Chapter 20

The production crew watched the monitors, their grins stretching ear to ear. Today’s explosive moments were coming one after another—ratings were bound to skyrocket.

Sure enough, the live comments erupted instantly.

[Nolan was kind enough to invite her, and she refused? How ungrateful!]

[What’s with the hard-to-get act? Who does she think she is?]

[A nobody trying to act like a diva? Pathetic!]

Aria’s fans fired back just as fast.

[Like our Aria needs your pity? Hilarious!]

[Some fans really think they own the place. Aria’s better off staying away!]

[First, you accuse her of riding on clout, now you bash her for saying no? Hypocrites!]

Bystanders, utterly confused, scrambled to catch up on the drama. After piecing things together, they shook their heads.

[Nolan’s fans are way too aggressive.]

[Poor Aria. Damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t.]

Just as the comment war raged on, Damian Cross suddenly approached Aria.

"Want to team up?" His voice was gentle, his gaze sincere.

Aria blinked in surprise, then smiled. "It’d be an honor to work with you, Mr. Cross."

They exchanged a look and shook hands, their chemistry undeniable.

[Aww, my king is so sweet!]

[Damian’s such a gentleman!]

Haters wasted no time jumping in.

[Oh, so she’s just aiming higher? How predictable.]

[Gold-digger confirmed!]

But Damian’s fans remained uncharacteristically calm.

[He offered first. Don’t twist it.]

[We’re not falling for this bait.]

Nearby, Serena Blake stood rigid, her nails digging into her palms. Forcing a smile, she sidled up to Nolan Reed. "Mr. Reed, shall we pair up?"

Nolan’s eyes lingered on Aria before he gave an absentminded nod.

[Serena’s such an angel!]

[Hope Nolan doesn’t let her down!]

The other guests quickly formed their teams. Caleb Monroe joked, "Looks like we’re all on our own tonight."

Then the director dropped the bombshell. "Just a reminder—you’ll be cooking your own meals tonight. No outside help."

"What?!" The group groaned in unison.

Jonah Pierce whined, "Director, that’s just cruel!"

Damian chuckled. "Don’t worry. I’ll gather extra ingredients so Aria can show off her skills."

[Damian’s so protective!]

[This pairing has my heart!]

Once the others had scattered, Aria suddenly paused. She scanned the area, her gaze settling on a pile of straw in the corner.

"Mr. Cross, could you wait for me?" She flashed a playful grin. "Just a minute."

Though puzzled, Damian agreed easily. "Of course."

Viewers were baffled.

[Why isn’t she gathering ingredients?]

[What’s she scheming now?]

The camera lingered on Aria’s enigmatic smile, leaving everyone wondering—

What is she up to?