Chapter 2: The Dating Show Love Triangle

The show was quickly set up.

Besides the three of us, there were three men and two other women. The cast was stacked, the stakes impossibly high.

Before filming, I asked the director, "Isn't that too few guys?"

He gave me a sly grin. "Don't worry, it's plenty. After all, you're basically taking up two of the female slots."

I just stared at him, totally deadpan.

The show went live, and I was the first to arrive. Taylor Reed showed up second.

She greeted me with a dazzling smile. "Riley, good morning!"

Her attitude had done a complete 180, and after her public confession, I felt awkward around her. I couldn't quite meet her eyes.

I nodded, saying nothing. My hands fidgeted with the hem of my shirt.

Since it was a livestream, the comments scrolled in real time:

[Why does Riley look so grumpy? Shouldn't she be happy to have two beauties after her?!]

[You guys don't know Riley. She always looks like that when she's embarrassed.]

[Oh, so that's it. But seriously, this girl is so bold. Got any inside info for us?]

Seeing the barrage of comments, I ducked my head. The urge to crawl under the couch was real.

Like I'd dare—if I let something else slip, I'd really be canceled. I kept my mouth shut and tried to look busy on my phone.

Taylor came over and sat beside me, asking casually, "What are you looking at, Riley? Let me see too."

I quickly turned off my phone and laughed awkwardly. "Nothing, just scrolling Instagram." My thumb hovered over the power button, just in case.

"Speaking of Insta," Taylor pouted, "when are you gonna follow me back? I've been following you forever!"

I pursed my lips. After how she used to go out of her way to get under my skin, then suddenly confessed, who could remember to follow her back?

Just as I was racking my brain for an excuse, Harper James arrived.

She got out of the car in sunglasses, looking cool and stylish. She was the kind of woman who could make sweatpants look like high fashion.

My heart skipped a beat, and for some reason, she felt strangely familiar. It was like déjà vu, but more intense.

She saw me, smiled faintly, took off her sunglasses, and greeted me. "Morning."

I snapped out of it and quickly nodded. "Morning."

Before I could say more, Taylor jumped in. "Harper, you're here early!"

Harper's expression didn't change, still smiling lightly. "Not as early as you."

The tension between them was electric. I could practically see the sparks flying. It was both terrifying and hilarious.

I didn't want to get caught between them, so I tried to sneak away while they were at it.

But as soon as I moved, Harper noticed.

She turned to me, her eyes sparkling. "I brought chocolate. Want some?"

At the mention of chocolate, I stopped dead in my tracks and swallowed. My sweet tooth overruled any sense of pride.

Because of things in my childhood, I had a massive sweet tooth, and chocolate was my favorite. The craving hit me hard.

Seeing me waver, she pressed on. "It's a European brand, really good—melts in your mouth."

I edged over, embarrassed. "Well, I guess I'll try some." My voice was small, sheepish.

"Then can you help me carry my luggage upstairs? The chocolate's in my suitcase."

I didn't see anything wrong with that and nodded. I grabbed her bag and followed her up the stairs, feeling like a well-trained golden retriever.

She glanced at Taylor, cutting her off with a sweet smile. "Oh, I didn't buy much chocolate, so none for Taylor."

[Whoa, the drama's real! Riley's so lucky—two stunners fighting over her?!]

[Riley's so clever, but why is she such a sucker for chocolate? Girl, come to my arms, I have Reese's!]

[Guys, look at who's after Riley!]

[Did Harper almost call her Little Guppy just now?]

I followed Harper to her chosen bedroom.

She opened her suitcase and handed me a tin. "Here, this is all for you."

Surprised and flattered, I took it and whispered, "Thanks." My fingers traced the embossed logo, heart fluttering.

She smiled, then paused when she saw I wasn't opening it. "Aren't you going to eat some now?"

I was startled. "Can I?"

She laughed, her eyes soft. "Of course. I'll help you open it—it's tricky."

I'm not weak, but for some reason, when she offered, I just handed her the box like I was under a spell. My cheeks felt hot.

