Simone also chimed in, ‘I love the grilled shrimp dish. It’s so sweet!’
Keira added, ‘I like the oregano pork ribs. They’re so aromatic.’
Eric replied, ‘I prefer the bacon-wrapped meatloaf. It’s better than anything I’ve ever had.’
At this point, Aaron and the others were lost for words. They wanted to vent their frustration to the other group.
Aaron couldn’t hold on any longer and said, “I want to block Zac.”
Leon chimed in, “I’m kind of thinking the same.”
However, Jodie and Leyla remained silent, wearing only a smile. After all, Zac was a top-tier celebrity. Speaking out like this during the livestream might incur criticism from his devoted fans.
Just then, Aaron stretched his finger to the setting button. “Then, I’ll just block him.”
But Jodie, sitting beside him, advised, “Don’t do it, Aaron. Blocking him might prove inconvenient if something important comes up. Besides, I enjoy seeing Mr. Turner’s daily posts about delicious food.” In truth, she said this to earn favor with Zac’s fans in the livestream.
After hearing her words, he had to stop his actions. Although he wasn’t too happy about it in his heart, on the surface, he still habitually showed an indulgent smile. “Okay, I’ll go with what you say.”
Leyla glanced down at her food, pursing her lips, and pondered, One is hypocritical, and the other is too unconditionally doting. She then wondered, If I were dating Aaron, who would be more important to him: me or his sister? If both
Jodie and I were drowning, he would probably jump in to save Jodie. With these thoughts, she suddenly felt disconnected, and her affection for Aaron diminished.
Since Leon was aware of Aaron and Jodie’s relationship, he didn’t find it strange at all.
During the live chat, fans of the sibling duo praised their sweetness and affection. On the other hand, Jodie didn’t leave a favorable impression on Zac’s fans.
“If he wants to block, let him block. Zachy has never been afraid of being blocked.”
“With Zachy’s way of speaking, who knows how many people have blocked him? One more by Aaron won’t make a difference.”
“There’s no need for Jojo to play peacemaker here.”
From that point on, the comments in the live chat took a different turn.
“I suddenly realized Aaron is very devoted to Jojo, but she doesn’t seem to care much about him.”
“I noticed that a long time ago. Aaron and Zac don’t seem to get along, but Jojo doesn’t support her brother.”
“The key is that Zac has criticized Jojo several times before.”
“If it were me, I wouldn’t be so forgiving.”
“So, is Jojo forgiving or just pretending?”
“I feel sorry for Aero. He spoils his sister so much, but she only seems to take advantage of his love and doesn’t truly support him.”
“Aero does everything for her, but she has never defended him.”
“Every time, she just wants to play peacemaker and appear kind.”
“Is her goal to become Santa Maria?”
Previously, Simone had anonymously paid for sock puppets to manipulate the narrative at the right moment. As expected, Aaron’s fans started to feel the same way when the sock puppets struck the right chord. As a result, many of Aaron’s fans became dissatisfied with Jodie.
After their meal, Simone and her crew took a leisurely stroll around the village before returning to their lodging.
Meanwhile, Aaron and the others had finished their dinner.
Jodie took the initiative and quickly cleaned up the kitchen and dishes. She didn’t enjoy these chores, but she wanted to maintain a favorable image on the live stream and give the viewers the impression of being a wonderful person. So, she bit her tongue and got to work.
Just as she finished in the kitchen, she saw Simone and her crew entering, chatting away.
Jodie remembered the photos shared in the group earlier and suddenly felt a sense of unfairness. She wondered why she always did the work while Simone enjoyed meals with the others.
Meanwhile, Simone and the others settled into the courtyard, conversing and working on their storage baskets.
Seeing this, Aaron couldn’t help but recall how they had all been scorched by the sun earlier that day. He walked over and found a spot near his sister. He asked, “Did you make the straw hats you wore today?”
“Yeah!”
