Chapter 156

Inside the airplane cabin, Nolan Reed glared at the two figures seated side by side in front of him, grinding his teeth in frustration.

That damn fox, Damian Cross! he cursed inwardly.

Every single time, Damian somehow managed to secure the seat next to Aria Bennett. Who would believe he wasn’t pulling strings?

In the front row, Aria turned slightly toward the man beside her. "Mr. Cross, have you been to Aldercrest Mountain before?"

Damian’s lips curved faintly. "I’ve visited the Script Hall to meet a master calligrapher." He paused. "It’s a place that would suit you."

Aria’s eyes brightened. "You seem to know me well?"

"Remove the 'seem,'" Damian murmured with a low chuckle, his warm breath brushing her ear.

Her ears tinged pink, her pulse quickening. "Why do you know me so well?"

Damian leaned closer, his voice a deep whisper. "A secret."

The subtle tension made Aria instinctively pull back, only to catch the sly amusement flickering in his eyes.

"Damian!"

"Hmm?"

"You’re doing this on purpose!"

He merely smiled, his long fingers lightly tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

The sight made Nolan’s grip tighten on his armrest, nearly crushing it.

Damn fox! he seethed silently.

After landing, the production crew’s vehicles were already waiting.

Damian swiftly loaded both his and Aria’s luggage into the same car before turning to flash Nolan a victorious smirk.

Nolan: "..."

He turned and met Serena Blake’s hopeful gaze. Without a word, he shoved past Wesley Hart and scrambled into Caleb Monroe’s car.

Wesley: "???"

Serena’s face paled, but she forced a smile and approached Wesley. "Guess I’ll have to trouble you, Mr. Hart."

The live comments exploded:

[Poor Serena!]

[Nolan is so rude!]

[Serves her right after all her antics.]

Wesley maintained a polite smile before closing his eyes for the entire ride, offering zero conversation.

Three hours later, the convoy arrived at the quaint town nestled at the foot of Aldercrest Mountain.

Traditional wooden structures lined the slopes, connected by winding cobblestone paths, the air sweet with floral notes.

When the director announced the rules, everyone groaned in unison.

"Making us fend for our own meals again?"

"Director, you’re inhuman!"

The director grinned. "It’s the best way to immerse in traditional culture!"

Caleb suddenly raised his hand. "How are teams divided this time? I want to be with Aria!"

"Same here!" the others chimed in.

Nolan immediately planted himself beside Aria, staking his claim.

Damian said nothing, merely casting an amused glance at the director.

The director wiped his brow. This cast is impossible.