[First time seeing Riley so obedient—it's kind of wild.]

[Honestly, Taylor doesn't stand a chance. Only Harper can handle Riley!]

[If you don't support Taylor, you just don't get the appeal of younger women!]

Harper handed me the open chocolate box. "Go ahead, each piece is a different flavor."

I nodded, but when I saw the packaging inside, I froze. Something about it tugged at a memory deep inside.

"What's wrong? Not your taste?"

I pressed my lips together, hesitating. "Have we met before?"

Before she could answer, the director shouted through a megaphone: "Those upstairs, come down for a meeting!"

She smiled. "Let's go."

Downstairs, everyone else had arrived. The director sat on the sofa, Taylor next to him. She greeted me cheerfully, then shot Harper a challenging look.

Harper snorted. "Childish."

Unlike most dating shows, this one had almost no rules or restrictions—more like a chill travel show. The vibe was more road trip than rose ceremony.

Normally, I'd be thrilled to get a gig like this—free food, travel, sightseeing.

But I was surrounded by two chatterboxes.

Taylor: "Riley, let's go shopping. L just dropped a new line—let's check it out."

Harper: "She doesn't like shopping. Riley, eat more, you're too skinny."

"That's not right, Harper. Staying fit is basic for actors. You, as a Best Actress, should know that. Riley, I know a great healthy restaurant—want me to order you something?"

"That stuff? Not even dogs would eat it."

...

The comments paused, then burst out again.

[Seriously? I expected fireworks, but this is just kids bickering!]

[What kind of spell did Riley put on these two? I want to know what it's like to be chased by two top beauties!]

[Meanwhile, what's our third wheel doing?—Wait, is Riley just eating chocolate while the other two are about to fight?]

I curled up on the couch, quietly eating chocolate and trying to disappear. The world could end, and I'd still be there, savoring the last truffle.

After a few days, I realized—

If I stayed still, they'd argue forever. If I moved, they'd both focus on me, ask a ton of questions, then go back to arguing.

My brain was buzzing. It was like living in a reality show inside a reality show.

I sighed, and as if reading my mind, Harper turned and smiled at me. "Riley, there's a library nearby. Want to go?"

I looked up, confused. "Huh?"

Taylor was clearly annoyed. "Really? You want to take Riley to a library on a beautiful day like this?"

Harper ignored her, staring straight at me. "Want to go? There's a big candy store nearby too."

My eyes lit up. I nodded eagerly. "Let's go."

Taylor didn't follow.

She said going to a library was just changing places to nap for her. She flopped onto the couch and pulled a hoodie over her face.

It was the first time in days I'd been alone with Harper. I was nervous for some reason. My palms were sweaty, heart thumping against my ribs.

But she chatted easily, keeping things comfortable, and my nerves faded. She had a way of making everything seem less scary.

She took me to the candy store first.

As soon as we walked in, the sweet smell wrapped around me. It was like stepping into a childhood memory, all sugar and sunshine.

I took several deep breaths. There were all kinds of candies, all sorts of scents—fresh and sweet but not cloying.

Harper smiled. "There are dozens, maybe over a hundred types here. Pick whatever you want, it's on me."

I glanced at the price tags and quickly shook my head. "No, no, I'll pay." My pride was still intact—barely.

Her smile deepened. "It's fine. My family owns this chain—eat as much as you want, it's free. There are stores all over the country."

I swallowed.

Why did I suddenly feel tempted? The candy practically glowed under the store lights.

[She's hesitating! As a mama-fan, I feel like my kid is being lured away!]

[What's up with Riley? It's just a candy store! Where is it? I want some too!]

[Harper just played her trump card. Taylor is doomed!]

Even though it was her family's store, I was too embarrassed to take much. I wanted to just pick a few.

But Harper wasn't having it—she packed a bit of everything, and in generous amounts. By the time we left, both my hands were full of shopping bags. I looked like I'd just robbed Willy Wonka.

With all this, there was no way we could go to the library now. I started to sense something was off.

