as Adrian devoured the pastries like a starving man.

Just as she was about to comment, Adrian suddenly looked up with startling intensity. "Natalie, if I hadn't dragged you here, my uncle would've canceled the whole production. If we don't pull viewers with this episode, there won't be a second chance."

Evelyn thought, Perfect! But she kept that to herself because Julian Moreau and Sophia Laurent had just arrived. "These are your star guests?" she asked dryly.

Though Julian had gained some recognition, he was hardly A-list material. Adrian lowered his voice. "Budget constraints. Best I could manage."

Evelyn gave him a knowing smirk. "Trying to capitalize on my little scandal with Julian, are you? Out of all available actors, you just happened to pick my former flame?"

Adrian winked. "Relax, I'd never actually damage your reputation."

Julian and Sophia approached them. Originally, Adrian hadn't planned to invite Sophia, but after she and Julian won the Most Promising Newcomer award together, her rising profile became too tempting to ignore.

Sophia had been in the industry for years but only recently gained attention. Since having Evelyn as the sole female contestant might raise eyebrows, Adrian brought Sophia along as well.

Julian greeted Adrian with a hug before shaking Evelyn's hand politely. Sophia exchanged pleasantries with equal decorum. As everyone dispersed to prepare, Evelyn suddenly felt an intense, hostile gaze burning into her back. But when she turned, she only saw Julian and Sophia laughing together.

Was she imagining things? Besides them, the group included a professional explorer Adrian had recruited - Ethan Caldwell, a ruggedly handsome mixed-race man with an imposing physique.

True to the show's premise, there were no scripts - the adventure would unfold organically. Two teams would compete, sharing one final destination but no designated leaders.

Each contestant received a map with specific challenge checkpoints. After completing a challenge, they could choose to swap teammates.

When Evelyn saw the first challenge pairing, her stomach dropped. Of all people, she'd been matched with Sophia. This wasn't just bad luck - it was a living nightmare.