Observing their lack of response, Gavin deduced that they had accepted his proposal. After all, it was unlikely for them to decline an offer with no downsides. Although Elaine had provided them with food in the past, she had also physically assaulted them. This revealed the fragile nature of their friendship. A corner of Gavin's lips quirked up. “All right, it's settled, then. I'll consider you as friends as long as you're willing to help. Besides the benefits I proposed earlier, I'll also take good care of you. Just so you know, I've always been good to all my friends.” They all remained silent, which was equivalent to consenting to Gavin's proposal. Janice thought to herself that she wasn't betraying Elaine because she felt no obligation to support her. Every time Elaine gave me food, I would perform for her in return. In fact, I would perform more than once. So, I see it as a fair exchange. Xavier also pondered quietly. Elaine's small acts of kindness are not worth risking my relationship with the Grant family or sacrificing my career in the entertainment industry. Moreover, the help she offered was rather insignificant, and I believe I've already reciprocated. Anyway, I can still easily repay her kindness by providing her with some money when we return. Jett, too, contemplated the offer. Elaine severely beat me up in the past, so our bond was never really strong to begin with. The food she provided was just leftovers she couldn't finish, not a genuine desire to assist us. Moreover, she viewed us as mere performers, expecting us to entertain in exchange for food. It's evident that she has always looked down on us, and there's no reason for us to feel obligated to speak favorably of her, thereby offending the Grant family. So, even if Gavin hadn't promised us any benefits, I wouldn't speak positively of Elaine either. Their conscience troubled them briefly, but it didn't last. When it came to balancing their conscience against their self-interest, they opted for the latter. The livestream's comments section exploded once more. Why are they staying silent? Could it be that they've actually fallen for Gavin's offer? Guys, wake up! Your fans have been forgiving of your small slip-ups because of your talent, but if you were to side with the Grant siblings and betray Elaine, your reputation would be in serious jeopardy! Xavier, let's be honest! It's already game over for the Grant siblings. There's no benefit in helping them; you'll only get dragged into their troubles! I adore your singing, and I still want to hear your voice! Jett, you're young and have already earned numerous awards. With your talent, you could easily make a name for yourself internationally. There's no need to rush for short-term gains and sacrifice your principles for empty promises! It's a shame; they had a way out, but their desires led them down the wrong path. These turncoats should be boycotted once and for all! My heart aches for Elaine. She's done so much for these ungrateful individuals.The five of them waited in silence for half an hour, and at last, the cruise ship reached the shore. Excitement was evident on their faces as they eagerly approached once the crew disembarked. The director and the crew disembarked from the cruise ship, setting up cameras to film the guests. Upon noticing the cameras, they straightened their posture and presented their professional selves. “Oh, Mr. Grisham, what took you so long? We were on the verge of giving up hope.” Miranda spoke in a soft voice, tinged with both resentment and frustration. Yet, her tone also conveyed remarkable resilience and determination. Her words and demeanor made her even more endearing. Everyone would have been completely deceived by her act if there were no hidden cameras. James chuckled and explained, “I apologize for the delay. It was an oversight on our part this time. We fell unconscious during the return journey and woke up two days later, only to discover that the ship had drifted to an unknown location. As soon as we regained our bearings and underwent a medical checkup, we hurried over to find you.” Gavin couldn't help but knit his brow. “I thought only a few of you were affected by the poisoning. How did everyone end up unconscious?” James sighed. “There was an idiot among the crew members. He accidentally contaminated the drinking water with blood from a poisoned victim. So, even those who were originally healthy got poisoned after drinking the water. That's why everyone ended up in a coma. The poison is quite potent, but luckily, it wasn't deadly. That's how we managed to cheat death.” Miranda let out a sigh of relief and then offered a gentle smile. “I'm so relieved to see that you're all okay. Even though we've been struggling here without any assistance for six days, I'm just glad that nothing terrible happened to you all. We won't hold it against you.” James cast a sidelong glance at them and then feigned a look of surprise. “Why do all of you have injuries and appear so disheveled? Miranda, did you lose a tooth? What exactly happened?” Miranda immediately covered her face, choking back sobs, her body trembling as if she were recalling a profoundly harrowing experience. Gavin swiftly reached out, embracing her shoulder and gently patting it to silently offer his comfort. “Oh my, why are you crying like this? You must have gone through quite an ordeal. Please, just tell me what happened?” James continued to act