Genius Manager: I Can Make All Girls Talented!-Chapter 158 - - Round Two

The sun was higher in the sky now, casting a golden shimmer across the villa's courtyard. Morning had fully arrived, but no one was in a rush to start the day. Not today.

The group had gathered in the lounge area, sunk into cushions and loungers with the kind of closeness only earned through shared fire. There were no cameras nearby—at least none obvious—and the moment felt almost real, like the outside world had briefly paused.

Emma sat between Alicia and Yuna, her legs curled under her, a soft throw blanket around her shoulders despite the warmth.

Avery sipped her coffee slowly beside her, watching the way Emma's shoulders relaxed little by little.

Darius sat across from them on a low bench, arms draped over the backrest, his gaze lingering on each of them in turn.

They weren't just allies anymore. They were something deeper.

"I don't think I realized how much I missed the quiet here," Emma said. Her voice was soft. Honest.

Alicia gave her a small smile. "There wasn't much of it while you were gone."

"Still feels like I never really left," Emma murmured. "The place didn't change. But we did."

There was a hum of agreement. Nothing loud. Just that silent echo of truth.

Yuna adjusted the blanket around Emma's shoulders. "It felt empty without you."

"Not just empty," Avery added. "Wrong."

Darius leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "We kept going because we knew we'd get you back. But it made all of us ask—what are we really doing here?"

Emma tilted her head. "And? Did you find an answer?"

He looked up at her, his voice lower. "We're building something no one expected. And we're not going to let them take it apart again."

Mid-Morning – Poolside

The girls lounged around the pool, feet in the water, faces turned toward the sun. They weren't speaking as much anymore. Words weren't necessary.

Darius sat nearby with a sketchpad on his lap—a habit he'd picked up early in the show. Most thought he was drawing scenery. He wasn't.

He was sketching the girls.

Alicia in profile, smiling at something Yuna said. Emma with her eyes closed, listening to the breeze. Avery and Yuna shoulder to shoulder, both looking out at the horizon like generals on the verge of planning.

He glanced up, pencil pausing. "They tried to flatten us into stereotypes. The villain. The seductress. The loyal one. The sweetheart."

"But we're not," Avery said, eyes still forward.

Darius smiled faintly. "No. You're more."

Emma reached for Alicia's hand, threading their fingers together. "So what happens next?"

Alicia looked to Darius.

Yuna answered instead. "We live. We rest. And when the next storm comes, we stand together."

There was peace in that.

Afternoon – Shared Bedroom

They returned inside eventually. The shared bedroom was cooler, the sheets freshly replaced, the lights softened.

Emma stood by her old bed, running a hand over the familiar pillow. Her eyes glistened again.

"They really left it the same."

Darius came up behind her. "It didn't feel right changing it."

She turned. Looked up at him.

"Thank you."

He didn't say anything. Just pulled her gently into his arms.

From across the room, Yuna, Alicia, and Avery watched for a moment. Then Yuna moved toward them, wrapping her arms around Emma from the side.

Alicia joined in next, and Avery after.

The five of them stood there in silence, holding on.

No cameras. No producers. No storylines.

Just them.

Emma was the first to laugh, soft and light. "This is ridiculous. We look like a cult."

Yuna snorted. "We kind of are. But prettier."

Avery let out a rare chuckle. "A high-functioning, better-dressed cult."

"With better leadership," Alicia added, winking at Darius.

He raised a hand, mock-defensive. "Hey, I'm just trying to keep up."

Early Evening – Garden Path

Later, Emma and Darius walked together through the stone-lined path near the garden. It was a secluded part of the villa—just tall hedges, a bubbling fountain, and old wooden benches bleached slightly by the sun.

They didn't speak for a while.

Birds chirped lazily above. A light breeze rustled the leaves.

"When I was gone," Emma said at last, "the hardest part wasn't the isolation. It was wondering if it had all been fake."

Darius looked at her.

"It wasn't. Not a second of it."

She nodded, biting her lower lip. "I know that now. I think I just needed to hear you say it."

They reached the bench and sat. Close. Not touching, but charged with something that hummed between them.

"You said we're building something," she said. "What does that look like to you?"

Darius was quiet for a moment. Then:

"It looks like this. Us. A team that doesn't fall apart when the cameras turn off."

Emma turned to him, her expression softer now.

"Then I'm all in."

He smiled.

And in the distance, a new chime sounded.

A notification.

But for now, they didn't move.

For now, peace remained.

***

The sound was soft. A digital chime, barely more than a breath.

But in the stillness of the garden, it felt like thunder.

Darius glanced down at his wristband—a blinking notification marked in red. Emma's did the same.

They exchanged a look.

The moment of peace shattered.

Across the villa, the same sound echoed. In the kitchen, by the pool, in the dressing area. All contestants received the same alert.

A new message displayed across every screen in the house.

ROUND TWO BEGINS NOW.

NEW RULES. NEW RISKS. NEW POWER.

Yuna read the text aloud from her tablet, her voice flat.

A second notification replaced it:

Each contestant will now receive a PRIVATE CHALLENGE. If completed, they will gain a personal advantage. If failed, the consequences will be... public.

Avery stepped forward. "This is how they hit back. Isolate us. Push us apart."

"Divide and conquer," Alicia muttered. "Classic."

Emma looked to Darius. "We don't play their game. Not this way."

Darius shook his head. "We adapt. Like always. But we share everything. No secrets. We make every challenge public. Let them try to shame us with transparency."

The group nodded.

Moments later, individual messages rolled in. One by one, the wristbands lit up.

Yuna: Your challenge is EMOTIONAL VULNERABILITY. Reveal a hidden truth to someone you care about. On camera.

Alicia: Your challenge is SEDUCTION. Tempt someone who has never been with you before. If they resist, you fail.

Avery: Your challenge is CONTROL. Get someone to obey a command without question.

Emma: Your challenge is CONFESSION. Admit something you've been hiding. Out loud.

Darius: Your challenge is TRUST. Allow someone else to make a major decision on your behalf, sight unseen.

They read them in silence.

Yuna laughed, dry. "They want us to break each other."

"Then we don't," Darius said. "We do it our way. Together."