Simone, perceptive as always, instantly recognized his intentions. She sensed he was angling for some assistance in making straw hats, and as expected, he asked, “How about helping us make a few?”
She shot him a discerning look. “Can’t you do it yourself?” She was determined not to let him off the hook so easily. To be precise, no one from the Gray Family would be getting preferential treatment from her again.
Once again rebuffed by his sister, Aaron had to swallow his pride. “Alright, fine, forget it then.”
She nodded. “Good, I’m glad you understand.”
He was taken aback by her response and grumbled, “Geez… My sister gets more exasperated by the day.”
Observing Aaron’s defeat, Zac casually picked up his straw hat from the table, holding it up and asking, “Do you think this hat suits me? It has a wide brim for shade. Pretty cool, huh?”
Aaron frowned and asked, “What are you implying?”
Zac grinned mischievously. “Just pointing out that this is something you guys can’t have. Enjoy sunbathing again tomorrow!”
“You’re becoming unbearable,” Aaron grumbled in frustration.
Seeing Aaron approaching Simone again, Jodie felt a strange mix of unease and annoyance. She forced a sweet smile and joined them, saying, “I’d love to learn how to make these straw hats too. That way, our team won’t have to roast in the sun tomorrow.” She figured if Keira could learn, she could as well.
Aware of Jodie’s possessiveness over Aaron and her competitive streak, Simone saw right through the request and chose not to respond.
The other three remained silent, creating an awkward atmosphere, and Jodie’s smile began to feel forced.
Frustration evident in his expression, Aaron addressed Simone, “Jo’s trying to talk to you. If you have something against us, that’s fine, but Jo’s innocent. Can’t you be a bit more reasonable?”
Simone glared at him coldly. “I’ve told you before, stop provoking me. I want nothing to do with you guys. Is that clear enough?”
He was taken aback, his brows furrowing in disbelief. “You!”
Jodie was surprised by Simone’s directness, and while it stung Simone’s ego, Jodie couldn’t help but feel oddly satisfied. She anticipated that viewers watching the livestream would likely disapprove of Simone’s arrogance and lack of courtesy.
As a result, Jodie adopted a more contrite expression and said, “Please don’t be upset. It’s entirely my fault.” She reached out and tugged at her brother’s shirt. “Aaron, please, let it go. I won’t insist on learning if Simone doesn’t want to teach.”
Simone shifted her piercing gaze to Jodie, a sly smirk curling at the corners of her lips. “Everyone knows the game you’re playing, with your ulterior motives. It’s hard for me to even tolerate you.” She held her stare, her tone dripping with condescension. “And, by the way, I’ve recorded the entire day’s events from start to finish.”
Jodie’s face went through a swift transformation, momentarily showing surprise before quickly settling into a mask of composure. “I have no clue what you’re talking about,” she replied. Simone’s cunning surprised her, and Jodie regretted her decision to back down. Even if she believed she was right, the thought of Simone’s recording going public weighed heavily on her.
Jodie was starting to regret her decision to express interest in learning how to make straw hats earlier. She had anticipated that Simone wouldn’t be willing to teach her due to her personality. Therefore, she had mentioned it intentionally, hoping to create a negative impression of Simone for the livestream viewers.
Simone raised an eyebrow and warned, “If you guys keep trying to provoke me, I wouldn’t mind sharing this recording with everyone.”
Her statement triggered curious looks among most of those present. Something was indeed happening between Simone and the Gray siblings behind the scenes, as indicated by her possession of the recording. Even the director’s eyes lit up with excitement as he thought, This is some juicy gossip!
Aaron couldn’t believe Simone’s actions and was in shock, wondering how she had undergone such a dramatic change.
Her growing frustration with Aaron was evident. Among the Gray siblings, he seemed to lack finesse and common sense.
Leon knew Jodie didn’t want everyone to know about her relationship with Simone. He even observed that Simone’s assertiveness was quite apparent since her arrival.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.