Chapter 3: Confessions and Camera Tricks

My first day of being a total slacker ended. On the packed second day, I slacked off even harder. We had to gather at 8 a.m. I threw on a thin sweater and jeans, yawning as I headed downstairs. The heroine, Savannah, wore a white dress, totally on brand for her whole innocent act. The other female guest, A-list actress Diana, was in her forties but looked young, also in a simple dress. As soon as I showed up, the comments had opinions. “Such a schemer, deliberately dressing differently to stand out.”

I caught my reflection in a hallway mirror—bedhead, faded Levi’s, and a college hoodie. Honestly, I looked like the punchline. I sat at the far end of the couch from Chase, as far away as possible. But, out of character, he walked over and sat right next to me. Me: ??? What is he up to? On top of that, I could feel Chase’s gaze flicking to me all morning, like he was observing me. Maybe after my speech yesterday, he was worried I’d cause trouble on the show and decided to keep an eye on me? Suspicious.

Today’s task was hiking to the top of a mountain for a picnic. I went straight to the staff. “Do we have to hike? Can I take the cable car?”

The staff looked surprised. “If you do that, your group won’t have enough footage for the final edit.”

Figures. Am I the type to care about screen time? “I’m happy to donate my minutes to everyone else!” Worth a shot.

But the producers wouldn’t allow it. They paid me to stir things up. Savannah and I debuted on the same talent show. She was a fan favorite from the start, while I was less popular but had a savvy agency hyping me up. Because I looked about 80% like her, the company kept buying press, and I managed to squeeze into the debut lineup. We were rivals in the supernatural drama that made us both famous—she played the ‘white moonlight’ and I played her stand-in. The rivalry was fierce. Of course the producers didn’t want to waste that drama. Contract signed, I had to play by the rules, so I joined everyone in the van. Figures.

Diana had the host’s script and kept things moving. The group started sharing stories about the first time they felt sparks with their spouse. Diana and her husband, a director, fell in love on set—a model couple in the industry. Savannah’s story was like a movie: a fateful encounter at a business event, love at first sight, and hints at how much her husband adores her, how wealthy he is, and how much her in-laws dote on her. The comments were full of envy. Savannah blushed. “Enough about me—what about you, Harper?”

“I’ve always been curious about your love story with Mr. Bennett!”

What happened between me and Chase was a mess—no happy ending. Long story short: simps never win. Savannah was clearly stirring the pot. I replied, “I chased him. But after getting him, I realized single life is better.”

…Silence. Everyone kept their poker faces, but no one knew how to respond. Diana broke the ice. “Haha, newlyweds always have little spats. When I first married Old Mike, I was annoyed every day, always threatening divorce.” Thanks, Diana.

The usually stoic Chase chimed in. “Actually, I’ve had a crush on Harper since high school.”

Wait, what?

Me: ??? Everyone: ??? I turned to Chase. “Did you eat that sandwich yesterday morning?”

“Did it mess with your brain?”

Did I miss a memo?

Director Mike jumped in to smooth things over. “Haha, is Harper just embarrassed?”

The mood lightened. The couple insisted I was mad because Chase didn’t keep me company yesterday and that we were just having a lover’s spat. Out of the camera’s view, I shot Chase a glare. He really was acting weird—no anger, just staring at me with those dark eyes, lips pressed tight. Who knows what he was plotting. Annoyed, I pushed his face away. My warm fingers brushed his cool cheek, the soft skin making my fingertips tingle. Startled by my own action, I quickly turned to look out the window, shrinking further into my seat. The whole scene was broadcast live. The comments blew up.

“I thought gossip said these two had no feelings for each other. Did I get the wrong scoop?”

“Did anyone notice? Chase’s attention is on Harper the whole time—he never stops looking at her!”

“But Harper seems really annoyed with him? Poor CEO.”

“What is happening? Why is this kind of sweet? Am I the one getting poisoned?”

…The van arrived at the foot of Maple Ridge. Normally, it would take two hours to hike to the top. The producers announced the rules: along the hike, there were several photo checkpoints. Each couple had to take creative and sweet couple photos. The one voted best by viewers would win a mystery prize. Also, the first couple to reach the summit would get a lavish lunch, while the last would have to settle for bread. Like anyone’s picking food over screen time. Drama is money. A meal is nothing; in showbiz, everyone’s a pro at going hungry!

Savannah clung to her husband’s arm. “Let’s pose like our wedding photos!”

She’d released a nine-photo grid for her wedding that trended for a whole day. The photos really were great—anyone would think they were a perfect match. “What about you, Harper? Any ideas?” Savannah asked me sweetly.

The original villainess and Chase had been married for half a year, living separately with no wedding. “Never had wedding photos.” Awkward.

Savannah gasped. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

I forced a smile, glancing at Chase beside me. He looked calm, not rushing to defend the heroine like I’d expected. My suspicious gaze darted between them. The comments exploded again.

“Harper always makes things awkward. Doesn’t she know how to read the room? This is a marriage show—she’s sabotaging everything. The producers must want to kill her.”

“The one who started it was Savannah, obviously poking at her sore spot.”

“Please, the producers love her. That’s what makes good TV. Look, the livestream numbers just doubled!”