as if he was unaware of anything and appeared to be expressing genuine concern for her. Miranda wept for a while before pulling herself together. She wiped away her tears, her voice soft and still carrying traces of sobbing, making her even more pitiful. “You know how Elaine's been singling me out, right? Even before you left, she kept on insulting me and even got physical. And after you all left, it got even worse when there were no cameras to record it. All these injuries, it's all because of her. She's the one who knocked out my tooth. And it's not just me. Gavin, Janice, and the others were also victims of her violent behavior. Gavin even had a close call with death because of her...” As though she recalled the terrifying memories, her body shivered with fear once more, and her eyes were filled with a haunting dread. James acted as if he could not believe his ears. “I can't believe Elaine would do that to you guys!” With tears in her eyes, Miranda bit her lip. "I didn't want to expose her, but she went too far. She even harmed her own brother. I couldn't bear it any longer, so I had to reveal her actions. I want the world to know what kind of person she is. If she had only targeted me, I could have forgiven her. But she hurt my brother and tried to kill him. I just couldn't tolerate it anymore..." As she spoke, she buried her face in Gavin's embrace, softly sobbing. "Gavin, just the thought of you almost losing your life because of Elaine still haunts me. I had hoped for us to live in harmony, but she's just a cruel and heartless person. I want to cut ties with her!" Gavin gently patted her back and whispered, "Calm down, Miranda. Look, I'm still alive and well, right?" James and the crew wore expressions of mixed emotions on their faces. After witnessing Miranda's heartfelt tears, James shifted his gaze to Janice, Xavier, and Jett. He asked, "Did Elaine also cause these injuries on your bodies?" The trio nodded in response. "Yes." They were telling the truth. It was indeed Elaine who had caused their injuries. James continued his questioning. "Is what Miranda said true? Did Elaine try to harm Gavin and almost kill him?" The three of them fell silent. Gavin had indeed been in a life-threatening situation because of Elaine, but it was due to her act of self-defense in response to his provocation. The fact that she defended herself without attempting to rescue Gavin shouldn't be seen as an intention to harm him. Gavin faced the consequences of his actions and deserved to suffer. However, considering Gavin and Miranda's warning and the promises they had made, the trio hesitated to disclose the full truth. "Janice, is what Miranda said true?" James persistently asked, singling out one of them. Janice steeled herself and nodded. "Yes." James then turned to Xavier. "What do you have to say about this, Xavier?" With a troubled expression, Xavier nodded. "Yes, what she said is true." Following that, James shifted his gaze to Jett. "Jett, did you witness Elaine trying to harm Gavin?" As both of them had responded with affirmative answers, he could only nod and reply, "Yes, we all witnessed it."A hint of disappointment flashed across James' eyes. That's it. It's over for them. Nevertheless, he immediately concealed his expression by asking another question. "Could you please provide a detailed account of what happened at that moment? Share it with me and the audience behind the camera." Janice and the others exchanged glances, each of them hoping that someone else would answer that question. Observing their reluctance to speak, James directly addressed Janice. "Janice, tell us the story." Janice had no choice but to speak reluctantly, especially since the attention was now on her. "At the time, Elaine was by the river when Gavin approached her to borrow something, but she refused to lend it to him. In fact, she even kicked him into the river. As a result, Gavin suffered injuries from the kick and struggled to swim, coming close to drowning." James continued probing. "Why did Elaine kick Gavin into the river? Did Gavin provoke her in some way? It seems unlikely for someone to resort to such a vicious act without a reason." Janice sheepishly glanced at Miranda, who shot her a warning look. She immediately averted her gaze, shook her head, and replied, "No, Gavin has always been friendly towards Elaine and wanted to get along with her. But Elaine always appeared on edge and didn't bother to reciprocate. We would often end up getting beaten whenever we tried to strike up a conversation with her." A corner of Miranda's lips quirked up as she was pleased with her answer. James then glanced at Xavier and asked, "Is that so, Xavier?" Xavier couldn't help but furrow his brow. "Why are you asking me again? Didn't Janice just answer your question?" In a serious tone, James responded, "This matter involves criminal elements and may potentially lead to legal proceedings. As the director, it is my responsibility to thoroughly investigate and ensure justice for those who were injured." He spoke with a strong sense of righteousness, leaving no room for doubt about his intentions. Xavier nodded. "Yes, Janice told the truth." James then turned his attention to Jett and asked, "Jett, is there anything else you wish to add?" Jett replied, "I believe Janice has given a detailed account of the situation. Everything she mentioned is accurate. We were all there and witnessed the incident."