"Uh, Harper... Best Actress?"

She laughed. "Just call me Harper. 'Best Actress' sounds weird."

She'd said it, so I nodded, a little shy. "Then I'll call you Harper. Harper, did you just want to bring me here for candy?"

She blinked innocently. "Really? No, I actually wanted to take you to the library."

Then she changed her expression, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Aren't you curious why, if my family owns candy stores, I didn't take over the business but joined showbiz?"

I was a bit lost, thinking carefully before answering. "I guess families like yours respect their kids' choices. If you didn't want to take over, your parents wouldn't force you."

She pouted, adding a touch of cuteness. "I didn't want to inherit the company, but joining showbiz was actually their idea."

I was surprised.

After spending time with her, it was hard to imagine anyone forcing her to do anything.

She seemed to read my mind and explained, "At first, they did force me. But then I actually started to like acting, so I stayed."

"I see." I nodded, quiet again, unsure why she was telling me all this.

She blinked, looking at me with a complicated look. "Aren't you curious why I eventually agreed to do it?"

The atmosphere was getting too intimate, and I couldn't handle it. I joked, "Well, it's your private business. I shouldn't pry. It can't be because of me, right?"

She smiled. "It was because of you."

The comments blew up, and so did I.

Harper's words hit me like a bomb. My mind was ringing, and I couldn't hear anything else the whole way back.

After that, I avoided Harper for a few days. My mind was a mess, like a tangled ball of yarn with no end in sight.

She seemed to notice, but said nothing, giving me space and keeping her distance.

But instead of relief, I just felt oddly empty and a little lost. I missed her voice, her easy laughter.

I sighed and messaged Jordan: [I'm doomed. I think I'm sick.]

He replied instantly: [I just watched your livestream—didn't you eat two bowls of mac and cheese? What kind of sickness is that?]

Me: "..."

I glanced at the camera, fingers flying over the keyboard: [Didn't know you liked these kinds of shows.]

[I didn't, but seeing you caught between Taylor and Harper is pretty entertaining.]

Before I could reply, he sent another: [So, you coming to me now—does that mean you've finally made a choice between the three of you? Let me guess, it's Harper, right?]

My heart skipped a beat, my cheeks flushed: [Is it that obvious?]

[Do you realize you smile unconsciously when you look at Harper? At first, I thought it was because of her sweet talk, but then I realized—no, you just like her.]

I touched my lips. I didn't even know I smiled when I saw her.

Jordan: [If you get rich, don't forget me, Riley. I heard Harper and Lucas are close—have her introduce me sometime.]

I sent him a smiling emoji and ended the chat.

Time flew by, and suddenly it was the final episode of the dating show.

Embarrassingly, I barely noticed the other guests. Turns out, they all paired off quietly, leaving just me, Taylor, and Harper in a standoff.

The show didn't require a final choice, but Taylor kept pestering me: "Riley, after all these days, who do you think suits you better—me or her?"

I glanced at Harper, standing nearby, then bit my lip and raised my chin. "Her."

I watched as joy slowly spread across Harper's face, my cheeks burning.

Taylor wouldn't let up. "Why?! Am I not good enough?!"

I thought for a moment, then whispered something in her ear.

Her expression turned odd, and then she shouted, "If you'd told me earlier, I wouldn't have let my uncle put this show together!"

And that was the end of the program.

Harper naturally walked over to me, unable to hide her smile. "What did you say to her that made her give up so fast?"

My face grew even hotter. I shook my head. "Nothing."

Her phone buzzed several times.

"Let me check this."

I nodded, and out of the corner of my eye, caught a glimpse of her screen. My heart nearly stopped.

It was Taylor.

[Harper, don't think you've won. If I hadn't run into Riley, I wouldn't have given up!]

[You better treat Riley well, or I'll go butch and steal her myself! 😤]

I was speechless.

Harper looked at me, her gaze meaningful. "So that's what you said to her."

I shut my eyes. Please, world, end now—immediately!

She chuckled, then sent a voice message: "Don't worry, I'll treat her very well."