Chapter 582
Chapter 582:
“Kenneth, you’re overplaying it. The pairing is random—I could’ve ended up with anyone. There’s nothing honorable about that.” Janice’s lips curved into a faint smile, polite yet distant, as though she were granting him only a sliver of her attention.
For a moment, Kenneth’s heart sank, but he quickly masked the disappointment.
Maybe, if they spent more time together, she’d notice the qualities he believed made him stand out.
“I’ll do my best to win this match,” he said with quiet determination, hoping it came off as charming.
“Good luck, then.”
Nearby, Aiden observed the exchange in silence, his sharp eyes catching every fleeting expression. He couldn’t hear their conversation, but their shared smiles gnawed at him.
Something raw twisted in his chest, and almost instinctively, he placed a hand over his heart. What is this? Jealousy?
He exhaled a bitter chuckle. How ridiculous. He was losing grip on the composed version of himself he had always prided himself on being—or perhaps, he mused, since Janice’s arrival, he’d been unraveling piece by piece.
Janice wasn’t just a presence—she was a consuming force. An addiction he didn’t want to quit.
Meanwhile, the live chat was blowing up.
“Look at Aiden over there. He looks like he’s nursing a broken heart.”
“Can you blame him? Watching the girl you adore team up with someone else? That’s gotta hurt.”
“People say Aiden’s like ice, but look at him now. Guess true love can thaw even the coldest of hearts.”
𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 — 𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣: 𝔤𝓪𝗅ⲛ𝓞ⱱ𝖊𝗅𝓈﹒𝖼𝗈𝗆
The next pairings continued without a hitch, just as Alissa had meticulously planned.
She, of course, had been paired with Aiden. Elsewhere, Liliana and Leonidas formed a team, Maggie was partnered with Daniel, and Delilah found herself paired with Carlton. Meanwhile, Demi, much to her surprise and delight, ended up with Stephen.
Demi was practically bubbling over with excitement. She had been worried about losing Carlton’s favor and fading into obscurity, but luck had smiled on her today. Landing Stephen as her partner felt like a jackpot.
“I’m looking forward to working with you, Stephen,” Demi said, her smile perfectly calibrated to charm. “I’ll give my all in the swimming duel to create opportunities for you.”
“You seem to have misunderstood.” Stephen unscrewed the lid of his thermos and took a sip.
“Huh?” Demi blinked, puzzled. “Misunderstood? What do you mean?”
Before Stephen could respond, Devin’s voice rang out again. “Everyone, the pairings are complete. I trust you’re all satisfied with your partners.”
“Not even close!” Maggie snapped, her hands planted on her hips. “Teamed up with Daniel? That’s basically a guaranteed loss!”
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