Chapter 317

The cavern entrance wasn't marked on Evelyn's map.

That absence alone made it suspicious. With careful movements, Evelyn used a fallen branch to push aside the overgrown vines concealing the opening. Sophia, ever eager to prove herself, rushed forward to assist.

Darkness swallowed the cave's interior. The damp stone floor reflected what little light penetrated the entrance, creating eerie ripples across the walls. A musty, unpleasant odor wafted out.

Evelyn inhaled sharply before stepping inside, flashlight beam cutting through the gloom. Sophia lingered at the threshold, biting her lip.

"Evelyn," she called hesitantly, "there aren't any cameras in here. This can't be the right location." Her reality show instincts screamed that unmonitored areas meant unimportant scenes.

"Then wait outside," Evelyn replied coolly without turning around.

She didn't insist. Evelyn's cameraman had already followed her in, leaving Sophia standing awkwardly with her own crew. A frown creased Sophia's forehead.

Despite her reluctance, she clenched her jaw and moved forward. Allowing a billionaire heiress to brave the darkness while she stayed safe would destroy her carefully crafted image.

Sophia had just taken two steps when a piercing shriek tore through the cave.

Evelyn spun around. Sophia lay sprawled on the wet stone, clutching her ankle. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead despite the cave's chill. Silent tears tracked down her cheeks.

"What happened?" Evelyn hurried back.

"Twisted my ankle," Sophia forced through gritted teeth, her pallor belying the pain. "I'm so sorry to slow you down."

Evelyn studied her. "Should I call for medical extraction?"

"No!" Sophia's refusal came too quickly. "I can manage." The thought of leaving now, of wasting this hard-won opportunity, was more painful than any injury.

Before joining the show, Sophia had banked on Evelyn's blunt personality grating on audiences. But viewers adored emotional intelligence. If she could cement her place here, her career would skyrocket. Retreat wasn't an option.

Evelyn didn't argue. She scavenged a sturdier branch from the cave mouth. "Use this."

Sophia accepted the makeshift crutch with murmured thanks. When she tried standing, her injured leg buckled. Instinctively, she grabbed Evelyn's jacket sleeve.

Evelyn caught her, intending only to steady her. But Sophia misinterpreted the gesture as ongoing support and clung like a limpet. Each hobbling step became a dramatic production.

Evelyn's lips pressed into a thin line. Shaking Sophia off would look terrible on camera. She endured the clinging with stiff shoulders. I need a new partner, she thought desperately.

The live feed exploded with commentary:

[Poor Sophia! Such dedication!]

[Is there a truce happening? Evelyn's being surprisingly patient.]

[That injury looks real - she should rest!]

[Teamwork goals!]

Deeper in, the cave's oppressive darkness intensified. While Evelyn remained unfazed, Sophia trembled against her, jumping at every shadow and squealing at imagined threats. The camera crew captured every exaggerated reaction.

At sixty meters in, their lights revealed a solid stone wall. The passage ended abruptly.