There was unmistakable teasing hidden beneath the man’s warm tone.
Vivienne stared at him silently for a few seconds before finally looking away.
"The food’s ready," she said to Camila Hall. "Let’s sit down and eat."
[Oh my God, oh my God, did you all see that? What a romantic scene—I’m seriously about to faint.]
[Hahaha, the director is playing with fire. Knowing Arthur Williams’s personality, did he actually give him a mission like that? I saw Arthur’s task card—it literally said he had to flirt with one of the guests.]
[Arthur is the living embodiment of "go after your goals without hesitation." The man didn’t waste a second before going to flirt with Vivienne.]
[Well then... a gold-digger and a notorious womanizer. What a pair.]
[Does anyone else feel like Vivienne Blackwood doesn’t look well? Look at her—she nearly collapsed earlier, and her movements are so slow and unsteady.]
[Oh please, she’s obviously acting to gain sympathy and attention. Don’t fall for people like her.]
At the dining table, Emma Walker was practically stuffing food into her mouth. She had been starving for half the day, and only now, after a hot and hearty meal, did she finally feel alive again.
"Vivienne, your cooking is incredible. No, scratch that—it’s absolutely amazing."
Camila did not hold back with her praise, nor was she exaggerating. Even her family’s private chef did not possess this level of skill.
"Seriously, I can’t stop eating. Thank you, sweetheart Vivienne."
Vivienne Blackwood felt weak and sore all over, to the point that she no longer had the strength to argue with this man... or correct the way he addressed her.
So she ignored Arthur’s existence as though he were nothing more than empty air.
"Ahem, ahem." The host cleared his throat lightly.
"Now that everyone has completed their tasks, let’s see who succeeded and who failed."
[The others had tasks too? I only noticed Arthur’s mission—and he carried it out with absolute dedication, hahaha.]
[The director gave all three men assignments, but Arthur was the only one I saw actually opening his card.]
[If I remember correctly, Oscar Jones and Leo Thompson just stood there like statues and barely did anything.]
The host announced, "Arthur Williams is the first to complete today’s mission successfully. His task was to flirt with one of the female guests. Congratulations. As a reward, the program will allow you to choose a random gift."
Then he continued calmly,
"Oscar Jones’s mission was to draw a portrait of one of the guests."
With a cold, expressionless face, Oscar turned the sketchbook in his hand toward the camera.
"Oh wow... It’s beautiful." Camila Hall stared at the drawing with unconcealed envy.
The sketch portrayed a young woman leaning slightly forward while holding a spoonful of steaming soup.
Her long black hair had been brushed behind her shoulders, though one rebellious strand had escaped and fallen gently across her cheek.
The faint mist curling from the soup reflected softly in her eyes beneath the warm glow of the light overhead.
[Dear God... Oscar truly deserves his reputation and his three Best Artist awards. Look at that drawing—it’s literally a masterpiece. There aren’t even any colors, just pencil strokes, yet Oscar somehow made it feel alive.]
[As expected from my idol’s talent. I’m in love with this sketch.]
[I love the drawing. I love everything about it. Even though I don’t like Vivienne, I genuinely want to buy this portrait for her.]
[Wait a second. There’s a problem here. Arthur chose Vivienne for his mission... and Oscar chose to draw her too? What is going on?]
[I’m not surprised. Artists are naturally drawn to beauty because beauty is the essence of art itself. Are you seriously going to claim Vivienne’s face and appearance aren’t art? Even a blind man would have chosen Vivienne.]
[There’s still one left. Don’t tell me Leo Thompson’s task was connected to that woman too. Disgusting.]
As though sensing the audience’s curiosity, the host continued without pause.
"Leo Thompson has also completed his mission. His task was to keep his eyes on one of the guests and observe them for an entire hour."
[Umm... guys, I think I noticed Brother Leo staring in Vivienne’s direction several times whenever the camera was on him.]
[It’s over. It’s officially over. Why have all these smart, handsome men fallen into Vivienne’s trap? Every single one of them chose her? Is the world sick, or am I the sick one?]
[Damn it, not even half a day has passed and Vivienne has already captured the attention of every man there. Is this really the same Vivienne who failed to win over a single man for three whole years?]
[Oh please, how can ordinary men possibly compare to the ascetic and inhuman Mr. Voss?]
Vivienne Blackwood remained completely unaware of the explosive storm of comments flooding the internet.
Tiny beads of sweat slowly gathered across her smooth forehead, while the color drained from her beautiful lips, making her resemble a delicate rose that had withered beneath the cruelty of winter.
Arthur Williams noticed every detail.
For one terrifying moment, he felt as though the girl sitting before him might disappear with the slightest touch... or be carried away by the gentlest breeze.
What’s wrong with her? Is she sick?
I heard the rumors about her suicide attempt, but—
Arthur had originally intended to approach Vivienne and ask how she was feeling when someone suddenly burst into the modest stone house.
The middle-aged man looked worn down by life itself. He stumbled inside, breathing heavily, traces of dried tears staining his exhausted face.
"Please... please... have any of you seen my daughter? She’s a little girl, around twelve years old. She was wearing a green jacket and a simple black skirt. Have you seen her?"
[What? A missing child? It’s already late at night—oh God, I hope she’s okay.]
[Is this another mission from the program?]
[You idiot, look at that father’s condition. He looks like he’s about to collapse from fear for his daughter. If this is acting, then he genuinely deserves an Oscar.]
Vivienne Blackwood’s brows knitted together immediately.
Camila Hall quickly stood up and helped the man, who had collapsed onto the floor at some point.
"Stay calm. It’s okay, it’s okay. Your daughter will be fine—we’ll help look for her. You need to stay strong. Take a deep breath."
While Camila comforted him gently, several more people entered through the doorway.
"We’re truly sorry. We know you’re filming, but we can’t find the child anywhere. She’s been missing since late morning. At first, we thought she was just playing nearby and would return soon, but then the rain started falling, night came, and there’s still no sign of her anywhere."
The speaker wore an anxious expression as he apologized repeatedly to the host.
"It’s alright, it’s alright." The host waved his hand dismissively.
Then the director’s voice suddenly came through the earpiece, urging him to send the participants to help search for the missing child.
It would bring in more views... and more publicity.