Novel Palace
Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Chapter 26 Juicy Drama
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 All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
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.
11:46 Mon, 27 Nov 0
Chapter 26 Juicy Drama
* 73% #
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.
Chapter 26 Juicy Drama
So, he stepped in to try to smooth things over. “We all know each other here. If there’s a
misunderstanding, we can discuss it after we return to the city. There’s no need to blow it out of
proportion.” His intention was clear–he wanted to encourage Simone to ease off.
Simone looked at Leon with raised eyebrows. “So, Leon, you think I’m making a fuss over nothing?
Every time someone initiates trouble, it’s never me, but it always ends up being my fault. I can’t quite
grasp your perspective on this. I’ve clarified that I’d rather not be involved in this. Please respect that.
Take good care of your Jojo, and let’s not continue bothering each other. She appeared exasperated,
“If I can’t find common ground with you, then perhaps we should keep our distance, right?”
Since he wanted to help Jodie, they could be in the same boat together.
Her words carried significant subtext, intensifying the gossip among the onlookers. The livestream
viewers were equally curious and intrigued.
Leon was caught off guard by her continued misunderstanding of his relationship with Jodic. He
couldn’t comprehend her motivations..
What did she mean by “Take good care of your Jojo“? Was she deliberately stirring up unnecessary
trouble?
With a resigned expression, he suggested, “Simone, let’s try to avoid causing a scene. I don’t
understand why, even if you don’t like Jodie, we can’t simply pretend to get along for the sake of the
variety show. After all, this is a live stream, and we’re making it more dramatic than necessary.”
While Simone remained silent, Zac chimed in with a sly smile, addressing Leon, “You’re exaggerating
this. Accusing Simone of wrongdoing and irrational behavior. As a bystander, I didn’t see anything
wrong with her actions. He continued playfully, “II‘ I didn’t know you two were childhood friends, I would
think there was some grudge between you.”
Simone, still smiling, added, “It’s not just you. I also had the same impression.”