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    Chapter 0545


    My mind reeled. I couldn''t imagine what another event might be. To me, personally, I was still trying to recover from the previous events, including the treasure hunt on the ind where I had fallen into that pit as well as the social event with the merfolk that nearly ended in an international incident.


    However, this was the nature of thepetition. Events weremonce. It wasn''t as if I could back out simply because I was tired.


    Nichs and I acknowledged that we understood Nathan''s direction. As Nathan walked away, Nichs walked with me to the stairs.


    There, holding his shirt for me to see, he said, "I''m going to change. I''ll meet you out there."


    I smiled at him and nodded. It was very difficult not to kiss him again. I so very dearly wanted to. But with cameras, other candidates, and servants around every turn, we couldn''t dare to follow that impulse.


    Nichs dashed up the stairs two at a time. When he was gone from sight, I continued walking down the hallway toward the deck.


    Outside, the other candidates and Julian were sitting down on a group of chairs circled around each other.


    Veronica had her nose in the book she had borrowed from the merfolk. Julian sat beside her, his seat pulled close, and was looking over her shoulder.


    Jessica and Bridget sat side by side, chatting.


    "It won''t be another volleyball event, will it?" Jessica asked nervously. She hadn''t had the best showing during ourst volleyball game.


    Bridget hummed thoughtfully. "It could be," she said, "But I don''t think Nathan and the others would n two of the same kind of event so closely together."


    There were two open seats left in the bunch. One between Julian and Jessica, or one between Veronica and Bridget. Wherever I sat, Nichs would have to sit in the opposite. With that in mind, I took the open seat beside Bridget.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She gave me a big smile as I sat down, though her eyes were so cold that I shivered.


    As we continued to sit, waiting for Nichs and Nathan, I nced out at the ocean. Down on the beach, Elva was building sandcastles with her nanny.


    Elva carried a red pail and a matching stic shovel. Under the nanny''s direction, she made sure the bucket was wet, then scooped up a bunch of sand. The nanny then helped Elva to flip it upside down. When they lifted the pail, most of the sand mound stuck together. Though some did tumble down.


    Elva seemed so happy anyway,ughing and pping. I was thrilled she was enjoying her time at the beach. We''d never been before. She''d never made anything like sandcastles in her life.Update first atN?velDráma. Org.


    I really wanted to go out there and join her.


    First, though, I had to sit through this meeting.


    Soon, Nichs came out in a fresh t-shirt and shorts. No one outwardlymented on his change of clothes. Likely no one noticed, although Bridget did give me a quick, sharp look that I saw from the corner of my eye. However, when I turned to see, she looked away from me.


    *Jessica," Bridget said. "Why don''t you move over to make room for Nichs?"


    Jessica''s brow drew together in confusion, but she began to stand anyway.


    *Stay where you are, Jessica," Julian said. "Nichs is perfectly capable of sitting in this chair."


    Jessica sat back down, apparently ranking themand of a prince over the suggestion of a celebrity. Her face twisted with distress. It likely wasn''t an easy choice for her.


    Nichs came closer and immediately took the empty seat. If he heard the exchange with Jessica, he didn''t make any indication that he did.


    Julian smirked non-too-kindly at Bridget, who pouted ever so slightly. That dissatisfied look immediately vanished, though, when Nathan and the camera crew stepped out onto the deck. Bridget was all smiles then.