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I press myself against the wall, heart hammering. They’re talking about me, Serena, and Annabelle. Already plotting to sabotage us.
And they don’t even know that Hayes and I have a history, however brief. If they find out, I’ll be labeled the villain of the season. I’ve seen enough reality TV to know how the story gets twisted—I’ll be the manipulative one who had an unfair advantage, the liar who hid her past connection.
I slip away, heading upstairs to the bedroom I share with five other contestants. Grabbing the handle of my packed suitcase, I release it and pull it up. This was a mistake. I need to leave before things get worse, before someone exposes our past, before—
“Planning a hasty exit?” Skye’s voice startles me.
I whirl around to find her standing in the doorway, arms crossed. “I can’t do this, Skye.”
“Yes, you can. Come with me.” She pushes the handle of my suitcase down.
She takes off my mic and leads me through a maze of hallways to a small room that appears to be some sort of production office. Checking to make sure we’re alone, she closes the door.
“No cameras here.” She gestures to a chair. “Sit. Talk to me.”
I collapse into it, suddenly exhausted. “Gabby and Kavita are already plotting against me. And they don’t even know Hayes and my history.”
“Let them come after you,” Skye says calmly. “If you don’t react, they’ll get bored and move on.”
“I can do that, but this whole thing is a lie. We’re pretending we’ve never met when we’ve...” I trail off, feeling my cheeks flush.
“When you’ve what? Had one passionate almost-encounter on a beach? Honey, that hardly counts as a relationship.”
“But it’s dishonest.”
“Look,” Skye leans forward, her expression serious. “What happened between you and Hayes that night is no one’s business but yours. You noted it on your application, so you’re good.”
“Right, I did do that.”
“Exactly,” Skye says. “So the producers know, and they decided since it was so brief, it didn’t matter. You’re good.”
“Okay, but—”
“No buts. You don’t owe these women your personal history. And Hayes certainly isn’t going to say anything—he has everything to lose if he does.”
I frown. “That sounds manipulative.”
“That’s reality TV, darling,” Skye says with a shrug. Then she shifts in her seat uncomfortably. “And on that note, I should remind you that you signed an NDA that won’t let you breathe a word of your prior tryst.”
I gasp. “I did?” I’m usually really careful with contracts, but since Skye grabbed it out of my hands before I could go through it all, I didn’t this time.
“Yes. So you’re contractually obligated to keep your trap shut, which actually makes that part very simple for you.”
I tilt my head. “I guess it does, doesn’t it?”
“And here’s the thing to remember—beneath all this manufactured drama, there’s a real opportunity here. I know how you two connected on that beach. That wasn’t scripted.”
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Even if that’s true, how am I supposed to navigate this snake pit?”
“By being smarter than them, which you are,” Skye says simply. “These shows thrive on catfights and drama. Don’t give them what they want. Make genuine connections—not just with Hayes, but with the other women too. The ones who aren’t trying to stab you in the back, anyway.”
“Like Annabelle and Serena?” And maybe Daenerys, whose real name is Luna... I think. She seemed direct, nice, and low-key.
“Exactly. Alliances, honey. It’s how you survive.” She stands, adjusting her boosted chest. “Now, are you going to pack up and run, or are you going to give this a real shot?”
I hesitate, thinking about Hayes, and that amazing night on the beach. Thinking about my career, which has been my only focus for so long. Thinking about my mother, who always encouraged me to take chances, especially in matters of the heart.
“I’ll stay,” I decide finally. “But on my terms.”