Chapter 40

Morning sunlight streamed through the curtains as Aria Bennett stretched and changed into her workout clothes for a jog.

"Morning," Damian Cross greeted her, already warming up in the yard.

They jogged side by side along the country path, breathing in the crisp air. Dew dampened their sneakers, but the freshness lifted their spirits.

Back at the house, Aria tied on an apron and began cooking porridge. The aroma of simmering rice soon filled the kitchen.

"Smells amazing!" The trainees, roused by the scent, gathered around eagerly.

Today’s theme was Country Escape, and for once, the production crew had provided steamed buns. Yet everyone still lined up for Aria’s porridge, helping themselves to bowl after bowl.

"Miss Aria, this is incredible!" Kieran Doyle beamed, cradling his bowl.

After breakfast, the group boarded a bus to the Lowe Family Farm. Nestled between mountains and a river, the farm was dotted with free-roaming chickens and ducks, while sheep grazed lazily in the distance.

"Let’s split into teams," Aria suggested. "We’ll prepare lunch and dinner ourselves."

Gavin Lowe led the male trainees to hunt for chickens and gather eggs, while Aria took the girls to pick fresh produce. Serena Blake lingered nearby, her eyes flickering with calculation.

"Let’s go fishing!" she suddenly suggested, pointing to the pond behind them with a sweet smile. "I heard the fish here are especially plump."

Caleb Monroe hesitated, recalling Aria’s warning from the day before. But under Serena’s persistent coaxing, he reluctantly followed.

[OMG, why is Caleb going fishing?!]

[Didn’t Aria tell him to stay away from water?]

[This is so superstitious—what could possibly happen?]

Serena cast her line with practiced ease and soon got a bite. "Caleb, come look!" she called excitedly. "I’ve got a big one!"

Caleb took the rod and gave it a firm tug. The water erupted as an enormous carp leaped out, sending a spray into the air.

"Watch out!" someone shouted.

But it was too late. The force yanked Caleb forward, and he stumbled—then plunged headfirst into the pond. Amid the splashing, his figure quickly sank beneath the surface.

"Help!" Serena paled, frozen in place.

Jonah Pierce was the first to dive in, followed by the crew. Two minutes later, they hauled Caleb onto the bank, his lips already tinged blue.

Medics immediately began CPR. After tense moments, Caleb coughed up water and slowly opened his eyes.

"Aria…" he rasped weakly, his gaze unfocused.

The director’s expression darkened as he sent someone to fetch Aria. The other guests exchanged uneasy glances—no one had expected yesterday’s prophecy to come true like this.

Serena stood at the edge of the crowd, wringing her hands. She’d only wanted to show off, never anticipating such a disaster.

"This is all my fault…" she whimpered, though no one paid attention to her act.

In the distance, Aria walked back with a basket of fresh vegetables, the sunlight casting a long shadow behind her.